Thread: Rookie mistakes!

I thought since being a newbie to hunting I would live to hear some "wise" ol' stories from anyone and everyone, or advice, about any mistakes rookies out there often make?
Would be nice to learn from the mistakes of others to make sure I don't follow suit

Share your rookie mistakes from when you started out, or any from anyone you took out with ya - or any general tips!

One thing I've learned from just tramping is that when you're out there - a big, black trash bag can really save someone!
This coming from a trip a bunch of mates and I made up to Nina Hut in the Lewis. Pretty easy track to the hunters hut - but we went on a weekend in torrential rain and in a storm (fully equipped for the weather!) last winter, as we were a party of 9 and expected to have the hut to ourselves with the bad forecast for our little "hut party". Got there and the 10 bunk hut ended up with 22 people in this storm, as a bunch of rookie tourists showed up!
Heck, you should have seen the state of them - dressed in trousers and all that as if they were taking a stroll along the Abel Tasman.
One lady didn't even have a raincoat - or any jacket of any sort, so on top of graciously giving up our bunks to them and putting up with their complaints and refusal to share space within the hut (acting like they were more justified to be there with all the comforts as they were more "inexperienced"), we also had a fashion her a make-shift jacket from black trash bags so she could continue their crazy trip, not back out, but actually stubbornly further into the valley.

Not much, but knowing how easy it is to get caught out there, I never take the basics for outdoor kit for granted! Or you know... just wear the weather-appropriate gear in the first place....