How Many Still Prefer To Hunt Alone?

[long hunter]

Since my dad passed I now pretty much hunt alone, but there are times such as rabbit hunting,and a annual quail hunt where there are a few friends along, my son seems to have lost interest also, The one solid partner is a Marine buddy I served with we have known each other since we were 17 he is as a brother should be. Other than that I actually like being alone the wife dont care for it much though.

 

[isherwood91]

As an introvert and general pain in the ass I do prefer to be out in the woods alone, and I've never really loved the raucous hunting camp idea. That said, it is fun too connect halfway through the day and see what's happening, and to go get a burger and a beer after the days hunt when that fits the schedule.

Depends on whether I'm on a Camp Ripley daily bow hunt or a week long Montana elk hunt. It also depends on whether it's my dad and brothers or my personal friends. Those are two very different situations.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

I got spoiled big game hunting in Alaska and gave it up when we moved out of state.
Now in Montana, I solo bird hunt 95 percent of the time.
I typically hunt 6 days per week from sunrise to noon alternating the labs.
Solo hunting, I can be quiet which is so important with late season roosters.

I always email my wife the exact location where my pickup will be parked and my
hunting direction plan and stick to it. And I text her when I am headed home.
I also always carry an InReach mini in case of an emergency.

I hope to be able to bird hunt like this into my 80s...I'm now age 68.
I like the dog work, the long season (Sept 1 - mid Jan), shooting a shotgun,
and exploring every morning a different area.

 

[Ringbill27]

I typically hunt whitetail and duck NE MN. 85% percent of the time I’m alone. I tend to be more successful alone and have noticed you are way more careful. No one is there to save you.

I like the solitude.

 

[Brian Fahs]

When hunting im a loner. At a young age i left the crowds behind to hunt on my terms. I enjoy the solitude and process of finding and reading sign.
Killing is no longer my obsession but the fire still burns to pursue whatever is in season.

 

[Maxhunter]

I hunt alone a lot. This year I had a few NR buddies draw elk so I wasn’t alone in elk camp. Did go off on my own quite a lot since they were not physically capable of hunting some of my spots. I like company on pack outs but haven’t had a lot help through out the years. I stay in shape all year so I can get the job done.

 

[swampthing]

Hunting and camping alone has always been enjoyable to myself. I always plan my big hunts solo and then see if any of my hunting partners want to join in. My day hunts are always solo. I do enjoy sharing a camp with my good friends!

 

[Solm]

I hunt alone, other than our guys weekend at camp. I enjoy those few days but not really the hunting. I like to do my thing my way and having someone else along seems to always get in the way. Sometimes it would be nice to have someone help drag but that’s about it.

Usually nobody has a clue where I am other than that I stayed at my camp, for safety I bought an inreach although I have very little faith in it working when I need it to.

 

[C Bow]

I hunt and drink alone at 68 I have found alone is WONDERFUL

 

[StupidLightweight]

I've done a ton of solo hunts, but that's because I was either stand hunting whitetail, splitting up from a group to cover more area, or western hunts where people couldn't get the time to come along. Success alone is probably higher, but the satisfaction of notching a tag with a capable buddy/family member/child is exponentially better. You share it with another human. It's amazing. My favorite hunts now are the ones where someone else kills the animal. While I'm not done killing animals myself, iIt's far more exhilarating when I'm not the trigger puller.

This year, I was blessed to hunt with my best friends and father for deer and elk and my daughter for antelope. My dad is 74, so our future adventures are numbered, but he's still the best tactician I know. After hundreds of hunts together, I still learn from him each time. We've hunted together for 30+ years, and every hunt is a bonus trip that I'll cherish forever. With my daughter, however, our outdoor journeys are just beginning. I feel the same way about my son who'll soon turn 1. If I'm lucky, I'll get to pass along my knowledge and passion to them.

The torch has been passed, so to speak, and it's now my job to do for others what my father/grandpa/uncles did for me. I gotta say, it's a damn fine badge of honor and one that I wear proudly. Solo hunts are inevitable, and I enjoy them immensely, but there's nothing like taking the right person out and making a memory both parties will remember forever.

 

[*zap*]

this season I am going to take me terrier deer hunting. He will sit by my side.

 

[A-Tip]

I guess it depends on the case, i quit bird hunting with a certain group of friends just because of the way they hunted and how bad of sticklers they were. I now only exclusively bird hunt with person. Coyote hunting, i dont mind if its just me or one other person, i usually prefer someone else though. And deer hunting, its always going to be my dad and i, unless its bow hunting, then its just me.

 

[Sitkaspruce]

Hunting is 80% solo, just like to be by myself doing what I want when I want. The other 20% is our annual moose hunt, which is on a whole other level. The fun, the food, the BS'ing, the hunting, its all a group effort when it comes to moose.

Fishing is the opposite. Our ice fishing shack is real boring if by yourself, but a riot when the crew are all there. Our yearly trip to the ocean for salmon/halibut is with the same crew and again, wouldn't have it any other way. We have the boat, the gear, the knowledge and skill to fill the freezer every trip and we do it with a lot of fun!

As I get older (59 now), I enjoy my peace and quiet but also like the comradery of our group trips. As long as I am still standing and doing what I love, I'm happy, not matter who I am with!

Cheers

SS

 

[Davyalabama]

Looks like I'm not alone.

 

[stickbow59]

I'm 65 and if not accompanied by my 12 year old Grandson I choose to be alone.

 

[Franchi]

I have to say the one area that I don't like solo hunting anymore in is flooded rice fields for ducks. To easy to read in the headlines "He drowned in a field while getting a duck". When you are young, you can power through these things but with age balance becomes an issue.

 

[Howdoyoulikemenow]

I’d prefer to hunt with my boys. Just more fun. I’ve also grown to really dislike camping alone. It’s one thing to hunt alone during the day but to come back to a cold, dark camp solo no longer is attractive to me. I’m fortunate enough to live close to decent deer hunting so now if I’m alone I just day hunt and come home. I’m retired now and always thought that I would just spend all fall in camp. And I’ve done that but it’s just no longer enjoyable to camp alone. And it’s just getting harder to get one out by myself. I got my buck last week and that took two trips and five hours to get him in the back of my truck. Where I hunt one doesn’t drag one out whole. I’ve also decided that I’ve went on my last elk hunting trip by myself. And that in itself saddens me.

 

[focker34]

Solo for my own tags. If anyone in my family draws a tag I'm defacto guide so I still get the best of both worlds I suppose.

 

[ZAK13]

I wouldn't say that I prefer to hunt alone...but it works out that way almost 90% of the time. So the last few years I just it alone. A lot of times it just works better for me that way.

 

[JPD350]

Solo, I don't mind sharing camp with a buddy and I consider it enjoyable but they have to understand that unless there is a plan to meet up somewhere I do not want to see them in the field, you go that way and I'll go that way.
I spent years with a guy who learned my way of hunting, over and over I would see him crowding me or showing up on my stalks, it's frustrating to spend hours stalking just to see my "buddy" blow my stalk or I see him out in front of me in my zone effectively clearing out the game, especially when I was the one doing all of the scouting. I would even develop 2 game plans while scouting, at first I would let him pick what he wanted to do but no matter what he would think I was deceiving him, hard to believe considering he hardly ever scouted and I always put us in the animals, so I just started telling him that I am doing this and this is what I found in his area. The reality was that I had always given him the best spot but now I do my own thing and there is a whole lot less bullshit and I kill more animals.

So I am solo but out of necessity, It's sad because that buddy has been a friend for over 45 years and I never had any issue with sharing intel with him.