Oh, and to make matters worse (almost forgot this part) I had a puppy at home that I'd feed in the garage. The packboard was sitting there and the dog ate the fricken' straps off of it. I guess that lady must've not gotten all the blood off afterall.

I don't mean the dog chewed them up, I mean she consumed them and pooped out packboard straps. I just threw the damn thing away.

Never, EVER lay your shotgun, rifle, flyrod, or ANY other gear on top of the car while loading other gear, dogs, etc. into the car You WILL drive off with something on top. Not a matter of IF, just WHEN.
I've driven off with a shotgun, a flyrod and various travel mugs, sunglasses and other assortment of smaller gear.

"I just threw the damn thing away"... Which one,the dog or the packboard?..lol

Both.....

Yeah, wanted to but I still have the dog. Danged thing eyeballs my backpacks all the time now - I can't trust her with them. That was a few years ago and I guess she's smart in a dumb kind of way.

not really pertaining to hunting but this happened outdoors. me and a friend were early scouting. when you're 40 years old and 6'6" 260, the fun you used to have riding trees down isn't the same as when you were a kid. i told my buddy watch this(famous last words) ran down a steep ridge jumped and grabbed a sapling tree. that thing bent then snapped and i looked like the old skier on wide world of sports rolling down the hill.
man that hurt.

I understand the same thing is true of your boom box you're using for an electronic predator call.

... I won't name any names but if you're paying attention, you know you.

But I guess I could say I found out the hard way 'bout binoculars. I needed new ones anyway (TM).

Don't hunt the morning of your wife's very first Lamaze class that she expects you to attend, 'cause you might just get your deer. Nothing like a long run through the woods with full gear.

Don't forget to dig a small drainage trench around your wall tent when rain is coming. Unless you like living swampy I guess.

Definitely don't forget to look for cactus before you sit down. I had some interesting skin geometry for a while, there was a nice safe rectangle from my hunting license inside a large angry red patch of prickles.

Do have a backup travel plan. And when your travel plan depends on others, make sure they have a backup plan. We got stranded in the Weminuche Wilderness on a short backpack trip getting dropped off the D&SNGRR. Mudslide covered the tracks. They did eventually fetch us, but we were prepping for a really long walk and an extra day off work. Long version here:

https://davestories.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/wilderness-hobos/

sd

Obviously - you didn't need it, and it might have gotten you into trouble if you'd had it...

Never hunt solo with only one knife and one compass.