First time posting on the site. Ive enjoyed watching all the success and stories other guys have shared on this site the last couple of years. So thanks to all of you for keeping the hunter in me entertained on my days in while watching the kids. So this is my fifth year hunting deer with little success. Last year shot a doe in laguna right at dusk was worried about the shot location so i had her sleep on it.....returned the next day and guess what.....snow... looked all over couldn't find anything.. Later found what seemed to be her chewed up by coyotes 200 yrds away from where i shot her. This year i decided to give rifle hunting a try and quickly becoming obsessed with it. Hunting has sure gotten a lot easier so far. Still freakin tough but easier...So anyways.....This morning got to my spot before dark, settled in and watched some does feeding in a meadow about 700yrds away glassing constantly to see if a buck would emerge. After about 30 min they eventually disappeared. And right after they left guess what? The big boy emerged at about 400yrds and he was headed my way.. Looked to be a tall forky that I have been catching on my cams and spotted once a couple weeks ago. He disappeared before I could get a closer look at him but i knew where he was headed, right up a main draw that i was adjacent to. He blended in so perfectly i almost didn't see him approaching right under me. He came in right where I wanted him and it was all coming together. Ranged him at an even 200yrds on a steep downhill angle. Looked through the scope put crosshairs on his vitals and Bang saw the dirt fly just over his back. Quickly reloaded and found him in my scope he was still as a statue so i fired again and yet another miss right over his back. OK idiot!!! Now i was getting really anxious, one more try and adjusted for the shot aimed right under his belly this time..FIRED and in the recoil of my shot I totally lost him in my scope, (now out of ammo)I was searching for him through my glass to see if he was running away. NOTHING... MY thought instantly went to I GOT HIM. probably shot him in the spine and it dropped him out of my sight.. FINALLY after all my hard work I finally got him. (but that wasn't the case), after waiting some time i hiked down and looked for my buck but there was nothing. It was if i was shooting at a mirage. I sighted my gun in 1in high at 100yrds....shooting a 180grain 308. This has really got me bugged. Im going to be a mess the next couple of days till I can get on the range to get some practice in and see if theres something wrong with my gun or if its just me.. Man i should of had him.