What have you forgotten?

[Boss Hogg]

Each year, it seems, that when I get to the deer shack/tent, I have forgotten something. As hard as I try, something is missed. This year it was an AM/FM radio. So all night I had to listen to the guys snore. Some of you will have a hilarious tale, others serious. What have you forgotten?

[catmaster1557]

I forgot my grunt call. And what do ya know this mornin I had to sit and listen to a buck grunt no more than 80-100 yards away that wouldn't move an inch. He wouldn't step out of the clear cut and show his face. smart buck. I heard him on and off for about 45 min. Who knows a grunt call may have cause him to step out. The real shocker was the scrapes around my stand. They were by far the biggest scrapes I have ever seen. My trophy buck could have been lying just a hundred yards away. Watching and laughing at me

[captkev]

I forgot to sharpen my knife... A 5 min. job turned into a 20 min. job... ..... Its sharp now, waiting to be used again this comeing weekend

[Uncle Bill]

I forgot to grab string to tie the tag to the deer.

Had to use a piece of the drag rope.

Ever try to fit rope thru the tiny hole in the tag ??

[ChuckN]

My headlamp/flashlight. Cripes! I hate the dark, I do.

[hanson]

I've forgotten a light/headlamp on a couple occasions heading out to my evening stand, and both times, I've shot a deer with 5-10 minutes of light left. I climb down out of my stand to find I don't have any light... Doh!

Now both cases, I saw the deer go down and was able to locate them but had to field dress the deer and drag them out of the woods without light. Not really fun.

I'm starting to think that is a good luck charm and may purposefully leave my lights behind. I bet leaving my buck knife behind would work as well, or my drag rope, or...

[wyldewal]

Mine wasn't forgot before the hunt it was forgot during the hunt. It was the first deer my dad shot when I was with. I think I was about 15 and I'd only been hunting a couple years. We got the deer gutted and drug it out to the truck about a half mile away.

We loaded it up and my dad turns to me and says, "You might want to go get your gun now." Yes I had left it in the woods were we took care of the deer. The worst part of it was he knew I forgot it and never said a word until we were back at the truck. I geuss it was a pretty good lesson because I've never left my gun in the woods since.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Forgot to load my gun once. Sat on stand for 4 hours with an empty gun. Thankfully I didn't try to shoot a deer.

[jltimm]

Leaving your knife behind is a very succesful way to get a deer!Just like not bringing the net when you go fishing!I went on a little scout Monday morning on the neighbors land which I had never been on to find a place to sit for the afternoon hunt.Leaving my knife in my backpack on my own land I went off to scout,and I ended up walking right into a 8 pt. buck that was upwind of me.And to make a long story short,I needed my knife!

[toughguy]

Of the 7 hunters I went with I was the only one that remembered to bring a knife. Flashlights are always a popular item to forget at home too.

[lawdog]

Flashlight? Yep

License? Yep

Gun? No I'm not that bad...

Knife? Yep

[MNmikew]

Having to go back to camp to get your release during prime morning hours is not a good way to start a bowhunt. :-)

[Tripleplay]

Talked to a gentleman on Saturday evening who realized he forgot shells. Problem was he was looking for a caliber that it finally took 2 hours of driving to find in another town. In my mind not the best way to spend opening morning.

I usually overpack, so it isn't what I forgot but what fell out of the back of vehicle. Forgot the come-along last year and got to "wrestle" the deer into the tree which led to some mighty dirty clothes. This year we just used the truck hitch and questioned why we were too dumb to do this last year!

[bigbucks]

Made a drive once with an empty gun, didn't need to shoot luckily.

Forgot my license in my backpack at my stand last year. Wound up getting checked by a game warden while away & with bloody hands. He was great about it & drove me to my license so I could show it to him.

[kc0myy]

This year opening morning it was foggy ok. Well it was about 530am. Around an hour before shooting. I get about half way to my stand and O *&^%*&. I for got shells. I walked back to my car and got shells. The funnest part was trying to get back in the DARK and the FOG. You can hunt with out a knife but you can't hunt with out shells or arrows. I look at it this way. I learn to bring shells NOW. I guy who's dad told him to get his gun after dressing the deer. Kinda sounds like my grandpa for some reason. I never hunted with him but sound like something a older person would do to a young fellow like us when we are 1st learing about hunting.

later

[ddsbyday]

Yep,I did it. Twice. The first time was 20+ years ago. Went out to a WMA no motor lake. Set my dekes, admired my set up for a while, and realized no gun. I decided at that moment that I would just take pictures because everything was so perfect. Camera was with the gun in the trunk of my 1979 camaro. I rowed in(no motor lake) trying to stay out of everyones way. Grabbed my gun and camera and spent the next 2 hours trying to find my dekes. I did finally find them and actually had my limit of ducks in a matter of 20 minutes. I always think gun,shells,lic. pfd. I did it again this year, same lake and caught it before I launched the boat. I never forgot my flashlight

[Warbucks]

Year after year I forget something. So, I sat down and made a master check list. Rife, shells, compass, sleeping bag, etc. etc. I even listed to hug my dog, and tell her that I would be home in a few days. Knife, cheese, jerky, matches. Nothing is forgotten. Except this year - I forgot the list

If a man speaks, and his wife doesn't hear him, is he still wrong?

[FOOT]

Back in 71' when MN did not have a deer season I hunted WI by Devil's Lake. I had permission to hunt several hundred acres bordered by a Hwy on one side and a lake on another. The only other person hunting was going to be the owners brother.

I was staying at a friends cabin (he didn't hunt, just fished) about 20 miles away. Knowing I was one of 2 hunters and we had discused as to who was going where I didn't think there was any hurry to get to the woods. I still forgot my license tag on the dresser.

Got to the woods and there was 7 cars parked where I wanted to park. I waited until dawn and sure enough there were hunters everywhere. I got the owner and told him what was going on. We then proceeded to remove the other hunters and copy back tag numbers so the owner could turn them in to the local CO. The cars were parked directly in front of a NO Hunting w/o permission sign.

Later that morning I was lucky enough to score on a nice 10 pointer. After gutting it out I discovered I didn't have my license with me. I hot footed it back to my vehicle and drove back to the cabin, grabbed the license and raced back to the woods. Almost ran to the deer only to find someone discovered it and dragged it out to an old logging road.

Cost me a heck of a nice deer.

On Sunday I got lucky again and was able to get a smaller 7 pointer, THIS TIME i HAD MY LICENSE ON ME.

[Craig_S]

A lot of things. But the best I ever saw was my dear old Dad. He flew into Duluth and I picked him up for a deer hunt. Got the motor home set up, sorting gear and he swears the airline took his bullets and clips out of his bag! An hour drive to the closest store and he rummaged up the last clip and a box of bullets. Best part was the next morning when he put on his boot, "What the heck is in here? (Contact US Regarding This Word), that's where I put 'em!".

Craig

[lawdog]

Just an update...

I'm still an (Contact US Regarding This Word). Went to the stand Saturday in Wisc. without my binos. Now keep in mind, I can see a good 600-700 yards in a couple directions where I sat Saturday morning. Some Binos sure would have been handy...

[outdoor ran]

I drove 30 miles one morning to my hunting spot to find that I forgot my gun at the house.