Need a "Father Confessor"

Sport · September 26, 2000, 05:18 PM

I've hunted for more years than I care to
remember. Am almost fanatical about pre-hunt preparation. Last Sunday, I blew it.

Second day of archery season. Either sex.
I have a good resident herd of deer on my
property and decided to hunt Sunday evening
beginning at around five o'clock.

At three o'clock I begin to gather up my gear. Can't find my favorite release. Look
high and low for over an hour. Finally realize it's a lost cause. I locate a spare
release of a different brand and configuration still new in the wrapper.
Figure I'll use it. Realized I had no experience with it and had to read the instructions to find out how to install a
critical part. My dilemma. Hunt with an
untested release or cancel the hunt.
Chose the latter. Am still kicking myself for
not being prepared for the unforseen.

I know. I could have avoided the problem had
I been prepared to "shoot fingers". Didn't
practice that method during pre-season.
I am embarrassed and irritated.
Can I get absolution? I promise to sin no
more.

[This message has been edited by Sport (edited September 26, 2000).]

OkieGentleman · September 27, 2000, 10:57 PM

After leaving the bolt to my rifle at home when I went coyote hunting (I did take the rifle) I have the authority to absolve you of you bone headed stunts. Consider your self absolved and prepare at least two days before the hunt from now on.
PS If you put everything in a one gallon ziplock bag you can lose it all at one time without having to go to the trouble of losing it a piece at a time

Dave McC · September 28, 2000, 05:10 AM

Mea Culpa, my son. First hunt of archery season a few years ago, I took three new arrows out of storage, installed BHs, spun tested them and stuck them in the quiver. Drove 70 miles and got up in my stand for an afternoon hunt. After an hour or so, decided to draw my bow back to keep my muscles loose. Guess what? ALl three arrows were ones I had cut down for the kids. 30 inch draw, 24 inch arrows. I cussed some, got down out of the stand, and jumped a nice 8 point on the way out. Then I really cussed!!

Keith Rogan · September 28, 2000, 11:28 AM

You may now kneel on your prayer mats and face the final resting place of John Browning in er...Utah(?) to recieve my benediction.

In the name of the father (Elmer Keith), the son (Jeff Cooper) and the holy goats of Strasbourgh, I absolve you. Go now and sin no more.

------------------
Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan

gfrey · September 29, 2000, 11:18 AM

It took you years of hunting?

I did it as a rookie rifle deer hunter. About 5 years ago. (FYI: I was out of college, married, not quite 30.)

Borrowed remington 141 gamemaster in .35rem to hunt. (See if I like deer hunting, like there was a chance I wouldn't). Borrowed rifle is a twin to my FIL's rifle.

Opening morning, load rifle, sit in woods, wait.

About 10:30 AM I see deer, I had an either/or permit, (called hunters choice in WI) so I slowly raise rifle up, and when the deer stopped to look around I slipped safety off, squeeze trigger and , er, nothing.
No kaboom, no click, just a confused rookie looking at a flag waving in the distance....

Now what? borrowed rifle, (which I had shot and cleaned several times) so I figure I did something wrong. Open rifle, look to see if I reassembled rifle wrong after last cleaning. Apparently not, but now a small piece has fallen into the leaves at my feet...

What I did...

I looked for the part that fell. No luck, getting panicky now. Walk over to my FIL, explain what happened. He sent me back, with his gun, said he was going to track the deer he shot at then come by my stand.

I went back, the walk calmed me down, I carefully sifted the leaves and found part. reassembled rifle. Sat with FIL rifle, suddenly see (Maybe same?) deer. Deer walks to just about same position, I lift FIL's rifle, safety off BOOM!. Deer flopped like a frog and disappeared into swamp. I get excited and jump up, and see 100 yds away (North of my Eastward shot, and behind a tree from my seated vantage) my FIL walking towards me. We wait, try the reassembled rifle, determine that I had not correctly cocked the pump (apparently the gamemaster does not like being softly worked to load the chamber, and I failed to cock the action by soft shucking) when I loaded up in the AM, and went and tracked my first deer, we also determined that my FIL's rifle was shooting at least 4" low. (He missed his deer, tracked it for at least a mile and no blood.)

So I shot BOTH front legs off my deer, just below the chest. We waited about 45 min and then tracked him into the thick brush. A shot in the neck put him down for good.

Did I learn my lesson? You bet, I learned that anything can go wrong when hunting. Sometimes you just need to be prepared. Sometimes you just have to overcome.

I forgive you, as penance remind archery hunters that anyone can lose a release, and new equipment should always be tried before season. (I bow hunt now too.)

I think anyone who has hunted has had something go wrong. (Child leaves back tag 100 miles away at home. After his Father packed it, the boy had to take it out and play with it. What now?) This is why it is hunting. Enjoy, you have a story now.

Gfrey

CD1 · September 29, 2000, 04:43 PM

I forgot my release one day, didnt realize it till I got up in the tree. I was hunting with my brother in law. I sat there all morning with the usual excitement and anticipation except this time I was praying I WOULDNT see anything. Dont know if I couldve taken a big buck walking up and not having a way to shoot. I never practice a fingers release and wasn't about to try my first shot with fingers on a live animal. Got lucky, didnt see anything.

Art Eatman · October 1, 2000, 12:04 AM

Herewith, I absolve you.

Got to camp, one weekend. Checked pet rifle; perfectly safe to carry inside. Dug through gear for ammo. No joy.

However, being a firm believer that Murphy is an optimist, I got out the backup rifle, for which I had an ample supply of ammo.

And folks ask why I have "extras"?

OkieGentleman, I think you have one of the better ideas I've run across in a long time. If you're gonna lose stuff, or forget to take something along: Do It Righteously!

Art

Al Thompson · October 1, 2000, 06:37 AM

I think we've all made errors. The key is fixing the error in a professional way.

Took a buddy hunting. Placed him on stand late in the morning. Two things - he was late, hence we were late into the area. Great funnel, so you had to be on time and stealthy. I was irked at the lateness, but, heck, everybody has a bad day. Second thing - 20 minutes later he wanders by looking for the truck. Seems he left his rifle bolt in it. He had to borrow the keys, walk a half mile, get the bolt, walk back to his stand. No deer that day. No more hunting with him either.

IMHO, if I were in his shoes with the bolt, I would have snoozed in the stand rather than screw up the neighborhood by wandering around.

Sport, I think you did the right thing.

Giz

September 26, 2000, 05:18 PM	#1
Sport Senior Member Join Date: October 4, 1999 Posts: 317	I've hunted for more years than I care to remember. Am almost fanatical about pre-hunt preparation. Last Sunday, I blew it. Second day of archery season. Either sex. I have a good resident herd of deer on my property and decided to hunt Sunday evening beginning at around five o'clock. At three o'clock I begin to gather up my gear. Can't find my favorite release. Look high and low for over an hour. Finally realize it's a lost cause. I locate a spare release of a different brand and configuration still new in the wrapper. Figure I'll use it. Realized I had no experience with it and had to read the instructions to find out how to install a critical part. My dilemma. Hunt with an untested release or cancel the hunt. Chose the latter. Am still kicking myself for not being prepared for the unforseen. I know. I could have avoided the problem had I been prepared to "shoot fingers". Didn't practice that method during pre-season. I am embarrassed and irritated. Can I get absolution? I promise to sin no more. [This message has been edited by Sport (edited September 26, 2000).]

September 27, 2000, 10:57 PM	#2
OkieGentleman Senior Member Join Date: August 18, 1999 Location: OKC Metro Posts: 521	After leaving the bolt to my rifle at home when I went coyote hunting (I did take the rifle) I have the authority to absolve you of you bone headed stunts. Consider your self absolved and prepare at least two days before the hunt from now on. PS If you put everything in a one gallon ziplock bag you can lose it all at one time without having to go to the trouble of losing it a piece at a time

September 28, 2000, 05:10 AM	#3
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Mea Culpa, my son. First hunt of archery season a few years ago, I took three new arrows out of storage, installed BHs, spun tested them and stuck them in the quiver. Drove 70 miles and got up in my stand for an afternoon hunt. After an hour or so, decided to draw my bow back to keep my muscles loose. Guess what? ALl three arrows were ones I had cut down for the kids. 30 inch draw, 24 inch arrows. I cussed some, got down out of the stand, and jumped a nice 8 point on the way out. Then I really cussed!!

September 28, 2000, 11:28 AM	#4
Keith Rogan Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 1999 Location: Kodiak, Alaska Posts: 1,014	You may now kneel on your prayer mats and face the final resting place of John Browning in er...Utah(?) to recieve my benediction. In the name of the father (Elmer Keith), the son (Jeff Cooper) and the holy goats of Strasbourgh, I absolve you. Go now and sin no more. ------------------ Keith The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan

September 29, 2000, 11:18 AM	#5
gfrey Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Fort Atkinson, WI USA Posts: 143	It took you years of hunting? I did it as a rookie rifle deer hunter. About 5 years ago. (FYI: I was out of college, married, not quite 30.) Borrowed remington 141 gamemaster in .35rem to hunt. (See if I like deer hunting, like there was a chance I wouldn't). Borrowed rifle is a twin to my FIL's rifle. Opening morning, load rifle, sit in woods, wait. About 10:30 AM I see deer, I had an either/or permit, (called hunters choice in WI) so I slowly raise rifle up, and when the deer stopped to look around I slipped safety off, squeeze trigger and , er, nothing. No kaboom, no click, just a confused rookie looking at a flag waving in the distance.... Now what? borrowed rifle, (which I had shot and cleaned several times) so I figure I did something wrong. Open rifle, look to see if I reassembled rifle wrong after last cleaning. Apparently not, but now a small piece has fallen into the leaves at my feet... What I did... I looked for the part that fell. No luck, getting panicky now. Walk over to my FIL, explain what happened. He sent me back, with his gun, said he was going to track the deer he shot at then come by my stand. I went back, the walk calmed me down, I carefully sifted the leaves and found part. reassembled rifle. Sat with FIL rifle, suddenly see (Maybe same?) deer. Deer walks to just about same position, I lift FIL's rifle, safety off BOOM!. Deer flopped like a frog and disappeared into swamp. I get excited and jump up, and see 100 yds away (North of my Eastward shot, and behind a tree from my seated vantage) my FIL walking towards me. We wait, try the reassembled rifle, determine that I had not correctly cocked the pump (apparently the gamemaster does not like being softly worked to load the chamber, and I failed to cock the action by soft shucking) when I loaded up in the AM, and went and tracked my first deer, we also determined that my FIL's rifle was shooting at least 4" low. (He missed his deer, tracked it for at least a mile and no blood.) So I shot BOTH front legs off my deer, just below the chest. We waited about 45 min and then tracked him into the thick brush. A shot in the neck put him down for good. Did I learn my lesson? You bet, I learned that anything can go wrong when hunting. Sometimes you just need to be prepared. Sometimes you just have to overcome. I forgive you, as penance remind archery hunters that anyone can lose a release, and new equipment should always be tried before season. (I bow hunt now too.) I think anyone who has hunted has had something go wrong. (Child leaves back tag 100 miles away at home. After his Father packed it, the boy had to take it out and play with it. What now?) This is why it is hunting. Enjoy, you have a story now. Gfrey

September 29, 2000, 04:43 PM	#6
CD1 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2000 Posts: 320	I forgot my release one day, didnt realize it till I got up in the tree. I was hunting with my brother in law. I sat there all morning with the usual excitement and anticipation except this time I was praying I WOULDNT see anything. Dont know if I couldve taken a big buck walking up and not having a way to shoot. I never practice a fingers release and wasn't about to try my first shot with fingers on a live animal. Got lucky, didnt see anything.

October 1, 2000, 12:04 AM	#7
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Herewith, I absolve you. Got to camp, one weekend. Checked pet rifle; perfectly safe to carry inside. Dug through gear for ammo. No joy. However, being a firm believer that Murphy is an optimist, I got out the backup rifle, for which I had an ample supply of ammo. And folks ask why I have "extras"? OkieGentleman, I think you have one of the better ideas I've run across in a long time. If you're gonna lose stuff, or forget to take something along: Do It Righteously! Art

October 1, 2000, 06:37 AM	#8
Al Thompson Staff Alumnus Join Date: May 2, 1999 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,611	I think we've all made errors. The key is fixing the error in a professional way. Took a buddy hunting. Placed him on stand late in the morning. Two things - he was late, hence we were late into the area. Great funnel, so you had to be on time and stealthy. I was irked at the lateness, but, heck, everybody has a bad day. Second thing - 20 minutes later he wanders by looking for the truck. Seems he left his rifle bolt in it. He had to borrow the keys, walk a half mile, get the bolt, walk back to his stand. No deer that day. No more hunting with him either. IMHO, if I were in his shoes with the bolt, I would have snoozed in the stand rather than screw up the neighborhood by wandering around. Sport, I think you did the right thing. Giz