RE: did I miss ?
What are you shooting?I used to use buckshot here in Jersey until I lost a 170 or 180 class buck after hitting him good in an open field about 40 yds twice.NO BLOOD,NO HAIR,NO NOTHING!!!Dead deer period!!
That was the second time that happend and the last.I went out and bought a Hastings rifled barrel with a decent scope,I`m shooting 1 1/4 oz Lightfields and there is no question about finding sign when I hit`em.
I lost only 2 deer in my life and both were due to Buckshot.[Yes my gun patterns pretty good with 1`s and 00 buck]
So what caliber are you using and bullet?I`t sounds like a dead deer to me!!