Hunting partners…Finding new ones, losing old ones.

[Still Hunter]

My 22 year long hunting partner threw in the towel on Elk hunting this year. COVID kicked his butt last year and the knees are gone. Was going Solo but I have a new late addition to the trip this year. He is 29 years younger and wants to be a archery elk hunter. Should be a fun trip. Real Hunting Partners are probably the hardest to find. All the boxes need to be checked and they need to be made of the same morals, the same work ethic, and 100% dependable, without fail, in a life and death situation. The last one is the biggest deal breaker.

 

[BravoNovember]

Never really had hunting partners, My brother is getting into it and have one military buddy I hunt local with. most others I've attempted to hunt with I did not feel they shared the same ethics or safety as I. Cant ever seem to find anyone willing to commit to even buying preference points to hunt out west let alone actually planning a trip. I've came to the conclusion that ill be a solo western hunter or pay a guide.

 

[Dunndm]

Hunting partners are like finding a wife… only harder.


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[Rich M]

Lost a 50+ year fishing partner last month. Aint no replacing, just honoring.

Best wishes to everyone for a great season!

 

[JeffRaines]

Man hunting partners are hard as hell to come by.

I’ve got one guy who I hunt with occasionally, things were looking to get more serious but there’s been a few hiccups recently and it’s made me realize that he’s pretty much out for himself which has made me take a step back and reevaluate the entire “partnership”. That, and the fact that he’s got a lot of irons in the fire so his wife’s giving him shit about being out so much. I get that you want to go check trail cams a couple times a week and go to the gym almost everyday on top of copious other things but man, eventually being gone that much is gonna bite you in the ass hard(as he’s finding out). Me and the wife have an understanding - she has me December-July… not that I don’t get out, but her and the kids are the priority those months. August-November I’m going and doing what I want to do.

So far I’ve been hunting mostly solo, and for the foreseeable future that looks like it’s gonna continue being the case. It gets lonely for sure, but I don’t have to worry about someone else wrecking my plans. Maybe once’s the kids get old enough I’ll have some good reliable hunting partners.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Tough to find.

 

[magtech]

After reading this, I think im the guy not to pick, lol

I have 0 friends and only 2 adult family members that hunt. 1 has the money and time but is out of shape and doesn't do hard work. The other is in shape but doesn't work and has no money, also extremely negative. Now, I'd take my wife but I she doesn't like to be stressed, and FB doesn't work in the backcountry.

I'd try to be nicer to people I don't know, but I'm just not like most people. Maybe I'm a closet autist, and I don't even know.

I helped a guy scout for Colorado once, who had never went before. Guy was trying to tell me about elk hunting and how I didn't know what I was talking about. I mean yeah, I dont know too much, but I knew way more than he did. He said he was going and doing it his way... so I didn't go.

I dont get or deal with people anymore. 99% of everyone I know/knew I just can't trust or connect with.

One bonus I see is that I cant give away my (not found yet) honey-holes if im running solo. I knew there was a win in this somewhere.

 

[BravoNovember]

After reading this, I think im the guy not to pick, lol

I have 0 friends and only 2 adult family members that hunt. 1 has the money and time but is out of shape and doesn't do hard work. The other is in shape but doesn't work and has no money, also extremely negative. Now, I'd take my wife but I she doesn't like to be stressed, and FB doesn't work in the backcountry.

I'd try to be nicer to people I don't know, but I'm just not like most people. Maybe I'm a closet autist, and I don't even know.

I helped a guy scout for Colorado once, who had never went before. Guy was trying to tell me about elk hunting and how I didn't know what I was talking about. I mean yeah, I dont know too much, but I knew way more than he did. He said he was going and doing it his way... so I didn't go.

I dont get or deal with people anymore. 99% of everyone I know/knew I just can't trust or connect with.

One bonus I see is that I cant give away my (not found yet) honey-holes if im running solo. I knew there was a win in this somewhere.

that is a good bonus. I've had several people I've brought to fishing (especially ice fishing or waterfowl spots only to hear about them bringing other people to them or going on their own. Its public land but its not cool when you do all the scouting bring someone along and then they go on their own or with other people

 

[Pony Soldier]

Be careful !!! Picking a hunting partner is extremely hard. People can have nasty little habits that will come to the forefront in a camp that can lead to a severe confrontation. I have found that brief excursions can thin out the ding dongs.

Partners make the adventure worth doing. They can make it safer and more successful or - if you choose poorly - the most miserable days of your life. Pick carefully before you you go to anyplace important.

 

[Tradchef]

I had one growing up in Vermont. We hunted for years the two of us. My best friend from childhood. It worked seamless when we got in a groove for damn near anything. Once I went to culinary school and moved west that was it. I hunt with my lady now or solo. I’ve preferred solo for a long time but it’s fun seeing things through her eyes that we sometimes take for granted.

 

[WDO]

Finding a good hunting partner is hard.

Don't discount folks you meet in the field. 90% of them will just be a casual conversation, but you can luck out.
My main hunting partner I met in Idaho. He just happened to pull into our camp to BS and exchanged contacts after talking. The next year my other partners couldn't make it so I reached out and we hunted together. Been hunting with him for 5 years now. Sheep, elk, and mule deer.

 

[Kilowatt41]

It’s been tough I lost my fishing buddy a couple years ago it’s taking me some time to get my drive back to go alone. Hopefully I’ll be able to connect with some other friends and we can share some time together

 

[highcountrymuley]

I have one friend that i occasionally hunt with - we work well together but do not often get to hunt together. i'm not an archery elk hunter and he's not a mz deer hunter! we hunted together a few times 10 yrs ago and treat the hunter with the tag as the leader and the other guy is basically his assistant. worked well for us, hunter makes all the calls/decisions. we have gone turkey hunting but never really got into anything. we like to camp and shed hunt together occasionally. good friend but different tags, species we are interested in... which sucks.

had a buddy that let me hunt elk and deer on his private property a couple times before he got really interested. he took hunter's safety course and bought the rifle i recommended, etc. i showed him the ropes on public land in exchange for the use of his private land. he got a shot the first year at a deer in a spot he sat in for several days. yet, after the shot he couldn't tell me where it was standing, how far it was, which direction it headed,,,,! it was frustrating to me. he was just brand new to hunting as i had been hunting my entire life. he took a deer the next year on public and cow elk on his private. he liked to buy toys and gear, not really what i do with my hunting. kinda fizzled out after he stayed in his camper last day of 4 day deer hunt after he claimed to see a deer that he thought was an elk - if i saw a deer that big i would be out there looking for it! fell out of touch after i started backpacking, for which he does not have the physical fortitude.

after some of my backpacking success one of my brothers - who is a lifelong hunter from the east/now midwest, wanted to start coming out west. i gave him ALL the info to start building points, etc. i found i just don't love hunting the same style as he. he is a bit aggressive with his moves - as i am very slow, deliberate, patient. i feel like my style works better for the situation i am putting him in... sharing camp is fine but i just don't like walking around in the woods TOO FAST for the surroundings. so it kinda sucks finding out that i don't love hunting with him. he also does not have the mental stamina for the way i hunt. he gets bored/ discouraged and wants to do something else.

it is hard to find a hunt partner. i met a guy out in the woods in same area i like to hunt and we traded numbers and would text a few times as season approached but didn't jump all in together... lost his # when phone died and was replaced. that is probably best way to find a partner - meet in the field and take it slow!

 

[cshire]

After reading this, I think im the guy not to pick, lol

I have 0 friends and only 2 adult family members that hunt. 1 has the money and time but is out of shape and doesn't do hard work. The other is in shape but doesn't work and has no money, also extremely negative. Now, I'd take my wife but I she doesn't like to be stressed, and FB doesn't work in the backcountry.

I'd try to be nicer to people I don't know, but I'm just not like most people. Maybe I'm a closet autist, and I don't even know.

I helped a guy scout for Colorado once, who had never went before. Guy was trying to tell me about elk hunting and how I didn't know what I was talking about. I mean yeah, I dont know too much, but I knew way more than he did. He said he was going and doing it his way... so I didn't go.

I dont get or deal with people anymore. 99% of everyone I know/knew I just can't trust or connect with.

One bonus I see is that I cant give away my (not found yet) honey-holes if im running solo. I knew there was a win in this somewhere.

Me too. Limited friends other than family.

Hunted a lot with my son as he was growing up. He drifted out of hunting in his 20's with chasing jobs, beer, women and he normal 20 year old priorities.

He is now back to hunting and we go together some. But he has a 7 year old, another on the way and the limited spending $ that comes with working for a living and raising a family. We are kind of 50/50 on the expenses for local hunting - gas $, duck decoys, etc. But he doesn't have the time or $ for buying points, and Western travel for big game and I can't do all that for him.

Took my daughter for WY pronghorn last year. She has the time and $ to put into it. Just not the hunting drive, wanted more of a vacation than a hard hunt. Was a fun trip, just not my style hunting.

Enjoy hunting alone, but the logistics of bigger trips could work better with a partner.

 

[JMasson]

I have one friend that I hunt with. He’s an old Army buddy who was medically retired a few years ago after a bad landing during an airborne op. I trust him with my kid’s lives so I damn sure trust him with mine. There hasn’t been a situation that we have found ourselves in that we haven’t seen eye-to-eye on. We hunt in the same manner. I’m sad to say that I will not be able to hunt mule deer with him this year in NW Texas. The Army loves to move me around at the most inconvenient times.

My dad will tag along sometimes as well. He’s too old to walk around much anymore but he’s a good camp guy and runs base camp when we go. Always a warm fire and good food to return to. He hunts geese with us every year still. I’ll be truly upset when he says he’s too old to go anymore.

I’ve been pretty lucky and if I didn’t have my bud and my dad I’d likely just hunt alone. I don’t like most people and don’t have much time for their opinions. My wife says I have permanent RBF.

 

[tuffcity]

Sometimes you just have to grow your own...

 

[JMasson]

Sometimes you just have to grow your own...

That’s the ultimate goal. My son enjoys going with me when I hunt birds (except turkey). I think that’s mostly cause it’s a little more interactive since he is diagnosed with ADHD. I think he really just likes hanging out with dad, whether it’s camping, hiking, wandering aimlessly…he just likes to go pal around. I’m totally ok with it cause the years of him being around all the time will be short. My daughter has yet to go but I think she will be the real hunter out of the two. She’s fascinated by animals but is a little scatter-brained sometimes and likes chasing butterflies. She’s only 5 though so I’m sure she’ll grow out of it.

 

[Miboy86]

I have one friend that I hunt with. He’s an old Army buddy who was medically retired a few years ago after a bad landing during an airborne op. I trust him with my kid’s lives so I damn sure trust him with mine. There hasn’t been a situation that we have found ourselves in that we haven’t seen eye-to-eye on. We hunt in the same manner. I’m sad to say that I will not be able to hunt mule deer with him this year in NW Texas. The Army loves to move me around at the most inconvenient times.

My dad will tag along sometimes as well. He’s too old to walk around much anymore but he’s a good camp guy and runs base camp when we go. Always a warm fire and good food to return to. He hunts geese with us every year still. I’ll be truly upset when he says he’s too old to go anymore.

I’ve been pretty lucky and if I didn’t have my bud and my dad I’d likely just hunt alone. I don’t like most people and don’t have much time for their opinions. My wife says I have permanent RBF.

You sound like me, except ive been outta the army for a bit. my best friend is still in and im just waiting for him to get out in acouple of years cause we are planning a 2-3 month multi state hunting trip.

 

[JMasson]

You sound like me, except ive been outta the army for a bit. my best friend is still in and im just waiting for him to get out in acouple of years cause we are planning a 2-3 month multi state hunting trip.

Very similar. That’s the plan when I retire as well.

 

[BFR]

After reading this, I think im the guy not to pick, lol

I have 0 friends and only 2 adult family members that hunt. 1 has the money and time but is out of shape and doesn't do hard work. The other is in shape but doesn't work and has no money, also extremely negative. Now, I'd take my wife but I she doesn't like to be stressed, and FB doesn't work in the backcountry.

I'd try to be nicer to people I don't know, but I'm just not like most people. Maybe I'm a closet autist, and I don't even know.

I helped a guy scout for Colorado once, who had never went before. Guy was trying to tell me about elk hunting and how I didn't know what I was talking about. I mean yeah, I dont know too much, but I knew way more than he did. He said he was going and doing it his way... so I didn't go.

I dont get or deal with people anymore. 99% of everyone I know/knew I just can't trust or connect with.

One bonus I see is that I cant give away my (not found yet) honey-holes if im running solo. I knew there was a win in this somewhere.

Dang, you just described me, you must be me in a parallel universe. Although I do have some hunting partners, 2 grandkids that are reaching mid teens so are getting involved in other activities, my wife that keeps me informed about what I’m doing wrong and a guy I’ve known since kindergarten and have been hunting with almost as long, he at least agrees with me but is getting older so I’m not sure how much longer he will hunt.