Are you hunting solo?

[Maclean]

There's a recent thread on the current state of traditional archery, and there's been more than a few responses mentioning that most of their hunting is done solo these days.

And it got me thinking about how common this is. Even though I hang with other trad bowhunters, most of my hunting is done solo, always has been.

So, how many of you are hunting solo, and more importantly, why? I know my reasons but I'd be interested in hearing yours.

[GCook]

There was a thread on this a while back.  I really don't understand what the difference is really.  I mean I do enjoy a camp with friends.  Just got back from Missouri hunting with friends that live there.  Of course the were rifle hunters and I had my bows. 
Realistically when one leaves camp, wanders in, climbs into the blind or tree stand, they are generally alone. 
Yes, there are exceptions. Sitting in a blind with a guest, youngster or new hunter to "guide" them.  Or where you are required to have a guide or PH with you by regulation.
But even at our ranch, we are all bowhunting although I'm the only trad shooter, but we sit alone. 
Even when I'm there alone I'm never really alone.  I get messages and texts.  I send pics to buddies and discuss why we dislike a politician or work.  Heck customers will text or call you any day of the week or any time of the day.
I do enjoy being there alone.  There are safety considerations. Especially after a few heat attacks and stents I'm expected to touch base with my wife. But I can nap when I like, eat what and if I decide to sit a morning or evening hunt out, it's okay.
So I guess all that was just to ask the question, what really do you mean by "solo"?

[Maclean]

I hunt in the mountains of central Idaho for deer, elk, and forest grouse. All of my hunting is on the ground and I'm almost always on the move, sometimes very slowly. Nearly all of my hunts last an entire day, from first to last light.
If I choose my area wisely, I rarely see another hunter all day. I don't communicate with others unless I need help packing out meat.

That's kind of my definition of solo hunting.

[GCook]

Sounds like good times.  Won't work in all areas but the mountains and big woods are special places.

[Bisch]

Most of my hunts are solo. I hit a lot on the property I live at and I am the only person who hunts here. I also hunt a lot at the property where I work because most of the time when I am working, I am alone at the ranch.

I like to hunt with friends and do so whenever I get the chance.

Bisch

[MnFn]

Similar to Maclean. Today I hunted alone, but if I was successful with a bigger deer I had family and friends within 3-5 miles to help get it out.

When I was younger I kind of took pride in field dressing and dragging the deer out myself, but those days are long gone. Unless  it's a short distance.

I do enjoy bowhunting with friends/family but it doesn't happen too often any more.

[mnbwhtr]

I too enjoy hunting with family and friends but find myself hunting alone most of the time. When I go out of state  it's always with friends with the exception of Iowa where you have to draw a tag. I hunted with a buddy there until he decided to go late season muzzle loader hunting and screwed up our preferences. This year he told me it was a lot more fun going together and we'll be on track for next draw whenever that comes in 3-4 years( at age 75 I don't know if will ever come).
Back in the mid to late seventies there were a group of us in our Archery Club that hunted and camped in Central Wisconsin every weekend, sometimes up to 35 people including wives and kids. Those were fun times but kids go up and now everybody is to busy.
With a cell phone I can always get help and my primary hunting grounds are under 10 miles from the house so hunting a lone doesn't bother me and my wife knows where my stands are in case of emergency.

[Terry Green]

I hunt solo for anything, I ride with friends and hunt separately, I ride with friends and tandem on hogs and javies,

[Kirkll]

Years ago we used to set up 2-4 guys in different locations watching trails, and then call elk into the canyons.
This worked fairly well.... but considering i was doing most of the calling, the other guys were getting most of the action. I finally tired of calling elk for others to shoot, and hunted solo ever since. I could write a good sized book on all the experiences i had with close encounters with calling elk. It was a blast!

I did hunt with my daughter side by side for quite a few years for both deer and elk. She hunted with her camera, and did some cow calling when we'd get a bull bugling. but.... She wasn't shy about helping Dad out with field dressing and helping get the critters out of the woods.

But.... we had a base camp for elk with enough man power to get those huge animals back to camp. We had the gear for that steep terrain and often used portable winches. When an elk was down, it was all hands on deck until they were hanging in camp. Our group harvested 84 roosevelt elk in 15-16 years in the same camp 6-8 guys hunting. We hunted hard the whole month of September every year.    Kirk

[Bee Trace Rambler]

I hunt solo when bowhunting for whitetails mostly. I like to camp and hunt with my buddy and if we are bowhunting it's usually from a tree stand separate. We have rifle hunted from the same ground blind or box stand many times and it's a great way to pass the time. When hunting small game we mostly hunt together.

Something I've seen in the woods is two tree stands hung from the same tree or very close trees. I've wondered if this was done by a mentor hunting with youth or maybe someone filming somebody else's hunt.

[Maclean]

Kirk - that's one of my favorite aspects of elk hunting, calling them in.

I rarely if ever bugle anymore, just cow call. I feel like over the past decade there's been an over saturation of hunters bugling, and when a bull hears that they just go quiet. I've had such good luck cow calling that I don't even bring my bugle anymore.

[Walt Francis]

My preference is to hunt solo, just me and nobody else.

Sharing a camp or traveling with somebody is nice, once we leave camp or the vehicle my preference is to go my own direction.

My favorite hunts are solo wilderness hunts in Montana, Idaho, and especially Alaska. Anymore, Alaska is where I go to find the Solitude my soul seeks. 

My thoughts regarding packing the meat solo, embrace the suck, it's part of the experience.

[JR Chambers]

I hunt alone

[BAK]

If you manage to live a long life, and your hunting buddies have passed, you too will hunt alone.   

[GCook]

I used to bow hunt with my brother, but he passed away in 2002. Since 2002 I bow hunt alone. Here is a picture of my brother and me in 1994. It was the only time we killed bucks on the same day.

That's a cool pic.  Condolences on your loss.  I'm sure you miss him a little more during the hunting season

[Papadeerhtr]

Always have hunted alone.

[Roger Norris]

90% of my hunting is alone. Even at ShrewHaven, I hang out in camp but the hunting is by myself.

[snag]

I'm like Walt Francis in shared camps but hunting solo. I yearn for the silence and calm of the woods. Ever notice the words "listen" and "silent" have the same letters in them? Being solo in His Creation with the peace it leads me into makes me much more aware. Then telling about the day with others and listening to to their days events makes for a full day. You can learn quite a lot from just listening I've found.

[Nosight]

Over the past 10 years I have become a solo hunter  All of my boys have grown and made thier own life's wife's and kids
My best partner is and always will be my wife still goes to camp with me but stays there  arthritis has taken its toll on her
The passing of of most of the people has brought that number down to one  Me
I have learned to enjoy the solitude of being alone in the woods
It brought a different view of perspective that I have grown to enjoy

[Tajue17]

Dont know anyone else in my part of town who hunts with a stickbow, im always alone.