elk hunting with a few friends

[LopeHunter]

Good luck! Unfortunately, my experience with partners and distant trips is that at least half will probably chicken out between now and then. Hopefully not, maybe your buds are higher quality than some of the guys that have come to me and then flaked.

My advice is to plan the trip and carry through with it, whether everyone comes through or not. The first couple times it happened to me I stayed home, that sucked. Now I find solo trips thoroughly enjoyable, and after some success a couple family members are fairly reliable hunting partners. Sounds like you're experienced at going it alone though.

Sorry if this sounds negative, not meant to be. Good luck!

If want to thin out those that are likely to eventually bail then require $X up front, non-refundable, now to cover shared costs such as transportation, camp fees, camp food, etc. To some people a commitment is actually more of a "sounds cool, might do that" though they say "I am in, count on me."

 

[Witherall13]

I agree with the “most will back out” comments, in the end I just go with out them, I had 4 guys for a Nebraska trip last year they all backed out and I went with a broken knee cap in a leg brace. I had a blast hiked some tough country for Nebraska terrain and killed a nice buck. I also agree with the go this year comment, if your not comfortable taking off on your own, two bits of advise onX maps and call me lol I’ll go. The money thing can be a big deal to a lot of guys and I used to be one of them, but anymore the way I look at it is I’ve wasted money on things that haven’t turn out to be as much fun. I drove 17 hours to Utah twice two years ago and came home and ate an elk tag sandwich and you know what it was delicious. Plan ahead and enjoy it for what it is another beautiful day outdoors.

 

[Elkhunter24]

Good luck to you and your buddies! I took a few of my friends last year on a few of their first elk hunts there was 6 in total. It was a great two weeks. We killed some animals and caught some fish. We are already planning another year where the crew can get back together for a trip west.

 

[Scrappy]

Good luck! Unfortunately, my experience with partners and distant trips is that at least half will probably chicken out between now and then. Hopefully not, maybe your buds are higher quality than some of the guys that have come to me and then flaked.

My advice is to plan the trip and carry through with it, whether everyone comes through or not. The first couple times it happened to me I stayed home, that sucked. Now I find solo trips thoroughly enjoyable, and after some success a couple family members are fairly reliable hunting partners. Sounds like you're experienced at going it alone though.

Sorry if this sounds negative, not meant to be. Good luck!

Your post brought back a memory from my junior year of high school. My brother and a couple of classmates decided to join the national guard. Yup you guessed it I was the only one that made it to bootcamp.

 

[wytex]

I will say this , if you end up by yourself don't sweat it too much. You may be surprised the help you get offered if you get an elk down. Folks are generally willing to help a hunter out with packing etc when they need it.
Our elk hunt last year was an example. A guy along the road pointed elk out to us as we drove in, then showed back up after the shooting to help with the pack out. He first refused any meat but relented and took a tender loin after all. He stated he stopped to help and point them out because hunters had done the same for his son years before.
I don't know many if any hunters that would leave someone struggling to get an elk out of the field before it spoils, we sure wouldn't.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

100% agree with wytex, in some ways I would rather hunt alone than with a group anyway.

Butchering an elk solo sucks but it's manageable.

 

[dgc1963]

Lots of good Ideas and thoughts I have no issue if everyone comes or if everyone bails out not worried about food or gear the money very much everyone is bringing their own meals gear ect. We will be close well kinda but also very mobile splitting up in groups of 2 we may see each other every nite or maybe not for a few days some may even keep closer to the truck . either way it will be fun, and if I do end up solo no big deal if thats the case prob rent a few llamas for packing in and out looking into that now just for the info, ill have fun sending pics of my elk in the truck lol. I had a buddy bail on a bear hunt and I sent him videos every day of different bears by my stand just for the fun of it and the pic after I got mine.
Oh and a few have said go this year Just cant do it, to many other things to do. I take a hunting trip about every other or every 3rd year depending on the kind of trip Im self employed and take 2 min two weeks to hunt in Pa, archery bear, whitetail, and time with my fiance beach vacation so the 2 weeks out west adds up to a lot with everything else I wish i could go every year though