Hunting partners
General Topic
I'm packing my things getting ready to head west next week. I am bringing a new hunting partner. I have thought a lot over the last 6 months about the last time I brought a new guy. It was about 6-7 years ago, he was a guy I had known for years and had even hunted with him some a long time ago. I had reservations but I felt that he had probably changed. This dude was excited, he talked my ear off about it all summer. He purchased new gear so he would be absolutely ready. By the time go time arrived he was at a boiling point. We loaded my truck, drove west, got to our camping spot and the next morning we left hunting together. By noon the first day his whole demeanor had changed. It was hard, it was hot, he thought there would be more deer. Day 2 he never left camp. When I returned well after dark I had to cook for him. Day 3 he really wanted to go home. By day 4 I had had enough of him and relented and drove him home, threw his gear out in the yard and never spoke to him again. I think this new guy will be ok...... I sure hope I'm right.
Maybe you might want to lower your expectations for this new guy.
Not everyone has the passion and drive that it seems you have.
Try to have fun and look for positive things to dwell on.
Look at it as a fun adventurous camping trip. If you get a critter all the better.
No guys for me at all. I like going solo. I know having another along can be a huge help but not if they end dictating the,way I have to hunt. Shawn
I don't anymore...knees can't handle it now...but I hunted Wyoming's Bighorns for about 30 years. Spectacular, rugged, steep high canyon country. Tough hunting to be sure!
In that span the friends I hunted with brought a newbie on occasion. I made sure any first timer was well aware of what lay in store. Being from Wisconsin, this was to be an eye opening experience.
Rarely did a "guest" make a 2nd trip with us, but fortunately, I didn't have problems with any like the OP. I did take one fella who couldn't handle heights! Seeing as the best hunting there is through a canyon dropping 2600 feet to a river at the bottom (terrific fishing, by the way!), he just couldn't do it. I felt bad for him, but he didn't complain...he just stayed away from the vertical real estate. He also ate his tag.
Good luck Grubby, hope it works out for you.
Well, the groups I went with before no longer go. That’s ok too. Since you find out things about people when there is hard, hot work to be done. You find out even more about some when they aren’t killing things and others are. My point being, go west with the right guy’s or guy. It is an important varaiable in trip quality for you.
I rounded up a crew last year I thought was gonna be a good one. They all backed out. Some of them were family even. Ended up in another crew that implied laws didn’t pertain to them. When truly questioned about three weeks before the trip, they intact said the laws didn’t pertain to them. I didn’t go last year.
I’m going with my wife this year. Next year will be solo. I’m due that. I prefer that. I deserve that. So do you. Solo or only good driven people. I go west to hunt. Not sight see, sleep in, or listen to whinny people. God Bless.
Best of luck, Grubby. The last new guy I took drove back home three hours to sleep after day one because it turned out he was afraid of the dark and camping out. For four days he commuted six hours each day just to avoid sleeping in a tent.
Next one left on day three when he figured out elk hunting is hard. Never heard from him again.
Anymore I would rather hunt alone than try to deal with someone I dont know REALLY well.
I'm going solo this year ... that's just how it worked out ... I sure hope I get along with that guy! (It could be a long hunt if we don't see eye-to-eye!) Actually, mid-month I am going to try to meet up with a bowsiter who is coming this way, and I have no doubt after speaking with him on the phone that we'll get along just fine.
interestingly enough, this hunt started as a solo hunt, I invited my nephew. later the guy who is tagging along suggested we go antelope hunting, I agreed. That didn't pan out for this year but I asked him to come with us, he asked if he could bring his buddy, sure, that makes 4. 2 of us drew the guaranteed (almost) tag. My buddy Joe tells the story about the guy they brought to Colorado at least partially because he had a new Cummins diesel to pull the horse trailer. He got lost on day one and they didn't find him for 3 days. when they got back to the truck he accused them of stealing his money!
Solo for me unless it's with someone who's been there and done that. Learned my lesson in 2008. No where near as bad as what you experienced, Grubby, but he later confessed, "I guess I'm not the mountain man I thought I was." lol....we're still friends.
Last year was the first time in a long time that I spent a couple hunts with other guys. I was invited to their camp. Had never hunted with any of them and had the best time ever. All Bowsiters!
My First Bull, 1998
My First Bull, 1998
New Mexico, 2016
New Mexico, 2016
"I have no doubt after speaking with him on the phone that we'll get along just fine".
My gut feeling is the same, John !
I've done it both ways...I had a great Partner originally, that unfortunately let himself go over the Years (consuming multiple cases of beer in camp, took priority over putting on boot leather).
Hunted solo for several Years after that, which was great (although as John stated above, sometimes "myself and I" didn't see eye-to-eye).
I was lucky enough to hook up with another elk hunting buddy, who has "the right stuff"...and hunting with him has stoked up the fire again. He's become a Hell of an elk hunter over the last couple Years. And, you can see by the picture...he's apparently "turned my World upside Down" , LOL !
I never hunt or fish with anyone as I am not interested in doing things their way! I like theway I do things and will not change, Yes I am a bitch but alone no one suffers except me!
I hunted solo all through my 20's. I was completely driven by success. When I hit my 30's, I started to realize that I'd like to share those successes with someone else not through text message after the fact. I had nobody around the campfire to bs with, no one to help with kills, no one to make memories. My brother-in-law and I went out the first time together a couple years ago. He's not as in shape as me and doesn't hunt as hard, but he just loves being out there. He takes care of himself and doesn't expect me to hold his hand. Some of you guys talk about a partner like it's all or nothing - either he's attached to your hip and hunts exactly like you or he can't go. All I care about is that my partner can make it into the backcountry, 4-8 miles in, and set up camp. At that point, we go out solo, he hunts his way and I hunt mine. We hang out in the evenings after the hunt and sometimes during the hot afternoons, but for the most part, our days are spend separated. When you're choosing a partner, choose the attitude and the camaraderie. Let them know you're not babysitting them. Then go have a great time. I've found it to be very rewarding and low pressure.
the chance you take with someone you haven't hunted with before. Who knows he could be talking with his friends saying the same thing about you. Roll the dice and just maybe you'll find a good one. Do you all live somewhat close together? If so maybe a meeting and go for a hike or run , see what he's able to do. Will be looking forward to your story after the hunt, good luck.
This year I'm someone's new guy. Different for me as I'm mostly solo also but this bowsiter asked me to join him on his yearly adventure. Other than my moose hunts up here where I am the organizer, I'm organizing for myself or my once n a while partner, my wife. My new friend is in for a treat because I know what I expect out of my party members and will carry that with me on this once in a life time hunt. We plan on doing a thread on our new friendship and hunt.
I've gone out west with my brother for 25 years.
It works.
About 10 years ago 3 of us did a fly in moose hunt, one new guy, actually my hunting partners brother in law, he lasted 2 days, good thing we had a Sat phone, called for the plane and had him flown back, he wasn't being a dick or anything, he just wasn't cut out for that kind of thing. I've also elk hunted with a few that I wouldn't hunt with again
Not a bad idea to drive 2 vehicles when someone is new. I did last year (as I was the new guy), but we were just fine together.
It can go any way no matter how you meet. I've met hunting partners online that worked out well and I'm still friends with them, others that didn't work out, and had varied experiences with partners that I met through work or other places. I've also hunted with some guys I've been friends with for years that I'd never share a camp with again, but we remain friends because of other shared interests. You just never know.
I agree with singlepin's thoughts above - choose your attitude and go, your partner doesn't have to be perfect in every way. Share camp and split up during the day if you disagree on how to do things. Heck, even my Dad isn't a perfect partner for me. Nowadays we drive two vehicles so I can hunt all day and he can go to town for breakfast at 8 am! There's no one I'd rather share camp with though.
Choose wisely and take your own vehicle.
Last year I went with a friend to his spot and he invited a friend of his. I asked if I needed to take my own vehicle in case either guy missed momma. I was assured that was not an option. On day 4 of a 8 day hunt the friend got lost. We searched all night and he made it back to camp the next morning. Him and my friend decided we should go home. I was in their vehicle. I’m not saying I won’t go with my buddy again but I’ll have my vehicle and he’ll have his. If he wants to leave, go ahead, I am hunting. I’m glad to go with and share a camp with others but I don’t need them and won’t be dependent on them.
Love this guy
Love this guy
My partners are my dad , my wife, my son ,my brother. Over the last 20 years I've learned they are the only ones that will be there when they say they'll be there. My dad is a freaking rock star. 60 years old and just helped me take 3 horses and 2 mules 14 miles in the wilderness to drop camp and now he's got everything else ready . He's there every year and don't even have a tag.
I’ve had a great few years lately hunting with guys - bowsiters - and it sure makes up for the time it hasn’t
Have one good hunting partner, also a bowsiter, that have hunted with many times. Heading to Montana later this year. Occasionally take someone else. Always have my own transportation. Definitely some risk, but good friends are worth having along.
I hunt alone most of the time anymore as the guy's I enjoy hunting with just cannot go as often nor as long as I like to, do to work. Use to hunt with a couple of guy's a lot but got tired of the constant bitching about everything that was not done their way.
I'm by no means as seasoned as many here. I've chased elk (w/o killing) twice. The first time was to get my dad out, b4 it was too late. It was OTC CO. The next year, my partner backed out, and I ended up not going. In all fairness, he was going through a divorce, and his ex, who had joint custody of his kids, went bat sh*t crazy. His kids are more important than elk. The next year, I decided to go solo, backpacking 6 miles into an OTC wilderness. I decided it was not my cup of tea, as I hiked out 5-days later, w/o killing.
This year, like grubby, I've got a new partner who is chomping at the bit. We drew a limited entry NM unit. He's 5 years my junior, in good shape, got good equipment, and, has a strong desire to succeed. The proof will be in the pudding, I suppose.
I'm jacked. Time will tell if the decision was a wise one.
My hunting partner is taking two weeks off work to hunt with me and he doesn't even have an elk tag. Good ones are hard to find.
Hunting partners can make or break a trip. I'm lucky to have several I would share a camp with anytime. Last year one of my buddies and I went on a DIY antelope-mule deer hunt. We split up first day and both covered close to 12 miles in near 100 degree temps. We glassed and glassed, we only saw one little muley buck and four does. Next day was a bust. We still had a great time though and on day three he killed a great antelope (only buck we saw). Day 4 I killed an awesome velvet 5x5 muley. Without a great partner neither one of us would have scored.
No different than marriage. They can range from those that turn into life-long friendships, to those that end in ugly divorce.
I hunt solo for the most part. But I'd prefer company. My best hunting partners are 3 hours away so we kinda put in for hunts based on our own schedules. We grew up together, hunted together, fished together, everything. If we happen to pull the same tag it's an absolute great time at camp.
Hunting solo is ok, but solo at camp sucks! To me hunting is more than tagging out. I get more satisfaction if I tag out with someone there to share it with. My best memories I have are from our various hunt camps with all my friends. I wouldn't trade those for anything. One of partners has since passed away and camp just isnt the same but his memory remains. We all laugh as we always bring up the same funny hunting stories about him. Nope.....wouldn't trade that for the world.
With that said, doubt I could bring a new guy along. I need familiarity.
I have several partners but as the years go so do peoples schedules and motivations. I do alot of solo hunting but I also have a couple of good partners. I like hunting solo but would rather have someone at camp to talk to. I am going muzzy hunting for 9 days with my brother in about two weeks, He is my main hunting partner. Cant wait!!
Test the waters first. Go on a short trip and see if they fit your hunting style and toughness. I went to WY with a group of guys. One got homesick from the start. Luckily I got a deer early in the hunt and could leave with the homesick guy. The others hunted hard for the rest of the time. I haven't spoken to a brother in years due to his issues on a SD turkey hunt.
No one wants to hunt with me..
Yikes, feel bad as there are some bad experiences. I haven’t had a bad one yet been very fortunate. Couple hunts planned in the coming years with “firsts” that I am looking forward to as well.
