The Ideal Hunting Partner

[Stick]

Indian Summer in his response to the post about confidence wrote something in his last paragraph that made me think.

Hunting partners!!!! What is or would be the perfect hunting partner? I'm not easy to hunt with....yes I admit it. I've had friends go as far as to tell me they didn't like hunting with me! Reason....I'm to intense they said! Maybe I'm wrong but when I would play pick up ball or some such game, if you didn't care wether you won or lost I didn't want you on my team!!!Period!!!

Needless to say I want a hunting partner that comes to hunt! That is optimistic! That thinks like an animal! That carries their share of the load. I know I've just touched a few things. What do you look for??

Word of advice...If you find one keep them for life!!

[saddlesore]

First off, I want one who isn't all consumed to fill his/her tag. Not meaning that they shouldn't hunt hard, but I don't want someone o be a pain in the but t because they didn't fill their tag. I have had guys tell me I work too hard at , but I had one partner for 25 years and we could count on each other. A bad hip replacement put him out of the hunt.Now I hunt with a guy that I worked with for 30yers,he is neighbor, and close friend. Last year he told me he liked hunting with me because he knew what I would be doing and if I said I was doing a certain thing, he knew I wouldn't wonder off doing some thing else.I guess that applies to me.I want that kind of partner.

I won't hunt with some one who stinks from poor personal hygiene,or wakes up every morning with a hang over, or is constantly complaining

[Swede]

LOL I don't want a partner that stinks or complains either. I like the guys I hunt with. They accept me for what I am and don't complain too much either. I hunt continuously, but not always hard. In fact most of my hunts are relaxed. I am patient and persistent. For me the ideal partner would be one that hunts 7-10 days or whatever they can, gives it their best effort and accepts the outcome whatever that is.
I get disappointed, but I am not trying to blame others. I do recognize management of the area I hunt is contributing to the adverse change that is happening, but no one in camp has any say in the matter.
The guys I hunt with do their fair share and maybe more. I like it that none are greedy and just looking out for themselves. We are in it together and are pulling together. I don't call them partners because we don't arrive near the same day, we don't leave together, and we don't share expenses. We just enjoy it when we are together. They are great to be with.
I hope to live long enough to become camp cook and nauseate them with stories on "how it used to be back in my day". Oly and Stringunner can hardly wait. Right now I am too busy hunting.

[Roosiebull]

I have not found one, they are rare.

Somebody who is easy going, and open minded...(don't have to be right every time)

Equal opportunity and fair...if they fill their tag first, they don't bail for the rest of the year.

Positive...that is a huge one, never be a victim, never get discouraged...stay motivated and try the whole time you are on scene.

No excessive drinking.

Root for each other, be happy with your hunting partners success.

Sounds pretty easy....but it's rare enough I hunt alone.

[six]

Word of advice...If you find one keep them for life!!

Positive...that is a huge one, never be a victim, never get discouraged...stay motivated and try the whole time you are on scene.

I found 2 of the best hunting partners last year where I didn't expect them. I took 2 newbies and their enthusiasm, willingness to go the extra mile and positive attitude made for a great trip. At 47 years old most guys I know my age don't like sleeping on the ground, in the cold, 5 miles from the truck. My new younger hunting partners had smiles on there faces the entire trip. Even after a 19-mile pack out.

The downside is I kind of upset a good friend when I told him I wasn't going hunting with him last year.

[Tigger]

well she would be always be......oh wait different thread!

All of the above attributes plus someone as dedicated as I am who is good at hunting. Someone with a good attitude. Someone who pushes me to be better than I am! Also, someone who is willing to overlook my shortcomings and goof-ups as I will his. Someone who hunts as a team. I am lucky in that my group is like that. Last thing, someone that I enjoy being around.

[ElkNut1]

I have one! This will be our 27th year bowhunting elk & hunting all types of other animals too. I wouldn't trade one day of all the years we've hunted together. We just flat click together & rarely don't see eye to eye as we unravel some of the tougher elk hunting mysteries! (grin) We treat one another with respect & do our best to take each others thoughts into consideration. We both call decent so share the burden for calling for one another if the encounter requires it. For those who haven't experienced having a good hunting partner you don't know what you're missing! You pick one another up during tough times & support each other no matter what, you're a team! I seriously doubt we both would be as successful as we are without one another, you just can't beat a great hunting partner! He's my son!

ElkNut1

[BrentLaBere]

I think it can start with the same level, or at least similar, hunting experience. Not being dependent on someone else for hunting, cooking, camp chores, ect...
You should also have the same hunting goals.
I would also add to the mix having similar lifestyles or backgrounds, people would seem to get a long easier in the big picture of the hunt and leading up to it.
Calling, people seem to get bent out of shape with this one too. If they cant call efficiently? Spot and stalk, wallow or water hole sitting..... the list goes on but this can be summed up under hunting experience and hunting goals. Also, if you arent willing to give and take in a hunting "relationship" then its not going to work. Hunt solo

[N2mywake]

My dad is my best hunting partner, we both work hard and work well together toward the overall hunt. I've got some good friends that I would do other hunts with but not a back country elk hunt...

We've had guys in camp that don't pull their weight or guys that do great in camp but hunt differently than we do and push elk out of the valley. It's a tough balance but if you find a winner you better keep em.

[TimeOnTarget]

I have one hunting partner who is I'm just about always on the same page with. We make a plan and go for it, if it doesnt work out we make a new one and dont dwell on the one that didnt work. We both are there to hunt, no sitting around a campfire, no drinking etc etc. We are there to hunt. If were aren't hunting, we're sleeping.


I've gotten pretty lucky with my hunting partner. There really isnt anything I'd change.

[CurlyTail]

I can't wait until my son is able to go Elk hunting with me. He is in school, and it will be another 8 years or so before he has the luxury of a week off in the month of September. We love to fish, hunt ducks and geese together, and spend time outdoors together. I am buying him preference points in both Colorado and Wyoming each year until he can hunt so I can live my dream of hunting a true trophy unit through him. My stipulation will be that I get to guide him, and he has to share some meat!