I'm An Idiot!!

[Djfan]

No with weapons, but I left a fly box full of flies that I tied on the Poudre River in Fort Collins, CO a couple of years ago. Sucky part was that my wife likes to challenge me to tie the very hard ones she sees online or in my books, and they were all in this box.

Shut the truck door on my St. Croix fly rod once while fishing high in the Sierras in CA. That sucked.

Good luck with that gun. I love my 10 22.

 

[Nameless Range]

The first time I killed a deer on a hunt by myself, I borrowed my dad's 7-30 Waters to hunt deer on a chunk of land near our house. At the time, this was a coveted family gun that myself, my brother, and my mom killed some of our first deer with. I stopped to take a break on my way up the mountain - had a snack, some water, and caught my breath.

I wasn't looking forward to the last 500 feet in elevation gain, but got up and got after it. About 5 minutes into the final ascent I started thinking about jumping a buck in the thick timber below the top and realized I left my dad's gun leaning against a tree. I was just walking in the woods. I went back and had to look for nearly a half hour to find it.

It was the most stressful-shame-filled half hour of my life.

 

[MThuntr]

Hope you find your rifle...if there is any consolation you won't have overpay for 22 ammo to feed it.

I've never lost a rifle but I try to lose my pack every year. This year I dropped my pack while putting a sneak on some bedded antelope. I knew it wasn't far but it took the better part of an hour to find my pack that had all of my important gear (knife, binos, tags, keys, cell phone).

 

[Gr8bawana]

I once found a pair of my brother's binos that had been lost for 5 or 6 years on top of the mountains we hunt.

 

[MNElkNut]

When I turned 13 years old, my dad gave me a Buck Knife for Christmas. I was sooooo proud of that thing.....

Fast forward to deer hunting in west central Minnesota that year. No snow on the ground. I take a leak in the woods and forget to fasten my belt. I walked out of the woods and across a big plowed field on the way back to camp. Just as I got back to camp, I discovered my belt undone and to my absolute horror, found my prized Buck knife missing. I backtracked myself on hands and knees across that plowed field and about 20 yards from where I left the woods, there it was. I still get a shiver thinking about that. I have owned a lot of knives over the years, but that is still my favorite one!

 

[Laelkhunter]

Sorry for your loss of your weapon. I haven't seen anyone mention this, but you should report it to your local Law Enforcement. Whether it was lost (left in the woods), or stolen from your truck (auto burglary), you need to report it. Make sure you have the serial #, so it can be entered in the NCIC computer. If someone is stopped with it, even in the field by Wildlife agents, and the serial # is checked, it will be returned to you.
In the worst case scenario, if it is used in a crime next month or so, it could be traced back to you (if you completed form 4473 when you bought it). I would rather be telling the Police that it was lost/stolen in March 2015, I reported it - here is the case number, than to tell them it was lost/stolen and I didn't report it. Hopefully you have already reported it, or maybe better yet, have found where you left it. Good Luck !!

 

[Colberjs]

I went into town yesterday (I live in a one horse town with no traffic lights) to report it and the local LEO was in the middle of a traffic stop. A sheriff deputy showed up to back him up so I waited. When they got done the LEO took off down the road and the deputy turned around in the parking lot I was waiting in. So I flagged him down and asked him about reporting it and he acted like it was no big deal. Said wait another week or two to see if it turns up and then holler at them. He said they could report it if stolen but not if lost. Didn't make sense to me. I'll talk to LEO about it and see what he says.

 

[Trigger50]

2 springs ago, I couldnt find my robo-duck when I was organizing the garage. I thought it over for a week or so ! Suddenly I jumped in the truck and headed to my duck hunting spot ! There it laid, all winter long in some tall grass on the edge of the cornfield ! What an idiot ! But last fall in WY was worse ! I sent 1 & 1/2 days looking for my wallet on the WY prairie. No Luck !!! Lesson....leave wallet in truck or button your pockets closed before attempting to belly-crawl antelope. I never buy anything expensive in camo color. Knifes, binos, flashlights, rangefinders. In fact I usually put blaze orange duct tape on some items.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I went into town yesterday (I live in a one horse town with no traffic lights) to report it and the local LEO was in the middle of a traffic stop. A sheriff deputy showed up to back him up so I waited. When they got done the LEO took off down the road and the deputy turned around in the parking lot I was waiting in. So I flagged him down and asked him about reporting it and he acted like it was no big deal. Said wait another week or two to see if it turns up and then holler at them. He said they could report it if stolen but not if lost. Didn't make sense to me. I'll talk to LEO about it and see what he says.

I might suggest that you contact the State Police (or Highway Patrol) in your area. Since you don't know where it was misplaced (or stolen) your local Police might not have jurisdiction. Having been in LE for close to 40 years (still am), I can assure you that firearm theft,etc is a top priority. If a camera or laptop gets into stolen, it's ho hum, but when another firearm gets into circulation (possibly criminal activity), we take it seriously.
Could be the local Officers were in the middle of something, and unable to take any action at that time, suggesting that you call back later. Take a ride to the local Highway Patrol, and when you speak to someone on the Desk, see if they could take the report.
Sorry to hijack this thread, just a matter close and personal to me.

 

[Colberjs]

I might suggest that you contact the State Police (or Highway Patrol) in your area. Since you don't know where it was misplaced (or stolen) your local Police might not have jurisdiction. Having been in LE for close to 40 years (still am), I can assure you that firearm theft,etc is a top priority. If a camera or laptop gets into stolen, it's ho hum, but when another firearm gets into circulation (possibly criminal activity), we take it seriously.
Could be the local Officers were in the middle of something, and unable to take any action at that time, suggesting that you call back later. Take a ride to the local Highway Patrol, and when you speak to someone on the Desk, see if they could take the report.
Sorry to hijack this thread, just a matter close and personal to me.

You didn't hijack the thread. I appreciate your input. I'll try to stop by the troopers office. Thanks.

 

[JCW]

Lesson....leave wallet in truck or button your pockets closed

I got learned on this too. Was fishing 45 minutes outside of town on the Blackfoot a few years back. Got to town and went to buy dinner...no wallet. After backtracking our route we found it laying in the middle of a dirt road about 2 miles from the fishing access, fully intact. I had left it on the roof of the car when we were putting our gear away. I got very lucky, but lesson learned none the less. Still haven't learned my lesson will half full beer cans on the bumper though.

 

[muledeerjunkie]

I never buy anything expensive in camo color. Knifes, binos, flashlights, rangefinders. In fact I usually put blaze orange duct tape on some items.

This is why I carry a Swingblaze knife!

 

[cornfed]

This last fall we were the last ones off the marsh and found a gun in a case and a couple other items. I had just finished writting a note with contact information and placeing it where the gun was found when a truck came screaming into the parking lot. He was relieved and thankful. Years ago I got into the habit of doing a walk around the vehicle and parking area and its saved me a couple times.

 

[ttinman23]

Someone found a 30/30 leaning up against a pine tree somewhere in AZ or somewhere in that area, so don't feel bad. It was on the news. You think someone could have clipped you for it? if you are carrying tree stands out you could have very well left it leaning against a tree. Do a grid search, may have fallen over. I don't buy camo knives or guns anymore. I have orange handle knife, hate when I gut deer and have a color on handle that blends into ground.

 

[reloder28]

Don't forget your NRA insurance.