Do you hunt alone?

[whntr]

I love to hunt alone and do it most of the time. I love the solitude and fact that the only time table I need to follow is my own. With that said my only concern is health related, falling down breaking a leg etc. Yes, it can be alot of work especially when hunting moose or elk size animals and your by yourself but there is a sense of accomplishment when you succeed in carrying out the task. Clearly GPS's and ATV's have made the job much easier but it still is work.
I have though of purchasing the new satelite location system that can notify authorities or family in the event of an accident. I know one is the "SPOT" system that works off of google mapping. I personnally never give a thought to wild animals whether daylight or in the dark, probably because I have done this for over 30 years.
For what its worth

 

[gallen270]

i usually hunt alone. most of the younger guys i know (im 24) just wanna shoot squirells and bottles.

 

[MD]

I just got tired of hunting with guys who can't get up in the morning, are too noisy, won't rendezvous at a particular spot like they said they would, get lost, don't have common dog-#### to bury their #### piles and a host of other reasons, so I prefer going alone.

 

[Gatehouse]

Just been creeping myself out reading stories and watching videos about wolf attacks. It got me thinking. I don't spend much time in the bush by my self, mostly because it scares the hell outa me (I know, I'm a puss), but I would love to do more hunting and I don't always have someone to go with. Do any of you guys hunt by your selves? Do you have any issues with cleaning a kill by your self? Being by myself, cleaning a carcass at sunset would do me in. I'm paranoid enough cleaning a deer when I have people with me.

I could only imagine walking down a quiet, tree lined road with a couple of rabbits over my shoulder and turn around to find I'm being followed by a wolf or wolves or a bear.

Wolves, Cougars and bears, Oh My!

*ETA* I guess there is a difference between hunting alone on foot and hunting alone in a vehicle. I'm thinking we should focus on hunting on foot as I think that takes more balls.

You are a pussy...

 

[Guy JR]

I prefer to hunt with a buddy for company but I wont stay home if no one will go.

 

[cityhunter]

99.9% of my hunting is alone, on foot, and well away from a stand or truck. never in cellphone range (remember that thread! still makes me laugh!)

Wally, lets skip the range next time and hit the trees. we have much work to do with you young padawan...




but you live in Ontario? you won;t have to drag it more then 200m before you hit a highway

jokes aside, why would you ever drag an animal anywhere? Quarter or Debone and pack out! works on my 2 - 5 moose every year (I guide, not poached). with practice feild dressing and quarting a moose solo is no big deal and takes under an hour. if you're really worried about big fuzzy things, crack the chest, prop'er open, pull the guts, and come back in the morning with help.

hehe Ontario is a big place

Id like to learn how to do a quick qtr job in the field...Id say though 99% of the spots I can get into by a quad so dragging is never really an issue... Just once this year when I didnt bring the quad with me and my buddy shoots a nice buck

 

[Foxer]

I like to GO hunting with people, (ie have more than just myself in camp) but i'll admit i like the solitude of hunting an area alone, even if there are others in camp. I like being with people too, but there's something about being alone that's very cathartic.

I do occasionally go out on my own. I don't fear other animals but i'm mildly concerned about injury etc. However, if it really bugged me i'd just get one of those 'spot' things.

 

[Ruffed Grouse]

I don't so much fear the predators (rarely predatory in Ontario). But when I'm alone I fear slipping on a rock, or getting my foot stuck in a beaver dam or something. But I'm most successful hunting on my own. I'm often but not always in radio contact with somebody.

What does scare me is cougars. They are quite a topic to ponder when I, often merely with my bow and hunting from the ground, have crept into the edge of some cedars 45 minutes before daylight. Sometimes every rock taking shape in the lifting gloom, and every snapping twig can become a hungry cat.

RG

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[sjemac]

I like to GO hunting with people, (ie have more than just myself in camp) but i'll admit i like the solitude of hunting an area alone, even if there are others in camp. I like being with people too, but there's something about being alone that's very cathartic.

I do occasionally go out on my own. I don't fear other animals but i'm mildly concerned about injury etc. However, if it really bugged me i'd just get one of those 'spot' things.

Even when we do go hunting "together" we are rarely in contact with each other until the end of the day or at lunch. Everyone goes their separate ways and meets up at the end.

I've got a SPOT now. No great thing. You have to carry it in the open (won't send a signal through your pocket) and you have to keep turning it on and off to access the different functions. I got it for my wife so she can track me in the back country (no more 3 hr afternoons watching the peelers at the Rocky Top) and let's me send an OK signal after dark. If I find new territory I can locate it on google earth after the hunt and map it all out. If it was even a fraction larger, I wouldn't bother carrying it.

Really. I think she likes it cause she'll be able to find my body for insurance purposes if something goes wrong.

 

[Salty]

A good buddy and I get together every year for a 3 day deer hunt in the north Okanagan. 3 days cause he doesn't get much time off in the fall being a teacher. All of the rest of the hunting I do is solo.

A use a check in system more or less.. For instance I stayed in the OK for another 4 days this year camping and hunting by myself so I arranged to check in with my buddy when I was finished to give an all clear. I think I said if no one heard from me within a week there's prolly trouble. He knew I'd be in one of several valleys.

Around home I tell my wife the general area I'll be hunting in and she faithfully writes it down each time. I ususally tell her if you don't hear from me by late the following day even though I just day hunt around here, there might be trouble. This gives me enough time to stay in the bush over night if I shoot something somewhere that turns out to be a huge job to get out etc.

Its no big deal. Just be prepared to take care of yourself. Have enough stuff in your day pack to sleep in the bush in case you break a leg or something. I don't ever get nervous really. But when gutting/skinning/packing a deer out near home where there's piles of cougars I do get a little, um, attentive.

 

[Ruger No.1]

I prefer to go out with someone but hunt separately. I often do solo hunts as well but now that my age is creeping up and I've had a couple of health issues I find that I am extra cautious.

I purchased the "Spot" personal GPS tracker and it has been great. I send my wife a check/OK message when I leave my vehicle and the same when I return. Makes her feel a lot more at ease and if something happens to me they know where to look for my remains. If I'm still alive after some kind of incident, I have the 911 function to rely on.

 

[Wally]

Wally, lets skip the range next time and hit the trees. we have much work to do with you young padawan...

Sounds good.

You are a pussy...

What a guy! I've only been hunting for 3 years and I have done lots of stuff in the bush by myself. It's mostly around sunset that my imagination starts running away with me.

I grew up on onterrible and never worried about the bush there... at all... even in Thunder Bay I would go screw around in the woods by myself. It was only since moving to B.C. that I've had bears on the brain.

I like being with people too, but there's something about being alone that's very cathartic.

That's a good word. I like that.

What does scare me is cougars. They are quite a topic to ponder when I, often merely with my bow and hunting from the ground, have crept into the edge of some cedars 45 minutes before daylight. Sometimes every rock taking shape in the lifting gloom, and every snapping twig can become a hungry cat.

tell me about it!
I've been walking down logging roads with thick pine on both sides right as the sun went down. the walk back took me longer than I though and every tree, rock, snap, crack, rustle had me on edge.

I got it for my wife so she can track me in the back country (no more 3 hr afternoons watching the peelers at the Rocky Top)

LOL you need to put it on your dogs collar or something and let him run around in the bush for the afternoon

 

[fratri]

I do alot of deer bow hunting by myself and at times it can be a little scary, hearing those coyotes howling all over, most fearful time was when I heard some loud grunting, and it lasted a good 2 minutes....never heard that sound before and have been hunting for 25 yrs....if I had to guess it was a bear, but no bear around here or at least I thought, I since have learned on occasion a black bear does venture this far south.... Not knowing what made that sound still gives me the creeps, its one thing knowing and seeing but its another never seeing or knowing what was making that sound.... Well then again, if there was no excitement to it, it would not be so interesting/fun....

 

[Jericho]

Just been creeping myself out reading stories and watching videos about wolf attacks. It got me thinking. I don't spend much time in the bush by my self, mostly because it scares the hell outa me (I know, I'm a puss), but I would love to do more hunting and I don't always have someone to go with. Do any of you guys hunt by your selves? Do you have any issues with cleaning a kill by your self? Being by myself, cleaning a carcass at sunset would do me in. I'm paranoid enough cleaning a deer when I have people with me.

I could only imagine walking down a quiet, tree lined road with a couple of rabbits over my shoulder and turn around to find I'm being followed by a wolf or wolves or a bear.

Wolves, Cougars and bears, Oh My!

*ETA* I guess there is a difference between hunting alone on foot and hunting alone in a vehicle. I'm thinking we should focus on hunting on foot as I think that takes more balls.

I prefer to hunt alone... Bad enough with one pair of feet walking, let alone 2 or more pairs! I love it quiet knowing any sound made is either by me, the weather or a critter.

 

[Lazy Ike]

I really enjoy hunting alone and yes I've run into bear, saw a cougar(last week) and have dragged deer out solo. Was out this am, tracked a deer that was pissing blood for an hour( I assumed it was wounded), moved locations and came accross some fresh grizz tracks amoungst some Elk tracks. I made a point of staying out in the open and had a good day.

 

[Gunmedic]

Recently hunted with a member of my family, what a nice change! Careful with firearms, polite, law-abiding, good communication.
First time in years. Before, ducked while (EX) partner put two rounds over my head to alert me that he thought he was lost, despite the fact you could see Weyerhauser smoke stack in the background. The another (EX) partner cut my head with front site, while loading his gun while I was trying to get out of his way, thought I should at least stop the truck, after he rolled into a ditch trying to shoot ??? something.
Discussion ensued, we drove home, and I called my self lucky.
Now, I usually hunt alone, carry my two way radio and cell, with a fair bit of gear, had lots of fun and I am still here.
Take care, Gunmedic.

 

[sealhunter]

I equate hunting alone or with someone as being similar to beer and scotch for me.

Beer = Alone

Scotch = with someone


I can completely be happy and content with a good beer any day anywhere. Yum.

Now and then though, there much to be said for the occasional accompaniment of The Macallan , Highland Park, Balvenie and others

 

[7mmlefty]

Dont know about apprehensive, but when the weather is just right.
Favorable wind, just below zero degrees, with overcast skies, the woods or fields call me.

I'm in, if friends cant make it on real short notice, too bad.
I know i'll be fortunate, even if nothings taken, it just felt right to be out there.

 

[beefman]

I prefer to, and almost always hunt alone.
This year for for the 1st time, I hunted with a relative...it will be my last time also!!! Got everything set up for 2 week deer-gun hunt
for both of us. Opening morning everything OK neither of us saw anything. PM hunt 1/2 hour before end of legal, my cell vibrates.
I don't answer it its him. So i'm thinking he saw something coming my way. Next thing I know I hear 3 shots about 20 sec's apart.
I wait for awhile and call him. I ask him what he got. He says "nothing...just trying out my gun".
Next morning I look over in his direction with binos...he outside of the ground blind, all I can see is a pumpkin doing YOGA.
Then it went downhill !!! He got into the beer at noon, . I stayed home. He went hunting with as much beer as ammo.
That was the last time I hunted with him. In 1.5 weeks he shot 15 slugs into trees, at squirrels, cans. He smoked like a chimney in my pop-up (still smell it 3 weeks later).
He couldn't drag his ass out of bed in the morning on time etc. etc. etc. Oh. and he wanted (and did) bring his DOG with him.
When he couldn't make it out...I would go hunting. Was I ever P.O.
LAST time this is EVER going to happen.

 

[captonion]

I hunt a bit myself.More during the bow hunt,but much prefer the gang hunt during the rifle hunt.Its a real social event with all the talking,teasing,and BSing.I always found hunting myself a bit boring,and all the fun ends when you get your animal.Mostly because I am not a stand hunter,and the deer I do take myself are usually way off the beaten path,and alot of work to get out when myself.