I wish there were more friendliness

[Wallydeuce]

The tone of your post suggests to me that you're looking for someone, anyone to go with. Honestly ask yourself why.

Go alone. Fail. Go alone again and fail again. When you can be alone without being lonely, you'll find a partner for the right reasons. Who knows, you might prefer to have a campfire by yourself.

 

[Bullshot]

The tone of your post suggests to me that you're looking for someone, anyone to go with. Honestly ask yourself why.

Go alone. Fail. Go alone again and fail again. When you can be alone without being lonely, you'll find a partner for the right reasons. Who knows, you might prefer to have a campfire by yourself.

Second this. I recently got back from almost 2 weeks in CO and then WY hunting alone. Last year I hunted alone as well.

I was 2000 miles from home. Probably 5000 miles driven. Drove down miles of “road” where a breakdown would equal a long hike and a permanently abandoned vehicle. Not saying I was never nervous! Mostly new country I explored. Found bear, bulls, cows, bucks and does. Saw amazing scenery. Had full solitude once in the woods and field. Sleeping bag, truck, cold food. Awesome time.

Solo is no reason not to go.

 

[JLS]

Solo is no reason not to go.

This is the way…

 

[OntarioHunter]

The responses here seem to indicate an overwhelming preference for solo hunting. I can appreciate that. It's what I always preferred for big game or for birds. Though as a career park ranger I was paid to be sociable, and was genuinely accomplished at it, in the wild I want to get away from society and that includes being sociable. For me that's the overriding reason why I don't hunt with others or mentor. It's simply not my objective..

When the province here pretty much made it impossible to hunt moose without belonging to a merry band, I stopped hunting them. Fifteen people gunning for the same tag? That's not my thing. I cannot imagine being stuck anywhere with six guys 24 hours a day for any length of time, let alone fifteen of them. Yeah, I did it in the military but the US govt is still paying me for that three year inconvenience forty years later. And it wasn't my choice. I did choose to not make a career of it.

 

[woods89]

This is the way…

X2, or 3 or whatever.

 

[hank4elk]

I think many times, the “experienced” get tired of feeling used. I know I have.

“Letting someone tag along “ is often code for:
Decide where to go.
Drive your truck.
Use your weapons.
Use your camping equipment.
You figure out the food.
You do all the spotting.
You do all the gutting/dressing.
You do all the meat care and packaging.

I’ve had less experienced folks ask to tag along several times, and I’ve let them. I have usually regretted it afterwards. Inevitably, I do all the work and they just don’t want to hunt like I hunt. Can’t be out all day, can’t hike as far as we need to, too cold, too wet, too muddy, etc etc. When they are tagging along on my hunting trip, that leaves me feeling frustrated about wasting most of the time on a half-assed effort. Not enjoyable for me personally.

Wouldn’t it be a novelty if someone said “hey, I have this trip planned to X general area. I have this equipment and weapon, part of a meal plan, we can take my truck. But I don’t really know what I’m doing. Want to come along and show me some things?” I know I would be entering that trip with a vastly different mindset. Big difference mentoring someone who takes ownership and initiative for their learning.

Finding a hunting partner you click with is harder than finding a spouse. If you don’t share similar ethics, values, commitment level and willingness to put forth effort, it doesn’t work very well and can be a crappy experience for everyone involved.

Spoken in pure non-dick speak, and spot on.

No one would take me and I went alone. Then I went with some and went back to alone.
They left me alone.
I got successful & lucky. Then they asked me and my answer was no.

Now when I a mention something ,a tactic or such and they do not listen and blow it, I leave them alone ,to ponder it.

 

[woods89]

I would add that it's never been easier, in my opinion, to learn outdoor skills on your own. The internet, Onx, great gear, etc.

I started backpack hunting here at home, on my own. Build those skills, and sometimes once you have them opportunities come to hunt with competent people. Most people don't realize what a potential liability it is to go hunting with someone you don't know very well. Everybody says beforehand that they'll carry their weight, but hard hunts have a way of changing people's minds.

 

[Redmt]

I hunt our place and a few other pieces I caretake for. It's a lot of work, maintenance, and so on. I'm approached a couple times a month to hunt pigs, deer, squirrels, turkeys,,,, Not a single person has asked if they can help out.
A good friend and I try to get together and shoot squirrels on his ranch. I feel lucky and honored to be invited. I know what is involved in maintenance of land.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I hunt our place and a few other pieces I caretake for. It's a lot of work, maintenance, and so on. I'm approached a couple times a month to hunt pigs, deer, squirrels, turkeys,,,, Not a single person has asked if they can help out.
A good friend and I try to get together and shoot squirrels on his ranch. I feel lucky and honored to be invited. I know what is involved in maintenance of land.

I mentioned a while back that I have been known to fix bad gates and broken fence on public accessible places I hunt. Boy, did I get blasted by several property owners on here. But then I'm pretty sure their property is not public accessible so they've nothing to worry about. Guess they enjoy chasing loose cattle.

 

[Redmt]

Maybe I'm reading it wrong but it sounds like sour grapes? Some of the larger ranches, have such a huge liability in this sue happy world that it's understandable that they don't want uninvited people on the property. In our country we still are free range. If you don't want cattle on your property then you have to fence them out..if you want to keep them contained to your property then you fence them in. It seems kinda goofy to me trying to figure which side of the fence the cattle belong on. I'm glad all my cattle are in the freezer.

 

[manitou1]

When I was ten years old I decided I wanted to kill a whitetail buck. I had already been hunting squirrels and rabbits for several years, on my own or taking my little brothers with me.
That first year while deer hunting I sat on a tree limb every day after school and all day on weekends. The final day (hour) of the season I killed an 8-pt buck. It was the only deer I saw in nine days. Deer were not as numerous back in the 70's in that area. Almost non-existant.
It was a very rewarding and unforgettable experience that affected me for life.

I had nobody with me, no mentor, no t.v. shows and no internet to assist and I figured it out on my own. Nobody held my hand.

Nowadays there are literally thousands of t.v. shoes, videos, and websites to help somebody get involved in hunting. There IS NO EXCUSE for not being able to research a little and go out and hunt!

To ask for somebody to take you out hunting to teach you is just a lazy person's excuse in order to shortcut/cheat the system.

I have taken multiple guys out to introduce them to deer and turkey hunting. Provided them with optics, clothing, weapons, knives and ammo.
Some I "mentored" for five years and was still scouting, putting up stands (I purchased), then field dressing and butchering their game after FIVE YEARS!!!
Others only shot animals I put them on and never put an ounce if effort into it. If I didn't get them a deer and cator to them, they didn't go.
Pure laziness and abuse of my friendship. They want the @EASY BUTTON" so they can go brag what a great hunter they are.

Unfortunately I was too stupid/naive to finally end all the crap after MANY times if being used by many people.
I have always been a very successful hunter because I put a LOT of time and effort into it... and the lazy bums capitolized on it.

I used to love to introduce folks to hunting and fly fishing, but after being used so many times it is no longer my desire.

 

[manitou1]

I mentioned a while back that I have been known to fix bad gates and broken fence on public accessible places I hunt. Boy, did I get blasted by several property owners on here. But then I'm pretty sure their property is not public accessible so they've nothing to worry about. Guess they enjoy chasing loose cattle.

I carry fencing pliers/tools. When a rancher puts up one of those public access barbed wire gates too tight for Superman to close, I make some gentle adjustments to make the gate more "user friendly". One hundred percent of the time there is enough wire where it is anchored to "loosen the belt" so to speak.
I leave it tight enough to still remain viable, but accessable to us less than super-human beings. I am 6'3", 215 and find it hard to believe that a 75 year old rancher regularly accesses those gates. They are probably a seldom accessed gate or they have alternative access.

 

[Redmt]

I carry fencing pliers/tools. When a rancher puts up one of those public access barbed wire gates too tight for Superman to close, I make some gentle adjustments to make the gate more "user friendly". One hundred percent of the time there is enough wire where it is anchored to "loosen the belt" so to speak.
I leave it tight enough to still remain viable, but accessable to us less than super-human beings. I am 6'3", 215 and find it hard to believe that a 75 year old rancher regularly accesses those gates. They are probably a seldom accessed gate or they have alternative access.

I'm not trying to start a keyboard war but want to give you something to think about. Fences and gates are tight for a reason. The wire and stay (portagee) gates are often part of the tension of the fence. Loosening them for convenience weakens the entire fence. If it were my fence and gate you were modifying, I would not be very happy.
Also don't jump to the conclusion that the land owners are feeble little old men. A 75 year old rancher is as tough as they come.

 

[LuketheDog]

why so many hunters that have more experience feel like the newcomers are out there to take advantage of them?

Because they are taking advantage. You were taking advantage of his knowledge and generosity by allowing you, a stranger, in his camp and on his hunt. Clearly at some point he decided that you were not pulling your weight or meeting expectations, whether real or perceived.

 

[JLS]

This is getting good.

 

[RyGuy]

A common theme I’m noticing is that the experienced hunters seem to want more effort put in by the new guys. Also we don’t want the new guy to steal our spot, which kind of comes back to putting in the work (don’t just steal my hard earned spot, work hard and earn your own). I think the reason behind this is because hunting is HARD. We’ve all put in the work and we want to see others do the same. My dad was an adult onset hunter and he hunted elk for 10 years before killing his first. It was a calf and he still remembers every detail of that hunt.
I’ve been lucky to grow up hunting and the two of us have learned a lot through many years of hard work. We still learn a lot every year and by no means do we have it all figured out.
It’s very difficult and quite expensive to get into big game hunting on your own so I understand the newcomers that want a helping hand.

 

[RyGuy]

When I was ten years old I decided I wanted to kill a whitetail buck. I had already been hunting squirrels and rabbits for several years, on my own or taking my little brothers with me.
That first year while deer hunting I sat on a tree limb every day after school and all day on weekends. The final day (hour) of the season I killed an 8-pt buck. It was the only deer I saw in nine days. Deer were not as numerous back in the 70's in that area. Almost non-existant.
It was a very rewarding and unforgettable experience that affected me for life.

I had nobody with me, no mentor, no t.v. shows and no internet to assist and I figured it out on my own. Nobody held my hand.

Nowadays there are literally thousands of t.v. shoes, videos, and websites to help somebody get involved in hunting. There IS NO EXCUSE for not being able to research a little and go out and hunt!

To ask for somebody to take you out hunting to teach you is just a lazy person's excuse in order to shortcut/cheat the system.

I have taken multiple guys out to introduce them to deer and turkey hunting. Provided them with optics, clothing, weapons, knives and ammo.
Some I "mentored" for five years and was still scouting, putting up stands (I purchased), then field dressing and butchering their game after FIVE YEARS!!!
Others only shot animals I put them on and never put an ounce if effort into it. If I didn't get them a deer and cator to them, they didn't go.
Pure laziness and abuse of my friendship. They want the @EASY BUTTON" so they can go brag what a great hunter they are.

Unfortunately I was too stupid/naive to finally end all the crap after MANY times if being used by many people.
I have always been a very successful hunter because I put a LOT of time and effort into it... and the lazy bums capitolized on it.

I used to love to introduce folks to hunting and fly fishing, but after being used so many times it is no longer my desire.

I mean absolutely no offense by this, but sitting on a tree limb and shooting a whitetail, then dragging it out of the woodlot is much easier (less physically demanding and a gentler learning curve) than killing an elk on public land and then packing it out in pieces.
BUT maybe that’s a good starting point. If newcomers just went out and started hunting and putting in the effort towards species that are generally less physically demanding, maybe experienced hunters would be more likely to take them on elk hunts?

 

[OntarioHunter]

I'm not trying to start a keyboard war but want to give you something to think about. Fences and gates are tight for a reason. The wire and stay (portagee) gates are often part of the tension of the fence. Loosening them for convenience weakens the entire fence. If it were my fence and gate you were modifying, I would not be very happy.
Also don't jump to the conclusion that the land owners are feeble little old men. A 75 year old rancher is as tough as they come.

There is tight and then there is Superman tight. Anyone carrying fencing pliers (I used to but lost mine a couple years ago pheasant hunting) knows how to use them and what is tight and what is not. I don't think he or she would be loosening a gate merely for "covenience" but rather to make it actually usable.

 

[JLS]

It’s very difficult and quite expensive to get into big game hunting on your own so I understand the newcomers that want a helping hand.

It’s as expensive as you want to make it. I started hunting elk at 22 with the best gear i could afford at the time, which wasn’t great. Surplus wool, gear I got at Cabelas bargain cave and yard sale (which at the time was a really good deal).

My mentoring consisted of hunting alone screwing up, asking questions to my mentor, and him telling me where I screwed up and what to do differently.

Personally, I don’t see the issues. My 20k foot take on this is new hunters have a misconception they shouldn’t fail. When I hunted the Selway in Idaho a few years ago, I killed the first bull I saw IN 7 DAYS of hunting. Some hunts are hard. Embrace it and enjoy it.

 

[woods89]

It’s as expensive as you want to make it. I started hunting elk at 22 with the best gear i could afford at the time, which wasn’t great. Surplus wool, gear I got at Cabelas bargain cave and yard sale (which at the time was a really good deal).

My mentoring consisted of hunting alone screwing up, asking questions to my mentor, and him telling me where I screwed up and what to do differently.

Personally, I don’t see the issues. My 20k foot take on this is new hunters have a misconception they shouldn’t fail. When I hunted the Selway in Idaho a few years ago, I killed the first bull I saw IN 7 DAYS of hunting. Some hunts are hard. Embrace it and enjoy it.

Yup. We live in a world of $1,000 phones, $7 coffee, and $70,000 pickups. I'm married to a stay at home mom and we have 4 kids. If I can do it, very few people actually can't find a way.