How do you choose that "Hunting Partner"?

R

RockyMountainHi

New member
Dec 28, 2012
247
I am curious how you have selected and stayed with the hunting partner over a number of years.  For me, it was just good fortune to find someone with a similar physical drive, ethics, being comfortable with silence and willing to learn together about how to hunt elk.  We are still learning, but still going strong after nearly 10 years of chasing the wapiti together.
 
Lots of reasons--but primary would be his ability to have a great hunt even without  kill--Bill
 
For me its someone that doesn't annoy me. If they get on your nervous it could be a long week! Also its someone that will laugh when something goes terribly wrong, the elk busts you, and your left wondering "what the heck just happened?"
 
For me it's being a team player. Someone who won't pull his own weight in camp whether cooking, dishes, or rolling back up on the mountain to help a member of the party recover their animal day or night, will only make 1 trip west with me. Nothing can ruin a trip quicker than a lazy partner.
KJ
 
Someone who hunts the way you do with the same thoughts. Someone who isn't always trying to be a step ahead of you to get the opportunity first but is willing to help each other out to get the job done! Someone who truly cares about their success as much as your own.
 
Someone who has the same hunting ethics. It is also good to hunt with a partner in that has the same hunting desires. I'm a meat hunter. I don't hunt with trophy hunters, because well it wouldn't make sense. I'm not going to pass on a legal elk and that is the name of the game for trophy hunters. I also look for someone in good shape and who wants to hunt out of a bivy camp. It has to be someone who I trust.
 
I knew I had found the "right" partner when the day after killing a 6 point bull with most of the meat still high up on the mountain, he happened to come back to base camp from a spike camp, heard that there was an elk to pack out.  He dropped his gear, grabbed his pack and spent the whole day with me packing it out in 2 trips each.  It was a 12 hour day for each of us and we finished just as it became dark.  There were 5 other guys in camp who had better things to do that day and he did this without being asked.  I have hunted with this guy for the last 15 years and he meets all of those criteria that others have mentioned.  In many respects, finding that perfect hunting partner is about as tough as finding that perfect "hunter's" spouse...but that is a different thread! :-*
 
I've been pretty lucky, only problem is he retired at 40.  So I still work and have a young family and he can hunt 30+ days without thinking twice in Septmeber.
 
Mostly trial and error. You can talk to someone and they may appear to be THE ONE but until you get out there in the field a few times you will never know.


I was lucky enough to find 2 great partners for waterfowl 10 years ago. Bow hunting for the most part has been a solo adventure for the last 16 years as there are very few people that were willing to go the distance. Last season once again my hunt fell apart as a result of somebody's other priorities, and once again I was going at it solo. I happened to be talking to a friend who has a tight hunting crew. They have hunted together since they were kids. After talking for a while he asked me to come along with them instead of my solo hunt. I took the gamble and went along. All I can say is wow, this guys are hard charging, positive, confident killing machines. We hiked 80-100 miles in 8 days, and punched all 4 tags. I guess I passed their test, because I have been asked to join their crew on upcoming hunts in Arizona, Alaska and Colorado.


I've always said things happen for a reason. Had my hunt plans not fallen apart I would have probably never hooked up with this crew. Who knows how many more partners I would have gone through looking for what I believe to be a good hunting partner.

 
On My first trip I lost a "friend" because of differences.
Since then, the first archery trip had 4-of us and we had a good time, no elk, but had better friendships afterward.
Last year there were 8 of us, 7 muzzleloader hunters and me with a bow 2 of the other guys were on the first trip. I was a little nervous of the army heading up the mountain, but I gained 5 friends and had an incredible hunt, and we had 50% success. I have learned I have to be adaptive and accepting. but there are some people I would never go with too.
 
Tough to find the "right" one imo....I have been burned by people giving out my locations or bringing back friends.....and my other issue is hunting with someone who I dont have to worry bout crossing the line...ethically or legally.  Had one guy but he moved so know I mainly hunt with my immediate family or alone.
 
It was a challenge for me. My brother in law and I have always been great hunting partners but over the last 5 years we have not been able to hunt together so I have done a lot of hunting solo, but looked for chances to hunt with other guys but most of the time it didn't work out. The challenge was finding someone with the same drive, dedication, aggression, humor and humility that you could spend countless hours of hiking, glassing, frustration and moments of extreme intensity with and truly have fun. This last year I finally started scouting with a friend of my wife's husband who I have known for several years and we both looked at each other after our first trip and asked why we had not been scouting and hunting together all this time as we were definitely two peas in a pod.
 
Have to have hunted with them and see what kind of ethics they have. They have to be able to carry their fair share. Have been in some situations with some that I have refused to let back into camp.
 
I try to find someone like minded with the same drive.
So far the most reliable partner I have had is my dad....which makes sense since he taught me how to hunt.
 
Well for me I havent found one yet.  So the last three years i have hunted by myself.  It definitely has its pros and cons but would love to have someone with the same drive and devotion i have for elk hunting.
 
I teamed up with a guy who hunts the same area I do.  Its worked out great.  We have a similiar passion for elk hunting which leads us on some crazy adventures.  The other traits I looked for was unselfish and could keep his mouth shut to the public about our spot(s).  My buddy is awesome on all accounts and when he gets his elk I am truly elated for him / us.
 
Agreed my hunting partner has the same drive that I do and we have been very successful over the years and hopefully will be over many more years.
 
Mines my brother, he lives in Alaska so it's probably solo until his return. But hey, maybe someone on here may make a good partner. anybody in Colorado that wants to bivy hunt archery in the high country, we could make a trial run in the spring to scout
 
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