Your shot went into what is called no mans land. Your huge magnum round that will kill any living creature struck that buck above the lungs and below the spine passing between the ribs and exiting on the oposite side of the animal between the ribs. No blood trail was eveident because the wound was just two bullet size holes in and out. Your bullet did not expand at all, it punched a clean bullet size hole through that buck. If that wound does not get infected that buck is still alive and well when the hole heals over. Many deer are wounded in this manner by any number of hunters each season when they place their bullet in no mans land. Remember it is better to hit just a little low on a game animal. their heart lies in the bottom of the chest cavity at the point of their elbow off their front leg.

I once thought I had a dead dear when it went down but it ran to next watch & was downed with 1 bullet & that was the only hole, I figured maybe it just slipped when my shot scared it!! or maybe you missed & the shock wave knocked it down.

Did it too:
for all the non-believers,Yes I can hit it and loose it.Here my story:About 4 y ago,combination hunt in Colorado,had my elk,used .338 WMag c a 210 gr Nosler partition.On the day in question I had parked myself on a bluff being very quiet,apparently not quiet enough,35 y below me ,behind a big brush I saw the outline of a deer.I froze and waited,this deer finally run dn the trail,followed by another c horns.
I shot that one,aiming behind the shoulders.
All run off-I didnt believe it!,I went dn to investigate:could not find a drop of blood,yes I found the broken twig to save my ego.I searched the mountain for 3-4 hrs,no deer no blood.I had to conclude I missed.
Next morning I went up again to the same spot-something to the effect that a crimeplace attracts the criminal ,I glassed the area below me and finally could not believe my "luck",I saw a single drop of blood,no hair,nothing else.This drop of blood convinced me that there should be more.I run ever increasing circles around it,finally found more blood,the deer had run thru thick brush,uphill and below me where I couldnt see it.50 y later there was massive blood,looked like a lung shoot bleeding thru the mouth.I found the dead deer about 150y from where I shot it,encircled and maimed by crows.1 foreleg was missing.The deer was a stinking mess.As it had a nice rack I caped it out and left the rest.In camp that night we were visited by the game warden,to make the story short he fined me for "not searching " for the deer.
There are things in this world which cannot be explained,despite all my efforts the officer felt he had a paying customer.
I did not even discuss the possibility of a closed warp hole.
I have been arguing with myself since.I like the no mans theory best - if one rules out the warphole !
sheephunter