What is the most critical piece of equipment you guys have forgotten while headed out for a hunt? I actually forgot to put my rifle in the truck with me a couple of years ago and had to turn back to the house. It cost me about 20 minutes of time.

Release...Chit paper..

Release. Missed 4 (yes, 4) deer that afternoon shooting with my fingers. I was covered up. One of the best bow hunts I've ever had.

Key to the gate lock.

Many years ago I forgot my boots. I get dressed in the woods, so I just wear slip on shoes. This particular day I had on a pair of slip on Birkenstocks. Got dressed and didn't have my Lacrosse boots! It was kind of difficult dodging water holes while walking and then climbing in an Ol' Man climber. Wasn't too cold that day thankfully. If I remember correct, I killed a small buck with a muzzleloader that day.

Left the boxes of ammo when I was younger. We got all the way to the club and realized they must have been at home an hour away. Now, I keep my box of ammo in the case with the gun.
When I started bow hunting, I'd always heard of people leaving their release, so I got in the habit of latching my release to my bow case handle to try to prevent that from happening.

key to gate and chit tickets

Left my release, now I carry a spare in my backpack.

Forgot my shotgun on a turkey hunt this past spring. First time I've ever done that. I was pissed.

Ha! My buddies and i were headed to jackson county one week and myself and this other fella are notoriously slow to get anywhere. We were divided into two trucks, the azz draggers and the speed demons. After giving us hell all morning about how slow were are the speedy fellas called and said " were in hitop. Please tell me yall are still in hoover". We were of course, hadnt even gotten in the truck yet so we azz draggers saved the day when we had to go to his house and get his rifle.

I got all the way down to the NF one morning and realized I didn't have any orange. Luckily there's a gas station about 15 minutes back up Hwy 5 that carries a few hunting items.

Yep. Done this one time. We may have hit the same gas station! I forgot to unload a spent shell casing one time and had an 8 pt. 40 yards out. I tried as quietly as I could do eject it but couldn't move stealthily enough. He saw my movement and busted me.

Ammunition. Scrounged around and found two bent rounds in the console and trunk. Killed a doe and a 6 point that morning and was done for the weekend. Could have easily tagged out the next day as well.

My brother was taking a friend with him to our farm several years ago. He got in the truck with his friend, then riding down the road he realized that he forgot his rifle. He told his friend to go ahead that they would just sit together. They went and sat on the ground watching a big valley cut over. His friend tells him he sees a buck. Thinks it's at least an 8 point. Tries to give his gun to my brother to shoot the deer. My brother tells him to shoot. The friend shoots and misses. Bolts in another shell and drops the buck. They go down to find out it was a 10 point that scored 143 and weighed 240lbs

Good stories there they bring back memories, I have forgotten my shells gate keys and chit paper. Had a buddy one time lay his bow down on the side of the road while we were waiting on my brother to pick us up on the ranger. After loading up driving an hr back home started unloading the truck and he asks where his bow was,lol. Next day we didn't hunt any deer we were hunting his damn bow for two hrs that morning.

I lost my keys once before time to leave the house. My dad, brother, and a friend were at my house doing and extensive search for them. We spent so much time searching that we ran out of time and called off the morning hunt. It worked out though because a huge squall line of storms was just an hour out and we didn't know that. It was before the smart phones were around and easy access to a radar. In the end the keys were in my pocket the whole time. I never told them till months later.

I forgot my 4 wheeler one time. Luckily I didn't get far from home when I realized I wasn't pulling the trailer. Also for got my boots one time and hunted in crocks.

When in college at AUM I was living at home in Prattville. My lease was way up hwy 14 north of Wetumpka. I got to the gate and realized I'd left my rifle propped up against the door at home. I used to just leave it on the back floorboard (I drove a Honda Cvic at the time) but it had gotten wet the day before so I took it apart and cleaned it. I got to the gate at 5am and realized what I'd done and just put my head on the steering wheel....

Dr. B

One more. When I was about 13 yo. I was on a dog drive. They put me on a stand. After carving on sticks and peeing about 4 times. A nice 8 point jumped out in the middle of the dirt road. He's about 40 yards standing there. I raise my 1100 and click, no shell in gun. I pull bolt back slide in a shell while he's still standing there. As soon as I push the bolt forward I look up and see his back end going into the trees. Can't remember what kind of lie I told when they picked me up

Forgot my boots turkey huntin year before last one mornin after drivin an hour to hunt...ended up wearin my camo crocks and they did just fine! ha