Hunting w/ A Friend Rules?

[LandDiver]

I was wondering what are some of the basic rules you guys follow when you hunt with friends?

For example who shoots first? Is a simple rock, paper, scissors game enough to settle that question?

When does the other person have a chance to shoot? After the first person either misses, or connects? Switch every other day or something?

Say only 1 animal was able to be get a ride home between the two of you, is the meat split between the two hunters, or no?

Sorry for these questions. I have a friend who wants to come up from Texas and try for an archery elk this next September. Being that I am completely new to hunting and I don't know what the rules are ha ha. He's done guided rifle hunts for deer down in TX before, but never archery.

Thanks!

 

[JohnCushman]

Stay in your own sleeping bags :hump:

 

[huntid73]

GoHunt had a great couple of articles about hunting with a partner..http://www.gohunt.com/read/life/10-important-rules-of-the-hunting-partner-code
http://www.gohunt.com/read/skills/how-to-choose-the-best-hunting-partner#gs.vpI4be4

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Stay in your own sleeping bags :hump:

Only Cush could come up with that one, LOL!

 

[gdgwp]

Here's how my brother and I do it:

- We're big cribbage players...so the night before we play as many games as time allows. Whoever wins the series, gets the first opportunity.
- As far as when the other person shoots, I can't help you there. We just say "this is your buck, let's get him" and then that person goes and tries to take him down.
- Once you have an opportunity, we switch to the next person. Example: I just put a stalk on a buck, I don't get a shot, now it's my brothers turn on the next one.
- If we only harvest one animal, we split the meat 75/25. 75 to the shooter, 25 to the helper.

 

[Southern Elk]

We have drawn cards in the past. The high card gets first shot.

 

[airlocksniffer]

First sight gets first shot.

 

[Speeddmn]

Id rather have my friend fill their tag first. Then I'll try to fill mine.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Id rather have my friend fill their tag first. Then I'll try to fill mine.

This.

Especially if I am "hosting" the other hunter. Or they are a kid, or they have never killed the specie, etc...

 

[406LIFE]

This.

Especially if I am "hosting" the other hunter. Or they are a kid, or they have never killed the specie, etc...

agree with this. I haven't shot as many animals as I would like, but I would rather someone else get one than me. If its with a regular hunting buddy, we usually switch when the other is tired. Most of the time we already have a game plan or we are not hunting side by side.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

He who spots it, shoots it. Or has the first option at it anyway.

 

[JohnCushman]

I've taken a couple of friends, and my wife, on antelope hunts. It was their first antelope hunts, and in a couple of cases it was their first hunts. Even though I had the same tags, I 'guided' them to their first animals before I pursued my own tags. I got more satisfaction in seeing them fill their tags than I did filling my own.

 

[LandDiver]

Stay in your own sleeping bags :hump:

This me me laugh good ha ha. Thanks.

GoHunt had a great couple of articles about hunting with a partner..http://www.gohunt.com/read/life/10-important-rules-of-the-hunting-partner-code
http://www.gohunt.com/read/skills/how-to-choose-the-best-hunting-partner#gs.vpI4be4

I'll read those links tonight. Thanks.

Here's how my brother and I do it:

- We're big cribbage players...so the night before we play as many games as time allows. Whoever wins the series, gets the first opportunity.
- As far as when the other person shoots, I can't help you there. We just say "this is your buck, let's get him" and then that person goes and tries to take him down.
- Once you have an opportunity, we switch to the next person. Example: I just put a stalk on a buck, I don't get a shot, now it's my brothers turn on the next one.
- If we only harvest one animal, we split the meat 75/25. 75 to the shooter, 25 to the helper.

I love cribbage. When I find my first shed I'm making a cribbage board out of it. Maybe I'll do like what Randy does. If the person he's with passes on it, he takes it ha ha!

We have drawn cards in the past. The high card gets first shot.

I like this. Thanks.

First sight gets first shot.

I like this one as well. Thanks.

Id rather have my friend fill their tag first. Then I'll try to fill mine.

True, and that's how I feel as well. Especially with him driving all the way up here from TX. But he's killed more animals then me ha ha. I have zero animals to talk about. He has a few with the guided hunts he does down there in TX.

 

[Nick87]

My brother and I flip for the first day, then we just go every other day after that. That way each of us can pick where he wants to start that day etc.

 

[Tradewind]

we always split the meat 50-50. I usually give him the first shot or best location. His health isnt what it used to be.

 

[Doublecluck]

Totally depends on what were hunting, how much of a friend you are and how fast you can shoot. Always give kids and newbies first go... My brother in law (first time big game hunter) got the first 3 shots at deer this year, also just so happened that the first 3 were all 130+ whitetails... He missed all 3... Next year I might let kids go first... Maybe..

 

[Gerald Martin]

With archery elk its more a matter of who gets set in the most likely spot to kill a bull that's coming in. In my experience the designated shooter is not always the one who has the shot opportunity. A bull that circles or comes in from a different direction often gives the non-designated shooter the best opportunity. It's the one reason I don't mind being the caller and setting up my hunting partners for the shot a majority of the time. Only an idiot will pass up a good opportunity for a shot if the elk doesn't read the script.

 

[bobbydean]

We generally climb the ridge at dawn together. See a deer, you shoot it.

At the top, we split into different draw, 200 to 300 yards apart.

Only time we were together for a shot was a running buck at 300 plus yards. He was hunting with a straight 4 power scope and I have mine up to nine power. He said you have the scope, shoot it. So, I did.

 

[Muskeez]

Thank you to Gerald for your insight! I have been in this situation on my past 2 September elk hunts. We drew for the short/long stick. Long stick was the first "shooter" and short stick was "caller" that would hold back a ways while shooter tried to cut the distance to any given bull that we were working. We agreed ahead of time that we would rotate duties at noon, then the next day it would be opposite for morning and afternoon, then rotate back again. This way each of us had half of the day and it wasn't just the mornings or just the afternoons. Situation got kind of tough when the last 2 years I have gotten shots on my first half day and messed them up for different reasons. (One cow and one bull) My hunting partner then automatically has deemed me the caller and him the shooter for the rest of the week until he got his shot opportunity, which never came. Needless to say this hasn't sat real well with me. I should have spoken up right away and said, no, I'm up the next day again like we agreed upon. We also agreed that no matter who shoots the first elk we both help pack it all back to the truck no matter how long it takes or how many trips and we will split the meat 50/50. Hope this gives you something to consider so you don't end up in my situation. Moral of the story, discuss with your buddy what happens when one guy misses??

 

[1_pointer]

This.

Especially if I am "hosting" the other hunter. Or they are a kid, or they have never killed the specie, etc...

This! More than once I've taken folks pronghorn hunting and didn't even uncase my rifle for a day or more.

Also, I've found if you are truly friends the situation just kind of works itself out without any real "rules".