[Bake]

Mur,

My thinking is, now that you have a "Good" load, and I don't see a price drop coming anytime soon.

As a Non-hunter, I assume you will go to the range about a week before "Opening Day" and check your "Zero". Let say, you shoot a 3 shot group that makes a 3 leaf clover, 1" high at your average hunting range. Sounds to me, you're "Good To Go".

On "Opening Day", you're out in the woods in your hide. You load your shotgun with the 2 remaining rounds from the box you took to the range, and top off the mag with a round from the extra box (same lot number)in your pack.

You pass on the first couple of deer, and on the 3rd you decide to shoot him. You know your ammo, is good, you know your scope, is good, you know you can hit the deer.

Next year its the samething, good ammo (Same Lot Number), rechecked zero, another deer in the freezer. But if you have to find new ammo, you will have to start allover again.

Most ammo is pretty good, but there are differences, 1 Lot may shoot lower, or higher, or left, or right. All good groups, just the POA, & POI may change.
And like I said, "The price of good ammo is not going down!".

"Good Luck", & I hope you fill your tag