BIGGEST FAUX PAU On opening day

[flightattendant100]

Ok, to go along with Boo’s post about getting all in order for hunting season, what is your biggest faux pas or oops on opening day? I’ll start; I worked all spring and summer on “ the best” load for the rifle. Several powders, several bullets later, flash holes debuted, primer pockets uniformed, powder charges weighed I had a really good load. Couldn’t wait! I climbed in the stand( shooting house) WAAAY before daylight and loaded my gun, or tried to. Overall length was a bit too much for the magazine. So all my work effectively gave me a single shot that shot really well.

#2 I had done everything twice and checked it four times one year. All was ready, all was right. I got into the stand early as always snd the whole north wall above the window was a solid layer of yellow jackets ( wasps). I decided it was my stand and they were the intruders until my presence caused them to become “ active”. F-‘em I hunted in a bow stand.

Y’all keep ‘em coming

[Boo]

Let me see..... I've forgotten a crank, a crank handle, arrows (yes arrows ), hunting licence and once boots! So when hunting season comes into play I leave all my equipment in my truck. If I have to offload it to accommodate something, it all gets piled up in front or beside my truck.

[AJ01]

Yeppers, I climbed into a ladder stand one very cool winter morning and prepared to snipe a certain nice wide 10 that was constantly on camera right at daybreak.
I settled into the seat IN THE DARK and prepared the mighty Excalibur to do its job. Being exceptionally quiet and stealthy, I might add!!

I loaded the bow, got my binos at the ready, no need for a rangefinder, for I had hunted this stand many times in the past.
As the morning sky began to brighten, I slowly picked up the binos and began to scan the woods. After several moments of scanning, I lowered the binos. As I laid them on the seat beside me, I glanced at the arrow nestled in the Micro 355. I was in shock!!

I had loaded the bow with a field point. I grabbed the quiver from my backpack, only to discover I had grabbed the WRONG quiver when packing my bag for the upcoming event.
It contained NOTHING but practice heads!!
The closest broadhead was 5 miles away.

Just as I sat there cussing my stupidity, the 10 strolled out at about 20 yards. I watched him mill around the mineral site for what seemed like an eternity, and then wander off back into the woods.

Needless to say, I eased my downtrodden self down out of the stand and skulked homeward.
Something about the "best laid plans of mice and men sometimes go awry".

And NO, I didn't get another shot at him... As far as I know, he died of old age.

[DuckHunt]

#1: A few years ago I left my phone in the truck and didn't notice until I was halfway into the 300ft elevation climb up to our stands. I decended to retrieve my phone as my daughter continued to her stand. Once I was finally in my stand, I cocked my Micro then reached back for an arrow only to realize that it too was in my truck. Climbing back down the mountain was not going to happen, so I went to my daughter's stand and borrowed one of her pink fletched arrows. I passed on a group of doe later that morning due to the distance and foreign arrow. The group proceeded to my daughter and she took her first doe with a Micro platform. It was a good day anyway.

#2: Not myself, but too funny not to share. On an opening day of duck season on public land in Arkansas, my brother was selected to be on the advance party whose objective was to enter the refuge as soon as it was legal and quickly secure our preferred “duck hole”. My parents live less than a half mile from the boat launch ramp. We typically arrive at the ramp and depart with efficiency that would impress Seal Team 6. In sight to out of sight is typically under 60 seconds. The boat motor is running when the trailer tires hit the water. With that setup…

My brother exited my parents driveway with the boat unhooked and ready for launch. He stomped the gas on his Hemi-equipped truck. The new carpet on the trailer bunks was far slicker than he was used to and he deposited his loaded boat right in the middle of the street. The loud noise of the aluminium hull hitting and skidding caused him to hit the brakes, but he was 100yds down the block before he came to a stop.

It gets better. It being the wee hours of the morning it was very dark. His boat trailer is black. The first thing that crossed his mind was that the boat trailer had came unhooked since he saw nothing behind him. He tossed the truck in reverse and stomped it with the same zeal that started the mess. You could imagine the confused look on his face when his truck came to a skidding stop after about 25 yards and he could see his trailer tail lights out the drivers side window.

We had enough men around to get the bent up trailer in place and the boat loaded back on it. We ultimately had a successful hunt that morning. My brother said it was an interesting drive to the launch ramp. It looked like his boat was trying to pass his truck. He had to drive in the center of the street in order to keep his trailer from knocking over trash cans. He said backing an L-shaped trailer into the river was more challenging than normal.

Moral of the story, when you have a moment, take a breath. Otherwise you can make it a double .

[Normous]

You guys crack me up

[wheelsquad]

Mine was realizing I hadn't bought my license until I was on my way out to the blind....turned around and glassed for bucks that night instead.

[Reinyrooster]

Well it wasn't opening day but muzzleloader season......had measured out my powder and got everything together while watching TV....sadly hadnt paid enough attention to the amount of powder that I loaded into my tube and didnt notice either when I loaded the powder into the gun in the dark. later when it got light and I had a group of does in front of my, I was ready. had her all lined up in my sights....pulled the trigger and hear the sadest little "fart" from my muzzleloader as the very small amount of powder that I had put in the gun barley has enough power to push the shot out the end of the barrel. My hunting buddy across the filed was laughing his butt off.

[papabear1]

Well it wasn't opening day but muzzleloader season......had measured out my powder and got everything together while watching TV....sadly hadnt paid enough attention to the amount of powder that I loaded into my tube and didnt notice either when I loaded the powder into the gun in the dark. later when it got light and I had a group of does in front of my, I was ready. had her all lined up in my sights....pulled the trigger and hear the sadest little "fart" from my muzzleloader as the very small amount of powder that I had put in the gun barley has enough power to push the shot out the end of the barrel. My hunting buddy across the filed was laughing his butt off.

[janesy]

Last spring for opening sit of Bear season I had a Momma bear and a year old cub come in right at the last second of light. She proceeded to sniff around under the ladder I was in. About that time a small boar came in directly behind me and she chased him off and they got into a fight. Before she ran off she hoofed at the 80 pound cub and he rallied over and hid under my ladder. I was looking straight down at it about the size of a fat Lab retriever.

It was right about now that I realized I had left my Headlamp on the seat of my truck! In that particular cedar swap, when the sun goes down, it's not dark, it's black. That was a nervous last step I'm not going to pretend.

I did not hear her come back of the cub leave, but either way it was not there.

[TPM]

It wasn't opening day but it did happen when I was turkey hunting with a former member here. As we were about to head out in to the field he decided to change jackets. He placed his shotgun back in the car while he changed then we head out. As we were walking along the field edge I asked him if he planned on shooting a turkey that day. He said, "Of course". I then asked him, "With what?". We both chuckled then headed back to the car to get his shotgun. When we got there he went "Oh crap..., I left my keys in my other jacket pocket...". Now both his shotgun and car keys were locked in the car! I said to hum, "well, I guess you're calling and I'm shooting" and off we went.

[papabear1]

My definition of FAUX PAU is ,
Brain Fart
I,ll bet nobody ever forgot
their Gun or Bow Right ????

Dave

[AJ01]

Many years ago, not me, but "The Boss", was supposed to load her ride for a trip to see her parents, and me to go duck hunting. I gave her a list of things to pack for me.
A short list at that!

I get off work, she's there to meet me, I leave my truck in the parking facility at work. Off we go back to East Texas!
I have a week off, it's at the right moment in duck season, and I can't wait. This is gonna be good!!

Well over 2 hours from home, I start asking questions about my gear and where she loaded it. Everything was fine until I mentioned my favorite shotgun. Seems she remember everything off the list, except for my shotgun.

Never allow someone else to pack your gear.

[papabear1]

Many years ago, not me, but "The Boss", was supposed to load her ride for a trip to see her parents, and me to go duck hunting. I gave her a list of things to pack for me.
A short list at that!

I get off work, she's there to meet me, I leave my truck in the parking facility at work. Off we go back to East Texas!
I have a week off, it's at the right moment in duck season, and I can't wait. This is gonna be good!!

Well over 2 hours from home, I start asking questions about my gear and where she loaded it. Everything was fine until I mentioned my favorite shotgun. Seems she remember everything off the list, except for my shotgun.

Never allow someone else to pack your gear.

Lernt that lesson many yrs. ago.

[Carnivorous]

I once drove over an hour to Turkey hunt and forgot my shotgun shells. Lol

[Boo]

Many years ago, not me, but "The Boss", was supposed to load her ride for a trip to see her parents, and me to go duck hunting. I gave her a list of things to pack for me.
A short list at that!

I get off work, she's there to meet me, I leave my truck in the parking facility at work. Off we go back to East Texas!
I have a week off, it's at the right moment in duck season, and I can't wait. This is gonna be good!!

Well over 2 hours from home, I start asking questions about my gear and where she loaded it. Everything was fine until I mentioned my favorite shotgun. Seems she remember everything off the list, except for my shotgun.

Never allow someone else to pack your gear.

Lernt that lesson many yrs. ago.

One year we were hunting elk in Wyoming in Medicine Bow National Forest. It was pretty cold and snowing a bit all day. The guy who I was bunking and hunting with took my rifle and told be he would take care of it. The next day I saw a heard coming up a ridgeline with a really good bull leading. I ran my guts out getting to a point where I could ambush them. The bull appeared at 150 yds and I pulled up my rifle and pulled the trigger, click! I jacked out the round and the primer barely had a mark. I chambered another and same thing! I pulled the bolt out and shoved it in my pants as I assumed the firing pin was frozen. I looked and the heard stopped and was looking towards me. I pulled the bolt out of my pants and back into the rifle and click! No bang and the elk left! I put the bolt back into my pants and walked back to the truck. I met a few elk on the trail on the way back! Argh! By the time I got off the trail the bolt thawed and it fired.
Moral of the story, don’t trust anyone to take care of your gun!