Before you leave · 2 min read
Keys, license, and a pen in one pocket
Treat this as a gate. Keys, license, and a pen in one pocket. The subject is the license and the truck key.
At the truck
At the truck, put them in the same pocket every time and zip it. Say the plan out loud if someone is with you. A plan you cannot say is a plan you do not have.
The slip
Do not paper over a license in a pack you might set down. Fix it while the engine is still warm enough to leave.
Go only if a hand finds the license and the key without a search. Local season dates and the landowner's permission outrank a good forecast.
Nothing in this note asks you to rush a shot or to guess at a boundary. The "Before you leave" note is finished when the answer is yes or no.
A field note, not legal advice. Check the season, the species rules, and whether you have permission to be on the land.