Don’t you just hate it when you walk out the door and forget your clothes

The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. When you read that quote in school did you ever think it would fit so perfectly into your adult life?

Earlier in the week I made plans to get together with my Hunting Mentor and try for a Deer. There is nothing unusual about deer hunting, we’ve gone out together a number of times this season.

The plan was to head into work a little early so that I could leave early and run a couple of errands. After those were complete I’d head home and jump in the shower. Once I was cleaned up with scent-free hunting soap, I’d pack my gear and be on my way.

I wound up getting in a little later than I’d hoped. I got a quick shower and checked the new messages on my phone. We were going to be hunting in a different location and I wouldn’t need to bring my treestand. That was good because it takes up a lot of space in my car, not having to haul it makes things much easier.

I rushed about the house getting things together then kissed my wife and daughter goodbye. They wished me luck and I began the process of taking my gear to my car. I proceeded to pull my backpack off of my treestand and ran into a problem. The shoulder straps of my backpack were tangled and I spent the new couple of minutes unpacking and re-packing my treestand to free it.

In the frenzy of trying not to be late, I grabbed my backpack, bow case, coat, and an extra shirt before heading out. I put everything in my car and raced off to go deer hunting.

As I pulled into the driveway, my bow case shifted and I glanced into my rear view mirror in time to see my backpack fall over. I was hit with a sudden panic. I don’t see my scent free duffel and I can’t remember if I carried it down to my car.

My fears came to life a few seconds later when I parked the car and opened the rear hatch. All of my hunting clothes were packed in a scent-free duffel bag and were forty minutes away, back at my house.

My Hunting Mentor walked over to greet me and all I could do was shake my head “Well, this was a wasted trip.” I explained the situation and we did the best we could, we improvised.

Fortunately, I hadn’t taken my boots out of my car since the last hunting trip. In addition to my boots I had a pair of coveralls that I use for Goose Hunting. They aren’t anything special (all I could afford – basic work coveralls) and I don’t worry about keeping them scent free.

I was loaned a set of lightweight bibs and a jacket and layered up the best I could under my coveralls. With temperatures hovering around 20 degrees, I didn’t know how long I would last perched in a metal ladder stand. My thin Goose Hunting gloves were no match for a cold bow riser and my borrowed face cover was cold and uncomfortable.

Against the odds, I made it through the entire sit. As legal shooting hours grew to a close, I could hear a few deer moving around in the woods. I caught a glimpse of a body at one point but they were too far and darkness was closing in. Considering what I was wearing, I’m proud of the fact that deer were in the area and I wasn’t busted.

This officially goes down as my biggest hunting blunder to date. The only way it could have been worse was if I walked out and forgot my bow.