the advantages of hunting SOLO.

[pointysticks]

i really need to learn to hunt SOLO.

when plans get laid down..to me, they are adjustable, but really set. i wont say "i'm in!" for a hunt unless i know i can go..and will go. my truck is loaded. i leave tomorrow. not a single person has gotten back to me about sharing meals..i just randomly bought a few things..i wont starve. this is mostly a truck camp trip..so relatively easy.

i just got a hold of one guy..he is driving to AZ to essentially hunt one full day..hahah (one day, i wouldnt waste my time).. my brother, i told him he shouldnt go..he has a promotion exam...he said he is gonna sneak out early, hunt..go back and take the test and come back out. sure he is...now he is wavering..he will probably show up the last three days. if they both had said NO from the beginning..i would have hit AZ first week of Jan..not the last.

i planned my days around both of these guys. hahaha..screw it. i got time off, i am in an unexpected lull at work..i am gonna go hard at this for 8 days.

unlike Capt Ahab. i have 3 white whales. bow hunted elk, Couse deer, and a lowly California public land hog. i wont count that damn grey squirrel digging holes in my backyard..if i did, 4-white whales.

you Solo hunters..kudos. i dont know if i have it in me. i get bored not talking to people. there is ZERO cell service at this spot..i wont know if anyone is showing up or not. being a people-person definately has it's disadvantages.

[bnsafe]

I like hunting solo because I can go where I want when I want how I want. you don't have to worry about other guys.
with that said tell me where to meet you an you wont be solo,

[pointysticks]

next year..remind me. i plan on hitting up a new area, near Wilcox. short drive for you, i think. shorter than mine at least.

[Swede]

I think a lot of solo hunting is a mental thing. I am happy hunting with others. I am happy hunting alone. I prepare for which way I expect to hunt. I prefer having someone at camp. but it is not critical. I enjoy sharing each other's hunting experiences. I enjoy the independence of hunting alone when, where and how I want. I am flexible, but can be disappointed too. It's a mental thing.

[itsnlkthing]

I feel the same way as Swede. It's nice to have others around, especially in camp but solo provides a lot of flexibility. We had a pretty good group of guys but that all began to fall apart as my dad and uncle got too old to hunt. I've been solo the past 2 years but I wouldn't mind at all if I had a like minded hunter that wanted to go along.

[pointysticks]

hunting, i typically head out on my own. we meet on the other side of a mountain or something.

to me, i love kicking around logs and a nice fire. telling stories and listening to reports about animals seen. a quiet camp will be the challenge.

i might not even build a fire solo. just eat and sleep. i am bringing a book for the quiet time.

[pointysticks]

not entirely Solo, but may as well been.

we got special permission to hunt hogs that were terrorizing summer campers. we hiked way down into a rarely used campsite. it was getting dark and my buddy told me to set up my bed at one spot and he would go around the bend to the next one..way down. he came back saw my pad and sleeping bag on the ground and suggested i sleep on the picnic table..wtf? i complied. at night the hogs would go running past.rooting!! it was kinda terrifying. a hog snort sounds alien in pitch black. getting zero sleep, i went to look for my buddy the next morning. sun was barely up. i found him sleeping on the table like me..but he had on a goofy, bright green down jump suit. with booties!! he slept with a crossbow and would wake up and shoot..haha..i woke him up laughing..and he said. "hey help me track one..i shot one"

the night's sleep was awful. the hike out was a brutal sleepy mess.

[quarbles]

i'm not a very social creature and extremely introspective by nature. after a few crap experiences with having a partner i have decided to go it alone. as for the solitude, i'm a quiet, introverted only child that was raised in the yukon woods and so i feel much more comfortable by myself as oposed to around others. in fact, i think it'll be a very good experience not having to -compromise- what i want to do based off of another persons opinions, physicallity, emotions ect...

whether it'll be beneficial towards a productive hunt........ well, at the very least i'll enjoy myself more and fail or achieve based on my own merits. the reconnection of being in the woods in a predatory mindset and not having to have human interaction is part of the appeal, for myself anyways.

ultimately, i perceive the advantage to be the fact that whether in victory or failure it is yours to own. i also think being alone in the woods gives huge opportunity for personal growth and development.... spiritual, for lack of better word.

i'll just have to see how it plays out this year.....

does anyone have issue with peeps not wanting you to go into the woods alone?

[Trophyhill]

some say it's more challenging to kill elk hunting solo. I've learned to hunt elk solo (still learning). my confidence just isn't where it needs to be when hunting with a partner yet so a huge advantage to hunting solo for me is hunting at my pace, hunting the way that I want to hunt and trying new tactics or changing tactics at the blink of an eye without having to talk about it or worry about blowing someone else's opportunity

[easeup]

after reading the post above pointysticks, I am not so sure you are ready for 8days in the sierras alone. Here is what I had in mind.

are you going to do some prior activities by yourself first to test the waters? ie. spring turkey for say 3 days solo?
or say a summer bp trip up for trout fishing 3 day weekend solo? would it not give you a little more practice to make sure you have a fun time come September.?

you might say after a summer solo, that an 8day elk in the lonesome is just not right for you and you try harder to find a better buddy. I mean we are all different, with likes and dislikes that others may think strange.

[pointysticks]

sierras? no way. not ready. maybe one day when we are better friends, we can talk about my ability to get lost. hahah..

this time..i'll be camped next to my truck. packed and ready for day and overnighters. there is a serious lack of water where i am going.

there is an entire mtn range i wont do solo. it is ugly. you have to put your bow on the shelf above you and climb behind it..it is a two man hike in.

thanks.i should plans some small trips. i have been working on an AZ backpack trip to hunt OTC turkey.

[>>>---WW---->]

I don't mind sharing a camp with someone. As a matter of fact, it's kind of nice to have someone around just to make sure you make it in every night. But when it comes to hunting, we both go our separate ways. I can mess things up bad enough all by myself. Don't need no help!!

I tried hunting with a partner a few times. Got tired of him making unwanted noise and buffing chances for a shot. The first day I called a bull within 8 feet of him. He was kneeling down and looking up at the elk. Shaking so bad he couldn't shoot. Two days later I called in one so close he could have reached out and touched it. It was a total waste of his nerves and my time.

I suppose it would be nice to hunt with someone that is on the same page as you are. But a partners like that are hard to come by.

When hunting solo, you get all the credit when you succeed and you have to take all the blame if you blow it. Besides, all the challenge and excitement is yours alone, either way.

[JGH]

I prefer hunting solo ... for all the reasons listed above.

But ... elk hunting solo is tough. I've learned a lot about calling in the last two years, and I haven't had as much trouble getting them to come in. But they do pin you down! They know exactly where that call came from.

I've tried a decoy. I've tried to shift position after calling. But when you are on your own, any tactic to divert attention 20-30 yards means movement ... and movement means "game over" most of the time.

Finding the right partner is the issue ... someone who hunts like you do, camps like you do, and doesn't mind sharing the success or blame.

[easeup]

It seems about 50% of the guys here are solo guys. Either by choice or by just the luck of life.

I wonder if IS would add that as a side business - ehuntinharmony . you know a big data base he has where he uses his knowledge of people and their behavior mixed with his knowledge of what it takes to do a successful hunt. As far as this site goes, he would be the ultimate match maker.

at least he knows how to avoid the sick rabbits

[SoCo Mark]

I hunt alone. I also live alone and have since my divorce over 7 years ago. While I'm not opposed to going with someone, there are certain drawbacks of hunting with a partner. There are drawbacks to hunting solo as well, but I like going by myself. I am in the process of figuring out how to successfully hunt elk on a regular basis and for that I would just as soon be by myself. No need to worry about messing something up for someone else, and in general lessons learned on your own tend to stay with a person much much longer.
As far as the solitude, as I' stated I've been on my own a good while now, and have grown to be very comfortable. For me it is: to work, to the gym, to home, repeat daily. The more I "hermit up" the more comfortable it gets, and the more difficult it is to socialize. In a few years, I can really see myself as having an extremely difficult time socializing with others. Not saying that is my goal, or even that it is a good thing. I'm just saying with my current lifestyle, I can see myself becoming a serious introvert.

[easeup]

I hunt alone. I also live alone and have since my divorce over 7 years ago. ..............
As far as the solitude, as I' stated I've been on my own a good while now, and have grown to be very comfortable. For me it is: to work, to the gym, to home, repeat daily. The more I "hermit up" the more comfortable it gets, and the more difficult it is to socialize. In a few years, I can really see myself as having an extremely difficult time socializing with others. Not saying that is my goal, or even that it is a good thing. I'm just saying with my current lifestyle, I can see myself becoming a serious introvert.

you realize this is not good for you I hope?

[Toby]

I remember asking an elderly gentleman about being alone, his comment was, "I don't mind my own company". Enough said

[dreamhunter]

I've hunted solo twice.The first time was awful. I didn't know what I was doing, I didn't like the company.I kept getting side tracked,trips to town,late starts in the morning,etc. I was so bored being by myself that I swore I would never do it again. Then I hunted with my buddy the next two years. Last year I decided I would hunt alone again because I wanted to get back to the elk woods that bad. I really enjoyed last years hunt. I almost shot my first elk. All the successes and all the lil goofs were all mine and I'm fine with it because I learned from my mistakes. If I have to go alone this year again I will if my buddy can"t go or we don't end up going together. It's all about the experience and the thrill of trying to make it happen.

[Trophyhill]

I remember asking an elderly gentleman about being alone, his comment was, "I don't mind my own company". Enough said

I like that! There's something to be said for liking to be around yourself when the going gets tough:)

[Indian Summer]

Always a mind reader in the bunch. This time the winner is: Easeup!

I keep reading the thread from Tag Soup thinking maybe I can help guys like that out. But like JGH said... finding the right person to marry, er uh, I mean hunt with can be a really hard thing to do. When I was outfitting I always had guys who called and had no partner but didn't want to pay the extra thousand bucks for a 1 on 1 hunt. Lots of them asked if I could hook them up with a partner. The way I went about it was simple: I'd stay out of it! I'd give guys who asked me that each others phone numbers and let them contact each other. I would tell both parties the things to look for. Advise them to make sure that at least their physical abilities were a match and if at all possible their personalities. I have had hunts where two guys wished each other the best of luck and meant it. I've also had ones where they would run their buddy over to kill an elk before him. Guess what? Not one time did I ever have two strangers ever decide that they wanted to do a 2 on 1 hunt together. hmmm So Easup... I decided that this forum is really the best place to find a partner. People don't need me to help with that. I have thought about suggesting to Paul and John that they create a thread and keep it at the top so guys could post their names, contact info, any experience and ALL of the details about themselves and their expectations. I do think that is a good idea and would be a nice addition to the site. But I haven't seen that many guys looking like Tag Soup is so I'm not so sure it would be used very much.

Back to the original program: I'm with WW: "I don't mind sharing a camp with someone. As a matter of fact, it's kind of nice to have someone around just to make sure you make it in every night. But when it comes to hunting, we both go our separate ways."

I hunt solo because I think I stay more focused. I know I have some 6th sense that helps me decide which way to head out of camp or pick the right fork in the road when I come to trail intersections. I think we've all come to spots where we stopped and said to ourselves: This looks "elky". I'd like to think that I think like an elk and I don't want any distractions taking away from that. During the day I don't always agree that two heads are better than one. But in camp I do. That's the time to compare notes and look at the big picture. Make sure you know where each other is heading for safety too. Be there for moral support, get my arse up in the morning, and heck yeah, socialize! It's not just for fun either. It breaks up the monotony and really does rejuvenate my spirits. And... when I do kill an elk it sure is nice to have someone to celebrate with. I don't know how you solo guys can eat, sleep , hunt and repeat day after day like that. More power to you. So I guess my plan is to have a partner but don't let them have too much of a bearing on my actual daily hunting.

The upside, or advantage if you will, of solo hunting as I see it is no regrets. You can never say things like I shouldn't have listened to him or I think I would have rather done that alone. I don't think you'd ever say that about packing an elk out though! So the way I see it is as long as you have the right partner there are lots of advantages. Get the wrong one... you'll be thinking about the advantages of solo real quick!

[Jaquomo]

I prefer hunting, camping and scouting solo whenever possible. I love the freedom of thought and action. I love being independent and self-reliant. I enjoy my own company. Don't mind camping with others so long as I can have time to myself, and don't have to answer to anyone for where I'm going or what I'm doing.

Every elk I've ever killed has been when hunting alone, except for my first P&Y bull when a partner was across the basin. But I hunted and killed that bull by myself too - he just happened to be in the vicinity. Solo calling setups aren't really a problem for a trad shooter. Just call them in and shoot them when they turn, or when they walk past if I've planned my calling setup properly.

This season I'll be striking out into a new unit where no cell service is available. I'm looking into one of the new Delorme satellite texting units for contact with the outside world and to let my wife know I haven't been eaten by a cougar (yet..)

[Lefty]

I can mess things up bad enough all by myself. Don't need no help!!
,........When hunting solo,........ all the challenge and excitement is yours alone, either way.

I love my wife and kids, and would really like it when they hunt with me.
I kind of like the lack of responsibility to someone else and their schedule. Plenty of that the rest of my life.
I push it when I want , take it easy on my time.

I have one buddy that was a great partner, 15 years younger than me, totally fearless, completely dependable in every way. I dont mind partners, just like it sol

[Huntrgathr]

I hunt solo almost all the time and I can't say I have ever found any "advantages". It's always more advantageous to have more eyes, more pack frames, someone to call for you, etc... I don't think solo hunters hunt solo for an advantage. I think we do it because we're looking for a certain experience when we hunt. It's much easier to merge with nature if you take all other humans out of the equation. At least that's what I tell myself when I'm out there in the woods talking to my other self !

[cnelk]

I do my share of solo hunting, but there is something to be said for good friends while hunting

[pointysticks]

Solo is tough. I would have connected if I had a spotter. This guy moved one bush over. And doe busted me. I got close!

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[pointysticks]

I'm currently on tall peak. Found 3G service. Haha. I'm not alone. I got all you guys.

[Still Hunter]

Solo is the only way for me. The only person i've ever hunted with is my dad, and even then we never hunted together.

I wouldn't feel good about a hunt if I had help. I could use a mule to get the damn meat out though.

[Washington Wapiti]

Pointysticks, all you need is a few more days out there by yourself and you'll have become nutty enough to join the solo hunter ranks. I do like hunting with my bro, and had a lot of fun bringing Sara on our turkey hunt last year. But I also cherish my solo hunting time. When my brother and I are together, we mix up our time with going together and going our seperate ways . . . both deer and elk hunting. I like to be absorbed in my surroundings and the hunt and have a more difficult time getting there when there's that nagging feeling that the other person wants to do something else.

I like what Indian Summer said here, " I hunt solo because I think I stay more focused. I know I have some 6th sense that helps me decide which way to head out of camp or pick the right fork in the road when I come to trail intersections. I think we've all come to spots where we stopped and said to ourselves: This looks "elky". I'd like to think that I think like an elk and I don't want any distractions taking away from that." Also, quarbles statement, "ultimately, i perceive the advantage to be the fact that whether in victory or failure it is yours to own. i also think being alone in the woods gives huge opportunity for personal growth and development.... spiritual, for lack of better word" and Huntrgathr's post. Those three statement pretty much nail it for me.

[Toby]

I find that when hunting alone that I don't get as tired. I climb at a pace that is comfortable for me. I often hunt with younger partners and if I feel the need to keep up on a climb, I tire more quickly, although our guys are pretty easy on me when it comes to that.

If I have a hard climb and I stop to rest before I am out of gas, I recover quicker and feel more energized.

[Still Hunter]

The only time hunting solo is hard is when it's time to get the meat out. Then you wish you were hunting with a mule.

[Mikeha33]

For us flatlanders (KS) it is nice to have a buddy in camp, just to boost morale, and discuss. I wasn't ready for the solitude that the mountains has to offer. I found it almost overpowering.
I agree, hunting wasn't hard when I was by myself. However, it was when I wasn't hunting that I was sure glad to have a friend there. I know if I were native to the mountains, then I would be a lot more accustom to them, and the isolation that one experiences while out there. But I'm not. I live in KS and will for the foreseeable future. Until I get more acclimated to the backcountry, I won't go in alone.

[Elkduds]

Advantage of hunting solo: Selfies!

[pointysticks]

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[ABQ_Chica]

Although I like hunting alone (and often have to for lack of a hunting partner), my ideal situation would be to at least share camp.

It IS hard to find a hunting partner with the same philosophy, ethics, and physical capabilities, so just sharing a bit of company seems like a happy medium if you can each go your own way during the day.

[Trophyhill]

Although I like hunting alone (and often have to for lack of a hunting partner), my ideal situation would be to at least share camp.

It IS hard to find a hunting partner with the same philosophy, ethics, and physical capabilities, so just sharing a bit of company seems like a happy medium if you can each go your own way during the day.

That is the perfect scenario Laura. I hunted with a few guys from this site last year and fortunately it all worked out great. We were all agreeable to try new things and share our limited elk knowledge with each other. And the smack talk at camp was entertaining too:) it was understood from the get go that there would be no hard feelings if any of us would decide to go off on our own at any given time and meet back up at camp. I think the one thing that could ruin a hunt for me would be a negative or "can't" attitude. If I'm hunting with someone I want a "can do" mindset no matter how tough it gets. I'm out there to learn and get better and negativity kills the fun and learning.

[elk.addict]

I'm out there to learn and get better and negativity kills the fun and learning.

Yep. I am probably going solo this year for that very reason, I am so tired of negativity, especially while I should be out enjoying every second of being in the backcountry. My partner and I continually bump heads, and it's getting worse every year. Not putting the blame on him or me, just think I'd be better off with someone like minded. But I think I'll try going at it alone this year and see how it goes.

[mtnmutt]

I agree with hunting solo, but sharing a camp with others would be nice.

I am an introvert which may be due to my severe hearing loss which started at age 19. Hearing is the most social sense we have.

Solo hunting is not for everyone. I do not know how you mentally prepare for solo hunting. I was already used to doing lots of outdoor activities on my own for years before I started hunting, therefore, it came naturally.

I am a rookie hunter. As others mentioned, I get to try new tactics without having to discuss it with someone. Going over the days hunt with others in camp would help me to learn and really help on the rainy days of boredom.

If I hunt by myself, the only person I can mess up is myself. I can get up any hill or mountain because I train for it, but I cannot go fast uphill. On a few occasions, I got myself in a bit of trouble while biking trying to keep up with others. Now, I go it alone for most tough outings so I can go at my pace, make it more enjoyable for me and not ruin it for someone else. Perhaps the wrong reasons, but it works for me.

Solo has been fun for me. The animals in the forest have kept me quite entertained. You may find yourself observing more of your surroundings if you are solo.

[zpd307]

Back to the original program: I'm with WW: "I don't mind sharing a camp with someone. As a matter of fact, it's kind of nice to have someone around just to make sure you make it in every night. But when it comes to hunting, we both go our separate ways."

I hunt solo because I think I stay more focused. I know I have some 6th sense that helps me decide which way to head out of camp or pick the right fork in the road when I come to trail intersections. I think we've all come to spots where we stopped and said to ourselves: This looks "elky". I'd like to think that I think like an elk and I don't want any distractions taking away from that. During the day I don't always agree that two heads are better than one. But in camp I do. That's the time to compare notes and look at the big picture. Make sure you know where each other is heading for safety too. Be there for moral support, get my arse up in the morning, and heck yeah, socialize! It's not just for fun either. It breaks up the monotony and really does rejuvenate my spirits. And... when I do kill an elk it sure is nice to have someone to celebrate with. I don't know how you solo guys can eat, sleep , hunt and repeat day after day like that. More power to you. So I guess my plan is to have a partner but don't let them have too much of a bearing on my actual daily hunting.

The upside, or advantage if you will, of solo hunting as I see it is no regrets. You can never say things like I shouldn't have listened to him or I think I would have rather done that alone. I don't think you'd ever say that about packing an elk out though! So the way I see it is as long as you have the right partner there are lots of advantages. Get the wrong one... you'll be thinking about the advantages of solo real quick!

once again I totally agree with indian. there was 3 of us on our first hunt in Colorado, we planned it to hunt together. it went wrong on the first morning. the other two didn't want to get up, I sat around the morning fire waiting and getting pissed. there were other things throughout the day that made it worse. by the end of the day it was clear that I would be going by myself. the hunt went so much better. I eventually got into elk where they didn't, they did call in a spike.... but that was it. I tired to swap happenings of the day, but after so many days of nothing, it eventually turned into a 2 against 1 deal so even camp at night wasn't even fun. I think we said 5 words in 17 hours on the return trip home. I swore I would go by myself the next year. the wife was not game for that and I thought I had worked things out with my main hunting partner. fast forward to last year and the same things happened again despite not having the third wheel, so to speak. then it clicked for me that we just have two different expectations and hunting styles. so we hunted by ourselves and enjoyed the company back at camp. that is definitely the way to go for us.

[zpd307]

Although I like hunting alone (and often have to for lack of a hunting partner), my ideal situation would be to at least share camp.

It IS hard to find a hunting partner with the same philosophy, ethics, and physical capabilities, so just sharing a bit of company seems like a happy medium if you can each go your own way during the day.

this hits the head of the nail perfectly!

[ThinAir]

I love to hunt solo. I can go where I want, return when I want, bust my butt or take a mid-day nap without having to talk it over with someone else. Same goes for strategy. There is just something about going solo - you against the animal in his world - putting together the puzzle and finding a way to beat him. With all that said, I am no longer a young man and I know that I should be hunting with a partner. My wife doesn't like me camping alone and I must admit I am not sure how many more solo pack outs I can do. The problem is in my mind I am still 30 but my back, lungs and legs tell me otherwise.

[Csrbowhunter]

I would say for me it's about 50/50 on solo verses partners. I've had better luck solo but when I have the right hunting buddy it seems like it might be easier to kill them! I have went threw a lot of hunters though. Some guys don't know how to be quiet,talk in the quiet voice! Or I've had guys that just aren't patient enough. I had one guy every time I'd call for him he'd leave where he started and I'd call the elk to that spot with NO shooter there. Or he just wouldn't be ready at all( have his bow on the ground). It's hard to find someone that thinks like you or has the same drive! My hunting partner now thinks the same way I do plus I always don't have to be the caller. The last time we hunted together he was the only one to get a bull but I was ok with that! I had my chances but just didn't happen. It is really nice to have help getting out your elk! Haha most of all I like getting back to camp and talking about the hunt and the plan for the next day.