Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game It seemed like such a good idea...

A couple years ago, my buddy and I were in his camper one night during the middle of elk season and he had this "great" idea. There may have been alcohol involved. He tells me,"If we go park one of the trucks tonight at the gate where we plan to hunt tomorrow, we won't have to get up so early."

Up to this time we had only hunted this area during archery season, and at the time his logic seemed sound. We putted up the old dirt road (we were miles from any pavement)to the gate and park his truck. As an afterthought, he decides it might be a good idea not to leave his rifle in the truck. He takes out his M70 -06 with bargain basement scope and leans it against the truck, slams the door, and his rifle falls to the ground. We had been on a serious mission up to this point. Now I'm sitting on the ground howling with amusement and he seems sober as a judge concerned about his scope. Back to camp and sleep.

Morning comes and we get to the gate just before sunrise, about and hour later than we would have had we not been so smart the night before - and there were 5 trucks parked behind his!

We were too short on time to do anything but take a stroll up the road and back down for a few hours, with the knowledge that anywhere we might want to go already had a team of hunters. We went back to camp for breakfast and I suggested that he test out the integrity of his scope...

He shot a few rounds getting it sighted back in, but just when it was close the darn thing would be off again. After 2 boxes of ammo, he concedes that he needs a new scope. That night I shot a 4 x 5 whitetail and we went home in the morning having learned (hopefully) a few valuable lessons...

Many years ago, my buddy and I were camped up in the GW National Forest of VA. We got to our spot a couple of days before the deer season opened, and spent the time scouting. We had no camping gear, but were using a borrowed tent, and piles of wool blankets to stay warm. We also stocked up with provisions including a half gallon of Jim Beam. We wisely went easy on the Beam the first few nights, maybe a sip or two but by the night before the opener, we were so smug about the results of our scouting and so proud of ourselves that we'd planned it right and come up early that we somehow decided it would be a great idea to drink the rest of our provisions. Big mistake.

We overslept the alarm and had to jump in the truck half-dressed to drive the mile to our hunting spot and get there before first light. And the road went through a couple of rough wash-outs that had nothing but bread-box sized rocks to drive over; we were in a hurry so my buddy didn't take it very slow through there. We both almost puked, but made it through. We named that particular stretch of road "Beam's bounces" and the name has stuck to this day. Great hunting spot.

Clearly, those two posts are yet two more examples of why alcohol and firearms don't mix.

Yup. I "shared" a sweet piece of property with a guy back in the early 90's for deer hunting. I didn't know him personally, he was friends with the landowner. We met a couple of times and we divided the property in half so that we wouldn't booger eachother.

One morning, during the ML season, I hear a shot. I headed back to the parking area to see if he needed help. I found him staggering and in a daze, face blackened, eyebrows singed and a hole in the brim of his ball cap. He had the gun between his legs in the treestand, and it just "went off", he said. I was sure he was quite hungover.

Turning down any call for help, he got in his truck and left. 2 more years of hunting that lease and I never saw him again.

Back in the 80's I lived in Arizona. We had scouted out a great piece of mule deer land up on the Rim. Everything was great until opening morning when every body else started showing up in "our" spot.

The next year I had a great idea. We went up 3 days early. At every fork in the dirt road on the way in we put up signs that read "Boy Scout Jamboree this way". Figured most folks would pick a different spot. Worked good until Saturday when Boy Scouts started showing up and asking where they should set up their tents!

Sometimes you can't win.

Bob

If you're implying that we were under the influence of alcohol and handling firearms, you're way off base partner. After the trip down the road in the vehicle, we both hauled ourselves up the mountain, and were fine.

To the contrary, I was stating the obvious - that alcohol and firearms don't mix. Thus one of the reasons why it isn't allowed in any of my camps. Too many things can and do go wrong when alcohol and weapons are in close proximity to one another while in the field, camp or otherwise.

Alcohol and firearms are in fact a bad combination. Which is why we don't handle them after having a drink. Doesn't mean I feel the need to ban alcohol from camp though. What's more important is who's in camp, not what's in camp.

Precisely. Thus one of the reasons why I'm selective when it comes to clientele. But, as a general policy, I don't allow alcohol, either.

I'll keep that in mind next time I'm looking to book a hunt.

I don't book hunts with guides often, but when I do, I drink Dos Equis.

"Sober as a judge" doesnt really hold relevance to me, pulled one over drunk as a bum on the street corner who was just handed $20 in coins.... Local PD (on an indian reservation, white, but tribal judge) shows up and they give him a ride. Apparently, they are a shuttle service, not a law enforcement agency.

Now that's funny!

Maverick is my hero.

I found out many years ago that hunting with a hang over makes you a better hunter.You don't move as fast, you make much less noise. You set your feet down easier, and you think a lot harder about letting off a round unless absolutely necessary because of the noise.

The off side is hanging over the side of a mule with your elbow hooked around the horn,puking your guts out.

However, when alcohol comes out, no one is permitted to handle firearms when in our camps.

Yep, and I'd be willing to bet a dollar that no one in your camp has to be reminded of that, or brought up short by any self-appointed arbiter of what's proper in a hunting camp.

It ain't rocket science.

Never thought about the concept of better hunting through hangovers though, I will have to remember that one, as in "yeah, I drank a little last night, but only so I'd have a better hunt!!!!"

Excellent. That helps us both out. Thanks.

What's so wrong with downing a sixer of Natty Light at 8 a.m. in the duck blind with gas station biscuits??

It helps take the edge off

Stay thirsty, my friend.

I don't drink. Thus, don't have any craving. Thanks anyway.

He is everyones hero,Wheres Goose?