[J. A. EARLY]

Truthfully, it has been a long season. I lost two bucks, and had both located by a drone. First one went down and lay on ground for fifteen minutes hit by 250 grain Hornady pistol bullet in muzzle loader season. Went to climb down and he got up, stumbled and fell. Climbed down and he was gone. Second one was shot at forty yards with a .270 Browning BAR and the Hornady ELD-X did not expand and went right through the shoulder of the deer. We could see him on drone video with a light licking a small exit wound.The drone operator assured me neither could get up from their wounds. Both did when I went to them.

But one can't give up so I was rewarded with an 8 and a 10 this week. Second time I've killed two nice bucks together in my long hunting career. First one was shot with my hand loaded 27 pellets number 1s (they don't make factory loads anymore) and the 10 after the 8 went down and went back into the woods, broke across a wide open field for some unknown reason. That was my great luck and 18 pellets of 00 took care of him. Season in ten seconds went from bad to very good.