First Time/Last Time Trips

[AggieOutdoors16]

I have no personal experience with this, but curious if anyone has ever taken anyone hunting and it been a first and last time for them?

My personal experience has been that everyone I’ve personally introduced to hunting, especially Western Big Game hunting, has almost immediately been hooked.

I can’t imagine how anyone wouldn’t, but am curious on if anyone has had this experience taking someone elk hunting for the first time.

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

As in first time and last time they wanted to go? Or I would want to go with them again. Ha.

 

[AggieOutdoors16]

Haha referring to first and last time they wanted to go as in they didn’t immediately get the itch.

 

[Wheels]

Took my wife bird hunting when we were dating because she wanted to go. Drug her thru the nastiest stuff I could find so she would never want to go again… and she lost her gloves on that hunt.

 

[rayporter]

i have taken a couple of guys that never went back.
"you never said it would be this much work"

 

[MahoningValley]

Took both of my nephews one never wanted to go again, the other loved it!

 

[Rich M]

“Hooked”

I did a 1 and done muley hunt. No need to keep running out there when got my dream buck first and only hunt.

Have done 2 antelope hunts and still waiting on euro from last October cause taxi sucks and wont send it til he does someone else’s stuff first. Will do 1 more if can.

Otherwise hunt around home for fun.

Yeah, it is fun. What you do with it is up to you. Lotsa guys pissing away money they will wish they had later in life. All up to you - not gonna die if you dont go.

 

[CAElkhunter]

took a buddy to Montana who doesn't listen very well. We took him to a place to sit for the morning hunt and told him to get up at first light and slowly still hunt down until it dropped off and then turn right and cut the road where he should sit and we would come find him.....He went left back into the deep shit and it started snowing. Another hunter found him after a few hrs and directed him out where we found him. He said he had visions of the Donner party and never wanted to Elk hunt again..... after the fact is was funny and we still laugh about it.

 

[Gerbdog]

Ive taken a couple folks hunting with me that made it 1 day and went home .... not sure they are still hunting, one is, unsure on the other 2.... wouldnt take them again anyway though so who knows, maybe theyre out slaying monsters

 

[RagnCajn]

I've been involved in two different "one and done" trips in my ~10 years of hunting Colorado. Both elk hunts and both guys from my area (north Louisiana).

First one was a family friend that wanted to go with us. 2nd rifle season and relatively warm weather when we got there and made camp. Evening before opening day, a cold front blew in. Single digit temps that night and snow on the ground the next morning. He stayed in his sleeping bag, said it was too cold for him. We came back from the morning hunt and he was gone. Bags packed and set to the side of the tent, and cot folded up. No cell service where we were. Drove out to get service the next day and he said he hitched rides all the way to the airport and flew back home (we had driven there from Louisiana). No interest in going back

Next one was a work acquaintance of my dads. He brought him along but he wasn't ready for the mountains as most southerners aren't. I hunted with him one day and he said he wasn't going back with me. Said I tried to kill him. He tried to leave his pack and pistol on the trail walking in before daylight to lighten his load. Made him put his pistol in my pack. Rest of the hunt he made short walks from the roads and mostly sat.

The other "one and dones" I've heard about have mostly been associated with the physical difficulty of the hunt. Especially due to where I'm from. Living at 200' elevation and most of the hunting done around here means walking in no more than a quarter mile and sitting in a box blind or a ladder stand for the morning and going back home doesn't prepare you mentally or physically for a western hunt. For context, where we hunt ranges from 9000'-12000'. We love the challenge but its not for everyone.