I was just curious! I use to hunt alone all the time, but me and a friend have been hunting together for a couple of years and I like it better that way. We go sepperate directions but meet back at the trail! and it's alway's fun to shoot the bull after the hunt! like I said just a curious question!! Good hunting, Jason
The camraderie is an essential part of the experience for me. I have been married to the same woman for 30 years, But my two hunting partners and I have been together for 40 years!!
I do 90 percent of the time but as I get older I really want to hunt with someone most of the time. My schedule just don't allow it.
95% solo
I'm almost always solo too. I typically only find time to hunt when my friends and family can't and they're typically hunting on Saturdays and opening days when I can't. I always do enjoy hunting with a few close buddies or my brothers though. Sadly, my two sons have very limited interest in hunting or I'd have a partner way more frequently.
I prefer it to be honest. I'd say if I did not take my son with me I would hunt alone 100% of the time. You really notice being alone when it comes time to do some draggin.
Solo, almost all the time.
I usually hunt alone but prefer to hunt with a friend, schedules get in the way.
95% solo...every now and again my buddy pete or pat and i will hunt together or do a group hunt. those are the days i love!
I hunt alone 80% of the time. I grew up hunting alone and am very comfortable, for up to a few days, alone.
When I hunt with others, it is a very select few. It is nice to not be constrained by certain rendezvous points or times. A hunt can be ruined by having to push or drag another along. I've gone home from camp several days early because of homesick and/or whinning men. Hunting should be quiet time - can't abide "talkers". I like to reflect, observe, and think.
On the other hand IF you can find a well matched hunting partner, you have found something special indeed. I've been fortunate to have a few; but, perhaps due to their similar nature, we don't hunt much together. Seems they prefer time alone also.
99% of the time solo.
I hunt alone often but I enjoy hunting with others more.
Alone as often as I can.
I hunt in a club, we have a timber company lease, we have about a dozen members in our camp and they all think I am anti-social.
Nothing against them, they are all my friends but to them hunting is a "social gathering", I prefer to be alone.
They all meet up at camp or at a crossroads for lunch, and "shooting the bull", I seldom participate.
When I do, I'll admit it is fun, but I prefer to be alone. I try to schedule my hunts during the week or during bad weather when I have the camp and woods to myself.
A weekend during general gun season (we hunt with dogs here during gun season) is more like a weekend at a state fair!
The fire is too big, and the camp generator is way too loud.
I love slipping away during the week when no-one is in camp but me and my little cabin.
Propane heat, propane cooking, and candles and a lantern for light, a grundig shortwave am-fm radio for companionship, so much quieter than a generator.
I do appreciate the electric power during the early season so I can run my air conditioner!
Long winded, sorry, but alone suits me just fine.
John
100% Solo. But I sure do miss my old buddies we had some great times in and out of woods. I still have my son and his friends for trackers they are a great bunch of guy's when I need them
I hunt alone about 95% of the time. The other 5% is spent hunting with just a couple of people.
I've tried to be a social hunter but it doesn't work for me. I can't find many/if anyone that likes to put in the effort like I do...
My kids are getting a little older which means (hopefully) I'll always have a full cabin!
Archery...95-99% alone.
Shotgun seems to be a much more "social" event.
Sendero's mentioning of a State Fair made me laugh.
Both are legitimate hunting (to me at least) but I don't try to compare the two or wish I was doing the other when doing one. It's like comparing california pizza to chicago pizza. They're both called "pizza" and they're both good...beyond that they're two different foods.
I enjoy both. Pizzas and hunting :)
I prefer to hunt with another person, but sometimes huntin' partners move away. And when the wife sends me out for rabbits, well, I have to go get them. Many times by myself. And that's fine, too. Sometimes it's nice to just hear the sound of silence.
I had a buddy to hunt with over the last 20 years, but age and economics dictated that he gave up bowhunting in the bigwoods, so I hunt 99% of the time by myself. He's up for a week of inline muzzy hunting the next week though, and I'll be carrying the bow. We had a blast today and it was fun hunting together once again.
I get tired of hunting alone in the remote places that I venture into and I've tried hunting with some other folks. Most of them turned out to be knuckleheads, so I lost them. One of these days, I'll come across a another good hunting pard' I hope.
99% of the time, and it is boring these days?? grew up hunting that way but as of late it seems to not be quite as much fun. Course then not many are string players round here.
J
I do while buck hunting. Once and if that happens I will doe hunt with friends on their farms to help them control them.
This is an interesting thread. I guess I should feel blessed. I have a couple of good hunting buddies that I hunt with. I guess I would feel lost if I didn't have somebody else to share my memories with. We hunt different areas of the farm but always meet up after the hunt. I guess I would feel a little lonely as well if I came from the woods to my truck and didn't have anyone to share it with. Hmmm, interesting.
Mike
I hunt alone most of the time, sometimes relatives and friends come up for a hunt.
Billy
I bowhunt a 100% solo. Gun season I like to hunt with relatives.
Almost always alone for the last 20 yrs. Buuuttt, this yr my 13 yr old daughter came along and she has decided she wants to hunt next yr. I find I am more excited about that then anything.
I hunt alone a lot. I have 'hunting buddies', but I prefer the solo method; quieter, more introspective. If I am hunting bugling elk, I would prefer a partner, however; preferably one with a strong back and a large backpack.
After hunting with friends until the mid-ninties. I've bowhunted alone ever since. Gun season I hunt with my son, and would probably quit gun hunting if he didn't join me. I've thought about bowhunting with friends again, but not really sure.
My 10 year old son is coming on to be a bowhunter and I'm sure he'll move in to be my hunting partner, but it's kinda nice having a buddy to share the hunt with! a good hunting partner is hard to come by, especially when you just bowhunt only! Thank's for all the replies, Jason
Gun hunted in a party for years in the Adirondacks, then started to do my own thing. Got back into bow more serious and it lends its self to a more solo experiance. Wife would rather I did not go alone but its not always possible. Started hunting with Adk. Ken last year a bit and it seems to work out alright. Not everyone can hunt alone, it just works for some folks and not for others.
90% of the time I go alone, I like it alone but also enjoy my dads company!
Unless I'm hunting out of town I always hunt alone. I like hunting with other people it just doesn't work out most of the time.
The last two years have been alone. My teenaged sons seem to always have something ele to do. I'm hoping that they will get interested in hunting again.
My boys have absolutely no interest in hunting, they used to appease me when they were younger but at 18 & 21 now, they just aint interested.
As a result, I probably hunt along about 80% of the time.
Solo. Its not always easy to find a compatible person to bowhunt with you. I had a couple that I used to hunt for about 20 years; but I moved away from that state. I now hunt alone but not by my choice.
100% I move to much to actually get to know anyone since grade school. I prefer it.
Not anymore. My wife has started bowhunting and while I loved hunting alone, I am really enjoying sharing the woods with her and watchint her learn about stalking, hunting, and making clean kills.
I hunt alone. Seems like I can spend a lot of time in the woods thinking about nothing other than hunting and how fortunate I am that God provided me with another wonderful day outdoors.
I was hunting about a quarter mile from my wife. I heard a horrific noise and then it came by me. A 500 pound elk, it passed by me and went on about a hundred yards, when a truck pulling a wagon rattled down a hill about a quarter mile away and it came tearing back to with in twenty yards of me. I made a grunty sound to scare it away and only made it mad. I felt pretty much alone right then. This is North west Iowa, there are not supposed to be rutting elk and mountain lions, but we have both apparently. There are no elk farms anywhere in this area either.
Yep, 99% of the time I'm alone. Like the solitude and I can take my time in all that I do.
50-50 with my son. Hap
elk bugling is best done with other hunters - and I put my time in doing that; but most of my hunting is done solo. I might take bear bait back in with a friend; but most of my bear hunting is done alone.
I was sitting yesterday in a blind; waiting for the southbound bucks I have been seeing walking by it. I was therefore looking north; and had a shot to my left. I had a northbound doe stick its head into the blind; and its first inhale made its eyes cross.
It got out of there fast. Now if I had someone else in the blind; I would have had to put up with WAY to much mean laughter !!!
Better this stuff happens with no witness' !
:archer:
Other than opening week that I hunt with my blood brother, 100%.
I hunt 90% of the time with my father in law for the last 20 years. He is 70 now and still stronger than most half his age. He doesn't have sons so I fill the role.
100% solo. I'm a social fisherman, but the solitude of hunting is what I crave and I'm blessed enough to have the use of a friend's "deer shack" during bow season to fill the need. Probably not too smart, as I'm getting to be a "longbeard". I do make sure friends know where my stands are so they can come get my remains if need be. No need in ruining a good deer stand with dead human scent!
I hunt alone mostly but could really use a mentor. This is only my second season out and have had to learn everything from this forum or on my own. This is a great place to learn though and I'm on the deer. I do have a couple of good friends I can call when I finally close the deal, maybe today.
bowhunting-100%, will hunt with firearms with my nephew and his son a few times, trying to get the boy more interested in bowhunting but he is at that age of: girls.
Since a fall a few years ago my wife insists on my keeping a cell phone, but I keep it off unless I need to tell her I'm coming home late for one reason or another.
Almost all the time alone, just works out that way. Not opposed to a partner, just usually timing doesn't work out. Leaving in the morning for 3 days of hunting. Going alone.
95% solo for me to.
I have a hunting partner, we just dont hook up often. Being over 60 I prefer to hunt with a friend, its good that someone knows what general area you are in...PR
Most of the time solo, unless my son is able to go. I hunt on a lease and if I need help I can usually call one of the other members for help if I need it. All of them are compounders but they are good guys and more than willing to help drag out a deer.
ALWAYS
I hunt about 80% alone.This year I did spend alot of time with a friend that drew limitied entry elk tag.I like to hunt solo if I can but everyone seems to call me. I do enjoy time with others and if they are new hunters I will usally go.
I am hunting solitude.
Killdeer
By my self mainly, my kids are too young as of right now, but that is changing by the minute. I cant wait untill they are ready.
I do enjoy hunting w/ family when I go down to my dads hunting club. Mainly family. But its about an hour away and I dont get down there that much.
I have a couple of properties that I hunt alone that is 10 minutes down the road that has good deer. Land owners doesnt want me carring anyone. Cant see the 1hr ride other that being w/ family.
My wife wish I had someone to hunt with. She normally get the play by play after every hunt. She even pretends like she is listening. :bigsmyl:
there has been occasions where ive hunted by myself, every thing being peiceful and all, im guilty of falling asleep in the tree stand and not wakin up till well after dark.this has happened to me on several occasions.but hunting in a partner situation or as a group. ive only done this a few times . i'd be interested in new ways to hunt. ive heard of some techniques that apparently work in the right situations . i dont know if its ok to mention them here
I hunt with a few buddies, we always meet up after the hunt wether its on the trail or on the side of the road hunting State land here in Wisconsin. I must admit, this is the first year of hunting with someone in the same tree as me, my 13 year old son Dominic's first year, it's AWESOME!!! I wouldn't trade it for the world. I kinda feel guilty hunting during the week when he can't because of school!
Up at the cabin in Michigan, its always full, which is good!
All my bowhunting is alone, I used to have a good hunting buddy of 20 plus years, but he moved to Alaska where the big critters live. I have always hunted alone, except for out west hunts or Bear in Canada, I enjoy a true hunting camp enviorment, but some turn into a party camp, dont enjoy that at all. I do miss checking in with my buddy after the hunt to compare stories, I do gun hunt with my nephew, but he is of the girl chasing age and hunting is not a priority now, but I can usually get ahold of him to help drag one out ! I do enjoy the peacefulness and quiet of hunting alone, but it is nice to have someone to check in with for safety and to share stories.
Dan
I prefer to hunt with friends. I hunt about 75% alone and would hunt more if I had friends to share it with. I have also had friends that I had to call to wake up and who were always late to the woods. The extra work of trying to get someone else enthused about a hunt turned me off. I have hunted with a few idiots over the years which means I like hunting with Friends that share the same passion for the hunt and for safety as I do. So I guess Hunting with friends only if they share similar hunting patterns as I. Otherwise I prefer to hunt alone.
Charlie
I bow hunt alone. I like it that way. It is good to have time alone to recharge and just have peace and quite. I like to be able to work the area and go one on one with the deer without complications. It seems like I work five times harder when I hunt with others around. I take my bow hunting very seriously, and I have had a hard time finding a hunting partners that do the same. I can only hunt deer where I live, and it is a populated area. There is not much room for errors if you want to be consistently successful. I feed my family with venison as or major meet supply for the year, so I am no just out having fun when hunting. That makes a big difference in how seriously I take my bow hunting. It would be a lot different if I hunted just for fun, or hunted bigger stuff in larger or remote areas where a partner or small group would be an asset instead of a liability.
For gun hunting I have done more group and family hunts. I always figure once the guns come out the serious hunting is over. You can screw up all kids of ways and still shot a deer with a gun. Even gun hunting I am not the most fun in camp. I don't like to drink, set around half the night playing cards or hang around camp half the day. I hunt hard, eat, get the work done and sleep. A couple hours in the evening setting by the fire talking and having some laughs are great, but I don't go hunting to hang out at camp.
Now upland hunting, and water fowling is completely different. Those are great group hunting opportunities, and I enjoy that a lot. I look forward to those hunts and spending time with friends. That type of hunting is usually better and more successful when done with team work.
I still have a few years before the kids can start hunting. I look forward to that even though I know my hunting will be greatly affected. It will be worth it and hopefully the freezer will be just as full.
WHAT A BUNCH OF LONERS!!! :biglaugh:
At least I finally fit in somewhere, mostly alone for me!
I enjoy hunting with friends but I hunt alone 95% of the time, always have. As has already been said, conflicting schedules get in the way. I've noticed I hunt harder and better when I don't have to meet someone at a certain time,place, etc.
I can't wait for my son to be old enough to tag
along on a regular basis.Now that the weather(and bugs are fewer)is getting cooler he will be coming along more often.
I take my dad squirrel hunting about four times a year. Other than that, its solo for deer and turkeys.
I wish he would still hunt with me more. However, he can't take the cold to deer hunt anymore. As for the turkeys. He always tells me, they want way to much money to hunt those.
Probably 50-50. Hunt with my brother and 2 of my friends. Since we typically have to drive 1-2 hours each way to hunt it makes it nice to have someone along.
I hunt used to hunt alone quite often but when a good partner (who is on the same page) is available, I hunt with them. Also included in all of this is when I hunt with a buddy but go our own way and then meet up later, a compromise on the solo/partner method.
75% of the time I am alone bowhunting. I recently re-introduced my son to bowhunting by giving him a recurve of mine. It was great. I do hunt with one other friend occaisionally, (w/Bow). Rifle/shotgun hunting is more social- nephews, brother,son-in-laws, friends come and meet at camp.
Lately I have relegated most of my time during rifle season to helping them get a deer. If it were'nt for helping them and enjoying their company, I think I would be almost exclusive bow hunting.
And, it sure is nice to have help getting a deer out of the woods and into a pickup!
Alone.
Hunting alone is more theraputic for me, but it is definately more dangerous.
Had the opportunity to go last monday for about 3hrs in the late evening. Blasted a few "fawn in distress" calls and had 3 does coming in with 4 fawns when a dog started howling every time I would call. I hear it getting closer, and am watching the deer, but they knew the dog was coming, so they skeedatelled. about 30 seconds later a shape comes into view and I think well I may have a coyote to deal with here.
Its a doberman-and this dog looks like it is up to no good. Im on the ground, and it comes trottling up to me, 20 yds and Im starting to get nervous, so I unsnap the tomahawk and pull it outta the sheath. Stood up and shouted at it, but it just circled, about 10 yds away. I had dropped my bow at this point, and was ready.
I think he was aware that I had a weapon, or could have caused him some damage, but he threw his head around a little and barked a couple times, and then turned and trotted off at the same pace he came in on.
Made my hair stand on end there for a few minutes....
Anyway, all that non-sense story to say
Hunting alone is more fulfilling for me, but there is a certain danger in being alone.
Farmer
I don't get the chance to hunt much but when I do it's solo...