RedAllison
Well-Known Member
From March thru Oct of lastyear I was BUSY with my builders while they built the lodge on my farm. My boys were quite busy and didn't really get to hunt much this season so I took full advantage and hunted for myself quite a bit during muzzleloader (1st 2 weeks of November) and the first couple of weeks of gun season here in TN (last half of November thru early Jan).
The best buck I took was a heavy 130 inch 8 point "crab claw" that had 5" mass, bladed points, 200#s and a few stickers were beginning. 175yd "TX heartshot" with a 300grn Barnes from my Savage smokeless muzzleloader. Knocked him down, he got up and made it 25 yds downhill where I found him piled up.
Before season I bought a new "swamp hammer", a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun in the infamous old 45/70 caliber. I shot the HEAVY MAG Buffalo Bore 300grn Barnes from it. They flew thru deer like warm butter. This one was a busted up, 200# 9pt I shot "hurrying instead of looking more and thinking". That hole is the entrance with the exit being lower neck (85yds appx 60deg raking angle as he faced away from me)
The last (3 bucks a season in TN) was from the ground while watching a straight section (100yds long) of farm road that runs through my swamp. Another 9ptr, 185#s. Taken with my old 30/06 at about 70yds.
And the last deer I REALLY enjoyed, a 130# doe with my 1968 model 336 Marlin (35 Rem caliber) that was handed down to me as a teenager by my paternal grandfather. I took this doe in the same place as the last buck, she was about 50yds and facing me. My grandfather will have passed away 20 years ago nextmonth so it was in his memory that I "went hunting with him" one last time a month ago.
The best buck I took was a heavy 130 inch 8 point "crab claw" that had 5" mass, bladed points, 200#s and a few stickers were beginning. 175yd "TX heartshot" with a 300grn Barnes from my Savage smokeless muzzleloader. Knocked him down, he got up and made it 25 yds downhill where I found him piled up.
Before season I bought a new "swamp hammer", a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun in the infamous old 45/70 caliber. I shot the HEAVY MAG Buffalo Bore 300grn Barnes from it. They flew thru deer like warm butter. This one was a busted up, 200# 9pt I shot "hurrying instead of looking more and thinking". That hole is the entrance with the exit being lower neck (85yds appx 60deg raking angle as he faced away from me)
The last (3 bucks a season in TN) was from the ground while watching a straight section (100yds long) of farm road that runs through my swamp. Another 9ptr, 185#s. Taken with my old 30/06 at about 70yds.
And the last deer I REALLY enjoyed, a 130# doe with my 1968 model 336 Marlin (35 Rem caliber) that was handed down to me as a teenager by my paternal grandfather. I took this doe in the same place as the last buck, she was about 50yds and facing me. My grandfather will have passed away 20 years ago nextmonth so it was in his memory that I "went hunting with him" one last time a month ago.
