But I missed an 8 pt Sat eve. About the only thing I can imagine is that I was shooting thru some limbs, and possible hit one. Found where the bullet plowed the ground, no blood, no hair. The buck bounced off about 40 yds, stopped, looked around, then walked on off the ridge...clean miss apparently. I searched all over looking for sign of a hit, and even walked the last area I saw him walking, but found nothing. It's been a long time since I last felt this feeling...this sick feeling , but at least it was a clean miss. It was too dark after I looked for blood to try to see if I had hit any limbs, but I can only hope that was the cause.
I still can't see how I missed that. I couldn't have missed. But there was ZERO sign anywhere of a hit. Shook me up and I got out my 22LR and then the 2 deer rifles I had made a fool of myself with and did some serious off-hand shooting over the next few days. Ended the season hitting my best buck yet running at 75 yards. You mess up some - that's just the way it is.
I'm relieved at that, but I'm beginning to wonder if I messed up on the powder load too. I remember thinking that it didn't "sound" right when I fired. Then later that eve, I got a text from my landowner neighbor asking if it was my shot that he had heard. I called him, and in the course of the conversation he asked what I was shooting, I told him my CVA, and he said well, it certainly didn't sound like a ML, sounded more like a .410. This, to me, lends credence to the possibility that I may have flubbed on the powder load. And also since I had caught myself measuring 37.5 gr once already, instead of the 57.5 I needed. I may have had another load number on my mind when I did it, who knows. Anyway, I'm really glad it isn't the gun, so , it's either me, a limb, or an underpowered powder load...take your pick. 
