Hunting trips and hunting partners

[WVmike]

Wanted to ask other hunt talkers how often they plan out of state hunting trips and how many go by themselves/with a partner/as a group. I live in WV and have been trying to plan on going elk hunting in the west every two years. Went in 2024 and came home with the tag still in my pocket, but learned a lot. The logistics for those living on the eastern side of the country is a little trickier in regards to time related to travel/time off from work, fuel and the other issue for me, finding someone to go with on a consistent basis. I have a pretty flexible schedule as I work 3 12 hour shifts a week and usually can take off if I have dates set well in advance. That being said I have three little ones from 12 to 4 years old so I don't get to hunt especially out of state as much as I would like to. I also cherish all of the time I have them and my wife because one day I won't be spending all day at the ballfield watching games or traveling everywhere for baseball/softball. On the first trip to Colorado I went with someone who I was college roommates with and had been hunting together for well over 10 years but the trip showed myself and apparently my partner some things we didn't see eye to eye on, hence why we don't hunt and hangout anymore. Most people's idea of hunting is driving their side by side to their stand and sitting in their truck overlooking a corn field, not hiking miles on end to shoot an elk and carry it out on your back. After hunting in '24 I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to go back. Finding a hunting partner to go west is proving to be difficult. How hard is it for others to plan a hunting trip every year and also how many go solo or with others?

 

[TOGIE]

it's hard for everyone. even if you've found people you jive real well with lining up schedules, especially given the unpredictability of the draws and then throw kids and family schedules into the mix, can be borderline impossible. doesn't matter if you live out west or not.

lot's of folks are going solo not entirely by choice.

 

[mtmuley]

it's hard for everyone. even if you've found people you jive real well with lining up schedules, especially given the unpredictability of the draws and then throw kids and family schedules into the mix, can be borderline impossible. doesn't matter if you live out west or not.

lot's of folks are going solo not entirely by choice.

Yep. I had one. We drifted apart after some life stuff. He is currently in critical condition fighting Type 1 DKA. I recently gained a SIL that has stepped in. Just have to keep up with a kid half my age. mtmuley

 

[Steiny77]

Wailt till you get to be my age (66). Most of my buddies my age are out of shape and not up to anything much tougher than an afternoon sit in a deer stand. A day out fishing has them whipped out.

I take my kids, nephew, son in law, etc. when they can go and I pay for things. I don't mind paying if they are willing to make the trip. We have a lot of fun.

I keep telling my wife, I've got to get some younger friends

 

[kiwi hunter]

Theres nothing wrong with solo hunting, pack out to where the game is, roll out the bag and wake up amongst the animals. Nothing simpler. No 1 rule, dont panic if you get wet or wake up in snow. Enjoy

 

[WVmike]

Theres nothing wrong with solo hunting, pack out to where the game is, roll out the bag and wake up amongst the animals. Nothing simpler. No 1 rule, dont panic if you get wet or wake up in snow. Enjoy

I enjoy going solo when I go hunting locally, I've never done it out of state but the bigger issue is the wife doesn't want me going by myself. That is my issue. Understandable to an extent. She gets worried when I go on our land because she worries about something happening to me. Maybe I just need to sweet talk her some lol

 

[Big Sky Guy]

I enjoy going solo when I go hunting locally, I've never done it out of state but the bigger issue is the wife doesn't want me going by myself. That is my issue. Understandable to an extent. She gets worried when I go on our land because she worries about something happening to me. Maybe I just need to sweet talk her some lol

iPhone 14 and newer you can satellite text. Just text 1 or 2x a day depending on how worrisome your wife is, "I'm checking in, everything is ok." Makes my wife happy and easy to do when taking lunch or settling into camp in the evening. There's also inReach, but iPhone satellite texting has proven superior in all of my use cases so I'm just slow to give up my old InReach and I haven't checked if the backcountry extraction insurance ~$50/year I got through Garmin I pay for is valid without an inReach subscription.

There's only about 3 or 4 people I will take time off with to go hunting with and about that many more I will gladly go out on a weekend with if it works out and I don't have a spot I'm wanting to go to solo. I usually just hunt solo most of the time now.

 

[geetar]

it's hard for everyone. even if you've found people you jive real well with lining up schedules, especially given the unpredictability of the draws and then throw kids and family schedules into the mix, can be borderline impossible. doesn't matter if you live out west or not.

lot's of folks are going solo not entirely by choice.

This is all very true. I considered moving out west and my wife was on board but I finally realized it wasn't going to net me much more hunting time. A lot of my vacation time that I spend traveling west to hunt would be eaten up with traveling back to see all our family that lives back east even if just for a week or two each year.

 

[WVmike]

iPhone 14 and newer you can satellite text. Just text 1 or 2x a day depending on how worrisome your wife is, "I'm checking in, everything is ok." Makes my wife happy and easy to do when taking lunch or settling into camp in the evening. There's also inReach, but iPhone satellite texting has proven superior in all of my use cases so I'm just slow to give up my old InReach and I haven't checked if the backcountry extraction insurance ~$50/year I got through Garmin I pay for is valid without an inReach subscription.

There's only about 3 or 4 people I will take time off with to go hunting with and about that many more I will gladly go out on a weekend with if it works out and I don't have a spot I'm wanting to go to solo. I usually just hunt solo most of the time now.

I bought a zoleo last year and I have one of the iphones with the sat texting. At the time on my first trip we did not have a satellite communicator, hence another reason for me personally to no longer hunt with the individual I went hunting with. He was wanting to go camp by a big lake that was about 15 miles back with the weather forecasting to change from rain to snow with no cell service and no info on if it was even a good place to hunt. He just wanted to go back their because it would be cool. Anyways I have two methods of communicating with no service now over when I had one at best on the first elk hunt.

 

[CRJR45]

Well my plan A was to wow this crowd with my cutting wit and current events satire , providing insightful replies to first world problems , and once everybody saw what a cool laidback fun guy I am , I would be overwhelmed with offers to hunt in honeyholes everywhere .

I'm working on plan B now .........solo OTC hunt , bitches ....

 

[Nick87]

Used to have a real dependable group of 3 to 5 of us. Most everyone got married and started families. Other than my young cousin I dont even ask anymore. I have to young up and coming hunting partners who will be the best yet. Counting the days, everyday.

 

[Nick87]

This is all very true. I considered moving out west and my wife was on board but I finally realized it wasn't going to net me much more hunting time. A lot of my vacation time that I spend traveling west to hunt would be eaten up with traveling back to see all our family that lives back east even if just for a week or two each year.

Lot of moving parts isn't there.