# Smokepole time is almost here.



## bobk

Going to shoot the encore tomorrow. Hope everyone is ready for muzzy season. As of now the temps look great. Low of 15 Saturday. Good luck everyone!


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## garhtr

bobk said:


> Low of 15 Saturday


Decisions decisions  Finally some perfect duck weather, right at the wrong time.
Mother nature is indeed a cruel cruel gal.
Good luck and good hunting !


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## ironman172

I'll be inside staying toasty warm, unless in another county..... but that just doesn't sound to appealing with 2 in the freezer and no deer tag bought yet


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## 0utwest

Good luck guys and gals and hope there is at least a little snow .


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## fastwater

Still have to get the pork butt smoked for deer camp but other than that...all ready.



0utwest said:


> Good luck guys and gals and hope there is at least a little snow .


Sure hope we do get a bit 0utwest.
My fav. deer hunting is ml'er season...and what's better than ml'er season?
Ml'er season with snow on the ground.


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## Smitty82

For all you BH209 users. Have any of you left your ml loaded with it all year without any issues?


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## Muddy

No, but good luck with that🤞.


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## Outasync

My father in law left his loaded for a year before. He shot it the week before the season started and it went off fine. He had the barrel covered and sealed the whole time tho. Said he'd never do it again


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## Morrowtucky Mike

If the barrel was clean and only loaded your fine. You’ll only have corrosion where the powder sat. Now if it had been shot and then reloaded like Muddy said “good luck”. I ruined an Encore barrel that way. Completely ate up the rifling. Instead of trying to fire it pull the breech plug and give it an inspection.


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## ironman172

Neighbors going to hunt my place the weekend , I may go down to do a little work , and be around if he gets something and needs help ..... might cut up some of those trees down and run the splitter ..... good luck and take your time choosing the right shot, only having one


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## fastwater

Smitty82 said:


> For all you BH209 users. Have any of you left your ml loaded with it all year without any issues?


As long as very,very little to no humidity/moisture was able to get to the powder...and if your bbl., breech plug was clean when loaded...you shouldn't have to worry about corrosion anywhere.
Unfired, dry BH209 powder is not corrosive.
It does become corrosion under two conditions... if it gets damp...or obviously...if fired.
BH209 when damp produces one type of caustic acid/residue...one reason you shouldn't ever clean bbl.,breech plug with water based solvents when using BH209.
When fired...it produces another kind of caustic acid/residue.
Used to know the names of the two different caustic residues but can't recall.


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## mmtchell

Crossing my fingers so tightly I might break a finger...let it snow let it snow ......love the smell of my smoke pole when it goes off ....good luck everyone


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## fastwater

mmtchell said:


> Crossing my fingers so tightly I might break a finger...let it snow let it snow ......love the smell of my smoke pole when it goes off ....good luck everyone


Looking for now like about an 1-2" in our area Friday afternoon,evening and low teen temps throughout Friday night should hold snow until Sat morning. Sat warm low 40's. Same Sunday with rain. Dropping high teens Sun. evening/night and highs below freezing Mon-Tues. Hoping rain Sun. turns to snow Sun. afternoon and there will be snow on the ground Mon. morning.


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## Harry1959

Ready for it. Hunt a couple small farms in warren county. May get a chance to hunt my buddy’s bigger areas near Wellston.


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## bobk

fastwater said:


> Looking for now like about an 1-2" in our area Friday afternoon,evening and low teen temps throughout Friday night should hold snow until Sat morning. Sat warm low 40's. Same Sunday with rain. Dropping high teens Sun. evening/night and highs below freezing Mon-Tues. Hoping rain Sun. turns to snow Sun. afternoon and there will be snow on the ground Mon. morning


It’s a start! Hope it keeps on coming down.


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## ironman172

bobk said:


> It’s a start! Hope it keeps on coming down.
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 481134


Are those ez's shooting houses lol ..... just about the right size for him ..... how's the encore shooting and any thing good on the game cameras ?last you checked

.looks to be ending soon by the radar


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## bobk

Smitty82 said:


> For all you BH209 users. Have any of you left your ml loaded with it all year without any issues?


I hate to admit it but I just went through this over the weekend. The encore shot fine and there was no corrosion. The rifle was in a safe that is moisture controlled so that most likely helped. Very bad choice of mine to do it. Not so much that it was a choice more than it was a silly mistake on my part.


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## bobk

ironman172 said:


> Are those ez's shooting houses lol ..... just about the right size for him ..... how's the encore shooting and any thing good on the game cameras ?last you checked


Lol, he could fit in the red house. As of last Sunday I have a 12,10 and a couple 8’s that are still holding bones. Several little guys too. Encore is ready to go.


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## Smitty82

bobk said:


> I hate to admit it but I just went through this over the weekend. The encore shot fine and there was no corrosion. The rifle was in a safe that is moisture controlled so that most likely helped. Very bad choice of mine to do it. Not so much that it was a choice more than it was a silly mistake on my part.


Yea, my optima was cleaned before I Loaded it last year. Ended up not shooting any deer during ml last year and took the primer out and put it back in the bag. It’s been stored in a moisture controlled safe too. The research I’ve done on line says it’s fine. Have also had a few people dm me that they have done it too without any issue or corrosion. I’ll see what happens on Saturday. If I don’t see any deer I’m going to still shoot it to see what happens.


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## bobk

Good luck!


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## Harry1959

On my Omega I never load a clean barrel to hunt with. It really throws some fliers on that 1st shot with a clean barrel. I usually gun hunt with it too and will shoot a single shot of BH 209 and reload the Sunday before Gun season and don’t clean it until after the extra weekend, so it goes a couple weeks and doesn’t hurt it. Now when I shoot real black powder or even pyrodex on my older gun I always clean right after shooting.


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## fastwater

bobk said:


> It’s a start! Hope it keeps on coming down.
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 481134


Ground is coated here at the house.
Still coming down very lightly.
Hopefully temp will stay cold enough at least through Sat morning.
Next chance maybe Sun. evening into Mon. morning.
Keeping fingers crossed.



bobk said:


> Lol, he could fit in the red house. As of last Sunday I have a 12,10 and a couple 8’s that are still holding bones. Several little guys too. Encore is ready to go.


Is EZ riding his new bike down?


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## ironman172

I always shoot at least 1 to check on paper the day before, if ok load for the next day(start of the season..... leave it outside in a case on the porch to maintain temperature(condensation issue) if cold ..... , pull the breach plug and push everything out, or just shoot it


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## bobk

fastwater said:


> Ground is coated here at the house.
> Still coming down very lightly.
> Hopefully temp will stay cold enough at least through Sat morning.
> Next chance maybe Sun. evening into Mon. morning.
> Keeping fingers crossed.
> 
> 
> 
> Is EZ riding his new bike down?


Tom had some technical difficulties with turning in his vacation request. Bummed out that he can’t come down. Maybe he was riding the bike and should have been turning in his request. 🤔


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## fastwater

bobk said:


> Tom had some technical difficulties with turning in his vacation request. Bummed out that he can’t come down. Maybe he was riding the bike and should have been turning in his request. 🤔


...or...maybe he rode his bike to work...was late and didn't get it turned in in time.
At any rate...that's jacked up.

On another note...stupid pork butt that's been on smoker since 0900 hit the dreaded 'stall' at 154 degrees and has been there for the last two hrs.
Runnin into town and If'n it's still there when I get back it will be Texas crutch time.


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## ironman172

So your doe hunting ? Anybody else with you ..... if I come down (plenty to do with the trees that came down , cleaup) could make my way over to get that old stuff gone....& help if needed with a deer
Ez could always come down sick ...... deeritis..... it's been going around


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## bobk

ironman172 said:


> So your doe hunting ? Anybody else with you ..... if I come down could make my way over to get that old stuff gone


I’ll be doe hunting. Buddy down the road will be hunting. He still has a buck tag. Give a shout if you get down to your cabin and we can try to work that out.


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## bobk

fastwater said:


> On another note...stupid pork butt that's been on smoker since 0900 hit the dreaded 'stall' at 154 degrees and has been there for the last two hrs.
> Runnin into town and If'n it's still there when I get back it will be Texas crutch time.


How’s that shoulder doing?
It’s still snowing here so I think you will be good at Jim’s place.


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## fastwater

bobk said:


> How’s that shoulder doing?
> It’s still snowing here so I think you will be good at Jim’s place.


Mine..or this hog shoulder on the smoker?
Hogs is still out there unwrapped on the smoker at 174degrees.
It's turned into a quest now.
Think it finally broke its stall when it reached 170 cause it's raised 4degrees in the last 8-10 minutes.
Prolly spritzed it too much early on.
Guessin it will be about 1am by the time it reaches 195.


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## Muddy

Just a few flurries here. We will be back at this weekend. I need to pull some camera cards today and see what’s going on. Good luck!


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## 1MoreKast

Good luck to all who are out there this weekend! Looking forward of the pictures to come. I hunt in Ashtabula county on my father-in-law's property. One of my favorite things about ML hunting out there is when that snow is falling, its quiet, and you can hear the horse and buggies *clop clop clop clop clop clop** for miles....

Couple years back in 2020 we were pretty beat up from rain and wet snow all day that Saturday. After a long, brutal sit, we were walking back to my truck maybe an hour before dark. I had pulled my primer out but luckily my buddy hadn't yet and out walked 4 deer right in front of us from the wood line. They began to take off but the one fat doe made a very nice target for my friend who was able to drop her dead about 60 yards from the truck  We celebrated in good fashion that night 🍺


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## ironman172

Looks like just the right amount of white in Hocking county
Most likely better further east and south then my place 

.


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## halfrack

Still snowing in Lake County just snow blowed driveway at least 7 inches so far. I am close to Chardon but will be hunting in Portage.


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## 0utwest

All be Hunting right here in Geneva behind the house not really sure if i want to shoot another deer but it will be nice to get out and at least enjoy the day and if i see a real nice buck well then i know all at least try and get him . We have at least 5-6 inches on the ground here so good luck and have fun !


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## capt.scott

Good luck everyone. Going to be a tad chilly in the morning. Very little snow in Ashland county where I will be hunting in the morning.


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## mmtchell

Checking in in Caldwell ohio, its 5 degrees here ,, hope it warms up fast ...3 inches of snow on the ground...


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## bobberbucket

Good luck to all headed out! I’m unfortunately sitting this one out. I’ll be looking forward to seeing the reports! 

, 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ironman172

Stay warm  going to be a chilly start..... much is needed done to this shack, insulated walls and sheeting for one , both for warmth and sound barrier


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## Sammy Bixler

Checking in from licking County 7 degrees staying nice and warm! Wife trying to get her first buck


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## Muddy

I didn’t see a thing this morning. I don’t like hunting cold mornings after a clear night, but I couldn’t stand not going. This evening should be better.


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## 0utwest

Saw a lot of deer sign and deer while i still hunted this morning and got a doe for SaugeyeTom  which i am headed back out to go get . Also some of the does are back in heat as i came across 2 spots where they urinated and had blood in it . All post pics later .


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## bobk

0utwest said:


> Saw a lot of deer sign and deer while i still hunted this morning and got a doe for SaugeyeTom  which i am headed back out to go get . Also some of the does are back in heat as i came across 2 spots where they urinated and had blood in it . All post pics later .


Congrats on the deer.


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## Misdirection

Over the line in PA it was 3 degrees when I left the house this morning. Saw over 10 doe and a nice buck.

I was pushing for others when I saw the buck and not prepared, saw the doe while posted, but not in range for me and my flintlock!

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk


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## 0utwest

Yeah i have one of those flinchlocks at least thats how i shoot it !


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## Rainbow Record

Got to blow some smoke this morning 
Pretty active in Belmont county saw 2 bucks (can’t take bucks on this property) 12 doe 
It was a whooping 5 degrees at daybreak thank goodness for battery socks and shake hand warmers made it very tolerable and seeing lots of deer helped as well.


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## bobk

Congratulations Rainbow.


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## Smitty82

Went out today with my FIL and BIL. Got down to the property and found someone stole my blind and chair. It was an old blind so when I had put it up along time ago I was prepared for it to be stolen. Disappointing from a principle standpoint. Is what it is. Glad I keep a sit drag in my backpack because it was a lifesaver today. Saw a nice size yote around 2 but didn’t come in close enough. About 2:30 saw three does far off, they were traveling in the wrong direction. Saw nothing after that. Before we headed out I fired my rifle and it worked flawlessly. I don’t plan on keeping it loaded again, but it definitely gives me extra confidence using BH209.


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## fireline

Hunted Tuscarawas cty this afternoon,
Only saw 1 doe and didn’t have a shot, congratulations to those that got dear today in that brutal cold


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## 0utwest

Here is a pic of the doe i got about 10 this morning still hunting and i had seen about 7 deer before i shot this one at about 150 yds . The deer today for me anyway did not seem real jumpy as i had 2 earlier chances that the deer had seen me and still let me move to try and get a better shot before they took off . Tonight i had 5 does come in and one was as close as 50yds and seen one more right at the end of shooting time .


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## Rainbow Record

0utwest said:


> Here is a pic of the doe i got about 10 this morning still hunting and i had seen about 7 deer before i shot this one at about 150 yds . The deer today for me anyway did not seem real jumpy as i had 2 earlier chances that the deer had seen me and still let me move to try and get a better shot before they took off . Tonight i had 5 does come in and one was as close as 50yds and seen one more right at the end of shooting time .
> View attachment 481260


Had the same experience today outwest I’ve hunted this box blind many times and many years and they tend to shy away from it as well as a 4 wheeler and today was different had an 8pt walk right by the bike with little to no reaction and walked right by the box window and to top it off the doe I shot was Almost in the exact same spot as the buck So you carry in a magnum muzzy and end up shooting a deer 30 yards from the barrel. It’s roughly a mile ride back to the stand and most of the deer as soon as they see the bike they bolt but not so much today they would just stand and watch me ride by them I guess it was the extreme cold


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## Muddy

I shot a doe last night. We saw a doe at 4:15 that I didn’t get a shot at, and then this doe came by with a button buck at 5:15 just slowly feeding along. We got to watch them for about 10 minutes before I shot. I shot her in the neck with a Barnes bullet and dropped her in her tracks. We got her hung and skinned out last night and will have her cut and froze this afternoon. Probably our last deer for the year.


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## bobk

Congratulations on the doe Muddy. Good timing considering the rain today.


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## Sammy Bixler

Congrats on the deer kills guys we are giving it another go today rain slowing down thankfully


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## joekacz

Muddy said:


> View attachment 481269
> 
> View attachment 481268
> 
> I shot a doe last night. We saw a doe at 4:15 that I didn’t get a shot at, and then this doe came by with a button buck at 5:15 just slowly feeding along. We got to watch them for about 10 minutes before I shot. I shot her in the neck with a Barnes bullet and dropped her in her tracks. We got her hung and skinned out last night and will have her cut and froze this afternoon. Probably our last deer for the year.


Congrats...that is one big doe...but the smiles are even bigger...you got a heck of a partner there...the pic say's it all!!


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## ironman172

Congrats to the muddy duo.....the young man sure is learning well.... i couldn't even get the grandson to hold a leg while skinning to keep it from spinning.... replaced him with a rope .... I guess its not for everybody

I guess the neighbor didn't even want to get damp going up to dry hunting this morning on his atv....dang


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## 0utwest

Yeah Rainbow Record it was a crazy day and it makes it nice when the deer are much more cooperative and patient . Muddy and as joekacz said that is one big doe and nice to see the kid involved in all aspects of the hunt  i also shoot Barnes Bullets and there might be a chance that we recover the bullet as i did not see an exit and took a frontal chest shot that caught one shoulder but i am not holding my breath as i have only recovered 1 muzzy and 1 rifle after 20 + years of using them .


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## DL07

We were out yestaurday afternoon. My son filled his 2nd tag of the season. He shot a buck during gun season and shot this nice doe today. 18 yard shot with his crossbow and dropped her where she stood.


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## joekacz

DL07 said:


> We were out yestaurday afternoon. My son filled his 2nd tag of the season. He shot a buck during gun season and shot this nice doe today. 18 yard shot with his crossbow and dropped her where she stood.
> View attachment 481281


No misfires with a crossbow to worry about…great job…had to be very rewarding…BIG CONGRATS!!


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## DL07

Yes it is very rewardimg and makes me very proud. Hes quit the little hunter.


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## joekacz

DL07 said:


> Yes it is very rewardimg and makes me very proud. Hes quit the little hunter.


No offense but the adjective “little” doesn’t fit him…he’s definitely a hunter…my compliments to you on affording him with the opportunity…great partners!!


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## DL07

I understand what your saying. He's my youngest son and only 7, so to me he will always be my little guy.... lol. Maybe young hunter would have been better for everyone else.


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## TM-1

Shot what I thought was a doe yesterday. Turns out it was a buck that already dropped his horns.


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## ironman172

Looks like it might have been a decent set of horns by the nub diameter..... its a doe , considered under 3in antlers


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## TM-1

It was a good sized deer. I was after a good doe. What surprised me the most is that it looks like the horns have been off for a while.


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## Uglystix

TM-1 said:


> Shot what I thought was a doe yesterday. Turns out it was a buck that already dropped his horns.


Would be cool if you found the antlers.


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## TM-1

It would be cool. I walk around the property a lot. Don't have much luck finding sheds. Maybe that will change.


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## Kenlow1

TM-1, was he by himself or were there other deer with him when you shot him?


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## 0utwest

Well we recovered the Barnes Bullet .


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## TM-1

Kenlow, he was by himself. I was slow walking , still hunting, towards my son and the other guy that was out. I was going along a thick wet area we call the glade. He jumped out. I didn't see any horns and thought it was one of our big does that I was looking for. I waited to see if any other flushed. None did. It ran 70 to 80 yards and gave me a good shot. I took a 10 point in October and saw a lot of small to medium bucks in gun season. That's why I was looking for a doe. When I found it I got upset and felt really bad. I look at those other bucks as inventory just waiting to get big enough to be a shooter. 

Sorry for the long story. This is in southern Carroll county.


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## fastwater

0utwest said:


> Well we recovered the Barnes Bullet .
> View attachment 481372


Can't get any better than that.
Did it hit bone Mike?


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## 0utwest

Yes it was quarting frontal shot that destroyed one front shoulder and thru a lung all the way to a rear quarter where it was just under the hide . Strange it never got into any of the guts and the meat cutter said it looked like it zipped right along the ribs .


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## fastwater

Impressive going through shoulder, clear to hind quarter and still staying intact while perfectly rose petaling.
Love those Barnes...


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## joekacz

0utwest said:


> Well we recovered the Barnes Bullet .
> View attachment 481372


I think it was the plastic tip that did the deer in…LOL…seriously it looks like pretty good performance


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## Kenlow1

TM-1, too bad it was one of the bucks on the property. You had to make a quick decision whether to shoot or not and since you saw no horns figured it was a big doe? I too shot a shed buck several years ago by accident. I was a "stander" on a deer drive in Jefferson Co. and 4-deer came busting thru the brush about 50 yds away. They all stopped and were looking back towards the drivers when I shot the largest "doe". When we got up to the deer and rolled it over to dress out, my buddy says "your doe has a large set of balls"! A little advice for hunters that may not know is that if you see a large bodied deer alone by itself, 80% of the time it is a "shed buck". An old timer with a lot of knowledge that was a deer biologist in another state gave me that advice. It's not 100% foolproof, but just keep in back of your mind. Again, not faulting you for shooting the buck, happens to everyone. That year I shot the shed buck was back when you still had to take to a "check station" and they said that was the 4th shed buck they had checked in that day! I always try to check the deer"s head (pedestal) before pulling trigger to see if any blood but a lot of times its not possible especially if you are not above in a treestand. Congrats on getting him, he will eat just fine.


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## Morrowtucky Mike

Yep here’s my January 27th doe from a couple years ago. Even from a tree stand in bow range I couldn’t tell. After 4 small racked bucks came through I shot the larger of 3 does just before legal shooting time expired. Figured a doe with her two fawns, wrong.


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## bare naked

0utwest said:


> Yes it was quarting frontal shot that destroyed one front shoulder and thru a lung all the way to a rear quarter where it was just under the hide . Strange it never got into any of the guts and the meat cutter said it looked like it zipped right along the ribs .


Shot a deer facing me 40 years ago with a 12 ga. brenneke. Brother & I were cutting it up & when I went to bone out the last rear quarter the big top bone was shaterd. Told my bro look someone shot this deer in the ham. Boned the ham out & found the slug.Checked the hide &only 1 hole. No gut was busted in it& bullet went the length of the deer.


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## TM-1

Definitely was a surprise. When I took it in they told me it was the second shed buck they got on Sunday. It was a very different season for me. I saw very few does and probably 15 t0 20 bucks. My son was completely opposite. He saw way more does than bucks. Most of the time we were only a couple hundred yards apart. He saw 5 does tonight.


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## Buck-Eye

Shot what I thought was a med size doe tonight since it was bald and with a couple other deer. Turns out it was a button buck that had already lost both nubs. Shot him at 185 yards through both lungs with a Barnes TEZ. Deer might have went 20 yards.


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## capt.scott

0utwest said:


> Well we recovered the Barnes Bullet . Got to love Barnes bullet performance. nice job.
> View attachment 481372


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## Ohiobob926

Smokepole season was very good for my buddy and me!


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## MagicMarker




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## Redheads

MagicMarker said:


> View attachment 481471


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## Redheads




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