Hunting Superstitions

[andrew5]

Hi all,

Thought this would be a fun topic to bring up. Who's got hunting superstitions and what are they? I'm not generally superstitious, but being only three years in to hunting and learning / going solo, I figure anything that might help is welcome. Plus it's fun to have little rituals.

I'm putting lots of hours on, but the success rate as been really low. when I get back to my truck and I feel like I should have seen more game but didn't, I now find myself taking the top round out of my magazine and replacing it with a new round at the top to be the first one down the pipe. Kind of like moving a new player to the top of the rotation I suppose.

who else has superstitions / habits out there?

[wideopenthrottle]

I have a "lucky hat" I like to wear when I hunt....
we never talk about success until it happens...no "over confidence" ahead of time allowed

[Citori54]

My hunting partner of 40 years carries a 2x2 inch square of his "lucky hunting shirt" in his licence/tag pouch. The shirt wore out years ago, but the square seems to still work. I always take my lucky blue sweater along to camp although after 35 years it resides in my duffel bag as it is a tad tight. The only year I didn't take it was the first year in 35 years at our moose spot that we went home without a bull. Will never make that mistake again:razz:

[warnniklz]

I don't pack wild game in my lunch. Taking wild game into the field to get more wild game is greedy and the hunting gods look down on me for it.

Big Buck Dip, Copenhagen usage starts during fall hunting season. Put a big dip in to lure out the big bucks.

Blast some Steel Panther while spring bear hunting.

Do a verbal dating profile while reeling in trout.

[Greenfields]

I wear my dog tags when I am out hunting. Luck and a good body identifier if I croak. LOL

[Timbow]

Don’t pass up the first legal game animal you are hunting. It works for my brother.

[MichelD]

I don't sharpen my knives the day before leaving.

[andrew5]

maybe my bear pepperoni has been angering the hunting gods who are hiding all the bucks in october thus far.

Great call on Steel Panther.

re: fishing, my 4 year old daughter always has to yell "come ooooooon Tina! Come get your food".


I don't pack wild game in my lunch. Taking wild game into the field to get more wild game is greedy and the hunting gods look down on me for it.

Big Buck Dip, Copenhagen usage starts during fall hunting season. Put a big dip in to lure out the big bucks.

Blast some Steel Panther while spring bear hunting.

Do a verbal dating profile while reeling in trout.

[IronNoggin]

My hunting partner of 40 years carries a 2x2 inch square of his "lucky hunting shirt" in his licence/tag pouch. The shirt wore out years ago, but the square seems to still work.

Hmmm... May have to consider that option before too long...

From this thread: http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?148984-The-Mentor

"Even so, I am always looking for something to help tip the odds in my favor, and it was with that thought I recalled a faded Talisman lurking in the far far depths of the chest of drawers. I will stray briefly from our tale here to explain this...

On my last foray to Africa, I was nine days in on quest for a particularly large and smart old Kudu Bull.
Decided to take a day down to freshen up and take stock.
A Buddy wandered by, and presented me with a T-Shirt which had been printed up in support of the Painted Dog Research going on in Zimbabwe at the time. It will bring you luck he suggested. Well... Why not?
The next day that old Kudu made a HUGE mistake, and crossed my path at 125 yards.
I was wearing the "magic" shirt, and that was it's first.
Over the years, I would wear it but occasionally - when I felt I needed a little something extra to get me where i needed to be.
And time after time, I claimed another success while it was on my back.
Eventually I became somewhat superstitious about the matter, and only spoke about it with my Lady.
She took this in stride of course, and supported my thoughts regarding it's magic. http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB3/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif

Over time, in excess of 40 big game animals have been harvested while that shirt has been on my back.
There's a reason I believe in it you see.
These days it is a tattered remnant of it's former self - as many holes as fabric, missing the lower seam, and basically ready to fall apart.
So worn in fact were it now to be washed, it would simply fall apart.
The Missuz only once toyed with the idea of getting shed of it. Once... http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB3/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

https://i.imgur.com/9rRfOdz.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/iw84PXU.jpg



I don't sharpen my knives the day before leaving.

Oddly enough, I always give the knives a little tweak the evening before heading out.
Different Strokes for Different Folks I guess..

Cheers,
Nog

[warnniklz]

maybe my bear pepperoni has been angering the hunting gods who are hiding all the bucks in october thus far.

Great call on Steel Panther.

re: fishing, my 4 year old daughter always has to yell "come ooooooon Tina! Come get your food".

Think I'll be stealing the Tina line

[wideopenthrottle]

yes different strokes for sure.....on wild meat while hunting, I try to make an effort to return some of the game we get in an area to the soil when we go back if we can...heheheh

[JG75]

Don’t pass up the first legal game animal you are hunting. It works for my brother.

Wish I read this last week. Passed up on a decent sized 2 pt Muley. Walked right in front of me at 130 yds, had him in the crosshairs but let him walk. I'll probably be regretting that come November

[browningboy]

I always try to get laid the day before we go, doesn't always work out but I tell her it's for a good cause. Start off lucky!

[andrew5]

it doesn't work if you whisper it. you need to put some enthusiasm behind it. honestly it's worked more times than random chance would suggest.

here is the source of "come onnnnn Tina!": haven't watched it in a while. hilarious. Need to see a hunting edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv_GKZbPzoc


Think I'll be stealing the Tina line

[Livewire322]

Never pass up on a legal animal when you need meat. Bad juju to turn down what Mother Earth provides you.

[Citori54]

Don’t pass up the first legal game animal you are hunting. It works for my brother.

Yes I made that mistake big time on a back pack mountain Caribou LEH hunt 4 years ago. Bought a few thousand dollars of new gear, a new lightweight rifle and rained all summer. First morning we hiked an hour and a half up to the top of the mountain from our camp spot and when finding the "photo landmark" that confirmed we were in the right spot, we stopped for a few photos. Walked no more than 400 yards and look up to see two bulls and a cow coming our way from about 1000 yards. They turned and grazed broadside at about 300 yards for a good 20 minutes or so. One was a fine legal bull but I decided I didn't want it to end after 10 minutes of actual hunting following all of the preparation, so he walked out of my life forever. Hunted another 6 days without seeing another legal bull. I think I pissed off the hunting gods:icon_frow

[Ubertuber]

Don’t pass up the first legal game animal you are hunting. It works for my brother.

I too made the mistake of not taking the first legal animal. I arrived at our camp a full day before my buddy was going to arrive. I set up camp and went for a quick quad ride to check road conditions. About 200 yards from camp I saw a big 4 point muley about 60 yards away just standing there. The buck was not interested in me or concerned, so I watched and took pictures of him for 15 min. My buddy and I had 10 days to hunt and I thought I'd have ample time to find a buck once we actually started hunting (we generally did well there). 10 days later, after hunting hard, I went home empty handed and quite frustrated at my decision not to shoot the one I saw. I won't make that mistake again.
Fishing is the similar, take the first, then start releasing.
My hunting partner and I always say good luck to each other after our last sip of our morning coffee. That's the most superstitious thing I do.

[Redthies]

Never pass up on a legal animal when you need meat. Bad juju to turn down what Mother Earth provides you.

As “they” say, “never pass up on the first day what you would be happy to take on the last day”.

[Redthies]

it doesn't work if you whisper it. you need to put some enthusiasm behind it. honestly it's worked more times than random chance would suggest.

here is the source of "come onnnnn Tina!": haven't watched it in a while. hilarious. Need to see a hunting edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv_GKZbPzoc

Watched it on my bird hunting trip last two weeks of sept. Had an epic trip, and stayed a lot of birds. Mmmm... Caserole!

[HarryToolips]

I don't pack wild game in my lunch. Taking wild game into the field to get more wild game is greedy and the hunting gods look down on me for it.

Big Buck Dip, Copenhagen usage starts during fall hunting season. Put a big dip in to lure out the big bucks.

Blast some Steel Panther while spring bear hunting.

Do a verbal dating profile while reeling in trout.
Funny how I'm actually the opposite....I always take a week long or so trip in September for hunting, and I always make sure I take a least one pack of wild game with me, a pack of ground or steaks usually...just my ritual, and this past September maybe it was good luck...whenever I harvest an animal, I always thank God, and bless the animals spirit and thank the animal for its meat and sustenance, so I feel the meat is 'blessed'....

[ACB]

I have a "lucky hat" I like to wear when I hunt....
we never talk about success until it happens...no "over confidence" ahead of time allowed
x2 on the lucky hat. now where did I put that thing.

[Downtown]

If you piss/poop into Water, bad things will happen !

Cheers

[andrew5]

I saw Janis Putellis had one on an episode of Meat Eater. He harvested a nice Mule deer 4 point, and when he got up to it, he put some grass in the bucks mouth to help give him one last feed for his journey to the other side. Thought that was pretty cool.

[mikeman20]

I have never gotten a big game animal without having an unopened bottle of fireball with me on the trip.

No bottle? No animals. An opened one? Trip is ruined.

I open it for successes only.

[andrew5]

I work in the wine and spirits industry and used to manage Fireball. seems like I missed out. Still going to stick with my Lagavulin.


I have never gotten a big game animal without having an unopened bottle of fireball with me on the trip.

No bottle? No animals. An opened one? Trip is ruined.

I open it for successes only.

[JG75]

This is not a brag in the slightest but I've only ever punched a tag in the last 6 years if my wife and I have d"done the dirty" the night before. I started noticing the trend after my muley on year 2 and it's been consistent ever since.

It has a downside however, it's gotten to the point where I have zero confidence in hunting when we haven't "knocked boots" the night before. I always tell her that she's my good luck charm and if she wants me to bring home some meat, she's gotta take mine:)

[mikeman20]

I work in the wine and spirits industry and used to manage Fireball. seems like I missed out. Still going to stick with my Lagavulin.

I don't think you're missing out at all, it's not the greatest I know, but I can't just change the superstition!

[Petros65]

Don’t pass up the first legal game animal you are hunting. It works for my brother.


Yes !!! never pass up the first animal.

[Petros65]

Wish I read this last week. Passed up on a decent sized 2 pt Muley. Walked right in front of me at 130 yds, had him in the crosshairs but let him walk. I'll probably be regretting that come November


I once made that mistake --- only once. The way I look at it the hunting gods give you a far chance. Don't miss it.

[Sitkaspruce]

We bring a "kill" bottle on our trips, something special like 18 yo Gibsons and the top gets spun off on the first kill.

I have two superstitions

- I bring my old dogs collar with me as she was my hunting buddy for 10 years. When checking cameras, it is outside the pack, the dog tags clinking together. When hunting season, it goes inside but is always with me
- I always have a mini bottle of scotch in the pack to toast the animal gods on site after the kill.

some interesting superstitions!!

Cheers

SS

[Whipper Billy]

It was suggested to me by my son not to eat turkey during turkey hunting season!!
That didn't ensure success but apparently if broken would guarantee failure.

I coached hockey for 21 years and found when there was a full moon it was tough getting the players to focus at practice.
Gave in as time went on and had scrimmages on those days.
Not sure if had an impact on my hunting.