Opening Day Nightmare
- Thread starter Todd Duncan Tennyson
- Start date
Ive lived the nightmare before. Its not fun. Didnt realize it until I set decoys and went to unload the boat.... no guns. And yes I say guns because I usually carry 2 in my gun box. Drove home in a helacious rain storm the day prior, took them out to dry real good and get a little oil therapy. Left them on the shop table. I have a REAL bad habit that if im hunting 2 days in a row, I just leave the guns in the gun box in the boat, so hook up next morning and roll. Bad habit, I know! So hook up to boat next morning, 2 am of course (not awake at all), take the long boat run in the dark, set decoys, go to get my blind bag and gun...... empty gun box. We decoyed birds for an hour or so in the morning and I taught steadiness while birds swam around in decoys. Then picked it all up and went home. Nothing more I could do unfortunately.
I've had to make a quick run in my boat, back to the truck to retrieve my gun. Luckily, it's never been more than that.
About 10 years ago I went with a now late buddy of mine one morning. We always left out the canal in his backyard and usually hunted a short 5-10 minute boat ride away. Well this morning we had decided to hunt a blind about 30 minutes away. About halfway there it dawned on me I didn't remember putting my gun in the boat. We had a good laugh about it and talked about just taking turns with his gun as we didn't really expect a barrel burner. As it turns out it was a holiday so his wife was home. He called her and got her to get my gun out my truck and drive it to someone's dock he knew that cut the boat ride in half. The hunting wasn't great, I think we shot a handful of ruddys and maybe a gadwall but the company was great and we ended up staying all day. He's been gone 2½ years now and I don't think I hunted with him but a few more times after that. I'd give anything to spend another day in the duck blind with him like that.
A couple of years ago I was taking a friend of mine hunting about an hour and a half north of home.
First hotel we attempted to check into was infested with bed bugs. ( I am OCD about checking before I bring any luggage in )
Found a second hotel - got checked in, then went to truck to get my luggage and could not find it. Called my lady and sure enough we had left it in the yard in our hurry to pack .
I had my gun but nothing else. Midnight run to Walmart and bought some green sweat clothes and camo face mask (no camo sweats)
Borrowed some shells from my buddy.
First hotel we attempted to check into was infested with bed bugs. ( I am OCD about checking before I bring any luggage in )
Found a second hotel - got checked in, then went to truck to get my luggage and could not find it. Called my lady and sure enough we had left it in the yard in our hurry to pack .
I had my gun but nothing else. Midnight run to Walmart and bought some green sweat clothes and camo face mask (no camo sweats)
Borrowed some shells from my buddy.
UGGHHHH BED BUG!!!! Im pretty OCD now too. Did tons of research after my own nightmare of this, FYI, they are attracted to Carbon dioxide. So as you lay in the bed and breath, thats what attracts them to come out. Same thing, first thing I do in any hotel is lay on the bed for about an hour and I breath ALL OVER them sheets. Just waiting for something to come out. Also go through and inspect everything.
Got a call to literally the middle of nowhere about a hot field. Some youngins in the area seemed to have permission on what we couldnt get access to and we had permission on what they couldnt get access to. So it worked well, and they were good kids, so we worked together and just stayed on the geese in the area. It worked out pretty well for quite a few years and then the area changed.
Anyways, get up there at like 9-10pm after a long day of work. Know to meet at the field to set the decoy trailers at like 4 am. Crawl into bed around 9:30-10ish. About 1 AM I wake up to my buddy making disgusted sounds. I roll over and see him doing the willy dance, in just his choneys across the room. Ask what is wrong with him and all he can say is "Theres bugs in my bed". I get up, roll his blankets back and you could see little blood streaks that had been munching on him. I sleep in sweats and a hoodie in any hotel. Not him though. We see them a lot in the hospital, im not too scared of them. They move good in linen but I know they dont jump and cant walk on hard surfaces because of their hooked arms. He starts freaking out, I tell him we got to shower the dog in as warm of water as possible, leave any clothing you can behind that you may not need, and anything he wants to take home to put in trash bags. Luckily we left pretty much everything locked in the truck. I think I lost the hoodie and the sweats.
Walk down to reception, tell him we are getting a refund. Says he has to take pictures per his policy. So we walk back to the room, and we walk into the bathroom destroyed. Hot steamy dog smell, towels are brown from the dog getting the bath of his life. Guy tries to tell me we cant leave the room like that, and I just tell him he isnt supposed to have bed bugs and if we need to get lawyers involved to fight this out we can. He takes pictures, puts the refund through, we walk out in single digit weather in our underwear and a dog crate. Get back to truck, get dressed, run out to field and sleep in truck until 4 am.
It gets better.......
Half way through hunt, we are telling young crew what happened. Their jaws are on the floor, in disbelief. Then they ask... where did you stay. We tell them and you could see the worry in all their faces. Of course they stayed at the same hotel. So I tell them to lift their shirts and let me see their backs. Every one of them munched all over. They just got so drunk the night before, they didnt wake up to the feast. So of course they're freaking out, we had some extra trash bags and I ran to the nearest store that sells baking soda and we put all their clothing and gear in bags and sprinkled some baking soda in each bag. Seal it tight, leave it for 3 days, shake the clothing out outside and then straight into the washing machine. Sealed tight bag with baking soda suffocates them, then you can get rid of the powder and dead bugs by shaking them out.
Either way, his wife and my significant other told us we couldnt come home. I think they forgot who pays the mortgages lol. Its one of the only times they werent excited in the least bit to see us come home safely. I think mine was hoping to get a cash out on life insurance policy vs seeing me get home after I explained what happened on the drive home.
That's some funny stuff. No personal stories but my father-in-law once went to the vet and forgot to bring his dog. RM
Todd Duncan Tennyson
Well-known member
I am going to wait til next week... it is going to be mid 90* this week and high 60s next week.
Gonna go from golf weather to giving you the shotgun itch real fast!
Todd Duncan Tennyson
Well-known member
I checked my weather forecast and it looks like it will be in the mid 90's for a spell out where I wish to go.
I will give it a few days in the hopes that things will cool down a bit. I loaded up the box and dug out the scattergun anyways, should my nightmare become prophecy.
I've got boots and spare laces, parachute cord, a couple of pairs of pants and some paper towels. Some bag balm for the dog's feet.
A flashlight and a radio and a 35 year old surplus army pack that I threw some sutures in last night. Seems pretty sincere. I haven't thrown many sutures for a spell, and working on leather and canvas is different than softer tissue.
Got a bunch of kibble, some chili and chowder in cans in case we can't round up any bunnies or birds. 4 gallons of water frozen in waiting for the ice chest.
I need to round up an aluminum pot to cook on. Should I need to boil some birds for me and the dog if we get any birds.
I always share what we get with the dog (s) that get it for me. They love it, and likely need it to keep going on a long day.
It'd be hard to bust brush and jump logs and boulders all day for a cup of dried kibble. I'll do my best to remedy such a situation.
I will give it a few days in the hopes that things will cool down a bit. I loaded up the box and dug out the scattergun anyways, should my nightmare become prophecy.
I've got boots and spare laces, parachute cord, a couple of pairs of pants and some paper towels. Some bag balm for the dog's feet.
A flashlight and a radio and a 35 year old surplus army pack that I threw some sutures in last night. Seems pretty sincere. I haven't thrown many sutures for a spell, and working on leather and canvas is different than softer tissue.
Got a bunch of kibble, some chili and chowder in cans in case we can't round up any bunnies or birds. 4 gallons of water frozen in waiting for the ice chest.
I need to round up an aluminum pot to cook on. Should I need to boil some birds for me and the dog if we get any birds.
I always share what we get with the dog (s) that get it for me. They love it, and likely need it to keep going on a long day.
It'd be hard to bust brush and jump logs and boulders all day for a cup of dried kibble. I'll do my best to remedy such a situation.
I remember a trip up Lake St. Clair one year, I loaded up the truck to meet my buddy. As I walked through the gate of my yard I snagged my gun case on the fence and ripped the strap off. I ran back inside and did a quick rivet job and grabbed another bag and headed out. As I hit the highway a mile from the house I turned on the dome light and looked over the gear and realized I left the gun at the house so I had to turn around and go back. lol
Last year we had hunted the evening before and after shooting a few birds I realized the pin for my trigger group was missing. After the hunt I squeezed a zip tie in there to hold everything together, as I didn't happen to have an extra. The next morning at O'dark thirty in the rush to load the boat I neglect to throw the gun back in the boat. I didn't notice until we got to our spot and got the decoys set up. So I grabbed a cigar, stood in the waste deep water with a spotlight and my hunting partners made the two mile run back to the house. I don't think they will ever let me forget that one.
Last year we had hunted the evening before and after shooting a few birds I realized the pin for my trigger group was missing. After the hunt I squeezed a zip tie in there to hold everything together, as I didn't happen to have an extra. The next morning at O'dark thirty in the rush to load the boat I neglect to throw the gun back in the boat. I didn't notice until we got to our spot and got the decoys set up. So I grabbed a cigar, stood in the waste deep water with a spotlight and my hunting partners made the two mile run back to the house. I don't think they will ever let me forget that one.
Ronald Bock
Active member
Last year my two adult kids and I got together for a guided goose/crane hunt. The morning of the hunt my daughter is searching for her shells....
She shoots a Winchester 1200 12 guage 2 3/4". All I have is 3". My son shoots a 20. She'd forgot her shells at home.
Luckily I had an extra 12 ga over/under in my truck. I handed her a fist full of 3 inchers and turned her loose. She struggled with a completely foreign gun to her.
Today we're packing for a hunt tomorrow. Under my seat I have two boxes of 2 3/4" just in case. Dad's gotta watch out for them even if their in their 30's. It's what we do.
She shoots a Winchester 1200 12 guage 2 3/4". All I have is 3". My son shoots a 20. She'd forgot her shells at home.
Luckily I had an extra 12 ga over/under in my truck. I handed her a fist full of 3 inchers and turned her loose. She struggled with a completely foreign gun to her.
Today we're packing for a hunt tomorrow. Under my seat I have two boxes of 2 3/4" just in case. Dad's gotta watch out for them even if their in their 30's. It's what we do.
Another nightmare scenario…. But not opening day.
About 6 years ago at my camp in Louisiana Midway through season . It’s warm as all get out 60’s -70s during the day. Me and my dog have the entire camp to ourselves. The Pitt i chose to use was in the very middle of the rice field and is that thick heart attack gumbo mud.
Leave the 4wheeler in the corner at the road bed and start hiking across the field … as soon as I get to the pit that not so easy feeling hit my bowels..
I sit down for a minute … feeling passes then about 5 minutes later returns with a vengeance .. I look to the 4wheeler and it seems to warp drive further and further away.. I’m looking around sweating for option B .. there’s a dry mound about 30 yards to the left . I waddle over with my butt clenched until I can firmly sit and let nature take its course …… relief .
Then ouch , ow WTH , ouch sh*** I look down and ALL my nether regions are covered in fire ants . As I’m getting out of my waders and all my clothes trying to get all the ants off .. I happen to look out of the corner of my eye and see the farmer pull up and immediately turn around as I am doing some sort of warped “Duck dance”
I’m pretty sure the dog was somewhere between laughing and panicked at what was going on.
Worst part about the whole deal … me and my now fiancée had only been dating about three months and I had to explain why I was coming home with red bumps all over my junk
About 6 years ago at my camp in Louisiana Midway through season . It’s warm as all get out 60’s -70s during the day. Me and my dog have the entire camp to ourselves. The Pitt i chose to use was in the very middle of the rice field and is that thick heart attack gumbo mud.
Leave the 4wheeler in the corner at the road bed and start hiking across the field … as soon as I get to the pit that not so easy feeling hit my bowels..
I sit down for a minute … feeling passes then about 5 minutes later returns with a vengeance .. I look to the 4wheeler and it seems to warp drive further and further away.. I’m looking around sweating for option B .. there’s a dry mound about 30 yards to the left . I waddle over with my butt clenched until I can firmly sit and let nature take its course …… relief .
Then ouch , ow WTH , ouch sh*** I look down and ALL my nether regions are covered in fire ants . As I’m getting out of my waders and all my clothes trying to get all the ants off .. I happen to look out of the corner of my eye and see the farmer pull up and immediately turn around as I am doing some sort of warped “Duck dance”
I’m pretty sure the dog was somewhere between laughing and panicked at what was going on.
Worst part about the whole deal … me and my now fiancée had only been dating about three months and I had to explain why I was coming home with red bumps all over my junk