Stories of hunting partners that quit

[Steve300xcw]

I have a hunting partner who is very limited in his days afield due to his wife.

Used to have a riding buddy we called Half day jeff. Dude was game for anything, but at noon on the dot "well guys, its been fun. But I gotta go push a stroller.

 

[Cdnance]

I’m lucky enough to have an understanding wife who doesn’t nag when I go on a hunt. However, I’ve got three young kids and I know it’s hard on her when I’m not around as having three kids would be hard on anybody. I think my biggest issue personally isn’t my wife wanting me to abandon the hunt and come home, but my sense of guilt for not being there to help and be with the kids.

 

[txtransplant]

I’m lucky enough to have an understanding wife who doesn’t nag when I go on a hunt. However, I’ve got three young kids and I know it’s hard on her when I’m not around as having three kids would be hard on anybody. I think my biggest issue personally isn’t my wife wanting me to abandon the hunt and come home, but my sense of guilt for not being there to help and be with the kids.

Tell her to go on a ladies spa trip once a year, you watch the kids, problem solved

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I was a little bummed last year when I drew my antelope tag after 22 years. I had three friends wanting to help out. We were all looking forward to spending a week in the desert together! My buddy and I made the 9 hour drive on Thursday and set up camp. Next morning we went scouting till midday and head back to camp for lunch. Another buddy shows up, then later that evening the last drives in. I end up shooting my buck opening evening. I brought a portable fridge/freezer to keep the meat safe. The weather was great! Cold nights with frost in the morning, so everything was perfect. Specially for August. They only stayed one more night and it was over. Guess I should have pulled the trigger later in the week to be able to hang out with some buddies for a week. At least all our families were happy to see us back home so soon!

Dunno about others but I usually have a numerous hunts in the fall. If I can gain back some vacation time and brownie points when tagging out early that offers more opportunity on later / additional hunts.

If folks have 1 hunt a fall or something I get where hanging for a week might be easier.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Yea I wouldnt bitch about buddies that stayed till your tag was full and meat was back to camp and dealt with, before they went home. Almost like the hunt was over at that point or somethin??????????

 

[Cdnance]

Tell her to go on a ladies spa trip once a year, you watch the kids, problem solved

I don’t miss or abandon the hunt. I feel bad at times but I still fill out my hunting time.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Yea I wouldnt bitch about buddies that stayed till your tag was full and meat was back to camp and dealt with, before they went home. Almost like the hunt was over at that point or somethin??????????

They were willing to commit a week to help out on their buddies tag as required, they sound pretty solid to me. No shame in them not burning time hanging out when punching the tag early might mean they can hunt their own tags more, maybe they were all sacrificing time on their tags to help this 22yr to draw tag and willing to do what was needed. Once it was done why should they hypothetically not pivot the time to their own hunting?

 

[Smokey Bear]

They were willing to commit a week to help out on their buddies tag as required, they sound pretty solid to me. No shame in them not burning time hanging out when punching the tag early might mean they can hunt their own tags more, maybe they were all sacrificing time on their tags to help this 22yr to draw tag and willing to do what was needed. Once it was done why should they hypothetically not pivot the time to their own hunting?

Just looking to hang out with good friends while I could. One came down from northern Idaho that we don’t get to see too often anymore. He used to live close. Like I said. Just a little bummed we couldn’t spend more time together.

 

[Smokey Bear]

Yea I wouldnt bitch about buddies that stayed till your tag was full and meat was back to camp and dealt with, before they went home. Almost like the hunt was over at that point or somethin??????????

There was no bitching. It just would have been nice to hang out a little longer.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Just looking to hang out with good friends while I could. One came down from northern Idaho that we don’t get to see too often anymore. He used to live close. Like I said. Just a little bummed we couldn’t spend more time together.

They got any hunts you can go along on?

 

[Smokey Bear]

They got any hunts you can go along on?

I’ll be helping my buddy in the Mill Creek Watershed at the start of next month. Only one person is allowed to go in with him while he’s hunting. But can have three people help with the pack out. Our buddy from Idaho has been in there four times, so he will go in the first day to show him around. Then my buddy wants his son to go in after that. I’m going to be a spotter from up top, and hopefully help pack out!

 

[Greenbelt]

I have a hunting partner who is very limited in his days afield due to his wife. I am on the fence as to whether I think it is legitimate or whether he uses her as an excuse to pick and choose what he participates in.

He's not the only person I have suspected of this over the years.

I honestly tend to think this is more true. Makes me think of all those survival shows when those men are on camera whining and sniveling about how they miss their wives and she needs him to go home. You know that woman doesn't want him home and especially not after they just sniveled in front of half of America. If I told my wife Id left my hunting partner in the woods early shed prob kick me out of the house to go back and apologize.

 

[MuleyFever]

I’m genuinely shocked at the number of “my wife wants me home” stories. I love and respect my wife, but she knows better than to ask me to come home from a hunt.

I killed my best buck on the 2nd to last day of a hunt. I called my wife the night before after a week of busting my but and told her I think I am done. She told me I didn't go on the hunt to leave early.

 

[Wyoming300]

Had one guy who seemed super into hunting, got a hunters safety course but never bought tags. Ive taken him hunting a few times a season for the last 3 years. This season i got him out 3 weekends in a row. Mostly he would use his bluetooth headset to call his ex gfs from a decade ago while i was trying to hunt. Or snore loudly. The last time he told me at 10 am he had to go back to his car and drive to the place we were the day before to find stuff he lost. About 4 hours later he texted asking how long im hunting, i said till dark. He just walked back to his car and slept in it the whole time and slept till i was done hunting. Not much hope for him being of any use packing out an elk.

 

[Wyoming300]

I mostly enjoy hunting alone. Everytime i take people i end up focusing on what ever they are whining about being difficult for them. Takes away from my hunts.

 

[Wyoming300]

I've had one guy quit.

It was a friend of friends. I liked the guy. He was really excited, he wanted to come over and shoot all the time. Excited about hunting, in great shape. I kinda figured I would mentor this younger guy, as he had never hunted anything but whitetails. We drove together several hours and packed in several miles up to about 10k elevation. Everything seemed to be going great! We planned on hunting Saturday, Sunday morning, then hiking out.

Opening day comes and we don't see anything right away. So we go still hunt a wooded slope and find nothing. Still no mule deer. Late morning he says he's hiking back to camp for whatever. Maybe a nap. I set down on a good glassing point and prepare to spend most of the day there.

Maybe a couple hours later I wonder where he is so I pick up and hike a bit to where I can see camp. His tent is gone!! Only my stuff is left. Now this guy is GREEN. He's never mountain hunted or backpacked camped overnight. I hurry back down to camp. I think he's got to have left a note. Nothing. I assume the worst and think that he must be hurt or really sick to just bail like that, I have to find him. I felt responsible for him. I pack up my tent and all my stuff as fast as I can and I can see by his tracks he's on the trail back out. So I follow him.

Maybe 2 miles later I catch up to him as he see's me coming and slows down to wait for me. He isn't hurt, he said he just didn't sleep well last night and doesn't feel too good and needs to go home. This guy is like 25, and in great shape. He somehow got service, called an employee to drive 3 hours to the trailhead to come pick him up. He claims he didn't want to ruin my hunt, so he just left. I couldn't believe it! you could have walked over and told me you were leaving, or left a note. Now I'm exhausted from packing up all my stuff and running after him! Nearly all the way back to the truck! Of course the hunt is ruined. I tried my best to play it cool and act like I understood. I hiked back to the truck with him and waited for his ride.

Despite multiple attempts from him, we never hunted together again.

Ive run into this myself. I think the altitude, and carrying heavy gear wears on people in a way they never expect.

 

[Serrano]

I have had hunting partners quit because their idea of hunting isn't my idea of hunting. Ride the ATV to the tree stand and sit or something is what I guess.

A couple of times I had new partners quit because of old injuries.

One of my best partners quit last year when he passed away. (Months before the hunt peacefully at home)
He was one tough SOB. I half expected him to make it to the draw hunt we had long planned because it seemed nothing could stop him.

 

[Couester]

I’ve been blessed with some great hunting partners through the years! Guys that would hunt hard after they tagged out to help me and one friend that drove home to drop off an elk and then drove back 8 hours to help me finish out my hunt!
Unfortunately, I’ve also had a few that couldn’t wait to bail after filling their tags. Live and learn. You never know what kind of a friend you have until you’ve done a tough hunt together!

 

[Hunter26]

The big wide open can have an affect on people! For me it is an amazing feeling but I know a few people I hunt deer with that I think would melt like a popsicle on the fourth of July as soon as they saw the puddle jumper turning away headed from home.