After reading and thinking about it , Some times it is neccessary for a few more shots. Thats because the first shot doesn' t always put them down. I believe you probably connected on the first shot but was expecting too much. How far did you trail the deer looking for sign of a hit? He may have been bleeding internally and the tallow closed the entrance hole. He may have gone 100 yds before falling or bedding. Give him some time as in Bow hunting. Go slow and you may jump him and get another shot either that or you might just find him. Also you should try a pattern with 000 Buck,it might be just what your gun craves.

Do you mean 3 inches or 3 feet at 50 yards? I have shot alot of buckshot in my time through lots of guns and lots of chokes. There is no way you put all the pellets in a 3 inch circle at 50 yards, it just doesn' t happen, a 3 foot circle is definitely possible.

If you mean you put one pellet 3' ' for the center of the target,where were the rest of them.High,low.left or right?000 is my favorite load ,too.

I think you missed. If you shot and the deer looked at you and then trotted off, you didn' t hit him. If you would have even put one pellet in him, he would have hauled butt. You said you were getting a 3" pattern at 50 yds? If that is correct that would be devestating to a deer.

i am confused by the posts of patterns on buckshot.i shot it many years for deer and never lost any at ranges of 50 yds or less.i don' t think i ever got a group inside 3" at 50 yds.i could take an 8" paperplate and put all 16 pellets of #1buck in the plate at 50 yds.patterns depend on the choke and size buckshot.buckshot is the most lethal load there is under 50 yds unless you have the wrong load or choke.

Use to use 3" 000 Buckshot in Jersey and 50 yards was a sure kill. I think ya missed big time. At 50 yards the pattern don' t matter much some pellets are going into the bread basket. At longer distances, maybe you were 70 yards and a quatering frontal shot, buckshot can ride along the hair and skin and not be lethal.

Unless you had a faulty shell where the buckshot dribbled out in front of you (I had this happen once), it sounds like shirttail cuttin time.

The Mossburg 500 24" rifle sight barrels are open cylinder and NOT full choke.
Thats probally why you missed. I would use the 28 inch barrel with the screw in
modified or full choke. In my Mossburg, #1 buckshot works best in the full choke,
00 in the modified. 50 yards can be on the farside of buckshot accuracy. I would shoot the gun with different loads and chokes and let that be your guide.