re: My bullet saved me from the worst shot I've made on a deer in 30 years yesterda

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I'm going with killing his arse on the spot instead of knocking a hole in it so that I can have the apparently really popular pleasure of a blood trail to follow for miles.

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I'm sure you're exaggerating, but I've never blood trailed for miles a deer that's been shot well w/ an appropriate deer caliber/deer bullet. And yes, I plead guilty to ascribing to the "I like a good blood trail" group. OTOH, I don't think that just because a hunter likes to have an entrance wound, reasonable exit wound and a blood trail that can be followed, it means the deer is going to run off quite some distance before being found; I still expect the deer to go down pretty quickly. Case in point this past weekend. Someone in our hunting party shot a deer at 150 yards just before dark using a 308 and Sierra spire point bullet. Shot was low in chest, just behind the shoulder. Deer was found in the woods 30 yards later at the end of a very good blood trail.

I'm glad you found your deer. I suspect that had you been using a different bullet, the results would've been the same. The main thing is you were wise enough to let the deer lay down undisturbed and bleed out. Very mature move on your part and a good lesson for others. I also do appreciate your honesty. Personally, I've never made a bad shot on a deer......well, except for the one I gut shot w/ a 35 Remington.....and the one I gut shot w/ my 270......and the one I got a little too far back w/ my 308......But, almost ALL my bad shots had to have been because the deer MUST have moved right after I pulled the trigger.