I like that mentality. I might start doing the same, at least with the rack...
Take a buddies bird dog on a long check cord and walk them down wind of the area, unless the deer has been devoured or underwater like someone else mentioned they will find it. My dogs will generally point a downed deer just like a covey of birds, not trained to, they just do. Be prepared for them to get "birdie" a long ways down wind and work them into the deer just like they are following running quail. Good Luck!
I shot this buck and looked for him parts of 3 days about 6 hours total before finally giving up. Next time I checked the camera there he was. The latest pictures I have I can't tell he was ever shot. The arrow was a complete pass through with good blood on it with a small piece of meat. Blood trailed him about 40 yards before losing the trail. You can tell by the picture, the hole above the shoulder blade, the shot was too high and foward. My first time hunting out of a ground blind (with a small case of buck fever).
Good luck, hope you find him.
Had the exact same thing happen on the very first deer I ever shot with a bow. Arrow went high above the shoulder blade and above the spine. Arrow zipped thru him and he took off like a scalded dog. Found the arrow and it was covered in fat. Didn't hit a single thing vital, I'm sure he lived another day. Maybe yours will as well.
There are a ton of deer shot like that still running around. couple of them are mine
Great example of a non lethal pass thru.
