How do you determine who is shooter?

[2rocky]

Standing side by side, undisturbed animal, whatever we decided at the trailhead or prior with a coin flip or rochambeaux....Alternate each day but priority given to guest, youngster, senior. If first choice turned down, and you are hunting with me, you better be planning on packing meat the rest of that day...My longtime personal best bull was just outside of camp on opening day. BIL turned it down and I dropped the hammer on him. But hey, he got first shot the rest of the week....

If separated and you have time, it's nice to get the shooter over to put a stalk on, but if you are in range, make the most of it.

 

[Muskeez]

A very good friend and I decided to finally attempt archery elk hunting 10-12 years ago. Both rookies so we both wanted the shot of course. Each year we learned more. I had a couple of opportunities and missed a cow and a bull over the first 4 years. I also learned a lot about my friend. I learned to have all this decided before you leave home. What worked best for us was to have one person be the caller and one be the shooter from sunrise until noon, then switch. The next day the morning shooter becomes the afternoon shooter. Of course, the caller is still ready and would have taken a shot if he had it from a bull coming in from a different direction. Next, decide what happens if one guy gets a shot and misses. Do you stick to the schedule or does the other person become the shooter for the rest of the trip. I also learned that people can be decent callers one year and the next year loose all abilities therefore deaming themselves the shooter and never the caller. It makes for sour grapes. We are still great friends, I just will never do big game hunting with him again. Moral of the story, get it all worked out ahead of time and stick to it. Half days worked best for us because weather can change and ruin an entire day.

 

[Dan-06]

We switch every encounter or at lunch time. We draw straws to get a partner on the first day and then switch it up after that.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Best 3 out of 5 thumb wrastling match. 1, 2, 3, 4 I declare a thumb war.

 

[COraggy]

I personally wouldn't hunt with more than 1 person.. if I did hunt with say 3? draw straws for who calls and have 3 shooters. unless there are volunteers? I cant wrap my head around hunting in groups? I watched 7 guys walk past my camp one year thinking they are gonna have a long hunt... they were the 4th party that morning in a small area that the elk had already been bumped out of there. I often hunt with my brother and he prefers to hunt later in the season when the rut kicks in more so I shoot first and I don't really have preference... helps that he still uses the longbow and getting them really close is fun for me (and him)! although this year was the first time ive shot beyond 30 yards but I was also solo.