my first hunting experience

[kokanee83]

I figure most of you will get a laugh at least from my experience. It started thurs morning bout 3 am when i left the house bout a two hour drive to my hunting spot i had scouted for the past month. The drive was quiet no traffic and best of all i saw a lot of deer on the way out a good sign. I unloaded all my gear and jumped on my quad to start the ride into the bush well before a half hour before legal light I found my spot set up my gear and waited for first light. Within twenty minutes i heard rustling in the bushes and i got excited only to see a pack of horses trotting into the clearing i dont know if they were wild or not but they seemed to keep away the deer that frequented this paticular spot. Not a big deal i still have a day and a half left. I packed up my gear again once more and headed back to camp around noon when as i was riding down the trail i caught a movement in the bushes and low and behold it was a heard of bucks. They had disappeared into the bushes faster than i could look but they were on a game trail so i parked my quad and followed it on foot. It came out to a creek where there was a pool and sandy shore with alot of tracks i mean alot i thought to myself this is where im gonna set up for tonight so i did. I set up my blind overlooking the pool up on a ridge bout 70 yards away and sat there waiting and waiting and just for a change of pace i waited some more. By this time it was 45 min to dark and i still did not see anything i couldnt figure it out but i said to myself maybe they dont come here at night only in the morning so i packed up my gun and headed for camp leaving my blind set up. I got back to my truck and began setting up for the night. I unpacked dinner and started setting up for sleep when i realized i forgot my tent at home and had nowhere to sleep. I tell you it was an uncomfortable sleep across the front seat of my truck and when your 6 foot 7 its a little tight. I awoke around 5:00 got dressed and headed to my blind got there about 5:30 and settled in for what was to be an exciting morning light broke over the mountian and it was on. I was only sitting there for a few minutes after legal light when i heard rustling and thumping in the bushes off to my right my heart started racing and my hands were shaking i knew this was the bucks i picked up my gun and readied myself for what was to be my first buck ever I could hear them coming closer but i could not see them yet i waited and waited as seconds felt like hours and finally nothing a few minutes more passed when finally i heard a snort from behind me i paused didnt move and a second snort came with some grunting i thought can they be that close. Yes they were i had set my blind up on there unbeaten trail heading down to the water there were no signs in the area that this was there trail but after looking around i found where they come out of in the morning bout a 100 yards off and strait through the very spot where i set my blind. I tell you what there could not be a bigger rookie mistake than that. Needless to say i packed up everything and headed home with my head held low but on the up side i have found a spot better than the last and have scouted where to set up next time i figure on the other side of the creek in between two big fir trees so i can see whats coming down the trail instead of setting up on it. The two days i spent out there were not a complete loss i did find a really nice 8 point white tail skull so at least im coming home with that.

If you have any good rookie mistakes Id like to hear them it might take the sting out of this one.

[moose6]

Calling, moose coming, fell into a puddle, gun stayed dry, moose stayed alive. Did however make a ****ed off grunt which is something you don't get to hear very often,,, loudest thing you will hear in the bush, naturally anyways.

[riccodog1]

I was driving father inlaw's (to be) on a deactivated logging road and got his truck sunk up to the wheel wells. Took a day of shoveling, cutting logs, jacking and sticking the logs under the wheels to get out of the hole I drove in to. Missed the first day of our hunting trip getting unstuck!! Still got to marry his daughter 19 years ago after that great impression of my driving skills. Sure felt like a stooge though!!

[KillBilly]

My first trip out was with my now brother-in law, first hour into the hunt I missed a real nice choclate bear that was chaulked up to a rookie mistake. Then I missed a beauty black that still gives me nightmares by aprox 3 feet. I now know that he is notorious for having rifles laying around that are no where near sighted in so off we go to do so.

I should have started off by saying I had my nose broken the night before pretty badly playing hockey and while sighting in took the scope off the bridge cutting me open and if you've ever been smacked in an alreday broken nose you know how I felt. Needless to say my eyes were watering pretty good in front of my future brother-in law and his wife, i must of looked like a fool but I havn't missed since....But I have my own rifles now

[moosemad]

I know how you feel Kokanee, I've had my share of rookie experiences years ago, even some recent ones . Best thing is you have a good spot for early season, let it rest for a week then return. Don't wait too long, the bucks will start splitting up and going their seperate ways in another month or so. Have a good season and don't get discouraged.

[AB2506]

To legally possess that skull, get a found dead wildlife permit from F&W.

[kokanee83]

The skull is more than a few years old and i was reading in an earlier post you do not need one for a skull if it was attached to a complete deer that had been in tact i would but i dont think i need one just for an old skull but if it is the case im gonna take the bloody thing back no way am i giving more of my hard earned money to fish and wildlife they have gotten enough of it in the past few weeks especially for some bones i found in the woods.