You can't just generalize the wound like that. Yeah a .30 cal vs a very larger 12 gauge foster slug would likely be quite different.

But what about a larger caliber rifle vs. a muzzy vs a 20 gauge shotgun shooting a rather small sabot slug?

Regardless of what this particular deer was shot with I would agree with ryan in that it's his stomping grounds and he would likely know the reason behind this occurance better than anyone else.

There always have been, and always will be poachers. People poach for a number of reasons. But no matter what the reason, poaching is wrong. I find it most funny when the poacher is caught. Some of the reasons they come up with for why they do it are crazy. The real kicker for me is the ones that head hunt or horn hunt.

I feel your pain, had this happen to me last year. We have had trouble with road hunteris in the past shooting deer off the gravel roads along a large beanfield I hunt over. There's big hill in the middle of the field about 250 yds off the road that slopes down toward the timber out of sight from the road. I found a really nice double main beamed buck dead along the timber edge. Guessin someone shot him and he ran over the hill out of sight. It was Jan, well after rifle season, and he was def shot with a rifle. I wasn't really happy about that.