So I know everyone is pumped for the upcoming season this year and I am really excited. I will be hitting it hard scouting when I get back home and from there transitioning into hunting mode. Now I have something that just keeps eating away at me. We all have that one friend that wants to hunt and I made the offer to take him hunting with me this year after he kept asking over and over. This will be his first elk hunting experience. Myself and another friend spent countless hours last summer scouting. Some together and then there were a few solo trips for each of us due to personal reasons. Now here is what is eating away at me. I feel like by offering to take this guy hunting with me has caused a rift between myself and others. I am picking the unit that I have a little knowledge about because if something happens and I get extended on my deployment I am not going to be able to scout. There are several new areas that I want to look at that have great possibility so I might not even be anywhere close to where we scouted/hunted last year. But I feel as though by offering someone to hunt with me I am considered of telling about \"our secret honey hole\". Maybe it is just me but all I am doing is trying to help someone gain a little elk hunting experience. I have never even told anybody about where I hunt other than the unit, if they ask. This new guy isn\'t going to even see any of the spots that were scouted except maybe where I killed my cow at. I don\'t like to share a lot of hunting information because it spreads worse than a wildfire. I have almost told the new guy that I was just going to go on my own but deep down that\'s not me. Am I wrong to over think this?
Upcoming season
- Thread starter VTHOKEE
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its a tough spot, however, its been my experience you take your \"one\" buddy, then he has his \"one\" buddy next year, and so on, and so on, and so on. I took a friend a couple years ago and we were just starting our planning and he was thinking about inviting someone else to come. i stopped that quickly, told him point blank either it was just him or we would either not go or go to a new spot and not in areas i knew. i also told him i was taking a chance with him not coming back in the future with his \"one\" buddy and ask him to promise not to do that. i was pretty upset over that and nothing had happened yet. personally, and this is just my opinion, taking someone else anywhere near where you and your friend was last year will cause issues that are not repairable. its not worth it.
I agree with scott! you say, whats the harm..... but that buddy talks about his awesome hunt where he arrowed a monster bull. another buddy asks where it was, and that buddy tells him. next thing you know that buddy brings his buddies, even though the first buddy cant make it. do you see where this is going?
and don\'t forget, you were the buddy that was brought along in the first place, to that magical elk spot......
my personal opinion would tell me to find my own spot if I was to start my own hunting group. not take over someone elses spot, who has like myself, poured over maps for months, made numerous phone calls, and even spent the time to scout!
and don\'t forget, you were the buddy that was brought along in the first place, to that magical elk spot......
my personal opinion would tell me to find my own spot if I was to start my own hunting group. not take over someone elses spot, who has like myself, poured over maps for months, made numerous phone calls, and even spent the time to scout!
I\'ve learned over the years not to trust anyone... 
Occupational hazard I guess.. :lol: :lol:
When I was hunting and I had someone that wanted to hunt with me ON PUBLIC land they never saw a place we normally hunted... We could kill ducks someplace else... :upthumb: :upthumb:
On private land is different... I have taken a guest deer hunting with me on our lease and they get to hunt any stand I have EXCEPT \"my\" 4 foot stand since it\'s the only one I can get up in anymore...
So to answer your question, go somewhere new to you and tell him that you will both be learning the area together... :upthumb: :upthumb:
Occupational hazard I guess.. :lol: :lol: When I was hunting and I had someone that wanted to hunt with me ON PUBLIC land they never saw a place we normally hunted... We could kill ducks someplace else... :upthumb: :upthumb:
On private land is different... I have taken a guest deer hunting with me on our lease and they get to hunt any stand I have EXCEPT \"my\" 4 foot stand since it\'s the only one I can get up in anymore...
So to answer your question, go somewhere new to you and tell him that you will both be learning the area together... :upthumb: :upthumb:
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
Why are you asking us? Seems pretty simple to call the original dudes and ask. Just be prepared to not be all butt hurt if the answer is \"no\". And honor the response.
My great hunt buds have a secret deer spot nearby. They won\'t take me because they found it together. The three of them. Cool by me. Nothing personal, I don\'t even ask them. Since they didn\'t offer.
My great hunt buds have a secret deer spot nearby. They won\'t take me because they found it together. The three of them. Cool by me. Nothing personal, I don\'t even ask them. Since they didn\'t offer.
yep, just me, but if i got invited to a spot i wouldnt even take myself back to that spot without clearing it with the first guy, and only then under special circumstances like japan for 4 years etc. there is plenty of area to hunt, its not worth losing a friend over. last year i got invited to go on a turkey hunt. my son had never killed one, so, very reluctantly, i ask if i could bring him and told them i would not buy a tag or hunt, so we were not hunting or killing more birds than they intended, he was just shooting in my stead. i also told them it was fine if they didnt want me to, just say so. but, it was my son, i would not ask for another guy. and even then it was very uncomfortable for me.
A lot of good responses here. We are straight we had a good conversation about it. I like to hear different peoples points of views on situations like this. It happens a lot being in the military we move to new areas and have to start fresh then someone comes in that we share similar interest like hunting or fishing and maybe take them to a spot or tell them where to go. Let\'s just say it was a learning experience for both parties. If I had to choose someone to hunt with it would be the other party. He is a hardcore hunter and gives 110%.
I\'m not so much of a political correct person. So let me just put it this way. \"If I have a honey hole that I worked my tale off to find and I trusted you enough to show it to you, and you started inviting others into my spot, you can bet your sweet rosey rear end we would be having a talk.
Can\'t get much plainer than that!
Now here is my reason for being rather strong in my way of thinking. Several years ago I had a good friend from another state. I showed him a great place to hunt. I even let him share my camping trailer and my home. The very next year he showed up with his father and three brothers. The following year after that, he shows up with his father, three brothers, and one of the brothers invited two of his buddies . That was the straw that broke the camels back. And, that is when we had our little talk. I haven\'t seen or heard from him in 20 years now. I suppose you might say good riddance to bad rubbish.
Respect the friend that had enough confidence in you to show you a good place to hunt. Is it worth loosing him as a friend and loosing any confidence he may have had in you in the past.
Can\'t get much plainer than that!
Now here is my reason for being rather strong in my way of thinking. Several years ago I had a good friend from another state. I showed him a great place to hunt. I even let him share my camping trailer and my home. The very next year he showed up with his father and three brothers. The following year after that, he shows up with his father, three brothers, and one of the brothers invited two of his buddies . That was the straw that broke the camels back. And, that is when we had our little talk. I haven\'t seen or heard from him in 20 years now. I suppose you might say good riddance to bad rubbish.
Respect the friend that had enough confidence in you to show you a good place to hunt. Is it worth loosing him as a friend and loosing any confidence he may have had in you in the past.
colorado russ
New member
- Aug 10, 2017
- 1,083
This conversation just reiterates my \"1 person\" rule. I won\'t say 100% accurate but in the high 90s! Everyone feels that they have 1 person who can share a secret with or have a private conversation assuming it won\'t go any further. A lot of times it\'s not intentional - had a buddy tell his wife where he was hunting(for safety reasons) and she ended up mentioning it in a casual conversations. Well, you know where this is going. So, like others have said, I just keep my mouth shut on any place that I haven\'t found myself.
A good friend took me over 5 years ago to a backup place he hunted. To this day, I\'ve not went back and hunted and not told anyone even though he doesn\'t hunt there anymore either. Telling one person will likely backfire.
I agree with Cliff\'s suggestion of asking the guys who invited/took you to the area. I\'m sure they spent lots of time and money learning an area and from what I saw last year you all should be very grateful! There\'s a lot of \'pride\' in finding a honey hole and it\'d be nice to keep it sweet for many years to come - but the fewer that know the more likely it\'ll stay yours.
A good friend took me over 5 years ago to a backup place he hunted. To this day, I\'ve not went back and hunted and not told anyone even though he doesn\'t hunt there anymore either. Telling one person will likely backfire.
I agree with Cliff\'s suggestion of asking the guys who invited/took you to the area. I\'m sure they spent lots of time and money learning an area and from what I saw last year you all should be very grateful! There\'s a lot of \'pride\' in finding a honey hole and it\'d be nice to keep it sweet for many years to come - but the fewer that know the more likely it\'ll stay yours.
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,278
Good thread. Made me realize it was probably a good time for an email reminder to our group about keeping things quiet. :upthumb:
JohnFitzgerald
New member
- Mar 31, 2014
- 1,108
\">>>---WW---->\" said:
X2
I think the thing that surprises me is about this sort of thing is how badly I have misjudged certain individuals! I have helped people get started bow hunting for deer on private land by clearing it with the owner only to have them invade the area the following year with others and these were guys I would never have thought would do that. In their defense however, I was not adamant that they only hunt alone or with me. Thought I didn\'t have to make a big issue over it. Seems like common sense and courtesy are in short supply these days.
So what I decided to do is just go to another unit. I changed my draw choices for the following reasons A: jeopardize friendship B: risk the new hunter gaining any knowledge of where we have hunted in the past, and C: It will give me a chance to find another spot to add to my list. This has made me realize that in the future to make sure I am clear with whoever I take hunting or whoever might take me hunting what is expected.
timberland
New member
- Aug 27, 2015
- 471
Well, I got burned this year. After a job change that will limit my hunt time in Sept. last week I found out my Brother in law and a mutual acquaintance (not good friend) had started making rifle hunt plans in the area I found and scouted and took them archery hunting and \"forgot\" to mention it to me. They plan on bringing two other guys.
Excuses: Thought you couldn\'t go (I can)
Thought you had other plans (Nothing concrete)
Thought you wouldn\'t care, its rifle
Since I\'m close to my B I Law, I told him it was a \"cheesy\" move, don\'t ask to borrow any of my gear, and I might invite him again if its \"convenient\" for me, otherwise I\'m going solo or with a different friend who also like to solo hunt.
Oh, well.
Excuses: Thought you couldn\'t go (I can)
Thought you had other plans (Nothing concrete)
Thought you wouldn\'t care, its rifle
Since I\'m close to my B I Law, I told him it was a \"cheesy\" move, don\'t ask to borrow any of my gear, and I might invite him again if its \"convenient\" for me, otherwise I\'m going solo or with a different friend who also like to solo hunt.
Oh, well.
