Before you leave · 2 min read
The radio or phone is a backup, not the plan
Treat this as a gate. The radio or phone is a backup, not the plan. The subject is a way to call from the truck.
At the truck
At the truck, check the battery and do not build the day on a signal you do not have. 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 route that only works if the map loads. Fix it while the engine is still warm enough to leave.
Go only if you can walk out with a paper note of the gate. 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.