Hindsight Is Almost Always 20/20

Hunting Is Best Learned By Looking Backwards

Hindsight is most always 20/20 when it comes to hunting.

Especially during bow season.

A couple of evenings ago I had literally just sat down in my stand when I remembered the advice of our youngest son, Tristan. Earlier that day he had told me that the bucks were really responsive to grunts and the ratting horns.

So.

“Rattle, rattle, rattle!”

I’ve never had much luck with the rattling horns but I brought them with me just in case.

Before I got completely situated, I decided to go ahead and put out a couple of grunts and then rattle some in spite of the crazy, gusting wind that was blowing. HARD!

I went back to organizing my little tree stand area for that night’s sit.

No more had I turned my head when BAM! Here come TWO nice bucks charging down the hill, right to the little patch of timber about 50 to 60 yards to my right.

Wow!

That was fast!

Getting overly excited and thrust into “what to do now mode,” the only thing I could think of as I watched them frantically search for the “scrap” they thought they were coming to get in the middle of, was to get out my grunt call.

So I did what I thought would keep them close and come over to me so I could get a shot at one of them.

I grunted lightly.

They looked, of course, but as I raised my arm, to quietly reach for my bow and get into position to possibly shoot, my grunt call fell off my lap (stupid I know) right into the trees below my stand, startling them just enough to run back up the hill from where they came.

To top that off, shortly afterwards one of my gloves dropped into the bushes as well.

Hindsight and Lessons

That night taught me so many lessons.

First and foremost, STAY ALERT!!!

If I hadn’t been piddle poking around with my stuff I would have seen them come out of the timberline and I would have been making plans as they charged down to my rattling.

I would have been anticipating their move and been prepared.

Secondly, KEEP CRAP OFF MY LAP!

Put it on hangers or in my pockets. To my defense, though, when I’m wearing my harness it’s hard to really get to my pockets because I’m so bound up.

The moral to this story is this.

Always be ready for ANYTHING and learn from your mistakes.

Be teachable, even if you’re both student and teacher.

Hunting lessons are not just for hunting. They can be applied in day to day real life.

Be ready for anything that might come your way and be looking around and not down. You might miss an opportunity if you’re not ready for it.