I do all of my hunting, and most of my hiking/scouting by myself. I know a few other guys who hunt, no one else that uses traditional gear though, and most are not bow hunters at all. Outside of 1 friend I do some target shooting with, this is very much a solo pursuit. I am curious how many on here are in this same situation? I would welcome the opportunity to hunt with someone on occasion if the opportunity came up. The concept of safety in in the woods, as I get a bit older, is in the background somewhere.
I'm pretty much the same way, I'd say 99% of my scouting time, which is a lot is alone, I have a couple buddies that trad hunt I'll meet up with on a rare occasion if we happen to be hunting the same rough area but otherwise I'm solo, like you, I'm getting older and not in the shape I was in years ago and getting a deer out of the woods is more of a challenge than it was and has made me be more selective of my hunt areas, a deer cart or quartering up and packing out has become a necessity. It's great to have friends to help if that's possible, I'm lucky that when I hunt fairly close to home my wife will come help out. When I hunt remote areas with no cell coverage, I carry a garmin inReach. In past years I would have laughed at this , but a fall or accident is a more serious thing for me anymore.
Deer hunting is mostly on my property behind my house and is solo. I've always enjoyed my out of state hunts with a couple good friends. Sometimes we would hunt together, sometimes not but the company in camp is welcome. I'm like the rest of us in getting older and getting hurt is more in the back of your mind. I always carry my cell phone at my wife's insistence.
Early on, I bowhunted with my dad, and brother-in-law. Then my dad passed away in the mid nineties and my BIL lost interest mainly due to health reasons. I hunted few times with a friend but due to illness he has quit hunting also. So for the last ten years I bowhunted alone.
Until last year. And then an amazing thing happened. I reconnected with a childhood friend, Kendall Techau. We both loved archery after my dad took us with bowhunting white tails. I hadn't seen Kendall in about sixty years. I saw him post on a Tradgang once, quite a few years ago and I messaged him.
We talked about our lives; and how much we had in common. Married for nearly fifty years? -yup, three kids? a boy and two girls-yup. Played guitars- sort of. Kendall plays guitar,I just dabble. Black Toyota pick ups? -yup. Shoot traditional bows? Yup, in a major way!
Kendall invited me down to Kentucky last year and we hunted deer on his property. It was great, like we picked up
right where we left off when we were ten years old or so. We are planning an Iowa bow hunt as soon as we can get drawn. I do have another friend that I introduced to bowhunting. I sold him my Northern Mist Shelton. We have talked about hunting together and may make it happen this year.
If I had to, I would still solo hunt. But it adds an awful lot to hunting if you have a partner you can count on. I will still hunt alone because of the distance involved, because I can't get enough of bowhunting even now when I am about to turn 70. But as others have noted, safety has become more of an issue.
G
I'm pretty fortunate in that I have some private land and hunt often with my two partners in the place during hunting season. Yet I hunt alone a lot as well.
I enjoy both as with them there, although they use modern style bows we can help out when animals are taken and share real time phone pics about deer we see.
But I love the peace and solitude being there alone. I know it concerns my wife some given my heart history but I don't even think about it. And really if I gotta go that wouldn't be such a bad place.
I do get to share a traditional bowhunt now and then with friends and those are very special occasions for me. The atmosphere is different and the feeling of belonging is different as well.
I'm blessed to have land in two states and friends to hunt with in both.
All that to say alone is not an issue for me. At least not yet.
As some have mentioned, just having the help getting game out is a huge plus...I have to imagine. Looking at a bear hunt in Sept. and the task of getting it out alone is potentially going to be challenging. I have a buddy to call to help drag, if his availability allows, but it is not a guarantee.
We have utility carts and a tractor with a bucket available. That helps a lot.
I only hunt on my family farm anymore. Used to go with a couple of buddies various places, but they've passed on. Seems I don't really have anyone left to tramp the woods with. That's OK too. My wife usually helps me get the deer out to where I can get my tractor and loader to it. :campfire:
I pretty much hunt solo. Last year I hunted in Wisconsin with a close friend of mine and we may do another hunt together this fall. I'm picky about who I hunt with because it can make or break a hunt. I used to hunt religiously with another close friend of mine until he got all busted up from a plane crash and isn't capable of hiking around like we used to. Some people won't hunt alone but I personally enjoy the time.
I generally hunt alone, also. For most of my hunting life, it has been that way. I had no brothers, and my dad did not hunt. I am totally comfortable going solo. Everything is done at my pace. Usually, I can contact my son to help me get a deer out of the woods. The tractor is down at present, but it is usually on hand to help. Sometimes, I do have a hunting companion, and I enjoy it. My buddies and I only have one deer camp annually, so for an extended weekend, we enjoy a great camaraderie. Just the same, solo deer hunting is just fine with me.
I hunted for years with my father. He definitely appreciated my help on the drag. He passed away a few years ago. I've spent the past few years hunting alone and really relearning how to hunt alone. In those years I've hunted exclusively trad and it's become a very spiritual and private experience. I don't think I would much enjoy hunting with others at this point.
I would prefer to hunt with buddies but it generally doesn't work out that way. It's nice to have an extra set of hands and eyes for tracking and dragging out deer; several years ago I helped my son track a deer he hit for hours. We lost the trail in the darkness, and when we found it the next day, the 'yotes had found it first and they didn't leave much. Still, it was nice for him to have someone to count on to help track (he has red/green deficiency and has trouble with blood trails). And there's always the possibility of injury or a health emergency, especially as we age.
I hunt 100% solo and like it that way. I've hunted all over the country and enjoy the solitude and being able to do what I want without a group meeting lol. I tried hunting with others early on but most do more talking about hunting than hunting and always have excuses for why they can't go. I've also had hunts ruined by bringing someone that likes the idea of hunting and camping but end up complaining the whole time or show up without a tent forget their boots always something. I've found it's easier to just do it by myself.
I hunt almost always alone and I prefer that. I do have a friend who once or twice a year winds up on the same farm as me but if it was anyone else I'd not want them around. When I mentor someone they're obviously near but I'd not be "hunting" with them. Prob more like guiding/teaching them.
My bud is not actually with me though. I want no one interfering with my hunt. That means hunting a different area, different deer group. Yea it's nice if you succeed having someone there but it's not necessary.
I don't really have anyone trad I hunt with, my buddy uses a compound but he takes clean close shots so I don't look at him any different than lots of styk guys. 12 yards is 12 yards. He's pushing nothing. Glad he's my bud
I passed up on a NM elk hunt invitation this year. My friend invited me on the hunt with a guy that has hunted the area before. My friend said that the other guy smokes pot all day and is an ass****. I told him absolutely not, and best of luck. I'm really surprised my friend is going, I guess he want an elk at any cost..
I have my limits and those 2 traits are something I won't tolerate.
Nothing wrong with hunting alone.
SOLO
Even with a group in camp like on Blackbeard we never see each other during daylight
like Bowguy we are usually mentoring at least one guy each year but that's not hunting. Thats setting up for success then following through.
like Dave I started using wheeled cart about 10 years ago and really like it.
started using my field quarter pack the past few years and I'm liking that even more.
So no problems getting deer, hogs, bears out of the woods by myself.
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I have pretty much always hunted solo, or at least a long ways from anyone else. My hunting areas have been hard found and hard to keep. I got tired of people finding my stands and doing whatever to them as well as stealing them. Had someone take a crap in one once, another person crap on the ground under my wife's ladderstand and then smear it on the rungs. I park a long ways from my stand and hid my trail. I once had a screw in step break when I was 14 feet up. Landed on my back between several huge rocks. It would take them a week to find me in that area if they did at all. I took my son and hunted within 150 yards of him or farther. the same with my wife after she began to hunt. still solo even on a lease.
Most of my bow hunting has been solo. My son used to hunt with me some but he lives out of town now and he's busy with young children. I don't really have much in the way of quality hunting available so last year I just sat out behind the house. The year before I didn't bother.
This year I was thinking about a section of a semi local state FWA. Our state areas are beat to death and not really worth the trouble but I'm told there is an archery only section...that could be a quiet place come gun season (the rut).
Now for the first time in my life I'm thinking about age/health. I have a health issue that's going to make it hard to get back and forth to the area and I don't know how I could get a deer out of there. The last deer I killed was on my property. I hauled him out with the lawn tractor and wagon and my wife to help load him in there.
Almost every time I have hunted with someone else, they will after a few hours come and check with me to find out if I have seen anything. :banghead:
REALLY?!
Solo hunting for me.
Solo for me as well. I sometimes have a hunting partner in camp, and it's fun to exchange experiences at the end of the day, but I always hunt solo.
im always alone, dont have any hunting buddies.
used to go hangout with the guys at deer camp during gun season.
but none of them were bowhunters, i would throw my 5 bucks in the big buck jar just in case i got the biggest, and i did win it once. came in second a few times.
but some have died, and others have drifted away. as i did too ,i guess.
i hunt mostly public, and the dangers of being alone and older is often on my mind.
getting a deer out is not on my mind till its time to do it , most of the time.
exploring new areas is part of the fun, or places i havent been in awhile.
its good to be alone because i never know where il be until im there.
theres always a better spot over there :biglaugh: wayyy over there! :knothead:
Quote from: arrow30 on July 17, 2022, 09:49:12 PM
theres always a better spot over there :biglaugh: wayyy over there! :knothead:
I have been to this spot...it's nice there. Dragging the bigger game out is starting to be more of a thought for me having had some physical issues mounting over the past several years. Might have a look at the wheeled cart options. I also hunt public lands, have no options for a tractor/atv etc. to do the drag work for me.
Solo adventure is a focused adventure. Solo 99.9999%;) I have and do enjoy being joined by 1 other chasing bunnies now and then. I would enjoy a small camp with one or two other like minded bowhunting large tracts far between , and campfire talks of the events before rest and hitting it again. but mostly I love my outdoor adventure alone to thoroughaly enjoy without thought of others ...if that can even be found anymore;^))
Life has enough distractions . [attachment=1,msg3005869]In the fields and streams I want to realish all of the outdoors. Going it alone allows that kind of undistracted forcus and observation.......
I run solo 99.9% of the time. I don't have any trad buddies anymore. And the buddies I have that archery hunt only hunt behind there houses a handful of times a year. I used to have a fellow who I would hunt each year with in this big swamp and getting one out alone is not easy to do. I'd like to do some pig hunts out of state but no one will or can go. Now rifle Bear hunts I have some die hard buddies to go with but archery none anymore.
There are major advantageous to both hunting with friends and hunting solo. I split the two about 50-50. I really enjoy the time I spend outdoors with my family and friends. When I commit to that type of hunt, I often put my personal hunting success on the back-burner and focus on fellowship and the overall hunting experience. I love coming back in to camp at night and hearing the stories and anecdotes that each person has to share. I also love being in on a someone else's success, particularly if they are a young or new hunter.
On the other hand, part of why I hunt is for the purpose of immersing myself totally in the outdoor experience. That feeling is most often realized from a solo perspective. When you hunt by yourself, you don't have to worry about whether or not someone else is having a good time. You can focus all of your senses on the outdoor world. You can set the pace and the agenda without influence. The success, when it comes, is sometimes more meaningful.
I am a richer person for having quality friends to share hunting camps from. My experience is also deepened by the time I have spent hunting alone.
Quote from: gregg dudley on July 18, 2022, 12:23:26 PM
There are major advantageous to both hunting with friends and hunting solo. I split the two about 50-50. I really enjoy the time I spend outdoors with my family and friends. When I commit to that type of hunt, I often put my personal hunting success on the back-burner and focus on fellowship and the overall hunting experience. I love coming back in to camp at night and hearing the stories and anecdotes that each person has to share. I also love being in on a someone else's success, particularly if they are a young or new hunter.
On the other hand, part of why I hunt is for the purpose of immersing myself totally in the outdoor experience. That feeling is most often realized from a solo perspective. When you hunt by yourself, you don't have to worry about whether or not someone else is having a good time. You can focus all of your senses on the outdoor world. You can set the pace and the agenda without influence. The success, when it comes, is sometimes more meaningful.
I am a richer person for having quality friends to share hunting camps from. My experience is also deepened by the time I have spent hunting alone.
Time shared with the right people multiplies your experience, IMHO.
Quote from: Captain*Kirk on July 18, 2022, 01:24:29 PM
Quote from: gregg dudley on July 18, 2022, 12:23:26 PM
There are major advantageous to both hunting with friends and hunting solo. I split the two about 50-50. I really enjoy the time I spend outdoors with my family and friends. When I commit to that type of hunt, I often put my personal hunting success on the back-burner and focus on fellowship and the overall hunting experience. I love coming back in to camp at night and hearing the stories and anecdotes that each person has to share. I also love being in on a someone else's success, particularly if they are a young or new hunter.
On the other hand, part of why I hunt is for the purpose of immersing myself totally in the outdoor experience. That feeling is most often realized from a solo perspective. When you hunt by yourself, you don't have to worry about whether or not someone else is having a good time. You can focus all of your senses on the outdoor world. You can set the pace and the agenda without influence. The success, when it comes, is sometimes more meaningful.
I am a richer person for having quality friends to share hunting camps from. My experience is also deepened by the time I have spent hunting alone.
Time shared with the right people multiplies your experience, IMHO.
I agree. But finding the right people can be a challenge. But when you do . . .
I'm like many on here, solo 95% of the time. WE have some trad shooters in our club and sometimes we hook up and do a hunt. I just enjoy the woods and the hunt. I will do it as long as I can.
I do the vast majority of my deer hunting on my own. I just enjoy the solitude and at the same time feel that my odds for success are much much higher without another person along. I'll hunt with my dad and my brother a bit during gun season, but even that we're either set up several ridges apart or doing small pushes to each other. A buddy and I would go still hunt through the swamps together a bit during muzzleloader season up at school but again we were just on our own and would meet back at the truck after dark.
Small game and bird hunting is a totally different story. I love sitting out in the swamp with a couple of buddies waiting for the ducks to start flying. All depends on what I'm doing I guess.
My first couple of years (1970-1971) I bowhunter out of a camp with some veteran bowhunters and serious target archers.
Then I hunted with a couple of friends and a brother. I was the serious bowhunter in that group.
Then I hunted solo for the next 15 years or so. After that, and now I hunt a lot with my son, who is also my neighbor. Mostly local hunting on our farm. I have a great friend I've bowhunter with a lot out-of-state (elk, mulies, antelope, and black bear) but our health and $ means are no longer similar. I screwed up and let almost a decade of those adventures (my 40's) escape me as I moved within 4 states to advance my career.
Now my son is more eager and able to do out-of-state hunts we've hunted mulies and bear, together.
Most of the time now I feel guilty when hunting solo because I have lots of mentoring "duties" with my grandchildren, a daughter, and son-in-law which are high priorities.
I prefer to bow hunt alone. I like the solitude.
Quote from: gregg dudley on July 18, 2022, 12:23:26 PM
There are major advantageous to both hunting with friends and hunting solo. I split the two about 50-50. I really enjoy the time I spend outdoors with my family and friends. When I commit to that type of hunt, I often put my personal hunting success on the back-burner and focus on fellowship and the overall hunting experience. I love coming back in to camp at night and hearing the stories and anecdotes that each person has to share. I also love being in on a someone else's success, particularly if they are a young or new hunter.
On the other hand, part of why I hunt is for the purpose of immersing myself totally in the outdoor experience. That feeling is most often realized from a solo perspective. When you hunt by yourself, you don't have to worry about whether or not someone else is having a good time. You can focus all of your senses on the outdoor world. You can set the pace and the agenda without influence. The success, when it comes, is sometimes more meaningful.
I am a richer person for having quality friends to share hunting camps from. My experience is also deepened by the time I have spent hunting alone.
Well said Greg.
I hunt by myself at least 60% of the time. The other (close to) 40% would be an even split between hunting with friends/family and hunting with my wife.
I enjoy all of them for different reasons. Being out bush by myself is what I feel like I prefer the most but I'm always torn between hunting hard and taking pictures (I love photography as well). I do like the idea of just pleasing myself.
When I'm with my wife we're very laid back and always have a great time and she's a much nicer photographic subject than I am. :biglaugh:
When I'm with my dad, he takes over all the photography because he's a master, so it's cool to be able to focus entirely on hunting in that sense, but he is getting older so he can't keep up with me as much as he used to. That's fine. Any time spent with my dad is the best.
With friends is always good and my involvement varies between just being the bloke with the camera, or being the bloke leading everyone around, depending on the skill levels of everyone else involved.
I'm like Orion, in fact he and I shared a camp on a Utah elk trip. We hunted solo, but it's nice to come back to camp and share experiences with a partner. Evening meal time is a good time to relate your days adventure, share opinions and advice, and just plain have a little fun. Having a partner in camp is also a good safety measure in case one gets injured. But as far as the hunting, bowhunting is pretty much a solo endeavor, you and the prey.
100% solo. After going on hunts with friends, let's just say some friends are better off staying home. I've been through the friends who show up only wanting to drink and play cards, friends who have no right to shoot an animal because their shooting was awful, the friend who says their broadheads are sharp because that is what it said on the package. I've learned the experience of being reliant only on myself for the overall success more than makes up for the comradery I can get at the ballpark.
Gotta say...am not that surprised by the numbers here who choose to hunt solo. I kind of feel like my welcoming of the opportunity to hunt with others may be from not really ever doing it based on some of the replies. I am glad you guys are willing to share your experience though. I will continue to enjoy things as I always have. If the occasion should still arise for me to try a hunt with co. I will still pursue it to say I have had the experience.
Quote from: PrimitivePete on July 30, 2022, 06:36:25 PM
100% solo. After going on hunts with friends, let's just say some friends are better off staying home. I've been through the friends who show up only wanting to drink and play cards, friends who have no right to shoot an animal because their shooting was awful, the friend who says their broadheads are sharp because that is what it said on the package. I've learned the experience of being reliant only on myself for the overall success more than makes up for the comradery I can get at the ballpark.
Pete done met some of the guys I use to hunt on a lease with back in the 90s.😃
Other than the older gentleman who taught me how to hunt and shoot a bow I've been solo my entire hunting career. I have friends who hunt but none of them are into hunting the way I do it. They all like the idea of hunting but to them hunting is going out opening morning of firearms season to hunt a stand their dad hung 20 years ago and shooting one from hundreds of yards away to not return to the woods until the next year. Nothing wrong with that if that's their thing but that's just not my style and to me they miss out on 99% of the joys of hunting. The few people I know that do bow hunt don't shoot traditional and will shoot their bows one time a week before season to make sure they're sighted in and that's about it. I have yet to meet someone my age who is committed to traditional bow hunting. I like being able to do what I want to do when I want to do it. If something goes wrong or I mess something up then it's my fault and my fault alone. First time I ever hunted with someone was last fall when a buddy met me in Colorado for a 5 day elk hunt. Second day and about 7 miles in he gets a hernia at about 9500 feet and it took us a solid two days to get out of there. I know it's not his fault and he's a tough dude so I know if he's saying he's hurt then he really is but I can't help but wonder what would've happened had I gone to hunt out there alone like I had originally planned. Safety is really the only downside to solo hunting, I'm in my late twenties and am in better shape than I was 10 years ago but something as simple as a twisted ankle in the areas that I hunt can turn ugly in a hurry. If I could find a partner with the same drive that I have for it then I'd be happy to hunt with them but I'm not willing to give up my solitude unless I know it'll be more of a benefit than a burden.
I am very fortunate to be part of a group of like minded friends who all shoot trad bows. We have no problem getting several to go to shoots, as well as hog, squirrel, and deer camp. Hunting with the tribe is a blast!
Most of my local deer hunting is with my son in law and his bro in law. Both also shoot trad. There's quite an advantage to sitting planned spots on our evening hunts after work. Or maybe a deer drive through the woodlot. Saturday morning still hunting is about the only time I hunt solo.
I prefer hunting with others but they must be ethical, fun loving, traditional bowhunters.
Quote from: Brokearcher on August 04, 2022, 12:55:22 PM
I'm in my late twenties and am in better shape than I was 10 years ago but something as simple as a twisted ankle in the areas that I hunt can turn ugly in a hurry.
This may be true...I expect it will be different another 20 years from where you are now. My safety concerns with hunting solo are based on the idea that I have physical issues before I walk into the woods, and more if something happens,lol. Not gonna stop me from going mind you. Just weighs a bit more on my mind every year.
I do both and enjoy borh.
I do text someone of my location before going in alone these days.