What kind of hunter are you?

When I lived in SoCal I sometimes headed north with only a vague idea of where I was going. I would pull out a map when I hit some open road and pick a course. Saw Lassen N.P., Redwoods S.P., Big Sur (many times, my favorite place), Shasta, Sequoia and Kings Canyon N.P.s, Death Valley N.P., Joshua Tree N.P., wine country, etc. Did not hunt then, but what a ton of quail I saw along the coast in Big Sur country.

Now I have been hunting steadily for the past 18 years and have routines which recur every year. I wouldn't have it any other way.
 
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birddog456 said:
Being German, I've usually had my ducks in a row, just not meticulously down to where I can crap! We all know that the "call" may come when we least expect(Sidenote; ever had a good night of drinking:cheers:, a hardy egg breakfast with coffee in the morning, then go out hunting with the usual allotment of toilet paper in your vest, go once and it's gone? Now you're a mile from your vehicle, the roll in it, and your bowels let you know you better drop you're drawers...NOW!!!
As a kid, my grandpa the plumber, who grew up on a farm, would tell us "you ain't lived untill you wipe your ass with a corncob!"
Needless to say, I lived that day, not only then, but about a half hour later when nature struck the "tird" time. This is a very humbling experience and teaches you to live by the seat of your pants. Now if you see me afield and wonder why I occasionally pick up freshly hulled corn cobs...as Paul Harvey would say..."Now you know the rest of the story" They actually work better than tp, IMO.:D
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I had to use snow one morning when I had no choice but to drop trou and let go. It was old, firm snow and worked quite well. Of course, I had to deal with the ribbing at lunch about how that snow felt.
 
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bknight said:
Being a Georgia boy where we have more woods and trees, it can be kinda hard to get out of sight out in Kansas and Nebraska for those moments! Don't ask me how I know! Ha, Ha!
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Gives a whole new meaning to the term "open country" when you have no choice but to drop trou as you and others are taking a line through a place without a tree or bush in sight. My method is to say nothing, squat, and hopefully by the time the line stops for you, it has moved far enough forward to allow some modesty. :eek:
 
bknight said:
Re corn cobs: You do know I hope you are supposed to use the red ones first and then a white one to see if more reds are needed! LOL ! That's the way we were taught here. I find a few sheets of paper towel to be better, because I might need to "Blow my nose". Being a Georgia boy where we have more woods and trees, it can be kinda hard to get out of sight out in Kansas and Nebraska for those moments! Don't ask me how I know! Ha, Ha!
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My grandfather's outhouse had a little wooden box on the wall with a small window pane behind which was one corncob. The box said, "Break Glass in Case of Emergency." The emergency would be if there were no Sears or Wards catalog or newsprint which you learn to soften with your hands before use.
 
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I'm a planner, but things I've done a lot don't need much planning because it's just second nature. Through years of practice the "list" is stored away upstairs. It's now more grab and go.

A while back the wife asked me why I had a roll of TP underneath the back seat. It's because I plan ahead. You never know when you'll need it and when you do, it's usually somewhat of an emergency.

One late fall morning a buddy and I pull into my first spot of the morning's hunt. It's frosty and I'm wearing the wool pants and longies. I tell my buddy to sit still for a minute while I go visit a bush. "For what?" he asks. I show him my roll of TP. I get back and he says "If it was me, we'd be driving into town to look for a place warm before I'd go". That's Reason #3 why I no longer hunt with him. I'm not driving no 20 miles into town so you can take a crap. Heck, even my daughters at ages 6 and 7 learned what the TP roll in back is there for. One time all I had was a couple napkins from a fast food joint for them to use behind the bush, but they went and didn't complain.
 
i have had to leave my boxers behind & riped into peaces a few times i guess i dont plan as well as i thought??? im sure i was the butt of a few jokes when somebody else found my bush??? lol
 
I keep a bag packed with the necessities and most importantly my license in a plastic holder pinned to the strap. One 6 hour round trip to discover I had forgot my license at home. Now I KNOW I have it before I leave.

For a day trip I just grab the bag, the dog, and the gun and I have everything I need. If the hunting is great I have enough stuff in the bag to stay for 3 days. Any longer than that and I just add sleeping bag, tent, and cooking gear.

I take one long trip every year and for that I want motel reservations and have an excel spreadsheet with a packing list. I'm at that old fart age where after driving 12 hours I want to know I have a soft bed and hot shower waiting for me when I arrive.
 
While hunting with a buddy we decided to split up to work a huge CRP field. In the very back of the field I came across his fresh pile with some TP, right in the middle of a deer trail. I though about taking a picture of it and tagging him on Facebook, but I decided not to.
 
I like at least some sort of a plan. Who and When. A Starting point but when we get there and feel out how it is. Im game for what ever needs to happen to make the hunt the best it can be. If we need to drive 2 hrs from were we are the next morning thats fine with me.
 
I do both. I have had a buddy call and say I got geese hitting a field you in?, and I am gone. Then we have our bird hunting trips that we plan in March, if we dont we may not get a hotel room. :D
 
I guess thats the nice thing about being 26 and not having anyone to answer to but my dogs
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Or being 64 and residing in the same category (just older & slower, lol.). The one difference is that since I can retire any time & have tons of vacation time, it's easy to bag a day when the hunting gods (or hunting dogs) move me. Mine are mostly day trips, so my gear is always pre-staged in the gun room this time of year & all I need do in the morning is choose a shotgun & put it in the laid-out soft case.
 
Short day hunts I am ready to go on the spot, throw in the dog, gun, day pack with a few supplies and I am good to go for the day. Now on a long trip such as my SD trip coming up in a few weeks, I dont want to drive 17 hours and not have everything planned out way ahead of time. I have been planning this trip since July. Route is planned, check list have been made and starting to pile things up in order to make sure nothing is left behind. The sad thing is the dogs dont understand that we arent leaving for a couple more weeks, they see everthing getting layed out daily and think that we are leaving NOW!! hope they dont loose their enthusiasm before we actually leave LOL
 
I am a little bit of both, my annual trip back home to KS requires planning or we wouldn't have a hotel. As the oldest son my brother dad and uncles all expect me to handle all planning, so I do. I scout out areas in advance, do a map recon and reserve rooms. Now for hunts here in CO, I grab my bag, dog and gun and I'm out. I pretty much pack a bag at the beginning of Oct, and I'm always ready to go. I pack enough for me and the dog to be gone at least two days and replenish anything used as soon as I get home from a hunt.
 
For the record I've never called in sick, not once at 54. More than a day I take my home with me. Lance TC with a 5x8 enclosed trailer if needed. I am packing now for a 3 week trip to SD and NE. I know where I am starting don't care where I end up. For day trips closer to home I just grab a few must have items and steer north. WHen I go west I always stop at Mitchell WM for supplies, then hit the Cabelas for any shells and gear.
 
I plan the general stuff, like I get my license in March. Usually the MT Big Game Combination. My trips, I have the option of leaving most anytime or on any day. I watch the weather, don't want to drive out across ND or MT in a blizzard for instance. A heavy rain through MT will cause a couple days delay on a trip.
So often in the past I decide on the trip across ND just where to leave I 94 and which direction into MT.
Deer opener in MT is the 20. I have 3 areas in mind, hunted all in the past and all have good Mulies. (I always mix in some bird hunting) I will decide by the Time I get to Wibaux MT.
I take the topper off between trips but the non perishables stay. Add some food and clean clothes, put the topper on and I'm gone. :cheers:
 
Quickdraw said:
For the record I've never called in sick, not once at 54. More than a day I take my home with me. Lance TC with a 5x8 enclosed trailer if needed. I am packing now for a 3 week trip to SD and NE. I know where I am starting don't care where I end up. For day trips closer to home I just grab a few must have items and steer north. WHen I go west I always stop at Mitchell WM for supplies, then hit the Cabelas for any shells and gear.
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I only call in sick from Oct- Jan (bird flu season), that's the only time I use any vacation too. Other than that I'm at work everyday as long they need me there. I'm to good of a worker for them to complain much plus asphalt work is usually pretty slow during those months.:cheers:
 
quail hound said:
I only call in sick from Oct- Jan (bird flu season), that's the only time I use any vacation too. Other than that I'm at work everyday as long they need me there. I'm to good of a worker for them to complain much plus asphalt work is usually pretty slow during those months.:cheers:
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I'm beginning to feel the symptoms of the avian flu coming on right now! Called my doctor, said to reduce stress and avoid aggravation. Got a 3 day weekend coming up the end of this month, and the end of next month, plus a week off the middle of next month. Sorry boss, only following doctor's orders.
 
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