Venting/hunting alone question

[Grambo]

I set aside time to hunt with my dad . He's the reason I hunt .

 

[nrh6.7]

Forget everything you've read and see if she has a sister!

ETA: find time to go hunt with your dad. Don't let the fact that you might have to sit water or stay close to the truck deter you. The memories you make will last the rest of your life. My dad is 83 and his health won't allow him to hunt at all.

 

[Tony Trietch]

You got a lot of great advise on the first page, not sure what I could add.

My goal is to hunt alone so I don't have a bunch of good "finding a hunting partner ideas" but If you have hunted solo before and don't enjoy it then maybe you just need to search out a partner that you'd get along with. Could be a lot of work but who knows...

I do need to make more time to hunt with my Dad but it will need to be a physically easy hunt.

 

[Dinger]

Being able to hunt the back country solo is a rare treat to be savoured..........grab an Inreach and enjoy it.

 

[Violent Hippie]

My outlook is similar to mfllood3800. Having the time alone in the wilderness is something I look forward too and when even 1 partner is with me it is simply not as rewarding. Having others along isnt "bad" but its just not on the same level of a wilderness experience I have come to enjoy.True alone time is important for me and hard to find. It usually takes me a couple days to settle in to the silence and not feel uncomfortable but when I do settle in and really tune into the environment its a spiritual experience that is second to none. If I am fortunate enough to make a kill then it was all my doing which gives serious satisfaction. I have NOT yet hunted elk ( I am planning too this year) , moose or anything larger than a deer so I am not doing the backbreaking 4 trip load out large game require but would still give it a whirl solo . I do not reach out to my family ( I do miss them but would rather stay away from technology and stay in the moment )often while in the backcountry. Simple GPS coordinates of possible camp and truck parking site are given to the wife prior to departure and thats about it. My approach is pretty simplistic which is what I personally need in this busy world full of daily human interaction and technology .

 

[Dinger]

I do NOT carry any Delorme type device and do not reach out to my family ( I do miss them but would rather stay away from technology and stay in the moment )often while in the backcountry

As single guy I did this, but as a father I feel I have an accountability to return home alive and in one piece.... and a responsibility to come straight back if my family needs me.

Family or not, bust a leg or take a fall in the back country and a lot of people will be put at risk grid searching to locate me, or my carcass, when I'm overdue for return........as you know there is plenty of country that you could walk within yards of someone and not see them.

I've done plenty of risky things in the past with no 'safety net', but nowadays I really try to minimise the chance that if I have a problem it doesn't turn into something far worse.

JMO and please take it in the spirit it is intended, out of concern for you and yours.

Cheers,

Dinger

 

[BroodBuster]

I too am a big fan of Audiobooks. Certainly not while hiking or hunting but for when chilling in camp. If there’s cell coverage the Tunein radio
App is great for evening football games. A little nib of whiskey is also great after dusk. I like to call my wood stove a 2# TV set. Especially during storms. It gives me something to do when socked in.

You know you’ve been alone for a while when you start hearing the river people having a cocktail party somewhere over thereabouts.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I work in the woods a lot of days. It's not uncommon to not hear a voice for 10-12 hours at a time. So, I'm used to being alone in the woods. However, my wife doesn't like that I go hunting by myself. But, I tell her I going. I think it has made her want to go with me at times. Which, I think is a good thing. And, i'm beyond being let down by hunting partners that don't come through on planned trips, being on time, upholding their responsibilities to get prepared, etc.... So, I just plan to go and, I go. That's what you gotta do. If it's worth you hunting, you'll go. A good campfire does a lot for the soul too. God Bless

 

[HellsCanyon]

Good advice and opinions from everyone above. I'm one of the guys that prefer to hunt alone but have a few close friends that I'd trust my life to in the back country. If anything I have too many close friends I'd be willing to hunt with...

As far as hunting alone and how to deal with it, the best thing is, to practice! It always seems to take me a few nights every spring/summer to get used to and comfortable in the dark in the mountains. But once you're used to it, there's nothing better. I'm also the kind of guy that has ZERO problem relaxing during a hunt. I push when I need to push, and relax and enjoy the solitude when I need to.

I've done the Inreach thing and truth be told it's nice, but I'm not a fan of everyday check-ins. It's still a link to social interaction that I'm escaping from and I think it gives my loved ones something to worry about if I don't check in. With that said, I still pack it or a way to communicate, but it's often once every 2-3 days I'll check in or if in a really remote area I'll check in during the middle and the end of the hunt. Don't set expectations before leaving that you'll check in every day is my advice. Batteries go dead, you get into some deep canyons chasing an animal and can't get a satellite link...etc murphy's law.

Mike

 

[5MilesBack]

I have never found going solo to be a problem. But I used to disappear in the river bottoms by myself even as a small kid growing up. So being solo isn't a big deal for me. And when I go, I don't have a smartphone or any other device to keep me busy while I'm there. And sometimes when I leave the house, I don't even know where I'll end up let alone my family knowing. That's just how we roll.

 

[philos]

I hunt alone many times. Part of the challenge for me is my hunting partners have either lost interest or are not able to go like I can-time or health constraints. I would welcome a mutual interest hunting partner but frankly that doesn't seem likely. I have no problem hunting alone but you do have certain limitations and responsibilities-particularly if you are a family man. I've driven out west and up the eastern cost to Maine a few times alone. If I waited for my old hunting partners to go with me I would not go many times. We do hunt local for deer and turkey but we mostly just meet back at camp. I do like to partner up for turkey but not for deer.

I do believe-like go4thegusto states-there is value in alone time to reflect on your thoughts and to unwind and do things at your own pace. I believe it is healthy to have alone time-not talking hermit behavior-but I don't understand folks who are afraid to ever be alone. I think being alone can be character building and allows you to evaluate life without "noise" from the civilized world. I think you need to be comfortable with being alone at times in order to be a good friend, spouse, neighbor, coworker etc.


The concern is being alone to the point you become unsociable or withdrawn. I have to combat this sometimes as I feel like I have very little in common John Q Public. I do not like the constant bombardment of political trash talk and basic human chatter from people that have nothing to discuss except the articles they scan from Yahoo or MSN. There are so many humans that are nothing but gossip shells and have no life or experiences of value. I have a pretty small circle of friends and honestly not many of them are outdoors folks but they do have an appreciation of nature and they certainly like venison tenderloins


Like most things in life it is best to look for balance but I'll always allow for some me time to keep me grounded.

 

[svivian]

a quality book can really pass the time.

 

[huntsman22]

So can looking at nature......

 

[Mi_fiveo]

I put in alone for the Wyoming draw this year. My usual hunting partner can’t get as much time off work as easily as I can and he decided to back out. I’ve done one other trip out West by myself. Mule deer hunting with my bow. I had a blast and didn’t mind being alone at all. I even took a damn nice Mule deer to make the trip even better. So make the most of the situation and do what you like to do.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[HookUp]

I feel handicapped hunting with other people. My preference now is to hunt alone. I will share a camp or hotel but that's as far as it goes. I do enjoy taking women and youth out on hunts on our ranch for white tail's. These are not the same as my game time going deep for a elk with my bow or a mountain rifle mule deer hunt.

 

[oldgoat]

I prefer to hunt with my wife, but arthritis is talking it's toll on her so I end up going alone some, I just check in a couple times a day on the inreach and keep people happy, helps that my wife does go sometimes and knows I'm cautious, so while I know she worries, she also knows from the experience she has that I'm likely to be ok. I hunt harder when she's not there so when I get back to camp, I'm tired and hot the hay pretty early. Might try the podcast earbud thing this year, that sounds like a good idea!

 

[oldgoat]

Maybe if you took the folks that are mother henning you on a mock hunt so they can see that you know what you're doing, they might not worry so much!

 

[Diesel]

Lots of really good advice, discussion on the character building, and spiritual aspects of hunting. Each person above is trying to relate their experience, knowledge and encouragement, all coming from different points of view.

Hunting is an evolving thing. Usually a guy starts out needing any kill, then moves to the trophy phase, then on to just observing and taking in the experience and then the give back stage. All phases have their rewards and can move back and forth. The point being that we all have many reasons to hunt and the reward can come from so many different aspects.

Those who dream of testing their skills on getting that first kill, or taking a huge trophy, or respite from the working world seek the rewards that the solitude of nature provides. Your Dad is in a different phase than you are right now. Talk to him about it and learn where he is at and you will find some peace, allowing you to do your phase with him, or an your own, or with new friends or all of the above. He might just get as much reward hearing about your adventures. So when and if you go solo you will be able to take in the whole experience.

Losing your hunting buddy may be a blessing, setting you on a new course and new experiences. That is the beauty of hunting, it is all good.

 

[wyodan]

Man there is nothing better to clear the mind than some time alone in the wilderness. If I stay in my camper, I will listen to some podcasts. But if I head backcountry, it's all the sounds of nature.

 

[orelkaddict]

I used to cherish every moment alone in the woods! now as a father of 4 I view things way different, I still enjoy the time when I have the chance but take a notebook and pen for ideas that I can share with the kids later. In the off season (if there is such a thing) my dog and I hike and pack in all the time for days at a time, really my best wilderness companion ever. You have to discover who you are and what calms you for the other parts of life. Never coming from a hunting family and never having a dad I would say never miss those chances with him!!