What piece of equipment?

[twinkieman]

We have all done it, left camp and started to hunt realizing we have forgotten something back in camp! What piece of equipment, have you left in camp, and now you feel like you have no chance to harvest an animal. Last year, I dropped my bugle when I got out of the truck, climbed a ridge, reached for my bugle, and it wasn't there. I still had my cow calls, and diaphrams, but it just seemed like I was now very unprepared, and that morning I just didn't feel like I could be effective. I know someone who left his camp, got into the elk woods, called in a bull drew back, and then he realized he had practice arrows in his quiver, field points, no broadheads. Comical to me, but he was devastated.

What have you forgotten?

[ElkNut1]

I forgot my release years back. (no spare either) I had been a finger shooter with a compound in previous years so felt it wasn't a big deal if I had to use my fingers! (grin) I decided to try a shot at a stump just in case an opportunity arose, I found out real quick I couldn't have hit a volkswagon & 25 yards! (grin) What a weird feeling it was going from the release to fingers, I never forgot my release again! (grin)

ElkNut1

[Lefty]

I haven't messed up on a big game hunt of any type leaving nessisary gear. When I come back to camp , before I do anything I gather all my gear for the next morning

However waterfowl hunting Ive forgotten my shotgun, shells and calls.
The shotgun was just 3 miles from home to launch.
I was able to by shotgun shells for $21.00 that was really painful.And the calls I toughed it without.

One time I was glassing an area and started following a fast moving herd with what I was wearing and in my pockets,.. that got a little rough in the dark and no water

[Swede]

Elknut's post reminded me that I too once left my release behind. I hesitate to say I forgot it, as I dropped it outside of my pickup. Fortunately I had a spare, but it was not the same. I use a short nocking loop and the jaw width on my spare were larger than my regular release. I fiddled with the release and loop and decided it would work, but I wondered if it would hit at the same spot. That evening I got my chance to find out and ended up killing a good 5X5 bull. From what I could see it did not make a difference.
I have forgot my range finder a couple of times and my little bite and blow cow calls more than once. I have lost my water bottle and had to drink out of a spring. Fortunately I did not get giardia or anything else, but it was a concern.

[ishy]

Sad story about a friend's dad, a 73 year old that was at camp one year. He had to go to dialysis every third day, but he was still out chasing elk. He left his release and wouldn't you know it-it was the night he got a shot. He still attempted fingers, but was way off. It killed all of us knowing it would probably be his last shot.

[stringunner]

I have left my gps behind before which made it difficult in the dark to find the stand. Not devistating but took longer. Last year I hiked in to remove a stand and forgot tree steps, had to go 27 ft with 3 tree steps, going up wasn't terrible, reaching down and unscrewing one to place it above, etc. but coming down was not fun at all. Same sort of deal, went in to pull a stand and had the wrong keys for the lock on the stand, had to turn around and hike back to get the right keys. Again not dealing with loosing opportunities at animals but not fun nonetheless.

On another note, when I was in college, I did rodeo for about three years. Drove five hours and realized when I got there I had forgot my riding boots and spurs. Had to ride the bull that night in my Romeos and with no spurs. Ended well though as I won the round that night!

[Wyo67]

A release. Which is why I carry a spare along with my extra calls.