Lesson Learned - always be hunting (ABH)

[Austin]

I got a real lesson on ABH yesterday. My last chance to hunt this year and was really excited to be out etc. etc. Anyway, previous weeks of hunting I had patterned good doe and small buck activity in this field and I decided to set myself up for the ambush nearby. OOOoops forgot my buck grunt and doe call in the truck (say 5 paces away hidden behind an old log school house).

I stood over my tripoded rifle on the ground and said to myself, should I take it with me the five steps or not? I opted not to, truck is too close, all the while admiring my set-up precision, opened the truck door, rummaged for three seconds and heard a crunch crunch behind me. Slowly turned to see the tallest 5X5 I've ever seen, buck of a lifetime, (like the one on the left on cover of this years regs)... 50 yds from me... and my truck & the school house is between me and my rifle. I had to have a beer of shame when I returned home empty handed :ashamed: and a valuable lesson learned.

Any valuable lessons you've learned the hard way... mind sharing?

[bigbadjoe108]

The 2008 season was my first one and I earned experience quick!

While walking on a cut line about 5 minutes after legal light, my bud and I were just walking, talking and not paying attention as we were heading up to a meadow that we figured would have a couple of deer in it.

Well to our surprise, a small, but definitely good for a first timer, buck jumps out into the cut line about 125m or so from us. It turned and looked at us like "Will you two shut the he!! up? I'l trying to sleep here!!" I unslung my rifle, loaded it and then fired.

I don't know if it was buck fever, the scope ( it was my buds rifle) or simply general incompetence. But I shot and missed. He darted after my shot and we didn't see another deer for the rest of the day!!!! and I am SURE I only missed by a couple of millimeters!:scared:

No worries though I finally got mine a couple of weeks ago, with my own rifle and even with a little buck fever!! Always keep the rifle ready!!:D

[kyute]

An unfamiliar rifle, a "couple millimeters"? On the crosshairs? Did you use a solid rest or were you in a hurry?
IMO, that is a situation that should NOT arise! Nor should it be posted on a hunting forum that is generally assumed to be an ethical place:rolleye2:

Yes you are in need of experience and guidance.

[bigbadjoe108]

Got the experience... the couple of mms was a josh and wow... Sorry if I offended...

Apparently making honest mistakes are not allowed here... and I don't see where there was anything wholly "unethical" with my post... please inform...

[marlin1]

nothing wrong with your post just another high and mighty reply. Lots of those on here but also lots of helpful advice . I wonder Kyute have you ever hunted on the prairies?

[kyute]

nothing wrong with your post just another high and mighty reply. Lots of those on here but also lots of helpful advice . I wonder Kyute have you ever hunted on the prairies?

Probably before you were born, starting about 1956. Was there as exec in the 60's when the St Albert Fish and Game club was one of those instrumental in creating what became the universally accepted "Hunter training" course.
We all made mistakes as we learned but one would hopefully assume that we learned from them and did not brag about it.
"High and mighty"? Ethical conduct is thus described? Nice "helpful advice".

[Waxy]

An unfamiliar rifle, a "couple millimeters"? On the crosshairs? Did you use a solid rest or were you in a hurry?
IMO, that is a situation that should NOT arise! Nor should it be posted on a hunting forum that is generally assumed to be an ethical place:rolleye2:

Yes you are in need of experience and guidance.

Unreal.

I can't believe the point this board has gotten to. Heaven help anyone out there that isn't perfect...

Waxy

[Wulfespirit]

An unfamiliar rifle, a "couple millimeters"? On the crosshairs? Did you use a solid rest or were you in a hurry?
IMO, that is a situation that should NOT arise! Nor should it be posted on a hunting forum that is generally assumed to be an ethical place:rolleye2:

Yes you are in need of experience and guidance.

Get a grip, will you? If you've never missed, go join the godsthathunt forum and leave the mere mortals alone.

[Boreal]

X2

[Shmag]

Get a grip, will you? If you've never missed, go join the godsthathunt forum and leave the mere mortals alone.

X3

[PoppaW]

We all made mistakes as we learned .

I guess he wasn't bragging as this thread is about lessons learned. I'm glad he was out hunting, and he was new to hunting. IT happens. A learning curve for sure. I was there once and am not above an occasional miss myself. I hope I can one day live up to Kyute's standards. But until then lets go hunting and have fun and talk about it on this forum.:tongue2:

[378 Wthrby]

WOW Kyute, 1956 and you never ever missed a critter in 54 yrs of hunting. People we are in the presence of "GOD".:innocent:
As far as a first time hunter, missing is a good possibility, Buck fever most likely. But, I don't recommend shooting a gun that you haven't shot before but again that is a lesson learned for sure. Keep hunting and if you are going to post on internet forums you will grow a thick hide and not really pay much attention to some negative comments.:tongue2:
Keep hunting and practice, practice, practice.......;)
Just my 98 cents

[The Rog Man]

Well it was the third or fourth time out hunting WAY back when......
I was told day one by my mentor and still best friend Never leave your rifle unattended while out hunting in a rather stern voice...So i took it too heart and that rifle NEVER left my hands. The point too this story is well everybodys gotta go sometime and well er uh I was well you know squatting and taking care of some personal business when yup !! like the original poster described
A reasonable size first time buck appeared not 50 meters from me.
Well this is when it got awkward.
Being fully exposed but having rifle across my lap, I judged my distance etc and grabbed the rifle stood up loaded and took aim and that little 3x3 is hanging on my wall!!
Lets just say i didn't field dress him right away, I had a few things too take care of first.
My most memorable buck !!!

[rustynailz]

Got some great access in 302 for mulies this fall and made it down there when all that snow fell back in Oct.

Put my bow in its sling on my back and walked away from the main gate. Saw some tracks and started walking, looking for a place to set up and sit for a couple of hours. Halfway up a steep hill, I dropped to one knee to catch my breath and look around. Not 5 seconds later, a really nice little 4x4 walks out 25 freakin' yards away. We had a staring contest for a good 3 minutes before he decided that I wasn't good news and he pranced away, stopping to look back at about 100 yards.

From that point on, I always carry my bow in hand while walking in anywhere. The lesson wasn't too harsh luckily as I whacked a big doe that afternoon.

[hal53]

I think every deer or big game hunter who has spent more than a couple days hunting has a similar story...except maybe Mr. Perfect... you learn and carry on...the next one will get whacked!!!!..Good Luck!!!

[The Rog Man]

I think every deer or big game hunter who has spent more than a couple days hunting has a similar story...except maybe Mr. Perfect... you learn and carry on...the next one will get whacked!!!!..Good Luck!!!

You mean there are others who have shot a deer with their pants down??

[AxeMan]

You mean there are others who have shot a deer with their pants down??

Oh ya, with kind of camp food that we all eat in the bush; many man hunting days are spent with the pants down around the ankles each year. :D

[scooterj]

I thought I was skooled enough to not make dumb mistakes anymore, but this past sat I made a new one (to me...) had a tiff wth the wife, and decided to hunt for the aftenoon, first time out this year and to cool my heels a bit. So I drive 2 hours north to a good spot, climb outa the truck, throw my pack on, pull rifle out of the case, and it hits me---I started and moved her Jeep with my keys that separate into two parts, her key on one side, and mine on the other, left hers running on the street and drove away. Yep, trigger lock on her side of the keys:rolleye2: Beautiful day, fresh layer of snow, lots of rubs and scrapes everywhere, got back into the truck and drove home ever so slowly...

[The Rog Man]

Oh ya, with kind of camp food that we all eat in the bush; many man hunting days are spent with the pants down around the ankles each year. :D

And here I thought such a bone head move was unique?
Oh well still my most memorable whitetail in the buff...er i mean bush..um...you know????

[Tony_S]

You mean there are others who have shot a deer with their pants down??

Well....now that you mention it...:D

Back when I was still a young'n.....I was walking along the top of a coulee and had to take a leak REALLY badly! Held it till I got to a spot I had NEVER seen a deer before...a small 8x8 patch of brush and nothing but bald ass coulee beyond that. SOooo... I wip it out and start to take a wonderful, incredible leak. Next thing I know, the small brush pile 10 feet below me EXPLODES and a BEAUTY Mule deer buck goes flyin' out the opposite side!! Scared me so bad I pi$$ed all over my leg and my boot!! I finally got the valve shut off...and the instant I did that...I let go of my pecker and I threw my rifle around and up to my shoulder!!
There I stood....Screaming at myself in my head!! GET THE CROSS HAIRS ON EM'....BUT YER DICKS HANGIN' OUT!!!GET THE CROSS HAIRS ON EM'!!!... BUT YER DICKS HANGIN' OUT!!!GET THE CROSS HAIRS ON EM'!!!.....BUT YER DICKS HANGIN' OUT!!!

Nope...I never did get a shot at him. By the time I finally...sort of... got my pecker back in my pants, he was long gone...

I would have loved to have been an 'Owl in a tree' watchin' that one!!:tongue2:

Lesson learned....take a leak back by the truck!!

[Chris89lx]

There I stood....Screaming at myself in my head!! GET THE CROSS HAIRS ON EM'....BUT YER DICKS HANGIN' OUT!!!GET THE CROSS HAIRS ON EM'!!!... BUT YER DICKS HANGIN' OUT!!!GET THE CROSS HAIRS ON EM'!!!.....BUT YER DICKS HANGIN' OUT!!!



Too freakin' funny.

Exact same thing happened to me last weekend. I was standing there watering a tree when I looked up and about 75 yards away there was a doe standing there.
Lucky I didn't have to hurry and put my stuff away as I had filled my White tail tag the weekend before.

Moral of the story; learn to do everything with your gun in your hand. (so to speak):innocent:

[The Rog Man]

Moral of the story; learn to do everything with your gun in your hand. (so to speak):innocent:

YUP, thats why that 3x3 is hanging on my wall!!
Sure aint the biggest but the first is always the best !!! IMO.

[kyute]

Got the experience... the couple of mms was a josh and wow... Sorry if I offended...

Apparently making honest mistakes are not allowed here... and I don't see where there was anything wholly "unethical" with my post... please inform...

Maybe you should ask some experienced sportsmen if they consider it ethical to chance wounding and losing game due to a choice made that would produce more likelyhood of a miss or wounding.
I am well aware that we all make mistakes and i am no "hunting god", just took umbrage at it being posted as a legitimate thing and the miss by millimeters bit brought to mind the killing area on a Deer.
Perhaps i was a bit harsh as you said you jested. Others here seem to have no problem with it, glad i am not hunting with them.

Obviously i erred in pointing this out on a forum supposedly made up of "sportsmen", i won't let door hit me in the ass on the way out.

[378 Wthrby]

Maybe you should ask some experienced sportsmen if they consider it ethical to chance wounding and losing game due to a choice made that would produce more likelyhood of a miss or wounding.
I am well aware that we all make mistakes and i am no "hunting god", just took umbrage at it being posted as a legitimate thing and the miss by millimeters bit brought to mind the killing area on a Deer.
Perhaps i was a bit harsh as you said you jested. Others here seem to have no problem with it, glad i am not hunting with them.

Obviously i erred in pointing this out on a forum supposedly made up of "sportsmen", i won't let door hit me in the ass on the way out.



I am sure there alot of gentlemen Sportsmen on this forum that will hold the door for "women" so I doubt it will hit you on the way out.:tongue2:

And as a "Hunter", not a "Sportsmen"(I think sportsmen shoot in the olympics) when you are hunting and shooting free hand I think milimeters is a realistic target.:wave: Sounds to me like you are a paper hunter and millimeters are scientific terms on the range.:evilgrin:

All I think we "Hunters" are trying to say to you is give the guy a break, his first hunting trip, and he made a few mistakes, as the title states "Lessons Learned"
Just my 98 cents, and with your 2 cents we'll have a buck.

[Okotokian]

Maybe you should ask some experienced sportsmen if they consider it ethical to chance wounding and losing game due to a choice made that would produce more likelyhood of a miss or wounding.
.

You just don't get it, do you? You have made a number of unsubstantiated assumptions in your criticism, and it unfortunately comes off as arrogant and misinformed. Where in his story did he give any indication that he had made an unethical or dangerous shot? What exactly did he say that led you to your conclusion?

Did he say the animal was running?

Did he say he took the shot at an outrageous distance?

Did he say that he had not practiced?

All he said was that he unslung his rifle, loaded it (could be that he was safety-concious, not walking around with a loaded rifle with safety off when he was not yet at the place he intended to hunt), and fired at a target in the clear, 125 yards away. He didn't even say the shot was free-hand. I don't see anything dangerous or foolhardy in that description as written. All the rest was filled in in your mind. What did you read that led you to your conclusion that he had acted so irresponsibly that he shouldn't have even mentioned it here?

[Okotokian]

I'll throw in my little lesson learned... Was walking through the woods when a doe jumped right out in front of me, broadside, and just stood there. Lifted my rifle and all I could see through the scope was fur. Didn't know what part of the deer I was looking at. No shot possible. And off she bounded.

When moving near or through woods keep the scope on 3, not 9! :mad2:

[trouty]

my brother was watching a guy coming down a cutline into his blind with his binos. He waved at the guy to let him know he was there and the guy was ****ed and revved his quad and yelled as he turned around while my bro watched him drive away. A 180 class buck stepped out onto the narrow cutline and also watched the guy driving away, bro with binos in hand gun next to him. Buck takes two steps and gone...when hunting in bush country never put your gun down.

[378 Wthrby]

I'll throw in my little lesson learned... Was walking through the woods when a doe jumped right out in front of me, broadside, and just stood there. Lifted my rifle and all I could see through the scope was fur. Didn't know what part of the deer I was looking at. No shot possible. And off she bounded.

When moving near or through woods keep the scope on 3, not 9! :mad2:

Careful Okotokian, you were dangerously close to not hunting ethically:lol:, you could have been a few millimeters off.:evilgrin:

[Shmag]

Anybody remember Bud??? He got banned a while back...Hmmm...i wonder

[clarki]

me and my buddy jokingly refer to "ABH" as "the 3 A's"... as in when you are hunting, your quarry can and will appear "anytime, anywhere, anytime" LOL or if you like "anywhere, anytime, anywhere" in other words... Always Be Hunting!! LOL

M