Colorado hunt cut short

[jmez]

I simply wouldn't have come home. I'd have given him three options. Stay in camp where I was hunting. Go camp at a lower elevation or get dropped off in town and pick him up on the way home. When you drive that far there is nothing dickish, or mean about that. There is also no reason to feel sorry for them. I'm sure he could have found a Dr. to see somewhere were he that ill. I've never heard of bronchitis killing anyone.

It is also a good lesson. Hash all of this stuff out prior to leaving home, even if it is a buddy and you think you don't need to. Let it be known you will be hunting this many days, period, end of discussion. If they was to drive themselves fine, if not, then they are going to be reliant on you to get home. Just put it out there in black and white. I leave at this time on this day. I return at this time on this day. If that works for you great, if not we'll see you there.

 

[gauge]

This was my second elk hunt and my partners first. We got to our hunting spot and saw six bulls and about 14 cows. Hunted the morning then he tells me he can't handle it... It's too rough and he couldn't breathe.

You could drop a few of us those GPS coordinates, and we can "check" on those 6 bulls for you this weekend. Only if it would make you feel better about leaving elk behind. Just a thought..... We are here for you.
J/K A lot of us would have handled that differently probably but in the end, you still have your friend. Just don't make him a hunting partner anymore. Always next year....

 

[Trial153]

I have about given up finding anyone from out my way to partner up with. I been sucking it and just going at it alone. Honestly I can't even get guys to commit and make the trip most times.....they email, pm, text and call and the sum of it is ...next year, next year. Well, I finished waiting for next year long ago .... And just go at it alone. Both my trips this year are solo ventures.

 

[danarnold]

This will be my fourth year in a row heading west, going with a new group this time, last year was the same guys are hunted with before, Somehow in the past years I had been successful and another guy in the party had not and he grew resentful and it was showing
There was four of us last year and the a hole went with one of my friends and they spiked out, after a couple days they came back out asking for help to pack out a nice bull which was great and we were all willing to do, we all started talking about going back to the same area and after we got back to camp the asshole asked where I planned to hunt because he had staked out the whole other mountain, things went downhill from there, I offered to straighten him out but he declined not before telling all of us that every animal that was killed over the past couple of years were one of his spots, it all worked out pretty good though

 

[danarnold]

I was invited to go with some guys that have gone to Colorado for many years and one of them has mules to bring and sounded like a good idea, we have been planning this for about a year and we're leaving Tuesday.... yesterday the guy with the mules called me and said "hey I just want to let you know that after we get in the truck I don't pay for anything the rest of the trip" meeting gas or his meals. He called later in the day asking if a couple more people could come along?

I guess these should be red flags, we'll see how it goes

 

[Travis1984]

I was invited to go with some guys that have gone to Colorado for many years and one of them has mules to bring and sounded like a good idea, we have been planning this for about a year and we're leaving Tuesday.... yesterday the guy with the mules called me and said "hey I just want to let you know that after we get in the truck I don't pay for anything the rest of the trip" meeting gas or his meals. He called later in the day asking if a couple more people could come along?

I guess these should be red flags, we'll see how it goes

Jesus you guys have had terrible experiences and this guys plan of not sharing costs is bullshit.

I feel pretty lucky to have a great hunting partner who I met right here on Rokslide.

3 years running, never a fight, argument, hurt feeling, missed trip, or decommitment.

We leave for Colorado elk in 13 days!

 

[JG358]

Anyone had a similar experience with a partner?

Not me, thank goodness. I've had hunting partners keep at it when you'd swear they were on deaths door.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Did you have a shovel with you?? I'm thinking- Shallow grave even wouldn't be discovered til next year. By then the bears and other animals would have made his body hard to identify. My statement would be " Oh him ?? He pussed out early in the hunt, and left for home. Want to see the pictures of my 340 Bull I got on that trip?"

 

[dotman]

Did you have a shovel with you?? I'm thinking- Shallow grave even wouldn't be discovered til next year. By then the bears and other animals would have made his body hard to identify. My statement would be " Oh him ?? He pussed out early in the hunt, and left for home. Want to see the pictures of my 340 Bull I got on that trip?"

Auditioning for Dateline I see

 

[SoCalHunter]

This makes me want to hunt alone and I haven't been Elk hunting yet. Don't people feel some moral obligation to arrive in camp prepared and ready to hunt?

People have lost sense of honor and think nothing of putting someone else's trip in jeopardy (even danger) because they are so self-centered.

It costs a lot of money to hunt, even DIY. I prep all damn year to hunt deer in my home state and work out so I can have the best opportunity for a good buck and pack him back to camp, if I get him on the ground. If I ever went with someone that disrespected my time as much as this guy I would have told him tough shit. Who that goes hunting out west for Elk does not KNOW they better get in great shape?

 

[Shrek]

I've been hunting alone for a couple of years now and I have avoided having anyone hunt with me because I don't want to maybe slow them down or let them down in some way but now I think I'm going to make it a more permanent way of hunting. I couldn't imagine demanding someone leave for home across the country because I was not prepared and a little sick. If I was really sick then I might ask to be driven to the nearest town so could get a room. Otherwise I'd do my best and a least keep the camp up if I couldn't hunt. Springing on you that that I wasn't paying for things when we get on the road because I was supplying "X" is a douche move imo. That should have been spelled out and agreed upon when the decision to go was made. I'm constantly amazed at what some of you will put up with and not confront but a lot of people are sure my middle name is a**h**e... but I sleep well at night.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

I am dealing with something kind of like that. I have always hunted with my dad and enjoy it. While we have always been successful hunting from roads and walking a couple miles I made the decision that wasn't for me as I had lost interest. Now I have told my dad about going backcountry hunting and he is so negative it sucks. I am giving him a chance this weekend but I have a feeling j will be coming home tomorrow afternoon. We are packing in in the morning due to him not wanting to go at night. I have no advice for you as I have no clue what to do myself. Good luck with the rest of your hunts.

 

[rayporter]

that guy that dont want to pay for the trip, just turn him in for no outfitter license.

hey, sleeps well at night , sounds like a new handle to me.

ok - once i was almost a casualty. i woke at 4 or so and had got little sleep. my pard took one look at me and says 'we got to get you off this mountain'. now i was feeling poor[ understatement] but i insisted he hunt and i would lay around camp. he was sure i had altitude sichness. and, well what else could it be. any how the sound of the shot cleared my head real quick. fresh meat helped even more and all was well.

 

[Shrek]

that guy that dont want to pay for the trip, just turn him in for no outfitter license.

That would be priceless to see . Fix him right up.

 

[jm1607]

This thread makes me think that maybe this should be talked about up front with hunting partners. "What if" it's too physical for one of us, or one of us gets sick, or whatever.. Good to have a contingency plan, and if it's talked about ahead of time it's not that big of a deal.

 

[CrzyTrekker]

I've been hunting alone for a couple of years now and I have avoided having anyone hunt with me because I don't want to maybe slow them down or let them down in some way but now I think I'm going to make it a more permanent way of hunting. I couldn't imagine demanding someone leave for home across the country because I was not prepared and a little sick. If I was really sick then I might ask to be driven to the nearest town so could get a room. Otherwise I'd do my best and a least keep the camp up if I couldn't hunt. Springing on you that that I wasn't paying for things when we get on the road because I was supplying "X" is a douche move imo. That should have been spelled out and agreed upon when the decision to go was made. I'm constantly amazed at what some of you will put up with and not confront but a lot of people are sure my middle name is a**h**e... but I sleep well at night.

Agree with this wholeheartedly.

We took a guy backpack hunting three years ago, got into a blizzard at elevation, and the guy simply broke down. Didn't vet his fitness, gear, nothing. Just trusted his statements that he was prepared. We ended up carrying him and his gear out. One friend lost another entire day transporting the broken guy back to Denver. I was pretty much at fault for failing to inspect.

Love the saying, "trust but inspect."

Probably a bit over the top, but in the past year I've told a couple interested local guys that before joining a hunt they'd have to review their entire gear list with me, complete some timed rucksack marches, go on a couple summer scouting trips, and complete one "orange level" orienteering course sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Orienteering Club. Oh, and read at least one approved hunting book (for example a Mike Eastman book).

Backcountry hunting requires a person to be a generalist with a lot of skills as well as fitness, and I'll never take an unvetted guy out again unless it's one of my own boys. I'm 100% comfortable hunting solo.

 

[Mmcan]

2 things here,...

YOU were a GOOD FRIEND to help him get back down to a reasonable elevation. People really do get sick at altitude. It can be LIFE THREATENING. An elk isn't worth it. Don't be pissed that he is human. It can happen to anyone, even guys in their 20's that can run 20 miles. It just happens.

Taking him down to a tolerable elevation for him should have had no impact on your ability to go back up there and hunt. You did your duty. And I don't know about all the other sundry issues you had to deal with because of him, but I bet you verify the next guy you hunt with. Now go back out there and tag out!!!

 

[njdoxie]

Drove out to CO on my first elk hunt 25 yrs ago, we stayed some in a camper and some at my brothers house.....my buddy got homesick and only hunted the first day, the rest of the hunt he sulked on my brothers couch. I did basically finish out the hunt, and drove 27 hrs back to SC without talking, and have not spoken to him since

 

[Mmcan]

I'd quit whining on the internet.....

Then I would look at the circumstances that allowed me to choose this individual as a hunting "partner." I noticed that you didn't call him a buddy. That makes it a little better because you haven't mixed friendship into the matter.

You have to ask yourself who really made the biggest mistakes here.

Sorry. I would love to blame him but sometimes we have to look at ourselves to see where WE messed up.

Sounds like he doesn't have your expertise level. Did you do enough before the hunt to make sure he would have enough Vagasil?



Just kidding bro. But if any of that sounded truth like........it probably is.

TOTALLY LOL'd the vagisil comment.

And your post is spot on, even if most people don't want to acknowledge that they bear responsibility too.

 

[Shrek]

Another great thing about hunting alone is that if you do come apart at the seams is that you sit there until you can get your chit together and haul yourself out. I think that most guys who break down do so because there is someone to rescue them. I remember when my son was young and we went on a trail walk. It wasn't that far but about half way he decided he didn't want to walk anymore. I told him I wasn't carrying him and that if he was getting back to the car it was on his own two feet. I left him on the trail and hiked out of sight around the bend. He cried a while and screamed a bunch for probably twenty minutes. Finally he was convinced I wasn't coming back to rescue him and amazingly he stood up and walked out without incident. In fact I had to run a couple of times to make it to the next bend to keep out of sight. He was probably five at the time. I think some of these partners are five year olds at heart throwing a tantrum. Leave them without an audience and they would get over it.