Deer recovery

Wife hit a buck , muzzleloader. She said it ran and bedded within site . She said it was putting its head up and down . I get to her stand, deer is gone . Long story short left it overnight and found next day 1700 steps later .Deer was hit low brisket bedded about 10 to 12 times .By the condition looked like it had been dead for 3 /4 hours . Little rigor mortis.I would have pushed that deer into the next county had i pushed it .