Hunting Etiquette. 2 tags 1 week of hunting.

[Jfujan]

About to go on my 3rd elk hunting adventure this fall. Year one and two were OTC archery. One of use would buy a tag and the other would be the designated caller. Each year we swapped who bought the first tag. If one of use would get an elk and there was still decent hunting time remaining, we would go buy another tag and switch positions. We both thought this was a fair way to handle it. Saved some money if we couldn't fill one tag let alone two.

We're now debating on doing a party application for muzzleloader. How does everyone handle splitting time when both people have tags in their pockets?

 

[alecvg]

Either swap out every other calling scenario, or whomever spots the animal gets first choice whether to make a move on it or not.

 

[Justin Crossley]

It doesn't matter how you do it as long you both understand the agreement going in.

 

[Conrad101st]

Flip a coin on who gets first shot on day 1, alternate days

 

[Netherman]

It doesn't matter how you do it as long you both understand the agreement going in.

This ^^

For us it comes down to points and the value we assign them. for 0-5 points we will typically both get tags and follow our convoluted/logic defying method of deciding who's "special day" it is. sometimes it changes with opportunity, history, or numerous other factors. But we make a point each day to know who has first right of refusal.

For higher point hunts or low odd random draws we are planning to have one tag and split the meat. With the push towards 90/10 across the west we may end up with more and more of this in order to get our western hunting fix.

 

[S.Clancy]

Stay in the same camp and each hunt solo until someone fills a tag and then team up.

 

[Jfujan]

It doesn't matter how you do it as long you both understand the agreement going in.

We're definitely going to have rules established way before hand. Just looking for ideas of how to handle it.

 

[87TT]

Rock, paper, scissors ?

 

[wytx]

We just say whomever the elk walks by gets the shot.
Hunt separate too, cover more area that way and find the elk.

Better talk about how you will split the meat up if only one gets an elk.

 

[EastHumboldt]

We split the meat so that’s determined mathematically. We hunt in teams of two and each team flips a coin for first crack at a buck, then alternates who goes next opportunity. If it’s a situation where he has a shot and it’s my turn but I can’t get a shot without getting us made, I’ll let him take the shot and vise versa. We’re more concerned about success as a team and putting meat in the freezer than with any one hunter getiing Harvey Wallhanger. No big egos allowed in our group. None of us in the group wants to hunt with someone whose first concern is a big rack. It’s like going out drinking with a known c**k blocker.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Or, you can hunt with a guy I use to hunt with. Before we set out on the hunt we would discuss who gets the first shot, not necessarily the first Elk. On two occasions where I was to have first shot, he got buck fever and took the shot. He just looked at me and said, I though I had the better shot. Like I said, use to hunt with.

 

[Tremain4414]

We normally have 3-4 tags in camp for our OTC season and work off of the rule that if you spot it then you get to make the first move. It’s worked well for us so far

 

[Whip]

Personally I mostly end up just going solo. That's because with only one exception most of my hunting partners have not been good callers. They are good friends from home and have the desire but don't put any effort into reading, studying and watching videos to learn how to call, set up and hunt as a pair. They just don't hunt the way I want to hunt.
I need new friends.

 

[Jethro]

Share camp, help each other, but hunt solo.

 

[Coveyleader]

I go through this every year. I have a great partner and 90% of the time, I'm the caller. Last year, we hunted out of state together, I called for him pretty much the first week and he was just making rookie mistakes on some big bulls. I finally said, let me have a crack at them. The fist try, was oh so close, no calling just stalking. The second, dead bull.

So, to answer your question "it depends". The best options with "guns" is to simply hunt alone, and camp together. With a bow, lay it out before hand and understand 2 elk in a week to 10 days with a bow can be a challenge.

 

[fatlander]

Basically whoever has a tag is always up to bat, at any time. Sometimes we split into groups of two if it’s 4 of us hunting, when it’s 3 we tend to stay together. When a stalk presents itself, the guy that’s had the least amount of luck over they years always gets the nod, and when we’ve got a calling setup with multiple shooters that guy gets the better looking spot. None of that is to say the guy calling won’t have an arrow knocked incase an elk slips past the shooter. We all collectively look at the hunt as a group. We split meat and logistical costs equally. The only thing the guy who punches the tag gets that no one else did is the rack.


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[Smtn10pt]

We alternate shooter and caller on every bull. That way if you really get into them one day and the next day is silent you each have a chance. It is also known that if the bull gets to the caller and he has a shot he takes it.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Hunt independently out of camp.

 

[johnw]

Share camp, help each other, but hunt solo.

This and what WYTX said. Its great to have other partners in your camp and for help packing out. If you both have experience, hunt by yourself and make your own decisions - should lead to higher success. If your partner has more experience than you, could be beneficial for you to hunt together and pick up some pointers.

 

[grossklw]

We do a simple alternate elk encounters, it's usually clear if it counts as an encounter or not. That way if one day the action is hot with multiple call-ins the guy that hunts the next day and doesn't hear a bugle doesn't get screwed. It works well for us, split the meat regardless and if one tags out the other is obviously calling.
In our case we usually have one guy pack out the elk and the other gets to keep hunting. It's a bit of a trade-off with more work but that's the reward for killing one. Idaho a couple years ago after tagging out my hunting partner sent me an inreach he had one down after I was back to the truck with the 1st load. That doesn't happen if we don't split up after I kill mine and pack it out solo. It was a rough day and a half of packing elk meat but it's that type 2 fun we all crave.