we are somewhat getting off in the weeds with the more deader faster talk though
Are we though?
No matter how you look at it if a person has given thought to his cartridge and bullet choice, worked on his marksmanship, studied bullet placement, hunting areas, and whether the shot is feasible it's all part of a plan.
If the plan culminates in a shot there are any number of out-comes, and there is no certainty that you get what you want. I'll list some from A to where-ever I end up. I hope that there a rough progression to the order.
a) Animal drops instantly, and appears for all realistic purposes to be instantly dead. Hard to beat that result from humane, recovery and pride of workmanship points of view.
b) Down instantly, but lived for a bit. It died before you got to at least and you might not kow the difference.
c) Obviously hit hard, might move a bit before it decides which way to fall over.
d) Runs but shows signs of wilting and piles up in short order. Never left your sight but there was just that second of doubt.
e) Takes off like a bat out of hell, but drops in sight. Cue sigh of relief.
f) c, d and e but requiring a second shot when you get there. Ain't great, but these things happen.
Lets put A through F in the general category of "shooting it then going to get it."
Next there's the vast field of what I call "Shooting it then going to look for it". I've had people tell me with a straight face that their plan starts here; often solemnly proclaiming that just about everything runs and that's just the way it is. Doesn't seem like a great plan A to me, so its a good thing we're already at G.
g) G as in gee; I know I hit it but it didn't look all that sick before it got out of sight. Gee; as in I hope there's a blood trail and I can actually find it. G as in gee it's a long walk with a knot in your stomach.
h) Same as G, but there was no visible or audible confirmation of a hit. You have nothing except the sure knowledge that you could have made that shot on the worst day of your life to go on. You have that right? Right? I know it's hard to talk when the knot in your stomach feels like a curling rock. Nod your head if you have that. Remember to breath, its a damn long walk holding your breath.
i) You find a great and short blood trail, and a suitably dead animal.
j) You don't find blood and start casting about in the general direction it ran, then everywhere else with hope fading and that knot turning into a ulcer. It may still turn out well, but that doubt is sown. After a time you start to wonder about your shot, and shortly after that start hoping you missed. Minutes turn into hours. Day turns into night. Night turns into tomorrow.
k) K; you did get onto a trail but its meager. It makes up for it's meagerness with length though. Also you can't convince yourself you missed because you have proof you didn't. It might work out, but it could turn into a swamp where no-one could track, or somewhere you can't go, or just get dark.
l) using Angus's example, your goat (lets say its a goat) goes somewhere where you can't retrieve it. 'Course you'll likely have to climb down, up and sideways through gut busting terrain looking for something that you don't even know is there before you prove that you can't have it anyway. Tracking is a fantasy.
M-Z) Insert your own worst nightmares here.
I don't think "more deader faster" is getting off in the weeds at all. I'm a big fan of outcome A and B myself but A-F is all in the "shoot it and go get it class". Not a big fan of anything in the "shoot it and go look for it" class, although "i" isn't as bad.
