I shot at a deer last night at around 170 yards, he was running with another buck. When I shot, he stopped rather quickly, but due to smoke, I couldn't see if he lurched much. The other deer kept running into the ditch. After about 10 seconds my deer took off with his tail up, but not really fast. I waited a bit, then went to look for blood. Didn't find any blood, so I looked for churned up snow and tracks of a larger deer. I found just one set, which may have been the other buck. I later while sitting and collecting my thoughs had to very large bucks spook about 100 yards from me, but I'm not sure it was the same buck. My question is this, is it possible I hit the deer fatally, and he just stayed in the ditch, didn't leave any blood trail, and I walked past him during the dim lighted hour between 4:30 and 5:30? I'm tore up about this deer as he is to say the least a threat to a record.