Hunting Solo Vs. With Others

[Pointed_stick]

I do all of my hunting, and most of my hiking/scouting by myself. I know a few other guys who hunt, no one else that uses traditional gear though, and most are not bow hunters at all. Outside of 1 friend I do some target shooting with, this is very much a solo pursuit. I am curious how many on here are in this same situation? I would welcome the opportunity to hunt with someone on occasion if the opportunity came up. The concept of safety in in the woods, as I get a bit older, is in the background somewhere. 

[Dave Lay]

I’m pretty much the same way, I’d say 99% of my scouting time, which is a lot is alone, I have a couple buddies that trad hunt I’ll meet up with on a rare occasion if we happen to be hunting the same rough area but otherwise I’m solo, like you, I’m getting older and not in the shape I was in years ago and getting a deer out of the woods is more of a challenge than it was and has made me be more selective of my hunt areas, a deer cart or quartering up and packing out has become a necessity. It’s great to have friends to help if that’s possible, I’m lucky that when I hunt fairly close to home my wife will come help out. When I hunt remote areas with no cell coverage, I carry a garmin inReach. In past years I would have laughed at this , but a fall or accident is a more serious thing for me anymore.

[dnovo]

Deer hunting is mostly on my property behind my house and is solo. I’ve always enjoyed my out of state hunts with a couple good friends. Sometimes we would hunt together, sometimes not but the company in camp is welcome. I’m like the rest of us in getting older and getting hurt is more in the back of your mind. I always carry my cell phone at my wife’s insistence.

[MnFn]

Early on, I bowhunted with my dad, and brother-in-law.  Then my dad passed away in the mid nineties and my BIL lost interest mainly due to health reasons. I hunted few times with a friend but due to illness he has quit hunting also. So for the last ten years I bowhunted alone.

Until last year.  And then an amazing thing happened.  I reconnected with a childhood friend, Kendall Techau.  We both loved archery after my dad took us with bowhunting white tails. I hadn’t seen Kendall in about sixty years.  I saw him post on a Tradgang once, quite a few years ago and I messaged him.

We talked about our lives; and how much we had in common.  Married for nearly fifty years? -yup, three kids? a boy and two girls-yup. Played guitars- sort of. Kendall plays guitar,I just dabble. Black Toyota pick ups? -yup. Shoot traditional bows? Yup, in a major way!

Kendall invited me down to Kentucky last year and we hunted deer on his property.  It was great, like we picked up
right where we left off when we were ten years old or so.  We are planning an Iowa bow hunt as soon as we can get drawn. I do have another friend that I introduced to bowhunting.  I sold him my Northern Mist Shelton.  We have talked about hunting together and may make it happen this year.

If I had to, I would still solo hunt.  But it adds an awful lot to hunting if you have a partner you can count on. I will still hunt alone because of the distance involved, because I can’t get enough of bowhunting even now when I am about to turn 70. But as others have noted, safety has become more of an issue.
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[GCook]

I'm pretty fortunate in that I have some private land and hunt often with my two partners in the place during hunting season.  Yet I hunt alone a lot as well.
I enjoy both as with them there, although they use modern style bows we can help out when animals are taken and share real time phone pics about deer we see. 
But I love the peace and solitude being there alone.  I know it concerns my wife some given my heart history but I don't even think about it.  And really if I gotta go that wouldn't be such a bad place.
I do get to share a traditional bowhunt now and then with friends and those are very special occasions for me.  The atmosphere is different and the feeling of belonging is different as well. 
I'm blessed to have land in two states and friends to hunt with in both. 
All that to say alone is not an issue for me.  At least not yet.

[Pointed_stick]

As some have mentioned, just having the help getting game out is a huge plus...I have to imagine. Looking at a bear hunt in Sept. and the task of getting it out alone is potentially going to be challenging. I have a buddy to call to help drag, if his availability allows, but it is not a guarantee.

[GCook]

We have utility carts and a tractor with a bucket available.  That helps a lot.

[BAK]

I only hunt on my family farm anymore.  Used to go with a couple of buddies various places, but they've passed on.  Seems I don't really have anyone left to tramp the woods with.  That's OK too.  My wife usually helps me get the deer out to where I can get my tractor and loader to it.   

[BillyJack1975]

I pretty much hunt solo. Last year I hunted in Wisconsin with a close friend of mine and we may do another hunt together this fall. I’m picky about who I hunt with because it can make or break a hunt. I used to hunt religiously with another close friend of mine until he got all busted up from a plane crash and isn’t capable of hiking around like we used to. Some people won’t hunt alone but I personally enjoy the time.

[Sam McMichael]

I generally hunt alone, also. For most of my hunting life, it has been that way. I had no brothers, and my dad did not hunt. I am totally comfortable going solo. Everything is done at my pace. Usually, I can contact my son to help me get a deer out of the woods. The tractor is down at present, but it is usually on hand to help. Sometimes, I do have a hunting companion, and I enjoy it. My buddies and I only have one deer camp annually, so for an extended weekend, we enjoy a great camaraderie. Just the same, solo deer hunting is just fine with me.

[Keoonik]

I hunted for years with my father. He definitely appreciated my help on the drag. He passed away a few years ago. I’ve spent the past few years hunting alone and really relearning how to hunt alone. In those years I’ve hunted exclusively trad and it’s become a very spiritual and private experience. I don’t think I would much enjoy hunting with others at this point.

[Captain*Kirk]

I would prefer to hunt with buddies but it generally doesn't work out that way. It's nice to have an extra set of hands and eyes for tracking and dragging out deer; several years ago I helped my son track a deer he hit for hours. We lost the trail in the darkness, and when we found it the next day, the 'yotes had found it first and they didn't leave much. Still, it was nice for him to have someone to count on to help track (he has red/green deficiency and has trouble with blood trails). And there's always the possibility of injury or a health emergency, especially as we age.

[Baylee]

I hunt 100% solo and like it that way. I’ve hunted all over the country and enjoy the solitude and being able to do what I want without a group meeting lol. I tried hunting with others early on but most do more talking about hunting than hunting and always have excuses for why they can’t go. I’ve also had hunts ruined by bringing someone that likes the idea of hunting and camping but end up complaining the whole time or show up without a tent forget their boots always something. I’ve found it’s easier to just do it by myself.

[Bowguy67]

I hunt almost always alone and I prefer that. I do have a friend who once or twice a year winds up on the same farm as me but if it was anyone else I’d not want them around. When I mentor someone they’re obviously near but I’d not be “hunting” with them. Prob more like guiding/teaching them. 
My bud is not actually with me though. I want no one interfering with my hunt. That means hunting a different area, different deer group.  Yea it’s nice if you succeed having someone there but it’s not necessary.
I don’t really have anyone trad I hunt with, my buddy uses a compound but he takes clean close shots so I don’t look at him any different than lots of styk guys. 12 yards is 12 yards. He’s pushing nothing. Glad he’s my bud

[BillyJack1975]

I passed up on a NM elk hunt invitation this year. My friend invited me on the hunt with a guy that has hunted the area before. My friend said that the other guy smokes pot all day and is an ass****. I told him absolutely not, and best of luck. I’m really surprised my friend is going, I guess he want an elk at any cost..
I have my limits and those 2 traits are something I won’t tolerate.

 Nothing wrong with hunting alone.

[Cory Mattson]

SOLO

Even with a group in camp like on Blackbeard we never see each other during daylight

like Bowguy we are usually mentoring at least one guy each year but that's not hunting. Thats setting up for success then following through.
like Dave I started using wheeled cart about 10 years ago and really like it.
started using my field quarter pack the past few years and I'm liking that even more.
So no problems getting deer, hogs, bears out of the woods by myself.

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[tradslinger]

I have pretty much always hunted solo, or at least a long ways from anyone else. My hunting areas have been hard found and hard to keep. I got tired of people finding my stands and doing whatever to them as well as stealing them. Had someone take a crap in one once, another person crap on the ground under my wife's ladderstand and then smear it on the rungs. I park a long ways from my stand and hid my trail. I once had a screw in step break when I was 14 feet up. Landed on my back between several huge rocks. It would take them a week to find me in that area if they did at all. I took my son and hunted within 150 yards of him or farther. the same with my wife after she began to hunt. still solo even on a lease.

[mgf]

Most of my bow hunting has been solo. My son used to hunt with me some but he lives out of town now and he's busy with young children. I don't really have much in the way of quality hunting available so last year I just sat out behind the house. The year before I didn't bother.

This year I was thinking about a section of a semi local state FWA. Our state areas are beat to death and not really worth the trouble but I'm told there is an archery only section...that could be a quiet place come gun season (the rut).

Now for the first time in my life I'm thinking about age/health. I have a health issue that's going to make it hard to get back and forth to the area and I don't know how I could get a deer out of there. The last deer I killed was on my property. I hauled him out with the lawn tractor and wagon and my wife to help load him in there.

 

[Pine]

Almost every time I have hunted with someone else, they will after a few hours come and check with me to find out if I have seen anything. 
REALLY?!
Solo hunting for me.

[Orion]

Solo for me as well.  I sometimes have a hunting partner in camp, and it's fun to exchange experiences at the end of the day, but I always hunt solo.