Quirks, or superstitions

[twinkieman]

Elknut1's thread about "wearing the uniform" got me thinking about this. Do any of you have elk superstitions, or quirks? I'll give a few examples: One of our group has his daughter paint his toenails for elk season every year for luck ( I won't tell you who he is , but initials are Hearwood ), I my self have a " lucky hat" , that my one of my partners threatens to throw away every year. None of this nonsense has anything to do with calling and killing elk, but we talk to each other like they really do bring us luck. So any of you guys have a lucky camo shirt, lucky arrow, or maybe a rabbits foot?

[Fridaythe13th]

Lucky shirt for me. A friend of mine gave me this ugly brown shirt, I wear it for the yote tournament, open day of any hunting season and most days I'm in the field. Here my question to you. Is it really lucky if I wear it all the time hunting? __________ YEP it's still lucky for me.

[foxvalley]

If I come across a feather while elk hunting, i'll stick it in my hat,since I started doing this,seems I get a shot oppertunity that day or the next.

[Swede]

I don't think anyone in my hunting group has any thing like that. I have this funny idea, that if I see elk on a regular basis, I have a good chance of getting one. It seems to work out that way more often than not.

[elkmtngear]

I have a lucky hat. It's amazing it still exists, and hasn't turned to dust yet.

It's truly lucky, because one Season I left it up on the side of the mountain on a particular long, sweaty death march.

A buddy of mine went back up in rifle Season and found it!

Here's me in 1998. I think the hat was already at least 5 years old by then, and I'm too old and worn out to do the math

One afternoon many years ago, I found a four leaf clover, and stuck it in my buddy's shirt pocket. He killed his first bull that evening

[pointysticks]

i once woke up to a hard hard nap, only to find my wife had painted my toenails.

my buddy Jack sees me at camp and says..."are those....?.....nevermind" it was super embarrasing..and didnt turn out too lucky..if i had taken the 4x4 buck that year i stalked 3 days in a row..i'd paint them every year.

but no. seriously..i'd pee on a sparkplug if it helped.

[WapitiTalk1]

Not really a superstition or a quirk, more of a fear, but I keep having this eerie feeling I'm gonna look skyward, high atop an Idaho ridge, and see Swede in a tree, staring down me at me as I walk by

[under H2O hunter]

Ever sense I was a kid I have had a shot of Yukon Jack before going out and I always have a shot of Deaths Door Vodka after the kill.

[twinkieman]

Not really a superstition or a quirk, more of a fear, but I keep having this eerie feeling I'm gonna look skyward, high atop an Idaho ridge, and see Swede in a tree, staring down me at me as I walk by

I didn't ask for your thoughts about a dream hunt Rory

[Lefty]

Just quirks
Im a super scent reduction freak So all that goes into keeping odors down I do it.

Another quirk started out that I told an old native gentleman how I store my hunting clothes in sage
I dont know if its old Native Indian lore or his families tradition , But the old timer told me to put a sprig of sage in my moccasins for luck, I was doing that to keep my socks smelling like sage
I really cut back on the red meat during the season

[8seconds]

I carry a couple of those small bottles of Crown Royal/Wild Turkey/Yukon Jack you used to get on passenger planes. You can get them at a liquor store for a couple of bucks each depending on the brand. Once i down something, i break one open.

[Blackhorn]

Foxvalley, I do the same exact thing!

[Deafirishman]

I wear hearing aids every year...does that count as something ?? Although they haven't really bought me luck This year I purchase a $5,800 hearing aid. Maybe I will hear them bugling more often this year

[twinkieman]

[quote="Deafirishman"]I wear hearing aids every year...does that count as something ?? Although they haven't really bought me luck

No, I wouldn't count this. I would say that your hearing aids would be in the same category as your bow I do hope they help you to hear more bugles, than before.

[Elkduds]

How do you avoid losing a $6K hearing aid while hunting? That would sorta suck...
Answer loudly, my hearing isn't what it used to be.

[Deafirishman]

Lol. That would sort of suck if I lost them.....never spent that much on one hearing aid in my life. And I have been deaf/hard of hearing for 40 years. Last year I heard my very first bugle and that was very faintly. And he was less then 100 yards away. That should explain how bad my hearing is I could buy a few bows for the cost of one hearing aid

[Olydog09]

Lol. That would sort of suck if I lost them.....never spent that much on one hearing aid in my life. And I have been deaf/hard of hearing for 40 years. Last year I heard my very first bugle and that was very faintly. And he was less then 100 yards away. That should explain how bad my hearing is I could buy a few bows for the cost of one hearing aid

You never really think how precious hearing is until you read something like this. I feel for you man there is nothing like the ringing of a bugle to pump a guy up. I am also impressed that you do not let it get in the way and you go out and hunt and have fun. Hearing aids have come a long way I hope your new one will help you hear more bugles!

[Wapiti]

This is going to sound weird but my favorite uncle who was the greatest elk hunter I ever knew passed away in a car accident when I was young. His and my birthday were on the exact same month and day March 5th. Well now every time I enter the elk woods I look up and ask him " Come hunt with me ".

The elk are always there !!

Kind of like the Ted Nugent song Fred Bear.

Superstition ?? Maybe !!

[twinkieman]

[quote="Wapiti"]This is going to sound weird but my favorite uncle who was the greatest elk hunter I ever knew passed away in a car accident when I was young. His and my birthday were on the exact same month and day March 5th. Well now every time I enter the elk woods I look up and ask him " Come hunt with me

I love your thinking on this. When I'm in the high country, I feel like my Dad is still with me, more than any other time.

[razorback]

I don't really have any superstitions. I ususally pray for a safe hunt and that's about it. Since this is my first elk hunt maybe I should start one. Just don't know what it would be.

[MLayden]

Right boot always on first, then left, come back and lace up right boot, then left. Hasn't worked for hunting yet, but was an old hockey superstition I've carried on through the years.

[BRazz]

Carry extra toilet paper.

[twinkieman]

Carry extra toilet paper.

LOL