Theelkhunter
New member
- Jan 7, 2013
- 40
I have gotten really cautious about taking people to "Honey holes". A person must earn my trust before to much information is given out. I would take them to a fake honey hole and test'em. 
Taking new hunters into a honey hole?
- Thread starter MTbowhunter1984
- Start date
Jeremiah Johnson
New member
- Dec 29, 2012
- 245
Only longgggggg time friends and family get the invite to the Honey Holes. Heard tooo many stories that have gone south on this topic and I have put in too many miles to just give them up unknowingly!
Kmbingham92
New member
- Dec 30, 2012
- 283
This really depends for me. If it is somewhere I go back to every year and want to hunt without running into tons of people I will not share. If it is more than 4 miles from a trailhead I don't mind putting someone in a general area because most people will not go more than a couple miles in. If it is a die hard hunting partner I don't mind sharing more details because they know and respect the fact that I count on this spot to produce.
If it is an area I have hunted and can't secure a tag but once every 15 years like Utah I don't mind telling a few people because I like to be able to help a fellow hunter find success. I personally was given what I consider a honey hole in both Colorado and Idaho by a complete stranger and found success.
Of course we all want to be careful of how many hunters we get into our best spots and once you have told one person you can almost guarantee they will tell at least one or two and exponentially it expands to hundreds of people who now know where your honey hole is located.
If it is an area I have hunted and can't secure a tag but once every 15 years like Utah I don't mind telling a few people because I like to be able to help a fellow hunter find success. I personally was given what I consider a honey hole in both Colorado and Idaho by a complete stranger and found success.
Of course we all want to be careful of how many hunters we get into our best spots and once you have told one person you can almost guarantee they will tell at least one or two and exponentially it expands to hundreds of people who now know where your honey hole is located.
I used to keep my spot to family and close friends till field in stream did a cover page story on it ,then it was oh well.since then I find no one really knows the gulch like me and they eventually dont come back any way,Its a tough spot to hike that is what makes it the honey hole.Now I cant even get people to go even if I do offer.But there is elk in the freezer every year
I have had bad and good luck when it comes to this. I have my best elk hunting spots that I share with others, the thing is, some of them are absolute crap holes that nobody in their right mind would want to go down into. I'm a bit crazy when it comes to elk hunting. My other spots I have taken a one or two people with me to and I know they are good friends and won't tell. I have always had more luck with people that have "honey holes" of their own.. kind of like the, "Show me yours, I'll show you mine" saying.
I have had some bad luck when it comes to elk shed hunting spots. Took someone there and then the next year he came with 4 people and then the next those people came with more people and all of a sudden the spot was like overloaded with people.
Part of the fun of elk hunting is finding new "honey holes" so I try not to let it bother me too much.
I have had some bad luck when it comes to elk shed hunting spots. Took someone there and then the next year he came with 4 people and then the next those people came with more people and all of a sudden the spot was like overloaded with people.
Part of the fun of elk hunting is finding new "honey holes" so I try not to let it bother me too much.
Wow, that is a tough one, I would have to ask the ones who introduced me to the spot. I am sure they would say no, unless they knew the person. Believe it or not there are a lot of people from my area that venture west for elk. We try to protect our area, there may be better areas, but we know our area better each time
kikinhorse
New member
- Jan 23, 2013
- 104
No way.
Trailblazer
New member
- Jan 2, 2013
- 17
I will take my family into my spots...not really honeyholes....but still my spots....
Hard to take someone else unless I really felt I could trust them....they dont have to come back without you or someone else to do the damage....just telling the wrong person can bite you!!
Hard to take someone else unless I really felt I could trust them....they dont have to come back without you or someone else to do the damage....just telling the wrong person can bite you!!
Montana_BackCountry
New member
- Jan 9, 2013
- 320
If the new hunter is blood relative or a long time trusted buddy who has proven honest in other situations. I've got some backup spots where I can bring a "fringe" friend interested in getting going but my honey hole has a "members only" status
Bradyshawn
New member
- Jan 28, 2013
- 21
It depends on the person. We have a pretty good spot for our OTC Utah elk hunt. Alot of people try to figure out where we go so we have to be careful on who we lake and who we tell. It is me, my dad and my 2 brothers spot. We will let my brother in law's tag along and a few very close friends.
wapiti_will
Member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 206
My best archery hunting spot is my little secret (because no other hunters are around, and want to make sure it stays that way), and that probably won't change until my son gets older or my brother gets in to archery.
But I also have some great spots where I rifle hunt and because we all split the work load and meat, I don't mind hooking up my buddies when they go for the first time. I had 4 buddies go elk hunting for the first time last year, and I put them in the 4 best spots I knew. Three of them got elk, and the forth guy should have but was completely frozen at the sight of a 6x6 running right past him. He was used to hunting whitetail and hadn't been up close and personal with a monster bull. But now they are all hooked for life and they also know that next year they are on their own, and I get my pick of where I feel like hunting. Plus they helped fill my freezer and all learned how to quarter and debone elk. All my friends think I'm the most committed, knowledgeable, and passionate elk hunter they know, and I like that title and I enjoy passing on that knowledge and passion to others.
But I also have some great spots where I rifle hunt and because we all split the work load and meat, I don't mind hooking up my buddies when they go for the first time. I had 4 buddies go elk hunting for the first time last year, and I put them in the 4 best spots I knew. Three of them got elk, and the forth guy should have but was completely frozen at the sight of a 6x6 running right past him. He was used to hunting whitetail and hadn't been up close and personal with a monster bull. But now they are all hooked for life and they also know that next year they are on their own, and I get my pick of where I feel like hunting. Plus they helped fill my freezer and all learned how to quarter and debone elk. All my friends think I'm the most committed, knowledgeable, and passionate elk hunter they know, and I like that title and I enjoy passing on that knowledge and passion to others.
L
lang
Guest
Forgot to tell you the kid I took in was a marathon straight uphill. If he didn't see that bull he would have never gone back in there. Rough enough even seeing the bull he questioned it and realized he was pretty spent not packing anything out.
I did have a super anal friend that would get after me for showing a pic of us packing a bull out of North Idaho where all the hill are exactly the same green top to bottom because he thought someone would know where we were. I went to school out of state and he had tons of great encounters with monster bulls in an otc unit. After moving back he confessed it was a spot I had shown him.
I did have a super anal friend that would get after me for showing a pic of us packing a bull out of North Idaho where all the hill are exactly the same green top to bottom because he thought someone would know where we were. I went to school out of state and he had tons of great encounters with monster bulls in an otc unit. After moving back he confessed it was a spot I had shown him.
