Failure In The Field
Ethan Ruby
We’ve all been there. Be it a missed shot, a blown stalk, or just not being on your game for go time, we’ve all had bad days in the field. Paired with every bad day is the feeling of doubt and regret as you replay what went wrong over and over again. It leads us to reflect. What are the takeaways from every learning experience in the field?
It brings me back to last September. After an unsuccessful trip to the mountains, I was back home and ready to put some meat on the table. Before daybreak, I headed to my regular spot with the hopes of cutting off some elk heading to a beading area. As I started my hike, the meadows were thick with fog and the grass was wet with dew. I moved along a steep ridge with little action; heading downhill to where I figured the elk might be feeding. As I dropped down into the valley the fog started to lift. There was nothing but the birds in the air, a bust of a morning I figured. With little elk sign anywhere I decided to recollect myself and make a plan for the evening
Before I could get far though, I noticed a black bear feeding towards me along the tree line. “It’s just a bear, not what I’m here for”, I thought to myself. Although, as curiosity goes, I decided to get closer. “I’ll test myself” I figured as I tried to get well within range without being spotted. At around 100 yards I was sold. This was a bear well worth pursuing. Big head, no neck, broad shoulders and a substantial waddle. The mental checklist was complete. I was going to do everything in my power to harvest this bear. With little to no cover, I crouched and readied myself for a shot. I settled the crosshairs and calmed my breathing
Click. Nothing. My mind raced.
Not knowing what happened I quickly tried to cycle my rifle, but in the heat of the moment, the bear spotted me and bolted into the thick. Confused I checked my rifle; frankly, I was embarrassed to find that I hadn’t chambered a shell. Heartbroken and discouraged, I made my way down to the nearest road and had a buddy pick me up. We talked over the situation and the what-ifs. Knowing bears will never stray far from a good food source, we came to the conclusion that I better head back in.
After a long walk back to the meadow, I sat on the edge and waited; scanning the treeline for any movement. “That’s him!” I thought, as I caught a glimpse. The bear had decided that our run-in earlier that morning was of no concern, and was ready to feed once again.
With my adrenaline already pumping, I laid down, settled my rifle and got ready for the shot. “350, 400” raced through my head as I tried to gauge the range. It all felt perfect, and as the bear slowly presented a shot I squeezed the trigger. Bang. Nothing. The bear had all but moved and was now staring in my direction. “Too high” was in my mind as I chambered the next shell. Bang. Again nothing, as the bear ran back from where he came. Once again I was left empty-handed.
The walk back to the truck was filled with moments of self-reflection. I had let the scenario get the best of me, not once but twice. I look back at this instance, not as a wasted opportunity but a valuable lesson in the backcountry. Second-guessing and self-doubt will always be a part of hunting, but being confident in your abilities will always reign supreme. Doubting my abilities to close the distance as I had previously that morning, hampered my success in the field, with a clean miss. Second-guessing the size of the bear left my mind more occupied with that, than properly loading my rifle. Excitement can also be to blame, but that's what gets us out in the field.
In hunting, I've always believed that if it's meant to be, it will be, although that doesn't stop learning lessons from shaping a hunter. I wouldn't change these experiences if I could, because if it wasn't for failure, there would be no learning. Failure, of course, is what makes success so sweet.
