How do you determine who is shooter?

[BuzzH]

Pretty rare day when I don't offer those I hunt with first shot.

For instance:

 

[brockel]

I’m always last shooter. I get just as much enjoyment if not more out of someone else shooting something as I do if I do especially if it’s their first

 

[JEL]

When I see elk

 

[TheTone]

Arm wrestling tournament

All situational for me depending on who I’m with, where, etc. I probably hunt by myself 90% of the time. If I’m with my wife she is almost always getting first chance; with other friends most likely alternating chances or whoever finds the animal gets first chance

 

[recon6036]

We’re like Wisconsin deer hunters…..we all shoot every round we have, at the same animal, and at the same time.

 

[belshawelk]

Anyone hunting with me can go first. But if you screw around and not ready Ill shoot.

Cant stand people that need to screw around when a true shot opportunity presents it self. I don't care about antler size or size of ears on a cow. If your worried about it and don't pull the trigger, it'll be too late. Ill start butchering while your still pondering if you should have shot.

I'm too old for second thoughts..............

 

[thomas89]

Never been able to find the elk to have this be an issue.

Fun thought though.

 

[IEATELK]

Like stated, the rookie or seniors are the priority. I love the chase not the kill.

 

[hank4elk]

Guests.
I hunt alone. Usually.

 

[HUNTNNW]

Hunt solo or with my wife either way its coming home

 

[Sytes]

Thankfully, my hunt partner and I debate against ourselves regarding shooter and caller.
For us, it boils down to who had last harvest usually in our debates for archery UNLESS the environment shifts with the angle/opportunity of a bull/buck in the caller's lane, play it as it unfolds.

Rifle: whomever spots has the choice to pass to other... then we debate. It's humorous.

We want each other to tag. Fun. I use "debate" lightly. We're reasonably quick to decide in the moment.

Meh, if that helps. Regardless, we split the mean 50/50.

Old days we had a couple friends join for archery. Best we came up with set our map gameplan and split two groups set to press elk one way or both.

to each his/her own.

 

[Hammsolo]

Leg wrestling, but if the snow is too deep we go double handed blindfolded thumb war. Oh and best 4 out of 7. This is with my brother of course. Strangers seem to balk at my methods…

 

[TheTone]

I’ll also say it’s nice if all involved are aware of the shooter situation. I did an elk hunt a few years back with a friend where he had pre determined he was the shooter all days until he tagged out. I had no idea of this going in. I “think” it was because I was on a run of filled tags and he wasn’t. I don’t think we had a single set up where I was in the lead or wasn’t the caller. He also decided we were pulling the plug and heading home as soon as the last load of his bull was to the truck. It did a lot to sour my desire to hunt with him. Had I known his thoughts I probably wouldn’t have got a tag for where we went and instead got a tag at home and hunted by myself on days around that trip

 

[SFC B]

Rochambeau.

I go first!!!!

 

[canadianrifleman]

What ways do you pick who is shooter on a archery elk hunt within a group of hunters? Switch everyday? Shooter stays shooter till he has a shot or opportunity? Rookie goes first? Draw straws

I like to alternate days

 

[idahohuntr]

Whatever the method, it is best to discuss well before-hand, not once an animal is in view. I've gone with whoever spots gets to pass/shoot for rifle, alternate setups/days with archery elk calling, etc. Having something figured out well in advance minimizes lost opportunity and hard feelings.

 

[Khunter]

An agreement in advance to split meat at end of hunt can sure ease the strain, if any, on who shoots first. That should always be made clear before the hunt, IMO. I mostly do not care if I shoot or not but am addicted to eating elk, so I want to kill if that is only way I assure filling freezer.

Under a meat sharing agreement, guy I hunt with usually trade off each day or morning/evening who shoots first.

Also pretty often one guy is willing to shoot smaller critters than the other so that has often informed game-time decisions.

Lastly, often we are not even hunting together during the day, especially when busy trying to find huntable critters we may split up to cover more ground.

 

[RckyMtn]

Whoever saw the animal first, gets first dibs.

Only usurped if a first timer is hunting, then they get first dibs, unless it’s a trophy caliber big ol beast, then it sticks with whoever saw it first. Those are few and far between though.

 

[Potsie]

Archery season we alternate shooter/caller days. During rifle season we rarely hunt together, so it's really not an issue. I did give my FIL first shooter rights two years in a row, but as soon as he passed I was off and running.

 

[jimh406]

If it's work to figure it out, you should think about who you are hunting with. Ideally, everyone should be bending over backwards to let the other guy shoot. That's the point about hunting with other people ... at least to me. Otherwise, just hire a guide or hunt by yourself.