Newbs Unite: What’s the Dumbest Mistake You Made 1st Time Out

[ChrisAU]

So last fall 4 of us hunted West of the Mississippi for the first time ever in CO, DIY 2nd rifle Elk. We only saw a few cows like 2 miles off but had the time of our lives.

But, as not only inexperience western hunters but inexperienced campers, we had plenty of “DOH!!!” Moments.

One that stands out: Don’t filter water for the next day downwind of your campfire. We had some nice (heavily) smoke flavored water all day the next day.

 

[Fatcamp]

Not making sure my ex-wife broke in her boots.

Current wife does.

 

[Ariettabob]

Wearing corduroy pants(damn I’m old, most of you younger guys probably don’t even know what they are), sitting on a frozen rock all morning and leaving the entire backside of the pants stuck to the rock.

Mistakenly breaking the nitrogen seal on a scope just a day before a 10 day backcountry hunt. Then, having to take it apart every night and hang it over the wood stove to de-fog.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I saw a nice 6 point my first day out. I was walking a small game trail and he and his buddy were basically browsing right to me. I knocked an arrow, drew, put my front sight on his boiler and let fly at 30 yards. The arrow sailed about 5 feet above his back and he looked at me like the idiot I was and jumped away.

As I caught my breath I realized the front sight had been dead on, but I hadn’t bothered to use the REAR sight at all.

 

[16Bore]

First solo backpack carried waaaaay too much crap. One trip in, 2 trips out, and never punched a tag.

 

[cjl32]

Too much gear and too many redundant smaller type items between a group of three hunters packed in. Multiples of so many things. Looking back it is laughable we didn't communicate and coordinate our lists better. We did well on obvious items like the stove, fuel, pot, pan but once packed in and talking around the campfire we realize things like having over 20 spare AAA batteries, six knives along with three multitools, three extra headlights and flashlights, three first aid kits, etc. We all had the same caliber rifles and ammo so we had 60 rounds of the same ammo between us. Lots of other items but you get the idea.

That was 20 years ago and a great trip but we carry so much less gear now and are just as comfortable.

 

[Downeaster]

Wearing corduroy pants(damn I’m old, most of you younger guys probably don’t even know what they are), sitting on a frozen rock all morning and leaving the entire backside of the pants stuck to the rock.

Mistakenly breaking the nitrogen seal on a scope just a day before a 10 day backcountry hunt. Then, having to take it apart every night and hang it over the wood stove to de-fog.

Love the corduroy part. Im apparently too old... remember corduroy, but cant remember all the dumb stuff ive done. A daily log might make all the incidents more manageable.

 

[16Bore]

Carried a Ruger 357 and 18 rounds of ammo....what a waste.

 

[CX5Ranch]

The worst mistake I made was not getting in shape.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[BroodBuster]

Left my bow leaning against a tree in camp when I walked off to find a pooping log. Dumb, dumb, dumb!!!

 

[16Bore]

The worst mistake I made was not getting in shape.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

This and boots ruins a hunt quicker than anything....yet guys obsess over a pound of rifle weight and ballistics.

 

[ShortMountain91]

Not having a plan b

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[vaeVictis]

Not setting aside enough time off to hunt.

 

[IdahoElk]

When I first started, hunting Elk like I did Whitetails back east.

 

[Rich M]

Having a rain jacket but not rain pants. Unexpected weather - got soaked by wearing jeans and then it got real cold.

Lot of good comments on here - can relate to a bunch of them.

 

[N2TRKYS]

My dumbest mistake was going on my first trip out West. Now, I want to go every year. Lol

 

[Billy Goat]

Passing up a shot on a legal bull that was my first shot opportunity, actually my first day elk hunting. Hunted 10 more days.

 

[Fridaythe13th]

Waiting till I was 30 to start elk hunting. And missing 2 bulls in 10 minutes on my 1st archery hunt.

 

[GotDraw?]

throwing out a random bugle with my bow still strapped to my pack.

Never call unless you're ready to shoot in seconds

 

[huntaholic123]

Was hunting whitetails and a new area that none of us had seen in the sunlight. Arrived late at night at the parking area. Decided to hike in the dark to see how far it was from the truck to the river. Shortly later got turned around in some thickets and hiked further in trying to get out. Took the three of us a couple hours to find a tree large enough to climb and find the correct direction back to the truck. In our defense we were in high school and long before smart phones or anyone used GPS’s. Had a good laugh once we finally made it back to the truck.