Finding Hunting Buddies

[Cavendish]

Howdy y'all,

Given that hunting is often passed down from father to son and that work buddies and community members hunt together in participation of decades-old friendships, how does one who isn't already in the loop or new to an area go about finding hunting partners?

Whether you recently moved or are taking up the sport, where do people turn to find a community to be a part of? I'm military so none of the guys I work with are from the local area and everyone in my unit who hunts does so in their homestate with their family and friends there.

Do you just search for social media groups? Do you have to join a club with dues and pay-to-play for a chance at hanging out with people with a shared interest? Do you put out an all-call on hunting forums asking for a wingman come deer season? If any of you have had experience with or can empathize with what is a - to me - confounding and frustrating attempt to find someone to go out to hunt with, I'd love to hear from you below.

PS: I didn't immediately see any similar threads on the forum to my surprise save one asking specifically if anyone had had luck finding online hunt buddies. Also, if there is a better subforum to dropn this in, I'd love to send it there.

Thank y'all for your time and God bless.

 

[ryjack70ss]

Howdy y'all,

Given that hunting is often passed down from father to son and that work buddies and community members hunt together in participation of decades-old friendships, how does one who isn't already in the loop or new to an area go about finding hunting partners?

Whether you recently moved or are taking up the sport, where do people turn to find a community to be a part of? I'm military so none of the guys I work with are from the local area and everyone in my unit who hunts does so in their homestate with their family and friends there.

Do you just search for social media groups? Do you have to join a club with dues and pay-to-play for a chance at hanging out with people with a shared interest? Do you put out an all-call on hunting forums asking for a wingman come deer season? If any of you have had experience with or can empathize with what is a - to me - confounding and frustrating attempt to find someone to go out to hunt with, I'd love to hear from you below.

PS: I didn't immediately see any similar threads on the forum to my surprise save one asking specifically if anyone had had luck finding online hunt buddies. Also, if there is a better subforum to dropn this in, I'd love to send it there.

Thank y'all for your time and God bless.

Some will have more advice than I, I would just start talking to people. I started talking about it more at work and found a few people with similar interest although few and far between. Many people I have met didn’t talk about hunting around the workplace etc as it can have a negative impression, especially places similar to where I work. My local hunting buddies are from college. My new travel hunting buddy I met at work not too long ago.

Also, regarding your work buddies, maybe hunt with them out of state. I would be happy to have my buddies come to our family whitetail spot if they were looking for a place.


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[BeastOfTheTrees]

Depends on how you hunt. Some people don’t enjoy what others do. Gotta put your buddies through a vetting process.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

When I first moved to AK it was harder than I thought it would be to find people to hunt with. I was really focused on getting moose and caribou to fill my freezer and had decided I’d hunt as hard as I could for the entire moose season until I got a bull. One of my co workers raked a big game but only went hunting one weekend, he was doing all sorts of other dumb shit and making plans for other stuff right in the middle of moose season.

I ended up getting a bull solo and he wanted any “extra” meat I had….I didn’t give it to him.

 

[Antares]

Hunting "buddies" are overrated. I prefer my own company unless we're talking about float planes, then it's real nice to have someone else to split the bill with.

 

[Cavendish]

Some will have more advice than I, I would just start talking to people. I started talking about it more at work and found a few people with similar interest although few and far between. Many people I have met didn’t talk about hunting around the workplace etc as it can have a negative impression, especially places similar to where I work. My local hunting buddies are from college. My new travel hunting buddy I met at work not too long ago.

Also, regarding your work buddies, maybe hunt with them out of state. I would be happy to have my buddies come to our family whitetail spot if they were looking for a place.


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Yeah, I definitely work a "nerdy" job and the demographic I work with reflects that - it's mostly video games, D&D, and that sort of thing, which is fine, not my thing, but fine. If I were ever invited to go hunting with someone's family I definitely would, but I don't intend to invite myself. I intend to keep chatting people up more and more the closer we get to fall.

Depends on how you hunt. Some people don’t enjoy what others do. Gotta put your buddies through a vetting process.

That's totally fair. Right now, I just have exactly zero people to choose from haha. Maybe that says something about me! Lol

When I first moved to AK it was harder than I thought it would be to find people to hunt with. I was really focused on getting moose and caribou to fill my freezer and had decided I’d hunt as hard as I could for the entire moose season until I got a bull. One of my co workers raked a big game but only went hunting one weekend, he was doing all sorts of other dumb shit and making plans for other stuff right in the middle of moose season.

I ended up getting a bull solo and he wanted any “extra” meat I had….I didn’t give it to him.

Yeah, different points-of-views, perspectives, levels of seriousness on hunting. My life goal is to move to AK and do trade work up there and hunt the Last Frontier in my off time. I guess never underestimate that people are willing to talk the talk, but hunting is hard work isn't it? Much easier to talk about it from the couch haha.

 

[Cavendish]

Hunting "buddies" are overrated. I prefer my own company unless we're talking about float planes, then it's real nice to have someone else to split the bill with.

Like I said, I'm new to the area and new to hunting in general. I may find that I don't like the company, but I'd like to have the chance to find that out. I hear you though.

 

[ToolMann]

I have two, besides my wife, who is my favorite hunting partner. One I met 18 years ago in college, the other 7 years ago at work. In either case I wasn't looking for a hunting buddy, it just sort of worked out. Like finding a mate, don't spend too much time looking. The good ones will happen organically.

 

[EastMT]

Find some volunteer work with a hunting or conservation group. One of the local branches of foundations that is after what you are after,see what they need. My dad does stuff for several of the hunting groups and meets tons of people, lifelong friends they end up usually.

It’s tough because people have there “spots”, and don’t like to share as many people have been burned bringing a buddy to a spot, then he shows up with a new buddy etc, and it gets crowded.

 

[Customweld]

I hate Facebook, but in my local area there are a few dedicated hunting pages. There are a lot of fantastic folks in these groups and most are pretty helpful, especially with our military folks. If you have a local group (RMEF, Bowhunters Association or something similar)that you can join, that would be a good place to start.

 

[Customweld]

Another thing to consider. You don’t necessarily need to hunt the same way your future partner does. I have a great friend that I go with, but we don’t hunt together. His style is completely different from mine but I enjoy him and his boys’ company in the evenings at camp. We know that we hunt differently and that’s ok.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Good dependable people are hard to find. It doesn't matter if you are just looking to expand your friendship base or are looking for hunting buddies, good dependable people are hard to find. Aside from family, who are all gone now, I have only had two people who have been there for a hunting trip on short notice or, I was able to make plans with and have them follow through, almost without fail. They have now retired and moved and we are finding it harder to get together. Rather than a dozen times a season we are down to maybe three. I am now bringing my 13 year old grandson along on hunting and fishing trips as much as possible. He has been on lots of fresh water fishing trips with me but, I just recently in the last year, have taken him out for yellow tail and tuna. He enjoys the fishing but he is really more into hunting. I hope to take him with me for Elk this Nov. but I'm having a hard time talking my daughter into letting me take him out of school for better than a week. That's a WIP. The guy I am going Elk hunting with is a good guy but as I mentioned in previous post, trips for him are more of a social event than a hunting experience. Yes good dependable people are had to find.

 

[Donjuan]

Going to archery ranges, shooting clays or joining a local DU, QF, Pheasant Forever etc

 

[Marble]

If you're looking for a hunting buddy stop! Just like finding your soul mate, it'll happen without you knowing it.

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[Blackstorm]

Great topic and the only advice I can give is get a good dog, weather it be upland or waterfowl you be invited to places you never thought possible. Once you get in with this group the transition to large game will happen, I hunt all over the country with my dogs and without them to this day( almost 40 yrs). My family lightly hunted and I joined them when I was able to at deer camp, it wasn't until I got the dogs that things took a turn. I have hunting friends in 11 other states plus Canada and access to thousands of acres of private land in NY, The best part is you'll have a best friend that wont ever let you down

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Great topic and the only advice I can give is get a good dog, weather it be upland or waterfowl you be invited to places you never thought possible. Once you get in with this group the transition to large game will happen, I hunt all over the country with my dogs and without them to this day( almost 40 yrs). My family lightly hunted and I joined them when I was able to at deer camp, it wasn't until I got the dogs that things took a turn. I have hunting friends in 11 other states plus Canada and access to thousands of acres of private land in NY, The best part is you'll have a best friend that wont ever let you down

I 100% agree. Hunting over a good dog is the best part of upland bird hunting. The thrill of watching them work is hard to beat. And yes, forever loyal. Like the saying goes, lock your dog and your wife in the trunk and see which one is happy to see you when you open it.

 

[Btaylor]

You are hunting so act like it If you want to hunt with a gun hang out where those people go, shooting ranges and gun shops. Ask questions, get to know a few people. Pick their brains about how they hunt. Even if you dont pick up an invitation, you may pick up info you can apply on your own. Same for bow hunting, go shoot at the local range and hang around the local bow shop. ask how those guys and girls hunt. Dont ask where. Research the local public hunting ground and go take a hike and look for sign, get to know your local woods. Ask questions in forums like this about how to find game, how folks set up on game, etc in the species specific forums here. Dont be a jack wagon. When you get an invite, be on time, ask to cost share, ask how you can help around camp and listen.

 

[Mosby]

I stopped looking for hunting buddies a long time ago. There is type A hunting buddy that anoints himself in charge and wants to dictate on everything. Then there is type B hunting buddy that wants you to do all the work and shorts you on money. Then there is type C hunting buddy that is slow to get out of bed, has to go the bathroom when its time to leave, complains all week about just about everything and always wants to leave early.

I take my son and nephews when they can go but they are all starting families and working for a living. Otherwise I hunt by myself. People in general are too unreliable and I am very particular about who I travel and hunt with anymore.

A good recommendation is to buy a dog. I bought a started GSP late last year and will be bird hunting with her all fall. She is really coming along. I have a Vizsla pup on order for next year. Dogs are a great distraction and I enjoy their company. The money I saved not chasing tags all over the west, pays for good hunting dogs quickly.

 

[Wags]

I stopped looking for hunting buddies a long time ago. There is type A hunting buddy that anoints himself in charge and wants to dictate on everything. Then there is type B hunting buddy that wants you to do all the work and shorts you on money. Then there is type C hunting buddy that is slow to get out of bed, has to go the bathroom when its time to leave, complains all week about just about everything and always wants to leave early.

Pretty much nailed a lot of guys I've hunted with over the years. That list has been greatly reduced to 2 consistent hunting partners.

It can be hard to find ethical, safe, hardworking, dedicated guys to hunt with. My oldest son just turned 12 so he's my go to hunting partner moving forward.

 

[Deadfall]

Going to archery ranges, shooting clays or joining a local DU, QF, Pheasant Forever etc

This right here