C'mon, fess up--Tell us about the dumbest mistake your ever made while hunting

Wow this could be quite the list and a lot of the afore mentioned however, NOT listening to Dad, why do young men do such? This wasn't predator hunting rather a Spring turkey hunt down South, but you need some backdrop. Grandpa had passed and left me his ole Winchester model 97 pump gun and the stories that went with Grandpa's 12ga. Grandpa started with 40 acres, cleared it with an ax and team of mules, only tractor those days were the steel wheels. When Grandpa passed he and Grandma had 860 acres in Northern Missouri and raised angus. Dad told me a story of a pack of the neighbors dogs coming over and killing calves and sheep, the horse's was already saddled, the dogs were chasing livestock, Grandpa ran and grabbed the 12ga and told dad to come on. They ran out the kitchen door to the barn mounted the horses and the chase was on. Dad said Grandpa was riding and shooting dogs off the saddle, looked like a John Wayne movie. Now fast forward... Dad told me Grandpa's on Winchester 97 wasn't safe it was wore out, but hey, what's Dad know right? I rolled out of the tent that morning grabbed the ole 12ga. and started chambering her up, man I was going to kill a turkey with Grandpa's ole 12ga. , I went to press the trigger to let the hammer down and the friggin fire bellered out the muzzle, hair trigger ain't even the word for it. After I cleaned the mess out of my shorts I got the other 2 rounds out and set the ole 97 back in the tent. I went to the truck and grabbed my Mossberg and turkey hunting I went. Should've listened to Dad.
 
This is a hard one to narrow down, but.... Last year, 2023, I had time to make a last stand less than an hour before dark. So, I parked in the perfect spot about 2 or 3 hundred yards from the stand. The truck was at least 50 feet lower than me and completely hidden. No problem so far.
I hiked in quietly and found the perfect spot. It was basically a clump of sagebrush that formed a small cup. I set my gear down and got out the call. I set it out about 40 yards upwind and to my left. Sat down adjusted my shooting sticks than glassed the area. After a short time I started the call playing Tony Tebbe Wee Wee Wabbit. After about 6 or 7 minutes I spotted a coyote coming in about 2 or so hundred yards out. Yes! I waited and watched it move in.
Everything was perfect. The wind was in my face, the sun was at my back, the truck was hidden and the stand couldn't have been better.
The coyote kept coming in and turned broad side to me about 40 yards in front headed right for the call. I put the rifle scope on it dead in the chest and then squeezed the trigger and, CLICK! I forgot to rack a round at the truck.
Everything was perfect, except for me....
 
Last edited:
GC said:
This isn't predator hunting but it still makes me wonder how dumb I can be at times. This happened a long time ago, I was very young and had just started bowhunting deer.

Someone I know... was walking out from his hunting area in the national forest back to the truck in the dark with his climbing treestand on his back when he realized something was following him. He could hear it shuffling in the leaves behind him. This thing was trailing him. This was way back in the day when the Mini Maglight was high-tech but in reality, only offered about as much light as a birthday candle. This person I know stopped and spun around shining the little flashlight through the woods trying to see what sort of creature was trailing him through the darkness. Not seeing anything he set out again listening intently for this critter following. Sure enough there it was again, right behind him! The sound of the crisp fall leaves being disturbed by this demon of the night was as clear as Sunday church bells. Now a quick spin and shine with the light revealed nothing... nothing at all. Spooky... He stepped more quickly trying to outpace this thing that was stalking him so adeptly. There it is again! This time the hunter tried an athletic stop-and-spin move and quick thrust of the mini light beam! And finally, there it was! The source of the sound was revealed - about 10' of camo cord used to pull the bow up after the climber was set was slithering out of a pocket on his pack and trailed out behind him rustling in the dry leaves like a gang of hellhounds attacking. Dang, I felt foolish, errrr... I mean this other guy felt foolish!!!
;)
Click to expand...

Just a note related to this story. I posted this on the BowHunt or Die forums years ago, probably around 2013. Since then I have seen MY experience posted by two or three other guys on various forums. These dudes cut and pasted my story and posted it as their own experience verbatim. Plagiarism at its crudest.
 
GC said:
Just a note related to this story. I posted this on the BowHunt or Die forums years ago, probably around 2013. Since then I have seen MY experience posted by two or three other guys on various forums. These dudes cut and pasted my story and posted it as their own experience verbatim. Plagiarism at its crudest.
Click to expand...
Ha! I knew exactly what was to come of your post when I was initially reading it. When it happened to me I never got wigged out… I just figured I was starting to hear things and losing what was left of my mind! 🤣🤪
 
I went on a night hunt for wild hogs with a Remington 788, in .308 and left my magazine at home. :rolleyes: All I could think about the entire hunt was that I had a single shot bolt-action rifle with no quick way for a follow-up shot, if things go bad. :cautious: I cut the hunt short after having a close call with a couple of horses in some steep hill country. I never went back, unless it was during daylight hours.
 
I was 16-17 yo, hunting red fox in early winter. Had the bright idea to walk between the high bank and cattails on a small lake and call with the wind blowing out to the ice covered lake. A few minutes into calling a fox came running through the cattails, 30-40 yards away, it saw me move and ran to the outside of the cattails. I figured run to the edge, get prone and shoot. Most open route, up and down some muskrat houses. 3rd house I stepped off, up to my waist. As I broke thru the ice I twisted and stuck the butt of the rifle into the rat house. Couldn't feel bottom, this small lake always had deep water rat houses. Couldn't wader trap them had to use a canoe or duck boat. It was below zero that day, WNW wind, I was ice from the waist down by the time I got to the road.
 
It's a tie. One from my younger days and one from my older. When I was 16, the first buck I shot with my brand new Rem 7600 30.06, I really got close to that scope with my eye. As a result, my brother still likes to whip out my victory photo from way back then with me, a six point and one heck of a shinner. From my older days, I found a great coyote hunting spot in some hills on a beautiful snowy day. Went to set up the call and returned to my spot to realize I could not see the call. Laziness got the better of me and since it was only five or so feet out of my vision around the hill, I let it go. After all, I was sure coyotes would come from my side. 45 minutes later, I go to collect the call and there are coyote tracks leading up to the call on the blind side and they made a U-turn away. I felt like an idiot.
 
DAA said:
Walking back to the truck and driving away without remembering to go pick up my caller was dumb enough. Have done that more than once. Driving away with my caller sitting on the fender and running it over was even dumber. Only did that one time... I've driven around not realizing my caller and seat were on the roof of my Jeep a number of times.

Call me absent minded.

- DAA
Click to expand...
Left my remote hanging on a bush.
 
Twice I have slipped off my Steiner binos to take a shot and not picked them up. Stalked a fox(no snow) in a bean stubble field, shot the fox. Retrieved the fox and went home, only to realize what I did. Hopped on a three wheeler(yes that long ago) rode out and stopped(1/4 section field), walked around a bit. I thought I might not be in the right area, until I looked about 2 feet in front of the front wheel. 2nd time stalking a muley buck in SD, bowhunting, took the binos off for the final sit and slide 50 yards. My buddy (paraplegic) was watching from the truck. I walked the 3/4 mile back and he said "are you missing something?" I said no, he said take the wheeler and my binos and I'll guide you back to your binos. I guess after thousands of stalks, 2 recoverable mistakes isn't to bad.
 
After my cataract surgery I went from nearsighted to farsighted and have reading glasses scattered around the country. Put them on to read a remote and forget them when the stand is over. I hate remotes you have to read.
 
Back
Top