Stories of hunting partners that quit

[DuckDawg22]

Knew a guy who drove 1000 miles to meet up with a childhood friend for a CO elk hunt. Thousands of dollars in new gear, outfitted his 4runner for camping, etc, not to mention the out of state tag cost. Walked off the mountain after 1 night with "Covid," but still managed to drive himself back those 1000 miles. Has since sold the rifle and the 4runner. Turns out hunting is more than a Meateater episode.

 

[Jdeck09]

I struggled on my first couple hunts in Colorado for elk. I think the combination of a 30+ hour drive and lack of experience really led me to "wallowing" in uncertainty and losing confidence. Now a bunch of elk hunts later, I don't even want to leave. no matter the conditions or mileage on my legs.

I am fortunate to hunt with some family members that always stay positive no matter how hard I push them or my desire to check the next ridge. I image finding my next set of hunting partners is going to be a huge challenge.

I think first timers just need to understand that it will be over before you know it and its not as bad as your mind makes it.

 

[mad_angler]

Here's a good video from Cliff Gray:

The urge to quit is much more common than you think.
And it helps to know that it is coming at about day 3. When it gets there, you can recognize it and move on...

 

[txtransplant]

I agree that finding a good hunting partner is hard, and it’s even worse when they don’t know how bad they are. I had to be the “bailer” a few years ago, but not from a specific hunt. But at the end of season in 2022, I cut ties with the only hunting partner I’ve ever had outside of my family. It was a former coworker who, by all definitions, was a great dude to work with and be around. We got along great at the office and did some stuff outside work and got along so we decided to start hunting together in 2020. We had 3 successful years hunting together and went on some good trips, but I had a limit of about 3 days with him at a time. I had never met somebody so bent on just being a contrarian just for the sake of being a contrarian. If I wanted to glass, he wanted to still hunt where I was gonna glass. If I had new binos, he had newer ones that were better. I had a browning rifle at the time and he made it clear that his tikka was better. When I got a tikka down the road, his tikka was automatically better because he had paid less for it. The worst part was when he would ask for advice or an opinion on a tactic or piece of gear, to which I would provide an answer, and he would then take the opportunity to explain why my answer was wrong and how he had already decided to do this other thing instead. Everything with him was a you-know-what measuring contest, and his opinion was always the correct route, no matter what. After 3 years, culminating in an excruciatingly cold and miserable Colorado 3rd season tag, I decided I was done. My dad’s work situation had changed and he was hunting more, as were my brothers. So I cut ties with that guy and have only hunted with family since. Success rates have increased, frustration levels have decreased, and overall enjoyment of every tag and season since has been exponentially better.

Good hunting partners are hard to find, and putting up with a crappy one only leads to burnout.

@nobody i wonder if this guy is still single

 

[colelivaditis]

This was my most recent hunt so I’m still upset. Flew cross country to meet with two buddies from the Army, I figure what could go wrong, mental toughness and all of that. Keep in mind I walked in on a Sunday, planned on leaving with a punched tag or on a Friday.

First day of the hunt, first hour of shooting light me and my buddy are stalking a 6X6 and my other bud arrows a cow. Easy! We pack it out through some deadfall, but nothing bad enough to end a hunt especially with the bulls we got into. We go about 3 miles total to the car, most of it on a trail, they leave to drop off the meat in a fridge, about 1.5 hour drive back to their homes so I just walk the mile back to camp. They come back later that night, absolutely wrecked. Apparently they didn’t know you have to exert physically while OTC elk hunting. I heard the horror stories so I decided to train for the hunt. They had to leave the next night to hang out with wives so we planned on hunting through the day. Woke up and hunted maybe 30 minutes. They didn’t see any elk and decided we leave…. I didn’t want to backpack alone, without a ride, so I decided to pull out with them. We go back in two days later on a Thursday, same thing. Wake up, 2 hours later we head back to the camp to pull out. Not even a full hour of shooting light has passed. Found some other buddies I will be going with in the future.

Good learning opportunity but an incredible waste of a week of PTO.

 

[CorbLand]

I haven’t had one quit in the middle of a hunt but I have had a few that quit after they killed their animals. All back in college when it was mostly weekend trips. They kill theirs and then magically have things to do the next two to three weekends.

Had a kid that killed his turkey. I still had my tag. Planned to hunt with him a couple nights after work and every time, something came up or he just didn’t want to go. About the third or fourth time he was like “I just don’t feel like going today.” I was said “Ok. Whatever, dude.” He responded “I don’t want you to think I am just the type that filled his tag and then bails on you.” I responded “ You don’t want me to feel like you got your turkey and bailed on me after while you got your turkey and are bailing on me after?” He was like “Yea.” I think that one ended with “Get ******.” Never spoke with the kid again.

 

[nobody]

@nobody i wonder if this guy is still single

Oddly enough married with 5 kids…

 

[Texasbuckeye]

I think some of you may be discounting the real effects of altitude sickness.

This does not excuse the lack of communication, but AS can make you not think straight as well. Hard to say

 

[Swamp Fox]

I haven’t had one quit in the middle of a hunt but I have had a few that quit after they killed their animals. All back in college when it was mostly weekend trips. They kill theirs and then magically have things to do the next two to three weekends.

Had a kid that killed his turkey. I still had my tag. Planned to hunt with him a couple nights after work and every time, something came up or he just didn’t want to go. About the third or fourth time he was like “I just don’t feel like going today.” I was said “Ok. Whatever, dude.” He responded “I don’t want you to think I am just the type that filled his tag and then bails on you.” I responded “ You don’t want me to feel like you got your turkey and bailed on me after while you got your turkey and are bailing on me after?” He was like “Yea.” I think that one ended with “Get ******.” Never spoke with the kid again.

Kids are the worst, except for grown men ... And wimmen! ---

Don't get me started!

 

[Maverick1]

Here's a good video from Cliff Gray:

The urge to quit is much more common than you think.
And it helps to know that it is coming at about day 3. When it gets there, you can recognize it and move on...

@Cliff Gray is a member here - see post #2 on this thread....

 

[CorbLand]

Kids are the worst, except for grown men ... And wimmen! ---

Don't get me started!

I say kid but he was a couple years older than me. I was probably 22-23 at the time.

 

[Brushcreekbill]

Back in my late teens a buddy and I were on a backcountry deer hunt. It took us a couple hours by boat to get to camp.
I come back to camp to grab some lunch, when usually I would stay in the woods all day.
My boats gone along with my buddy. Strange….but not too crazy. I figured maybe he took it to get to a different spot for the evening.

That night by the fire I asked. He lied about it at first and acted like maybe someone else had used my boat. But he eventually came clean.
He was motoring all the way back to his truck. Driving home. And taking a shower. Then coming all the way back to camp each day.

For that and many other reasons we haven’t shared a camp since

 

[Poser]

Back in my late teens a buddy and I were on a backcountry deer hunt. It took us a couple hours by boat to get to camp.
I come back to camp to grab some lunch, when usually I would stay in the woods all day.
My boats gone along with my buddy. Strange….but not too crazy. I figured maybe he took it to get to a different spot for the evening.

That night by the fire I asked. He lied about it at first and acted like maybe someone else had used my boat. But he eventually came clean.
He was motoring all the way back to his truck. Driving home. And taking a shower. Then coming all the way back to camp each day.

For that and many other reasons we haven’t shared a camp since

So.... he wasn't hunting? -just spending all day to go take a shower and come back?

 

[Brushcreekbill]

So.... he wasn't hunting? -just spending all day to go take a shower and come back?

Yep

 

[Brushcreekbill]

So.... he wasn't hunting? -just spending all day to go take a shower and come back?

Plus he insisted on crapping right in the river.
What an idiot.

Right after that I got a solid hunting partner in my bro in law. And never looked back

 

[sodaksooner]

In 2006, my brother left the Oregon vs Oklahoma football game at Autzen Stadium early. The Ducks were down by 13 with 3:12 left in the game. The Ducks scored two touchdowns to go up 34-33.

Blair Phillips blocked the potential winning field goal as time expired right in front of our seats. I heard the ball hit his hand.

Leave hunting camp early? Never!

Let's not bring up that game..... Buncha cheaters....lol. Still love it when Oregon loses...in any sport.

That said, my brother is the best. We have only hunted with one other guy one year and he was a champ. Only time I have ever been disappointed in him is when I had some extra PTO and went out a week ahead of him and he couldn't make it...

 

[Billogna]

Plus he insisted on crapping right in the river.

I used to go on drunken float trips and it seemed like there'd always be some jack wagon that would log flume everyone down stream!!