What's your biggest mistake "Uh Oh" moment duckin'?

[Barq's]

I went out one afternoon by myself in my 1955 12' boat with an old evinrude 15 on it....It was cloudy and the wind was up....temps in the upper 30's....Just nasty. I had gone to the camp by myself that weekend for some reason and was 2+ hours at a minimum from anyone that I knew that had a phone I could call.

I made my way across the lake to the northern bank to run the slack water and see if any ducks had started to congregate....About 20 minutes into my run, I noticed that it had started sleeting and the clouds were getting worse. Well, I jumped some mallards that were back in the edge of the flooded woods and I slowed and killed the engine.

I watched the mallards pour out and after a couple of minutes of listening to the ice hit the boat, I tried to crank the motor......

No Go....I pulled and pulled and pulled some more.....Until I was so hot that I had to start shedding clothes. I decided to let the motor sit for awhile and I called my Uncle, some 2+ hours away to tell him what was going on....He wasn't too happy with me and of course, i was already upset with myself.

I was drifting with the wind, but I had an island in between me and the actual lake shore and I was completely out of site of anyone from any direction by any means. Not a good place to be. Of course, I didn't have a paddle either.

After getting my butt chewed out, I told him I would call him back and hung up the phone to go back to pulling on the engine....After a couple of more pulls.....yep....the line broke....
As far as tools go, all I had was a leatherman...By now, it had started to snow and I don't mean just little flakes, I'm talking snowing like I had never seen before. Well, i did the whole wrapping the line around the top of the motor and finally by the Grace of God, it started.
When it did.....I juiced that 15 for all she had and I went across that lake like a bat out of hell in the middle of the Perfect Storm in a rowboat and didn't let off until I hit the dock. I loaded up and took it back to the camp and worked on it for hours and never got it to start again that day.
Couple lessons learned....
Don't leave the dock without a paddle
Don't go by yourself
Make a tool kit that stays in the boat/include flares/whistle/horn
If you don't know any neighbors in this situation, make it a point to meet them and stop by and tell them where you are going and when you should be back before you do something as stupid as what I did. Had a couple of other things happened, I might have died in that boat that night.

[the doctor]

I wont get in a boat that doesnt have a paddle in it.

the doc

[dukhntn]

The number 1 (or 2 depending on how you look at it) rule in any type of hunting is : don't forget the toilet paper. I've come out of the field on more than one occasion with only one, or no socks.

[GET-N-RITE]

Pulled a boat on a trailer I might add that I didn't own, down the railroad tracks by hand trying to get to a honey hole in the swamp. Long story short, pulled that boat for a little over a mile and was tired. Train came I / we couldn't get the boat off the tracks kaaaaaboooooooommmmmmmmmm. That was 15 years ago and still gets brought up every duck season. Talk about an booty whipping from the old man.

[Blake Williamson]

Two years ago I was hunting alone 5 miles down the Pearl River and tore my ACL miniscis and broke off part of my joint. While tring to pull a boat across a tree. Talking about going into survival mode!!!! And coming to grips with yourself!!!!

[Smoke68]

I was hunting with 3 friends in my boat. We hunted all morning not seeing squat. About 11 a.m. a group of 12 mallards came out of no where and started to work. I'm calling. Finally, they make one L-O-N-G swing out and are coming in. Everybody is ready to pull the trigger and see feathers fly. I call "kill em" and stand up to shoot.... I'm the only one standing up..... the birds are still a good 125 yds out. We all watch as they climb over us a mile high, nobody fires a shot.

I'm surprised they let me live.

[Northbigmuddy]

We were breaking sheets of ice and pushing them out to make a hole one morning. We had all gone over the plan. Be careful not to cut your waders, go slow, and whatnot. The water was relatively deep with a soft mud bottom, barely wader depth. One of my boots got stuck in the mud and I was too far forward to stand back up. My waders dipped below the water line for a few seconds. Enough to soak my chest and fill both legs. We were a short trip from the house, so I roughed it for a few more hours, so as to "not screw up the hunt". It was a tid bit nipply out.

One of my buddies gun misfired and he went ahead with another shot. Blew up his barrel just in front of the stock. We all heard the odd report before the second shot including him. We were lucky no one got hurt. Two of us were carrying gun cleaning kits, but he was embarressed he dropped his gun, so he didnt mention it or clear his gun. Dumbace.

[Barq's]

I pretty sure get-n-rite won hands down....

[deltadukman]

and broke off part of my joint. Talking about going into survival mode!!!! And coming to grips with yourself!!!!

Thats the worst feeling in the world

[dukhntn]

I pretty sure get-n-rite won hands down....

You must not know the legend that is One Shot Payne.

[Blake Williamson]

I pretty sure get-n-rite won hands down....

You must not know the legend that is One Shot Payne.

Get you a couple beers and enjoy!

http://www.ducksouth.com/phpbb/viewtopi ... shot+payne

[GET-N-RITE]

I pretty sure get-n-rite won hands down....

Whole story is way better. Should have seen the look on the conductors face when he came running down the tracks thinking he killed 3 young boys. Same look my momma had when i came in and told her our neighbor ran over me on my bike.

[Blackduck]

got in some rough weather out on Toledo bend one morning. You know the drill. cold, mist/fog, heavy wind and waves, lots of old stumps and parts of old trees, not enough motor, too many guys in the boat, borrowed boat, poor directions and marginal lighting.

but we did have a few paddles and a push pole. We shot a few ducks but I was sure happy when the sun came out and we headed back with much calmer water. THat was a serious pucker moment.

[missed mallards]

About 16 years of age.

North wind was pushing 'snow' into the delta. I just couldn't stay at home even though the weather channel was expressing concern for highways due to sleet/snow/ice.

Arrived at farm with just a slight sprinkle coming down. Grabbed gun, loaded shells into pockets, and headed south towards the 80 acres that held the migrating geese, rough mile. Had to belly crawl some 300 yards in the slop, with no gloves and not really dressed for the conditions. At this point the sprinkle turned into a full fledge down pour. Got soaked. Got cold. So cold, my trigger finger didn't work. Walking back into the wind/storm was down right scary. By the time I got back to my truck I was just about num. No feeling in face, torso, or hands. The only thing I knew that worked were my legs, and full body shivering wasn't helping much for warmth.

Anyway, long of the short, I ended up having to walk an extra 1/2 mile to the nearest highway to wave someone down. The rain mix had frozen my doors, and gas tank closed. Doors were locked, gas tank was frozen shut. I had no hand movement by the time I got to my truck, literally, zilch. Coldest day of my life, to this day, if my hands get cold, I'm done.

That was the biggest Uh Oh what have I done. still thank my lucky stars the elderly couple stopped. Luckily, the man had a pry bar to pop the gas tank open to unlock my doors. Couldn't even crank my own truck. Still has me on edge when the rain starts up and the temps drop.

[Barq's]

My buddy and I were hunting a sandbar on the river about 20 years ago one afternoon and the temps were dropping....Right at the end of shooting time some geese came in and we both busted a couple a piece....Well, my buddy ran out to grab his and when I stepped off of the bank to get mine, the very first step I went over my head and out of site (gun and all). I had on an old pair of rubber chest waders and before I got my head above water they were slap full. If I had been by myself, i know I would have drowned because I only came up once and I couldn't get out of the hole. My friend saw me disappear and ran towards me and helped pull me out. For 100 yards in every direction the water wasn't 12" deep except for that hole....I still can't believe that happened.