3 deer in my lifetime of hunting,that I hit and didn`t find.
The first one about 10 yrs ago, a 6 ptr opening morning 7:00am. Deer walking,head down about 30yds away,in a swamp.1 shot,then disappeared,no blood or hair,but I know I hit him.Looked for about 4 hrs,no find.The next day a club doing a deer drive pulled him out.


The 2nd one[6yrs ago] I still have nightmares about,probably in the 160 to 170 class buck,Hit him 2times in a field before dark,about 35 yds,no blood or hair,ran and stumbled about 120yds[in the rain].Looked for him 2 days,never found him.Word has it, a local resident found him dead in his back yard,adjacent to the property that I was hunting,the next morning.[thats another story].

The last one happened this past Dec. I think a 6pt[allI seen was bone], jumped a survey line running through a swamp.Shoulder shot,hit him good,though I thought.Lots of blood and hair,then his trail just disappeared,no more blood.Looked for the rest of the day in the swamp,nothing.I hunted that whole area hopeing to stumble across him, but didn`t.

All 3 deer were shot all with Buckshot.Right after I lost the monster buck,I went out and bought a Hastings slug barrel for my 1187.I never lost a deer shooting slugs,or any deer that I shot with a rifle.
The reason that I used buckshot [for only 1 day] in Dec. is because I was anticipating a club to drive the piece of woods that I was hunting in.

I have a ton of buckshot for sale!