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The day before panic stories #6924790 10/18/17 04:38 PM
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Texas Dan Online Content OP
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With the general season opener just a couple weekends away, the mind often turns to thoughts of being sure to avoid past events that created a sense of panic just a day or two before a past season opener.

I remember that one Friday many years ago when I went out to the shed to crank the ATV so I could load it in my truck, only to press the start button and hear, yes, you guessed it - "Click". Thankfully, it was still early in the morning, which gave me time to buy and install a new battery before the opening day traffic turned horrible.

I'm sure there are those who have stories to share, such as getting 100 miles into a 200 mile trip before realizing something critical was left back at the house. And just maybe, a story shared here will help someone avoid their own "the day before" panic situation.


"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6924806 10/18/17 04:46 PM
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I remember having to work on opening weekend. While business was slow, a couple of us stood and watched guys hauling tower blinds and feeders on their way to the lease. Nothing like waiting until the last minute


[IMG][/IMG]

Pay it forward - Kids are the future.

Rifles are similar to boats and young women...there's no end to how much money you can pour into them without making them any more useful.
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6924828 10/18/17 04:56 PM
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Before I pull out of the driveway for any hunting trip, I always ask myself if I have these essentials:
1. weapon and ammo/bow and arrows/crossbow and bolts
2. knives to field dress animal
3. cooler for dead animal
3. clothes to hunt in
4. boots ( I drive to and from hunting in different clothes and shoes)
5. backpack-contains hunting license, flashlights, thermacell, rangefinder, binos if gun hunting, and everything else I want to take along (calls, etc)

Everything else is extra and not necessary, but I do like to take chairs, bipod, hitch mounted hoist with gambrel, thermal monocular (esp useful for morning hunts) and some other stuff

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6924847 10/18/17 05:10 PM
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Buckeye is spot on. I have a list and check them off as they're loaded. Just can't afford to leave something behind when driving 9 hours to the ranch.



Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6924857 10/18/17 05:18 PM
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Make a list check it when you pack and again when you load into the truck.

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6924864 10/18/17 05:22 PM
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I've gotten basically to the lease and realized I left my keys with the gate, RV and UTV keys at home. My wife drove an hour to meet me with them so I didn't have to drive all the way home. I remind myself often of how lucky I am to have a woman that would do that.

I have a running list of stuff to bring now, keys are permanently on there.

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas buckeye] #6924889 10/18/17 05:38 PM
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Originally Posted By: Texas buckeye
Before I pull out of the driveway for any hunting trip, I always ask myself if I have these essentials:
1. weapon and ammo/bow and arrows/crossbow and bolts
2. knives to field dress animal
3. cooler for dead animal
3. clothes to hunt in
4. boots ( I drive to and from hunting in different clothes and shoes)
5. backpack-contains hunting license, flashlights, thermacell, rangefinder, binos if gun hunting, and everything else I want to take along (calls, etc)

Everything else is extra and not necessary, but I do like to take chairs, bipod, hitch mounted hoist with gambrel, thermal monocular (esp useful for morning hunts) and some other stuff


This. I pack a lot of stuff and used to always carry around the nagging feeling I was forgetting something. Now, before I pull out of the drive I think. "Gun check, ammo check, knife check, whiskey check, beer check." Everything else is nice, but unnecessary.


Shoot. Eat. Repeat.
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6924895 10/18/17 05:42 PM
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i left my hand crank for my crossbow at the house found out opening morning of bow season

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6924903 10/18/17 05:49 PM
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About three years ago I made the drive out to my buddies ranch about 3 1/2 hours away for an early November hunt. I got there after midnight, unloaded my gear and went to bed. Woke up the next morning for the hunt and started pulling out gear. I was shocked when I opened my gun case to find my shotgun and not my rifle. That is when it hit me that I had never switched guns back after an elk hunt earlier that year. Luckily, one of my hunting buddies had an extra rifle that I borrowed, but you better believe that I double check my gun cases before I leave the house now.

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6924935 10/18/17 06:22 PM
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License, weapon, ammo. Everything else can be improvised or worked around.


Dalroo
Deep in the Heart of Texas
How about that Brandon!
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6924939 10/18/17 06:30 PM
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I make a list in advance before I make my 3 hour drive.
The list changes as to: Work time at the lease, Bow season, or rifle season.

But yes, there have been panic moments when I failed to go over the list one last time!

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Dalroo] #6924970 10/18/17 07:16 PM
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Originally Posted By: Dalroo
License, weapon, ammo. Everything else can be improvised or worked around.


Wise words.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: SapperTitan] #6925004 10/18/17 07:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: SapperTitan
Make a list check it when you pack and again when you load into the truck.


Nailed it!!!

I always make a list. As soon as one trip ends a new list starts and I add to it throughout the week. As I get the things packed and set aside I put a check mark beside it. Once its loaded in the truck it gets a second check mark. If anything on that list doesn't have 2 check marks then it didn't make it into the truck.

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6925015 10/18/17 08:03 PM
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A check list is also a good thing to have before returning home. There has been many a time when it eliminated a trip back to do something I failed to do before leaving.

My "Before you leave" list includes...

1. Check and lock all gates.
2. Turn water off at the meter.
3. Remove trash bag and replace with a new one.
4. Close valve on the propane tank
5. Disconnect power cable at the pole
6. Crack open trailer ceiling skylights
7. Lock camper door and windows.


"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: krmitchell] #6925828 10/19/17 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted By: rexmitchell
I've gotten basically to the lease and realized I left my keys with the gate, RV and UTV keys at home. My wife drove an hour to meet me with them so I didn't have to drive all the way home. I remind myself often of how lucky I am to have a woman that would do that.

I have a running list of stuff to bring now, keys are permanently on there.


Key copies are cheap. I own two vehicles and drive a third one for work. All three have a key ring in them with copies of the lease keys.

Oh, and an extra boat key. I've made that 4 hour round trip one too many times as well...

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: huntincoach] #6926160 10/19/17 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted By: huntincoach
I make a list in advance before I make my 3 hour drive.
The list changes as to: Work time at the lease, Bow season, or rifle season.

But yes, there have been panic moments when I failed to go over the list one last time!
Same here when hunting at Leakey or Rocksprings. Here at the family place I keep everything in the house. 10 minutes from processor. Life is good.


Life is too short, as is. Don't chance it.
Don't text and drive.
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Shotgun Willie] #6926344 10/19/17 11:48 PM
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Originally Posted By: Shotgun Willie
Originally Posted By: rexmitchell
I've gotten basically to the lease and realized I left my keys with the gate, RV and UTV keys at home. My wife drove an hour to meet me with them so I didn't have to drive all the way home. I remind myself often of how lucky I am to have a woman that would do that.

I have a running list of stuff to bring now, keys are permanently on there.


Key copies are cheap. I own two vehicles and drive a third one for work. All three have a key ring in them with copies of the lease keys.

Oh, and an extra boat key. I've made that 4 hour round trip one too many times as well...


Yep, I've fixed the problem now. Also I trailer my UTV each time and have to drive it on the trailer. So unless I set the keys back down I won't forget. Still have extras in case.

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6926579 10/20/17 06:49 AM
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I left boots at the house once but it was a heat wave in Dec. Tennis shoes worked fine in 93 degree temps that Dec day and killed my first buck. Dripping sweat. Dropped into 40s for high next day. I don't forget stuff though. I locked the keys in the truck before which was interesting since I waded in shoes to get a duck when it was 32 degrees.... Thank goodness locksmiths answer their phone and take 2 hours to find you hypothermic. My deer hanging at camp was nice and cold at least.

I text the LO if a surprise cold front hits and we didn't turn the water off before go up next. Last year had a surprise and didn't expect a freeze for 5 days. We were wrong and won't make that mistake again. Turn off water anytime after Nov 1 when we leave camp...

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6926629 10/20/17 11:29 AM
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Gotta have some ribeyes and crown for the night before....


Longhunter >>>-------> Make It Count!!!<><





Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6927178 10/20/17 07:44 PM
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Drive two hours the night before, to tent camp, and wonder where you put the bag with your clothes? Have to hunt in khaki office pants and a nice shirt opening morning (luckily I had my outer gear with me).

Do it again 2 years later, but remembered on the way and stopped at WalMart and had to buy everything.

bang

Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6927308 10/20/17 10:29 PM
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I usually head out 2 or 3 days before opening day just to make sure everything is setup. So that gives me time to go buy anything I forgot. Normally I can never remember if I have ammo in my trailer, so I tend to bring a box or two with me. After 5 years, I probably have more rifle ammo in my trailer than I have at home.

The one big thing I forgot one time was the keys to my travel trailer. It was my first year on the lease and I was bringing out a trailer I just purchased. For some dumb reason, I locked the door to the trailer with the spare tire inside just before leaving the driveway. I then went back into my house and managed to leave the trailer keys on the kitchen table. I got to the west side of Houston, blew a trailer tire, couldn't get to the spare, and had to drop the trailer in a business park. I pulled the shreaded tire, dropped it off at discount tire and drove an hour back home to get the keys.


Thanks,
Rich
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6927466 10/21/17 12:42 AM
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Super big buck dreams. I also always kill the buck and wake up when I walk up to it. It's always a picturesk dream with a B&C buck involved, but it's just another dream kinda like the short lived super fantasy sex dreams. Always wake up before things get surreal. scratch


Recently got a gym membership, strange folks! I like to show up the roid zombies with my full motion curls with the 55lb. bells. Not their cheater short stroked light weights. It's holarious.
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Texas Dan] #6929103 10/22/17 10:13 PM
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When I was a young buck it was easier for me to just grab stuff and go. As I've gotten older and developed CRS, I've come to depend on my lists. They get fairly detailed and I check the list a second time before I leave the driveway. Even with that I sometimes manage to leave something because I forgot to put in on my list.


[Linked Image] [Linked Image]
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Grizz] #6929140 10/22/17 10:53 PM
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Originally Posted By: Grizz
When I was a young buck it was easier for me to just grab stuff and go. As I've gotten older and developed CRS, I've come to depend on my lists. They get fairly detailed and I check the list a second time before I leave the driveway. Even with that I sometimes manage to leave something because I forgot to put in on my list.


I'm driving to Montana on Wednesday. I have about 4 lists, ergo, I will forget something. And, I will take too much crap.

License, rifle, ammo. License, rifle, ammo.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: The day before panic stories [Re: Creekrunner] #6930327 10/23/17 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: Creekrunner
Originally Posted By: Grizz
When I was a young buck it was easier for me to just grab stuff and go. As I've gotten older and developed CRS, I've come to depend on my lists. They get fairly detailed and I check the list a second time before I leave the driveway. Even with that I sometimes manage to leave something because I forgot to put in on my list.

And, I will take too much crap.


Isn't that the truth.

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