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I was reading another post about packing for deer camp and it brought back some memories of years past. Please share your most memorable "oopses and don'ts" so the rest of us don't make them (and possibly get a chuckle while reading).
OOPS: Arriving at the cabin the night before firearm season opening day and realizing I had my rifle and ammunition. The rifle I brought, however, was my 30-06... the ammunition was for my 308. Luckily I found a 24 hour gas station that had a couple boxes of 30-06. If my rifle was of more exotic caliber, the situation would have proven even more interesting.
DON'T: Don't go into the woods without at least a couple of singles in your wallet. I got 'turned around' several years ago and before long found myself walking a 2-track on some camp property used in the summer time but vacant during deer season. There was about 6" of snow on the ground and it was still coming down hard - I couldn't follow my tracks back as they were covered within minutes of making them. I was dying of thirst, having walked several miles, and had brought nothing to drink with me. Low and behold, a pavillion appears in the middle of nowhere (nothing too special, yet). Power had been run to the pavillion and there was a working vending machine and pop machine - both of which accepted singles (Ureka... I don't carry change in the woods). When I pulled out my wallet, I had nothing smaller than a $5 bill. What are the chances??? A little ways down the 2-track, I got picked up by a gentleman in an old pickup, who drove me back to mine... only about 1-2 miles as the crow flies but nearly 10 miles by vehicle.
ORIGINAL:
DON'T: Don't go into the woods without at least a couple of singles in your wallet. I got 'turned around' several years ago and before long found myself walking a 2-track on some camp property used in the summer time but vacant during deer season. There was about 6" of snow on the ground and it was still coming down hard - I couldn't follow my tracks back as they were covered within minutes of making them. I was dying of thirst, having walked several miles, and had brought nothing to drink with me. Low and behold, a pavillion appears in the middle of nowhere (nothing too special, yet). Power had been run to the pavillion and there was a working vending machine and pop machine - both of which accepted singles (Ureka... I don't carry change in the woods). When I pulled out my wallet, I had nothing smaller than a $5 bill. What are the chances??? A little ways down the 2-track, I got picked up by a gentleman in an old pickup, who drove me back to mine... only about 1-2 miles as the crow flies but nearly 10 miles by vehicle.
Or better yet, don't go into the woods without a compass or a GPS ... and know how to use them at least rudimentarily. . Believe me, I'm speaking from experience. Even in familiar woods, in the dark and/or snow storm, you can get turned around and be miserable for a couple of hours at best, or at worst, be stuck out in freezing rain or snow without suitable protection.
Also, rather than a couple of ones, a quart of water works pretty well too.
I drove 750 miles to hunt with an old friend and forgot my rifle, glad my friend had an extra. Really stupid cause I spent the whole night before packing and making sure I hadnt forgotten anything. Now I make a list and mark it off as I load it in the truck.
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Call me a freak but I have three lists on my computer. I have a list for early season bow hunting, late season bow hunting and gun hunting. I just print off the list and check things off as I pack them. Haven't forgotten anything since.
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When my son and I got to our hunting spot this morning we got out of the truck and I told him to get on his Bibs and Coat. I'll never forget the look on his face[]. He left them on the couch. I think you can classify that under the ooops catergory.
Luckily it wasn't that cold 39 degrees so I gave him my coat and he toughed it out for a few hours.
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When you have arrived at the location you are going to hunt, never get seperated from your firearm during legal hunting hours. Many moons ago I was setting my climber up for the afternoon hunt and decided the tree I was on was not as good as "the one over there". So I remove my stand and carried it in seperate peices to "the good tree", I left my rifle over by "the bad tree". With my rifle 75'-80' away, a nice 8 pt. buck steps out at about 50 yrds and we had us a mexican standoff. He knew something was up but couldn't get a handle on me, I stood there for a few minutes and he moved off.............
I have never been w/o my firearm since. I've had buddies get out of the truck and step into the woods to look at a trail or something and come back cussing 'cause they just jumped a nice one.
NEVER let your baggy gloves slow down the hammer on your 30-30 enough to not pop the primer when the cross hairs are on a very large 8 pt 80 yards away. Yep, learned that the hard way. [:@]
Boots & socks: Years ago opening morning of rifle was a brisk 10 below. I didn't want my feet to get cold so I put on two extra pair of socks, barely able to squeeze my hoof into the boot. Little did I know this was the fastest way to cold feet.
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Oopses and don'ts of deer hunting
. Believe me, I'm speaking from experience. Even in familiar woods, in the dark and/or snow storm, you can get turned around and be miserable for a couple of hours at best, or at worst, be stuck out in freezing rain or snow without suitable protection.
[
]. He left them on the couch. I think you can classify that under the ooops catergory.
