Thread: Rookie mistakes!

I like the taste of alcohol

Originally Posted by Nibblet

I like the taste of alcohol

Oh you'll fit right in, in Nelson haha

Mint. See if I can pick up some more weird hitchhikers like last time.

yep smugglers and the honest lawyer are good.

The clubs in town are pretty Shit and you have a good chance of being kicked to death by 20 kids or stabbed.

I can't think of/wouldn't read a book dedicated to wind movement,even the forecasters can't get it right
Just use ya brain as long as your are thinking about the wind your on the right track.
In the absence of any prevailing wind air will move up faces and gullys once the sun hits them and down shortly after its gone.
In a prevailing wind air moves over ground features much like water over a rock.

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If a river or streams dirty and you can hear boulders moving stay put. I speak from experience. Drowning in the backcountry would be one of our biggest killers.

Oh and don't skimp on boots. When your four days walk from a road end your feet are the most valuable asset you have

If in doubt don't pull the trigger

That's all

Um rookie stuff....

Learn how to pack a rucksack correctly
Learn how to navigate without relying on GPS
Look after your feet - spare dry socks
Always take a hat and beanie
Learn how to start a fire using several techniques
Watch the wind and move slower
Get off the tracks
Do a river safety course

My first rookie mistake, there were many but this one pissed me off....always be ready for a shot......left the campground with an unloaded rifle, no bolt in the rifle, as 'there'll be no deer near a noisy, smelly campground right'

less than two minutes later, on my way to the 'hunting ground' i spooked a Sika hind who stood up barked and just stood staring at me for about 5-6 seconds before hitting 'warp factor 10'......

if only i had a round up the spout and my bolt half cocked.....!

All ways take your time when going for the shot. This is after you have properly ID the target. You can waste a lot of time looking for wounded deer, when an extra 30 seconds a better shot opportunity may present itself. Way to many deer get lost and die slow deaths because of this. Also when I shoot I want the deer dead and to drop so I don't have to carry it so far.

If you end up getting more than one rifle, make sure you take the correct bolt for whichever rifle you take and even then, don't leave the bolt on the front eat of the truck

Make sure if you have a detachable magazine that the bloody thing is in the gunbag before buggering off made that mistake once and lucky I was only going to the rifle range to sight the rifle in and could get away with single feeding each round

Store your rifles with the bolt and magazine in them - never leave a bolt at home again.

Forgot the mag for my Sako 75 on a 1 week roar trip - shot 1 stag
Taken the wrong bolt for my 6.5x55 an a Woodhill ballot - nothing shot
Left the mag behind for my 10/22 on a rabbit shoot - still got a few

If stopping to rest the legs before a bit, make sure all the zips etc on your pack or bum bag are done up. Lost a GPS

After a rookie trip, write a list of what worked well, what was a waste of money and what you wish you had taken. Do this while unpacking and still fresh in your mind

If hunting the tops, buy a decent bloody sleeping bag - ONE snowy night spent on the top of Urchin in a chit warehouse sleeping bag is something I never want to repeat

Money should be spent in this order: GOOD boots, good clothing, good sleeping bag, tent >>>>>> Gun

Don't park your Hilux in front of the forestry gates.

Originally Posted by Timmay

If hunting the tops, buy a decent bloody sleeping bag - ONE snowy night spent on the top of Urchin in a chit warehouse sleeping bag is something I never want to repeat

Money should be spent in this order: GOOD boots, good clothing, good sleeping bag, tent >>>>>> Gun

Don't park your Hilux in front of the forestry gates.

Yup been caught out by the sleeping bag thing bought one off trademe for $40 it was too skinny for me and the zip burst open during the night while at the oamaru hut, before that I had a great outdoors sleeping bag last used that when I went camping up clements with dogmatix the ground was frozen and I froze my arse off for two nights. With that lesson learned I now own a kiwi camping glacier sleeping bag and it kept me warm and dry when I did that trip to clements the other weekend and woke up to find water on my sleeping bag after moisture came through the tent when it fell down on top of me (thanks to a very rude jap walking around the campsite during the night)

Some great tips/advice/tales of woe so far, great thread Aly....go girl.....