Do you have any personal traditions or superstitions (never been a fan of that term, but a lot of people use it) that you always follow when hunting or fishing? Things like wearing a "lucky" hat, or always hunting the same spot on opening day, etc.

[PigHunter]

During the last week of May every year, I take off a day from work and go to the Cahaba River, here in Alabama. The Cahaba Lily is in bloom at that time and there is a mile long shoals with a large concentration of the flowers.

It's a solo paddling trip for me. Generally the water is low and the canoe has to be walked through the shallow parts, both downstream and up. It's very much worth it for the fishing, beauty, and solitude... That's where I want my ashes scattered someday.

[PigHunter]

I have always wore my Remington hat, just about catch or kill something every time, and this turkey is from last year, still after this years

Nice hat! I've got one similar - perhaps I need to start wearing it for luck!

[Griffthebiggamehunter]

I have always wore my Remington hat, just about catch or kill something every time, and this turkey is from last year, still after this years

[DogSong]

I'll always say a prayer to the Man Upstairs the night before every hunt. Mostly I just ask Him to help keep me/us safe, and give thanks for the opportunity to just be outdoors, doing what I love to do.

[Jor Fly]

I am not a superstitious person at all, so I don't really have many odd quirks, like the lucky hat or whatever. However, there are a couple of things. I never tell anyone that I think I'm going to have a successful hunting or fishing trip before going. I have no evidence to back this up, but it seems like every time I have predicted a successful outing in the past, it has turned out to be a dismal failure. I do have a couple of traditions I've developed. I always hunt the small family farm on my first outing of the archery deer season. It's the area where I grew up hunting, and it's where I shot my first deer. I have better hunting spots - I've never shot a deer there on that first hunt, in fact - but I'm very comfortable hunting there, and it helps me get in the swing of things and shake off any rust that might've accumulated over the off-season. Another one is that I will not hunt in the morning on an empty stomach. No matter how early I have to get up, I always make time to grab a bite to eat first. Having some fuel to burn sure makes trudging through the dark woods easier.

Amen to that HFT, I don't go out the door to hunt without a full belly.

[Jor Fly]

I always try, when fishing, to grab a cold "ALE-8-1" (Local Ky ginger-ale) or a Coke and some form of horrribly unhealthy Little Debbie snack cake on my way out to fish. My dad and I used to do that, and it makes me think of him.

JM, If you are passing anywhere close to central or southern ky, just stop in any gas station and they should have it, just ask. I feel ya on hunting as it's logical for me to eat a good healthy breakfast and lunch while hunting cause I'm on the move, but fishing just brings out the junk food junkie in me!

[huntfishtrap]

Always stay reverent, killing an animal is a gift bestowed by the Gods of the hunt. You do not want to offend them.
Never kill a white deer, legend says you will have seven years bad luck followed by death.
When the geese are very active and flying deer hunting will be good.

Completely agree with the first one. Never heard of the others.

[jcarlin]

Always stay reverent, killing an animal is a gift bestowed by the Gods of the hunt. You do not want to offend them.
Never kill a white deer, legend says you will have seven years bad luck followed by death.
When the geese are very active and flying deer hunting will be good.

Amen on the first.

[charlie elk]

I have a ton of them, mostly little things though. I blame all those years of playing baseball. The main one while hunting is that I always carry one extra bullet in my pocket while deer hunting on top of a fully loaded gun. Usually in the pocket of my orange vest. The main one while fishing is that I will not fish unless I have a stringer with me even if I have no intention whatsoever of keeping a fish.

Remind me to never follow you hft. Much too dangerous.

[charlie elk]

I have a ton of them, mostly little things though. I blame all those years of playing baseball. The main one while hunting is that I always carry one extra bullet in my pocket while deer hunting on top of a fully loaded gun. Usually in the pocket of my orange vest. The main one while fishing is that I will not fish unless I have a stringer with me even if I have no intention whatsoever of keeping a fish.

Remind me to never follow you hft. Much too dangerous.

[charlie elk]

Always stay reverent, killing an animal is a gift bestowed by the Gods of the hunt. You do not want to offend them.
Never kill a white deer, legend says you will have seven years bad luck followed by death.
When the geese are very active and flying deer hunting will be good.

[jhjimbo]

I hunt every year for a few days with a guy I started grade school with. We have hunted about every year except the time we were both out of the Country in the service.

[huntfishtrap]

On my first ever hunting trip, I buried a man in the woods. At least his ashes. I'd never met him, but from all reports he was a fine southern gentleman who befriended my wife's uncle when one or the other responded to a personal in the back of a hunting periodical to host each other and swap hunts in their respective areas. His son, a nice young man who I met for the first time on this trip, was along to say goodbye to his father. Hunting up by Bob's camp had become the father's favorite destination and this is where the family wanted him to rest.
I didn't take a deer on that trip, but I came back out another weekend, and I was hunting near Al's resting space, out of his favorite tree. As hunting light was fading on my last opportunity for the season, I said "Al, I know we've never fully met, but if you're hanging around, the new guy in camp could really use some help putting his first deer on the ground." and like magic, suddenly there was a doe and two good sized yearlings with her. They were about 150 yards out (someone estimate further, but I'm sticking with it) and partway up the mountain from me. Heart pounding, I made the doe mine own.

I get up that way maybe every 3 or 4 years during the season. It's not around the corner and I've had young kids and a busy job with end of year deadlines for the last 19 years (though kids are finally growing out of "young"). If I'm on that side of the mountain, I never fail to thank Al and maybe ask for a little nudge in my favor.

@JM, I can keep my eyes + one ear on the woods while listening, unlike someone with their eyes glued to a screen! ;-D

[huntfishtrap]

I am not a superstitious person at all, so I don't really have many odd quirks, like the lucky hat or whatever. However, there are a couple of things. I never tell anyone that I think I'm going to have a successful hunting or fishing trip before going. I have no evidence to back this up, but it seems like every time I have predicted a successful outing in the past, it has turned out to be a dismal failure. I do have a couple of traditions I've developed. I always hunt the small family farm on my first outing of the archery deer season. It's the area where I grew up hunting, and it's where I shot my first deer. I have better hunting spots - I've never shot a deer there on that first hunt, in fact - but I'm very comfortable hunting there, and it helps me get in the swing of things and shake off any rust that might've accumulated over the off-season. Another one is that I will not hunt in the morning on an empty stomach. No matter how early I have to get up, I always make time to grab a bite to eat first. Having some fuel to burn sure makes trudging through the dark woods easier.

[JM]

On my first ever hunting trip, I buried a man in the woods. At least his ashes. I'd never met him, but from all reports he was a fine southern gentleman who befriended my wife's uncle when one or the other responded to a personal in the back of a hunting periodical to host each other and swap hunts in their respective areas. His son, a nice young man who I met for the first time on this trip, was along to say goodbye to his father. Hunting up by Bob's camp had become the father's favorite destination and this is where the family wanted him to rest.
I didn't take a deer on that trip, but I came back out another weekend, and I was hunting near Al's resting space, out of his favorite tree. As hunting light was fading on my last opportunity for the season, I said "Al, I know we've never fully met, but if you're hanging around, the new guy in camp could really use some help putting his first deer on the ground." and like magic, suddenly there was a doe and two good sized yearlings with her. They were about 150 yards out (someone estimate further, but I'm sticking with it) and partway up the mountain from me. Heart pounding, I made the doe mine own.

I get up that way maybe every 3 or 4 years during the season. It's not around the corner and I've had young kids and a busy job with end of year deadlines for the last 19 years (though kids are finally growing out of "young"). If I'm on that side of the mountain, I never fail to thank Al and maybe ask for a little nudge in my favor.

@hft,
So you listening to the radio is fine, but me checking my phone isn't? Haha.