Hunting brain farts

[Edge]

We've all had them; question is what's the most important thing(s) you've forgotten to take on a hunt or couldn't remember to bring back from the hunt? There's got to be some good ones, ie tent, license, bow, etc.

[bonecollector777]

Most important one ive forgotten is a knife to skin and gut with. And my dad has forgotten more than his fair share of knives near gut piles. A couple out of state friends have forgotten licenses and tags. My brother brought the rifle and forgot ammo. Other brother has forgot his release for his bow too many times.

[bigorange]

Getting packed the night before a hunt a couple years ago and couldn't find my tag. No idea what happened to it but must have gotten thrown out or recycled with junk mail. Put my rifle back in the safe and kept packing...went hunting and glassed for my buddies.

[AzDiamondHeat]

I don't wear shoes when I travel and have forgotten my boots twice.

Took the right rifle but wrong ammo.

Forgot rifle sling on a coues hunt.

Took a rifle without a bolt.

The one and ONLY time I forgot my licence I was stopped and checked by g&f. Fortunately it was online and they looked it up. She was very nice and gave me a break.

 

The funniest part is I am "that guy" that way over packs and always has everything that everyone else forgets.

[DUG]

Forgot boots once. One time I forgot my binos on my BIL's hunt and he shot a fork mule deer at 80 yards.

[Snapshot]

I make a list, and check it twice. Never forgot anything.

 

Took a friend once that forgot his tag. Added 4 hours roundtrip to retrieve it. I made him pay for the gas.

[452b264]

Went on a 4 day hunt with a friend, and he left his ammo at home. I gave him a single shell and told to make it count. We both used 7 mm rem.

[pwrguy]

I have forgotten more things than i care to admit. One mantra I always recite before leaving the house "rifle tags bullets", everything else is optional

[COA]

I once got a great a deal on hiking boots. So I bought two pair. Long story short I showed up with two left boots on a coues hunt. ended up hunting in running shoes.

[Lucky Draw]

Archery elk hunt, third of a mile from the truck, chasing bugles, look down...no quiver.

 

Covered that distance back to the truck in record time. Hate to think how hard you'd have to throw your bow at an elk to kill it.

[Edge]

Late January deer hunt a couple years ago, forgot my sleeping bag.

Three years ago tagged out a nice buck above Canyon Lake and packed him out about 3 miles

So exhausted I laid my rifle across the truck's bed side and not in it. Drove all the way back down the Apache Trail stopping in Gilbert for dinner and F me, my rifle rode the whole way like that. 7 miles of rough road from the trailhead, 24 miles of Apache Trail and stop and go traffic to Gilbert. What an idiot.

[Edge]

Went on a 4 day hunt with a friend, and he left his ammo at home. I gave him a single shell and told to make it count. We both used 7 mm rem.

How'd that work out?

[MuggyMan]

Had a friend forget his tag one year. He drove back, and his wife drove half way to meet him. I fogot my rifle sling once. Borrowed friend's off his rifle after he tagged out on opening morning. My mantra is, "license, tag, rifle, ammo, boots, knife". I figure I can hunt as long as I have those things, and can borrow or buy or make do without everything else.

[Guest oneshot]

If I stop for any amount of time while hunting,getting a drink, digging in pack/pockets, I ALWAYS look around for any dropped items, check pockets, it's a good habit to get into...

I have system while gearing-up at the trail head/camp before taking off, certain things placed in certain spots/pockets, this helps me to not forget things...

Alittle anal maybe, but it works for me...

[GJMauro12]

I've lost or forgot way too many things to count. I've gotten better about not losing things though. I almost always search the ground now when I sit down for a break and I always mark where I sat down Incase i need to go back for something.

 

One thing I remember losing somewhat intentionally was in 2010 on a early archery bull hunt in 5BN. I started out in the dark following bugles and followed all morning until they got to their beds. I could see the bull bedded and decided to take my shoes off. Started sneaking in on the bull and got busted by a cow. I didn't go back for the boots and continued following the herd. I ended up missing a couple miles later and hiked down to lake mary road and Waited for a ride.

 

Went to flagstaff and bought a pair of boots at big 5. My feet hurt so bad that afternoon I sat water that evening and shot a rag horn.