I need some opinions on whether this was a fatal hit. I was hunting last Saturday the 4th and had a nice 7 pt. come in about 10 yards away. My stand is about 20ft. off the ground and the buck was walking nose down after a doe. Here is the kicker. Earlier I had turned my scope up to 9x to look at another deer off in the distance and forgot to turn it down. When I made my shot I was right behind the shoulder. At the point of the shot I found nothing. No blood or hair but about 50yrds away he started leaving what I thought was a good blood trail. We followed it about 100yrds. down hill then the rascal turned and went straight back up hill and guess what no more blood. I went back the next day and managed to find a few more drops of blood for about 300 more yards then nothing at all. This deer never layed down one time. I've been hunting with a rifle for over 20 years and this is honestly the first one I've ever lost with a gun. The terain is open hardwoods almost as far as you can see with patchs of mountian laurel in between. Is this deer dead in your opinion or just a superficial wound? Were do you think I hit him???