Outdoor Myths "Debunked"

[WapitiTalk1]

My pop had a great time and made quite a bit of sport with myself and two brothers, growing up in Montana. It seems like he had a bottomless tool kit of "myths" to pass along to us that we wouldn't realize weren't true till many years later in our outdoor activities life. Hunting, fishing, trapping... it seems like he (or even my grandfathers and uncles) had a good handful of balderdash to sprinkle around that us boys would ponder endlessly. I have a bunch of them, but, I'll offer this first one that kept me going for quite a while when I was a pup. "Trout jump more when its raining because they like the feel of rain on their backs". Didn't even think that perhaps the rain was pushing more insects to the surface of the water till later . Oh yeah, they get wilder after that one

What are some of the myths/whoppers the older outdoorsman in your juvenile life sprinkled on you?

[Elkduds]

Snipe hunts were a thing BITD

[RAMMONT]

My favorite modern day myth that drives me nuts is the idea that drinking your urine, in a survival situation, is smart.

[six]

I spent a couple summers chasing snipe.

[BrentLaBere]

My favorite modern day myth that drives me nuts is the idea that drinking your urine, in a survival situation, is smart.

Always heard you could do it "once" for benefit.

I have also heard fish bite more in the rain.

The deer will be rutting more, or wait to rut, when it gets colder out. If it snows it will really kick in.

[elkhuntfever]

Already I am crushed!!! You're telling me none of these are true?

[WapitiTalk1]

I remember the snipe hunts, lol..

[Timber]

My favorite modern day myth that drives me nuts is the idea that drinking your urine, in a survival situation, is smart.

I am so glad I saw this post! I always thought it was a good survival tactic. The worst thing about it was trying to pee high enough to catch it. I usually became extremely cold afterwards due to getting all soaked when I tried this and I ended up going into hypothermia several times!

[Buckman]

old timer i used to hunt with claimed the deer could jump the flash in the pan of his flint lock .Don't know bout u but can see a lot of other reasn
ons for a miss

[Tigger]

How about the various brush-busting calibers that can shoot through trees and not miss the intended target. Some say big, slow calibers, other say light, fast. None work. You cannot shoot through brush without issues.

case in point. this year, I shot a nice 4X4 whitetail buck. he fell in some thick brush but was still alive. I could see his outline, but the brush was heavy. I wanted to anchor him. It took me 5 shots to get one through and even that one deflected quite a ways. No, I didn't keep missing! he was 75 yards away and I had a rest. My guns shoots 2 MOA. This was with a 12 ga shotgun slug....a big ol' hunk of lead (well, actually copper, but whatever).

[Swede]

How about the old bromide of elk and deer move around more in the daylight when there is a new moon.

[Elkduds]

When tourists ask, "@ what altitude do deer turn into elk?" the usual answer is 10K, depending on the season, or the drought, or the jet stream, or climate change...

[>>>---WW---->]

I have never been lost in my entire life! However, I have been turned around for several hours a few times.

[saddlesore]

I had a fellow on another well known forum took me to task about my two elk mounts turned, facing each other and bugling. He swore that elk do not bugle back over their shoulders. A few real life pictures set him straight.

I have always known exactly where I was.Just wasn't sure where the truck was parked or the mules tied.

[Swede]

Here is a question for some of you old sages. Does it really matter if we are lost as long as we are out hunting? It is still hunting isn't it?

[Lefty]

I have never been lost in my entire life! However, I have been turned around, and around and around for several days, a few times.

fixed it for ya!!

[wawhitey]

So i didnt call this dude out, out of politeness, but an old guy in the area recently said (no joke) that mule deer, when they hear a bow shoot, will either stand up on their tippy toes and suck in their gut so the arrow goes under them, or..... you thought that was funny.... or theyll swing their head and deflect the flying arrow with their antlers!!!

[WapitiTalk1]

So i didnt call this dude out, out of politeness, but an old guy in the area recently said (no joke) that mule deer, when they hear a bow shoot, will either stand up on their tippy toes and suck in their gut so the arrow goes under them, or..... you thought that was funny.... or theyll swing their head and deflect the flying arrow with their antlers!!!

Absolute classic!

[>>>---WW---->]

I had an elk deflect my arrow with his antler once. He sure looked funny when he ran off with my arrow dangling from his ear.