Helping New Hunters

[HuntingIndian]

Another guy this year wants to hunt with me and my ride or die hunting buddy. Cool, he has been hunting solo, struggling, for three years. Fully geared, serious, great shape. Hoping we have a good team addition for future elk hunts. We have known him for years too, solid guy. Still, have to earn trust and respect. Will be taking him into a new area close to the honey holes that we always talk about exploring. Looking forward to a fun year!

3 years and struggling? that has to be discouraging. how much time has he actually put into scouting, whats stopping him to be successful? any idea? I am curious.

i am FNG, i am doing my own thing (self learning) yet to take any big game.
first year zero success as i half assed it and busy with life, relo, wedding etc etc.
This year, i am very serious and all in. I am not expecting things to be hand over to me, but i think i have done/doing work to be BETTER prepared and put myself in a potentially successful position.

 

[Moserkr]

3 years and struggling? that has to be discouraging. how much time has he actually put into scouting, whats stopping him to be successful? any idea? I am curious.

i am FNG, i am doing my own thing (self learning) yet to take any big game.
first year zero success as i half assed it and busy with life, relo, wedding etc etc.
This year, i am very serious and all in. I am not expecting things to be hand over to me, but i think i have done/doing work to be BETTER prepared and put myself in a potentially successful position.

Well…. We live in CA first of all so start there. Poor deer management in one of the hardest hunted, highest tag units in the state. Then hes a FNG and hes hunting at an elevation thats inbetween good hunting - the foothills and high country. Foothills are largely private or extremely dense timber with good deer numbers but they are blacktails. High country has lower deer numbers with benchlegs and occasionally muleys.

For reference, Ive only killed 2 deer in 6 years in CA whereas in MT when I lived there, I was 6 for 6 without trying. The deer act completely different here vs MT and my tactics were relearned accordingly. I have passed on smaller deer most years though so its not like i CANT go 6/6, I just prefer to let the 1-3 year olds grow. My ride or die buddy is still 0/6 for deer in CA, but has shot a big bear in CA and an elk (out of state) with me.

Not sure what state you are in, but my advice is wherever you hunt, get in earlier than you think, watch your scent, and be where they want to be. We scout and hunt certain areas that we know like the back of our hands and its still tough. Im self taught and my first buck, in MT, took me 12 tries to get. Saw him twice. Second time I was in position well before dawn, quiet, not moving, just waiting. Learn by your mistakes, and you will get into them more and more.

 

[Geewhiz]

Its tough man. If I'm going to take someone hunting, I want them to have a good time and see animals and have as good of odds as I can give them. That means taking them to my spots, which sadly, ain't happening.

Sure I'd be happy to pick a ridge and hike it with them, and I have, but odds are not in their favor at that point.

Even out of my closest friends, I have gotten burned in the past and have learned to keep my spots close.

 

[Mosby]

Normally I take new hunters to new hunting spots I have never been before. Have them help me look at maps, do research, scout etc. They get to plan the hunt with me. Learn how to do it on their own. With one exception, most of the them didn't ask to hunt again and I go back to my normal spots. I don't mind doing it though because I like finding new areas to hunt.

 

[HuntingIndian]

Well…. We live in CA first of all so start there. Poor deer management in one of the hardest hunted, highest tag units in the state. Then hes a FNG and hes hunting at an elevation thats inbetween good hunting - the foothills and high country. Foothills are largely private or extremely dense timber with good deer numbers but they are blacktails. High country has lower deer numbers with benchlegs and occasionally muleys.

For reference, Ive only killed 2 deer in 6 years in CA whereas in MT when I lived there, I was 6 for 6 without trying. The deer act completely different here vs MT and my tactics were relearned accordingly. I have passed on smaller deer most years though so its not like i CANT go 6/6, I just prefer to let the 1-3 year olds grow. My ride or die buddy is still 0/6 for deer in CA, but has shot a big bear in CA and an elk (out of state) with me.

Not sure what state you are in, but my advice is wherever you hunt, get in earlier than you think, watch your scent, and be where they want to be. We scout and hunt certain areas that we know like the back of our hands and its still tough. Im self taught and my first buck, in MT, took me 12 tries to get. Saw him twice. Second time I was in position well before dawn, quiet, not moving, just waiting. Learn by your mistakes, and you will get into them more and more.

Ah ok, that makes sense.
Thanks for the advise.