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

[ODB]

Moving too fast and carrying too much stuff. Planning for too many what ifs...

 

[ShakeDown]

Not a new western hunter, been hunting for 23+ years... but took 8+ years off for a couple degrees and a couple baby girls. Wouldn’t change a thing but damn, I probably could have swung a few trips a year if I would have known what getting old feels like haha.

 

[mmcneil]

Not being patient and waiting. Sometimes they come in silent.

 

[CiK01]

Walking away from elk to go find elk.

 

[Reburn]

Walking away from elk to go find elk.

Yep we have all done this. Not shooting on day 1 what you would have shot on the last day. Its always a hard decision plagued by what ifs.

 

[Boarmaster]

I learned its a lot easier to drag a buck down a finger ridge to the road, then radio to your buddies to pick you and the buck up in the truck after they are done hunting than it is to drag it up and down ridges all the way back to the truck. This year i’m going to try not dragging at all.

 

[adkhunter]

Wearing anything cotton.

 

[MtGomer]

I learned its a lot easier to drag a buck down a finger ridge to the road, then radio to your buddies to pick you and the buck up in the truck after they are done hunting than it is to drag it up and down ridges all the way back to the truck. This year i’m going to try not dragging at all.

Good choice. “Easy” and “dragging” do not belong in the same sentence.

 

[Salmonchaser]

By the time I was 12, (1967)and legal to hunt in Oregon I was a very competent woodsman and had tagged along on Dall sheep, moose, caribou, deer and elk hunts. Opening day of deer season found us in the Ochoco national forest. Dad dropping me off on a ridge, mom giving him hell because I was only 12. I ended up getting turned around, spent the night on the ground, dad found me at first light the next day. Learned you gotta keep track of your direction changes, those mule deer can lead you astray.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Wearing anything cotton.

Cotton kills

 

[a_noob_hunter]

My biggest mistake was my first year (ironically last year, hence the noob hunter) I tried hunting muley deer like they were whitetails and relying on other people to do all the research. Turns it if you don't know how to stalk and judge the wind the chances of killing a deer are pretty low. Lol I didn't even take wind checker with, I figured if I needed to check the wind I could just pull some grass and let it float with the wind... MISTAKE. Excited to see what stupid mistakes I make this year on muleys and elk. Lol

 

[ncstewart]

Mine I guess is something people don’t do to much but it was not having enough stuff. We had no pack frames, game bags, water system, binos. Basically all the crap people carry we didn’t have. Just bows , calls and simple backpacks empty if we killed. Probably lucky we didn’t kill a bull we called in 3 1/2 miles from truck.


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[DBARDSLEY]

Hiking 8,000 ft elevation in the middle of October in the sawtooths with mid weight gear for 6 days...ate all my food for 12 days in the 6 days there slept under a lean-to and froze my butt off.

 

[Sleeperls]

If i didnt make mistakes id prob mever kill anything. My skill is all luck ay least it feels that way

 

[FlyGuy]

I was so focused on the shooting, calling and digital scouting that I Didn’t take the time to check my tent that had been in the attic for about 10 years. It was no longer waterproof. It hardly even slowed it down.





You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[lb80]

I forgot my hand held release more than once and not realized it until I'm way away from the truck. I've started caring a spare after missing a shot opportunity and it's bailed me out.

 

[Carr5vols]

First hunt, driving 24 hours from 1200 ft, immediately get out of truck at 8000 ft, hike 3.5 hours to roughly 9500, with way to much stuff like 65 lbs for 5 days... never do any of those mistakes again...

 

[krausejmk]

First archery elk hunt and had to wing it because our plan a and b spots had people already swarming them. Was a little bummed to be going into a spot “blind”. Hike a few miles in and set up camp. Decide to hike to a Water hole I found on the map about 1/2 mile away. Come over a crest and walking down the other side right towards us and the water was a group of about 8 elk with 2 bulls. So with my sly ninja skills I immediately yelled “ELK!” You know, so my buddy would know . We hit the ground and he’s laughing his ass off. They eventually turn around and drop over the ridge. I shot the spot they were at with my range finder and it was 76 yards with them coming to the water that was 25. I’m convinced if I don’t yell we get an elk on our first trip and it still keeps me up at night. Buddy still won’t let me live it down, lol

 

[come2elmo]

Try

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

Try being 46. This Oct is my first try at missing.

 

[SWOHTR]

Walked out into the woods with one game bag, which wouldn’t fit a quarter. Should have opened the package prior to putting it in my pack.