When to add a partner?
Elk
So I have hunted solo or with my wife only during archery elk season for the last 10 years. Lately I am not able to go as deep, and am not as strong as I once was. I have gotten fat and usually am working 2 jobs working around 55 hours a week. My wife works nights when I do not work so I am home with the kids. At any rate, I am considering adding a hunting partner. A guy at work is interested I hunting with me. He has always hunted solo... I am just afraid he will hog in and take my spots, bring in his cousins, etc. I have hunted my area for over 20 years and know almost everything inside and out. Heck last 12 years I have killed 10 bulls...
When if ever will you add a partner and under what circumstances? Would you make it to where they promise to never hunt the area with out you? And if hey ever want to take someone they have to hunt someplace else?
Thought?
How about hunting a different area first to get to know the individual? then when you feel more comfortable or get to know them better you go from there.
Hunting partners are like spouses and you don't put the ring on the finger before you get to know them.
Sharing a camp and hunting (to me) is different then sharing a camp and all your spots you have taken 12 years to figure out.
As a guy who will be hunting with a buddy in his hard found hunting area, I would think he'd offer to STFU. The fact that he apparently hasn't and you are seemingly uneasy, posting here, makes me think you should have a conversation.
Look him in the eye and tell him what you expect. If he doesn't seem sincere about respecting your wishes, hunt alone or with someone else.
." I have hunted my area for over 20 years and know almost everything inside and out. Heck last 12 years I have killed 10 bulls..."
To heck with that guy, your new hunting partner is right here! Howdy partner...!
Coelker.. it sounds like you don't have 100% trust. Right there I'd say he's not your guy.
Elk are like gold. Someone can promise not to mine your claim but when they see how rich it is they can't resist.
It sounds like he has relatives, cousins etc, that are hunters. Not good. Adding a partner can be a really good thing but do not rush it and like Don said... pick yours like you were going to get married. Take your time!!! One night stands for elk hunting partners can come back to haunt you forever.
And YES, don't assume anything. Lay it on the line. Communication is huge. Tell them that you expect them to hunt it only with you. Never go there alone or especially with anyone else including their family. Then... pay close attention to the look on their face and other things like how fast an sincerely they respond. If something doesn't seem quite right run!
Picture yourself going back to your best honey holes and finding another camp there and boot tracks in all your best spots. Think about that for a minute man. Devastating.
If he always hunts alone why would you worry about him bringing his cousins?
This is your crux! This might be a decision you regret for a long time or the best decision ever.
If your not looking for a friend or a long term hunting buddy don't do it.
If you are, life is too short to do everything alone. Also if you have an accident it is nice to have help. Having witnessed many cardiac arrests and broken bones cant always do anything ourselves.
Is he married? Has he cheated on wife/girlfriend? Integrity?
I agree with lineman!!
If you take him, and he is like any of the other hunters I'e showed my spots, he will take someone else the first time he wants to go and you can't. Might not be this guy but, if he is looking for a partner, he is going to hunt with a partner. Be it you or someone else. Just my experience.
I laid on my backside for ten months fighting cancer and chemo. I nearly died twice with blood pressures to low to register on the manual cuffs. I had many reactions to the non stop medications they give you besides the chemo. I came out so sick and outta shape that walking to the mailbox was a chore. Almost three years later, I cruise timber today in the roughest terrain in the world and while I'm not the man I used to be, or never will be again, I am a testament that if you want to do it you can by yourself. Just go slower if you must. God Bless
Be careful who you take to your hunting spots. A couple years ago my usual hunting buddies couldn't go and i needed someone , as i hunt with mules , so i took my wives friends boyfriend. Big mistake not to have a talk about not bringing his buddies there. The next season he was back there with four of his friends, right in the same place we always stay. Needless to stay my hunting buddies and a couple locals i got to know over the years weren't very happy. I now hunt different area, doesn't take long to ruin things.
Can't be too careful about this sort of thing. Better trust the guy or forget about it. I've never had a REALLY good spot, but the ones I know are good enough to where I only share with guys I'd trust my firstborn with. Not kidding.
Lots of good advice here. I agree and practice what Don K said. I am taking three people out this year who have never hunted elk before. The first thing I told everyone of them is if I ever catch them or catch wind of them hunting my spots we will never talk again. We are all good friends at the moment. With that said, I have one honey hole that I wouldn't take my dad to. No one goes there except me. I scouted out some areas that look very good and will be perfect to take a new partner to. If they steal it later, I'd be pissed but not that pissed.
You only need a partner after your elk is down;)
"This might be a decision you regret for a long time or the best decision ever."
Lots of good thoughts posted, but this one sentence says it all.
coelker, 30yrs ago I was in a similar situation. The area that I had learned so well was quite small and I knew it couldn't stand much pressure. When my best friend asked if he could hunt with me, I was happy to bring him along. Before we even started making plans, I told him that if I showed him my area, he was the only one welcome there. He agreed to keep it to himself, and we enjoyed 2yrs of great hunting and camaraderie. Imagine my surprise when he told me the summer before our 3rd yr that an old friend of his was moving to town and he wanted to take him hunting with us. I reminded him of our agreement and his only response was "Well, I have to take him". At that moment, our friendship ended. I have no use for someone I can't trust. Luckily, after that year, his friend decided he didn't care for bowhunting, and my "friend" moved on to other places as well.
Although I swore I would never tell another soul about where I hunted, after 4yrs I was tired of hunting/camping alone. When another good friend asked if I would like some company, I hesitantly said yes. This is where the "best decision ever" comes in. Until he retired and moved back to Tennessee 2yrs ago, Sam was, by far, the best hunting partner/friend anyone could ever hope for.
Finding a hunting partner is a crap shoot. Whatever you decide, I hope you find your own "Sam", rather than it becoming a decision you'll live to regret.
I've been hunting the same area 25years, 19 with the same hunting partner. I knew after six years of solo that I wanted to share this experience and spot. I also knew WHO I wanted to share it with. Without question it was one of my best decisions ever. Mark has been with me every step of the way these last 19 years and we've shared/seen things most people wouldnt believe. Just incredible experiences.
Our time in the woods has developed into a lifelong friendship that anyone would treasure. That said, Mark wasn't a bowhunter until I asked him to join me. He was however the person I knew I could trust.
Find whoever that person is in your life and invite them to join you.
Happy hunting.
If you make CLEAR your conditions UP FRONT 99% of the time there won't be a problem. No assumptions and full disclosure almost always negate major problems down the road. That said there is a chance it won't work out. What you have to do is weigh the possible benefits from the risks. If I had a friend that messed up my secret spot I'd be inclined to look at it this way; I lost my secret spot but I learned he wasn't a true friend so to me its worth it.
I trust my friends with some very important things from time to time and if I can weed out the imposters then in the long run I'm better off.
On the flip side if anyone offered to let me hunt with them but I couldn't ever take my son or daughter I'd respectfully decline.
True friends are worth more than a secret hunting or fishing spot and true friends would also honor your wishes. Mike
Blindfold him on the way in!! :)
I would be hesitant to take a coworker or just an acquaintance, about 10-12 years ago, I let two acquaintances know about a good late season spot because they both had a 12 year old with a January youth cow tag. They both filled their tags and I was happy to help, the next year they took 8 guys back in that spot, and it has never been the same, I haven't hunted there for 8 years, and likely never will since going archery only 2 years ago. Now I'm trying to find my own early season honey hole...
My advice is don't tell anyone about your spots, and only take close friends as partners with the understanding that you share the spot together, no one else...
Lots of good advice . Here's one more to consider. Make sure that he's in better physical shape than you are. Capable of packing you out if you get injured. You don't want an over weight partner in case you have to pack him out. It's always great to have a young stud that can carry half an elk out.. Part of this is humorous but I'm serious how great it is to have someone like that around.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet that you brought up in the op is game hogs. There are plenty of them out there. My main hunting partner and I have an understanding that the shooter changes with every setup and who ever is the caller will do everything in his power to get the shooter a shot. I will let a 380 bull walk right past me if I think my buddy will get a shot when it is his turn and I know he will do the same. We both are just as interested in getting a shot for each other as for ourselves. I think this is why we make such a great team. We view every success as a team success. Make sure your partner understands that success isn't just about him killing an elk.
I'm am lucky. My two sons are my hunting partners so I can control every thing. They are adults now but have bow hunted with me since they were little kids. We have shared camps with others at times but I would not take anyone else to my favorite spots unless they are completely trusted. Having a hunting partner is different than sharing info. where you control how much that you want to share.
I'm am lucky. My two sons are my hunting partners so I can control every thing. They are adults now but have bow hunted with me since they were little kids. We have shared camps with others at times but I would not take anyone else to my favorite spots unless they are completely trusted. Having a hunting partner is different than sharing info. where you control how much that you want to share.
Stick with hunting solo, it will never come back to bite you in the ass !!!
"Stick with hunting solo, it will never come back to bite you in the ass !!!"
And that folks is debate free.
I was invited to hunted with an old friend in his territory. He never asked but I did not and would never take anyone else into his area. He has retired from bowhunting elk. I hunted it alone last year. He understood but suggested I take someone with me next time. Doing the right thing will pay off. I now have "my" spot. Lol.
"Stick with hunting solo, it will never come back to bite you in the ass !!!"
X3
and - you never have to worry about changing plans the day before a trip, blowing preference points because they dont mesh up, etc, etc, etc. In the end 99% of hunting partners will dissapoint you, the other 1%, well I cant prove that they exist.
I appreciate all the thoughts. The guy seems like a good guy. He is somewhat dedicated to hunting having taken a moose in Co with his bow. He seems a lot like me. Kids, etc.
I have a lot of areas I do not mind him hunting but there Re 4 or 5 I never want someone to hunt! It wife and I are having him and his family over for dinner next week and are going to see what it feels like.
I have two hunting partners. We share a camp. We hunt whitetails. We leave the camp together and return to the camp at night but we go our seperate ways until we hear a shot(rifleseason) or get a call to help. We all know where the other guy is to a tree but the only time we go in the other guy's spot is when we are out to improve HIS odds of success. It works if you have TRUST and RESPECT.
Is there such thing as a Pre-(elk)Nup? Make him sign it in blood.
Whoever mentioned giving him a trial run was right.
If you have 5 spots, take him to the worst one for a week. When he calls in Andy's 380 bull, shoot it, have your new best friend help to haul it out, and you sign that PreElkNup on the spot (hehe).
You mentioned that he has hunted solo also - he might have the same concerns that you do about his best spots. Start out the conversation that you will NEVER go to his spots without him along and you won't bring your wife. And, will expect the same of him. You especially won't take HIS wife to your spots.
Amoebus nailed it. Since you said you have some spots that aren't as valuable. Guinea pig him on those ones. To me the hardest part about that is going a year without hunting what you consider to be your number 1 and 2 spots. But it's better than regrets.
Catch his wife off guard at dinner. Instead of asking him if he promises not to screw you ask her if she thinks he'd ever return without you and look for a quick reply complete with eye contact.
If you ask me this subject is serious business.
