Funny and/or embarrassing mistakes!

[Diane]

Since Xbowguy is busy trying to get me to tell on myself about some rookie mistakes, I thought it might be fun to start a thread. (I hope there hasn't already a thread like this)

Anyone game? This can be rookie mistakes, total brain dead screw-ups, frustration gone bad, and all of the other should be secret mistakes.

Anyone else willing to swallow their pride and tell on themselves? I'll go first!

My first time hunting was in a brand new ground blind that Rick had put up for me. He sat in the blind with me to give me pointers.

While waiting for deer to appear, I was getting antsy and kept moving around in my chair. I had one leg propped up on the other (my ankle on my other knee) and the loaded crossbow resting on top.

I had been practicing quietly taking the crossbow off safety, but at some point, I forgot to put it back on safety.

As I again went to shift positions in my chair, I moved my hand slightly and hit the trigger. The d*mn thing went off.

I'm sitting there in quiet shock not really knowing what to say and looking at this hole in Rick's brand new blind.

After a few seconds, he says, "Are you alright?" When I said yes, he said, "Since I didn't hear any screaming, I kinda figured you missed your foot."!!!

Lesson learned!

I have another really big screw up from another day, but I'm not telling until others squeal on themselves first!:smiley_blackeye:

 

[dante322]

how about getting all the way to your spot, climbing the tree, all set up and ready to go before you realize you forgot your release?
or the reverse climbed down, packed up the climber before i realized I left my bow holder 20 feet up in the tree.

another good one is when you climb up into the tree, get settled in and then you have this irresistable urge to poop. that sucks.

 

[jeremy44230]

Ha!

I hit my climber rail with my bow limbs on a chip shot at a doe...

Nailed a branch a couple of times...

Got on a nice buck after I had been hunting for about 2 years and pushed him and lost the blood trail! Still bothers me! I wished I knew then what I know now!

I'm sure I will have more to come... Such is life! The important thing is learning from those situations and not to let them happen again...

 

[dante322]

I hunted after work one night. I intended to hunt the same spot the next morning so i left my climber attached to the tree with a cable lock on it. It rained and froze that night. When i returned the next morning to hunt I had to use my lighter to thaw the lock enough to get the key in it, then proceeded to break the key off in the lock trying to turn it.

went home very frustrated.

 

["J"]

Back in the early 90's I had permission too hunt a farm outside of Lisbon Ohio and there was a long stretch of hardwood that went the length of te property tjatran along an old farm path that the deer would take.... well I chose a tree too put up in and cleared my shooting lanes and had it all set up for opening day.... woke up extra early too get on stand with plenty of time left over..... got too the area and got disoriented due too the darkness and couldn't friggin d my tree.... after a few minutes of trying too get my bearings I thought I found it but after getting up in it something just wasn't right when it started too get a little light I had missed it by about 20 yards and the tree I went up had a ton of poison obey around it..... worse case I'd ever had in my life..... steroid shots had too be given too reduce the effect of it lol.... I lime those tacks with reflective tape on them after that hahaha

 

[jeremy44230]

how about getting all the way to your spot, climbing the tree, all set up and ready to go before you realize you forgot your release?
or the reverse climbed down, packed up the climber before i realized I left my bow holder 20 feet up in the tree.

another good one is when you climb up into the tree, get settled in and then you have this irresistable urge to poop. that sucks.

So true! Forgot the release once, climbed a tree a few times and forgot to tie up my bow... In a climber, back down then back up! Man that blows!

Hate that poop situation!!! That'll mess you up real good.

My cousin dumped up in a climber once in a bag and threw the bag into another tree! Then he shot a doe shortly after...

 

[xbowguy]

Prior TOO the screw up: We had tire problems on the trailer I built to haul deer with the 4-wheeler. I searched for several weeks and finally found a guy who had 2 tires that was removed from a mower while new. I got them for a steal and thought the tire problems was over.

Diane was hunting and I did not that night. She came in and got out of her hunting clothes but forgot to release her bow. She asked me to do it and I felt that she should have already done it. A bit frustrated cause she didn't want to turn on the light and launch a release arrow, I grabbed her bow and a release arrow, went outside and shot the bow just a little too fast. I thought I was on the target, but heard gravel contact and a very sick muffled landing. I came back inside and said "I think I just shot my new fuggin' tire".....Grabbed a flashlight, went down the hill, and sure-nuff, there was my arrow sticking out of my brand new tire. It now supports a patch and I always turn on the light while releasing our crossbows! And make sure the target is in the scope better!

 

[customizer1000]

Oh there are so many things that happen, first one that comes to mind we had permission at a spot in cherry fork, well I get to my tree lock my climber on and start up the tree, by the time I got up everything was pointed down so I adjusted the top, and start adjusting the bottom and oops I dropped the clip, what to do? Drop the bottom of the stand to the ground hug the tree and slid down, got the bottom back together hugged the tree and jumped all the way back up, bad day indeed lol

 

[xbowguy]

OK...Here's another good one.

Went to work on the first day of gun season. Told my Boss, "If you send anyone home today, I'll go hunting" as a joke of course. He said "Two jobs cancelled this morning...BYE" I ran home and in a frenzy got ready to go hunting. Record time was set for everything going with me. I ran to Coshocton which is 55 minutes from my house and still couldn't believe I was gonna get to hunt on the first morning. It was now 9:30 am. I got out of the truck and my gun was not in the back as always.....My muzzy was still on the kitchen table!..........It's now an 11:30 hunt instead of 9:30!

 

[Diane]

then proceeded to break the key off in the lock trying to turn it.

I gotta be honest here. I am laughing my *ss off over this one! I can just imagine the look on your face when that fugging key broke off!

 

[RedCloud]

When I shot fingers I forgot my 3-finger shooting glove. It really sucks shooting bare fingers just in case your wondering lol.

Forgot my smoker a couple times.

Back in my Jr hunting days I was sitting on a platform stand during gun season and all morning these stupid fox squirrels was making a heck of a lot of noise behind me. Thinking it was a deer every time they did I would turn only to find stupid squirrels. Finally ignored the crunching leaves and figured it was just the stupid tree rats again. For whatever reason I turned to see where the tree rats was because I heard the leaves again and instead of them I seen the biggest fatest doe I have ever seen to this day. She was directly behind me about 10 yards and I had turned looking over my right shoulder. Keep in mind I am right handed and couldn't shoot left handed at the time so I couldn't get the gun up to shoot her. She walked down the woods a little ways and went out into the CRP field about 50 yards from me. I could only see her head and didn't want to launch lead at something I couldn't see very well. Still kick myself for not being able to shoot that doe but because of her and the way that hunt went I taught myself to shoot left handed

 

[customizer1000]

I actually have a witness for this one! Was hunting has a huge for come in fast from my right behind my tree, as soon as it got to the left side I let an arrow fly ran about 60 yds and bed down, sitting there waiting and a huge buck is.coming down the trail from my left, the shot deer hears it gets up and runs, scares the big buck he bolts, waited for my buddy then we start tracking, get to the edge of the crp and we see a head with a spike Damn I shot a spike? So we head into town for lunch and wait for the deer to die, get back and its gone!!?? Look all over.that crp and finally see it stil alive, I get downwind and about 10 yds draw an arrow and release just at that time the deer moves arrow sticking straight up from its back and the deer stands up, I give my buddy the what do I do look and he yells don't let it get to the woods its private property, deer starts to run I jump in front, it lowers its head and charges me, I about shit I held my bow out to protect me from the unicorn crash it smacks my bow, turns and starts to trot away, knocked another arrow and both lungs were gone deer crashes to the ground.

 

[Bowhunter57]

You might want to go to the bathroom before reading these:

* Fell asleep and fell out of a tree (12' up), back in the late 70s...before treestands. Did a 3/4 flip, landed on my back, knocked the wind out of me and took several minutes before I was able to regain my balance so that I could walk.
* Hooked my bow string with my limb saw, while giving a cut branch a pitch away from my treestand. Apparently, it was sharp enough to cut 4 of the 16 strands with one swipe.
* While walking to a scrub tree that I had been climbing with tree spikes (before they were illegal), one of the spikes hooked my other pant leg during a stride. Before you can say "kiss my azz", I was eating a dirt sandwich.
* After traveling 25 miles to a buddy's house, in the pre-dawn hours, we were transfering my stuff to his truck. He says, "We'll stack the bows on top of everything so that they don't get hurt during the drive." Then he says, "I think we've got everything in here. Where's your bow?" It was back at my house....so much for an early start.

That's all I have to say about that. :smiley_blink:
Bowhunter57

 

[Diane]

When I first learned to shoot a crossbow, I was warned about keeping my thumb off of the rail, but evidently I like to learn things the hard way.

Rick and I were down back re-sighting in my scope. I got careless and left my thumb on the rail. When I pulled that trigger I felt the worst pain I think I've ever felt in my life. It put so much pain in me that it felt like my whole body was on fire.

As I'm going up the driveway (for ice) I was stripping my clothes off, crying like a baby, and dry-heaving all at the same time. My thumb turned a dark purple and pitch black color that stayed like that for 2 weeks. My thumb only hurt for several hours, as after that, it lost all feeling in it that didn't return for over 3 months.

That's a mistake that only has to be taught once!

 

[finelyshedded]

Hiked about 400 yards into the woods on my first bowhunt of the year back in the early 80's. Got to my stand after still hunting quietly to it for about 30 minutes. I climb up and get all set and realize I still had my field points on my arrows. Man was I pissed! I climbed back down and covered that 400 yards in no time and went to the house to get my hunting tips put on and when I got back to my parking spot, I practically ran back to my stand! Didn't see a deer that evening, I wonder why? Lol

 

[cotty16]

Was hunting out of a climber and I had taken the shooting rail off. I was at full draw on an 8 pointer and he was walking to my right. As I tried to follow him my bow was stuck on the arm rest (because I had no shooting rail). The arm rest went in between my string and limb. I had no idea that was the case and when I yanked at the bow to free it the top of the climber swung around the tree, fell to the base of the climber, my arrow went flying, and I grabbed the tree with my right arm while keeping my bow from falling. I was hanging on for deer life before regaining my balance.

Oh by the way, never saw that buck again.

 

[customizer1000]

Rotflmao!! It is a proven fact shit will and does happen!!

 

[hickslawns]

Took some pieces and parts last year to build a stand. My buddy said he would weld up some reinforcements and we would be good to go. Took it in and set it up. Only thing left was climbing up and securing the straps. It was a 22' ladder stand. I get to the top and feel it sink. So much for his reinforcements. That thing had buckled in the middle. I bearhug the tree and look down at him. I was waiting to see if he had a solution from the ground which I couldn't see from my "bear hug the tree" position". There was silence for a while and then he says "I think you are going to have to ride the tree down." Wish I was wearing some Carhart pants instead of Dickies that day. Inner thighs, arms, and stomach/chest were chapped but I am here to laugh about it now! Sad thing is, I sell tree stands and we split the cost at my dealer cost. It isn't like we couldn't afford a brand new one between the two of us, but we are both resourceful (see the definition of tightwad) and figured we would make it work.

Second funny part of this story. He had welded up 2 of them like this. The second one is laying in the weeds on his property and has been since last year. No chance in heck we are hanging that one. Might as well haul it in for scrap. lmao

 

[customizer1000]

Lol at least you got down safe, I hate putting up ladder stands, that sway scares me lol, my buddy stand is at 27' it wasn't fun putting up

 

[huntn2]

3 moments come to mind for me.

My 1st or second year I was gun hunting in PA. Got dropped off at a stand in a hedgerow by a 4 wheeler. After the hunt, I started down the ladder of the stand. Got 3 steps down and heard a noise just to my right. Look over and an awesome buck springs up fron the goldenrod and takes off. Sucker held tight and I never saw him less than 20 yards away the entire sit.

The next year (1st season with a bow) I forgot my release in my truck on a hunt with my climber.

Last year I was hunting a stand forv the 1st time. I think it was 10/30 and I had been staying out of the area. Got to my stand 30 min before light and realized I left my quiver on the bed of my truck. Had to hustle to my truck and back. Was a sweaty frozen mess that morning.