Solo Hunting and saftey precautions

[Paul in Idaho]

I'm back to add one more item to my vehicle list. Have your tires inspected.

I recently returned from elk hunting without incident. This morning, after driving on city pavement and a bit of smooth farm maintenance road, a sidewall blew out on one of my tires.

If it was that close to going, I can't believe it didn't happen in the mountains. It was a very rocky road up to camp.

 

[idelkhntr]

I hunt Solo all the time. My advice is similar to others. Set up a regular schedule to check in and make sure you do even if it means driving a ways to get cell service. Make sure you have the survival essentials in your pack, camp and pickup. It may be extra weight that I carry, but I have what I need in my pack to survive a few days in the field. Make smart decisions and don't put yourself in a high risk situation. No game animal is worth your life. Lastly, have fun and be safe.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Yesterday reminded me of why my pack includes three knives, sharpening steel, a small saw, extra gloves, plenty of rope & cord, white bags, extra clothing, small pad for sitting and placing knives, and other "essentials". I hunted solo, as I often do, and took a six-pt bull elk. Field dressing and preparing an elk for moving to your vehicle alone is a chore. However if you have the right tools, plan your work accordingly, work patiently & steadily, and use gravity to your advantage, then you can safely handle an elk alone.

It does make for a long day, but if you stop occasionally, look around at where you get to hunt, and count your blessings (including the game just harvested) then it becomes a truly enjoyable solo hunting experience.

 

[deer_shooter]

If there's the least chance of snow, I carry a full set of chains. I always have a sturdy shovel and jack.

Big +1 on the chains. They got me out of a sticky situation in Colorado a couple years ago. I always take them with me.

 

[Straight Arrow]

"If there's the least chance of snow, I carry a full set of chains. I always have a sturdy shovel and jack."

Good idea if you are hunting solo ... or with ten other hunters!

 

[StHubert]

Funny on how vehicle maintenance just popped up. I was out scouting for geese on Saturday and my transmission started acting up on me, so long story shot. Looking at replacing the transmission. I have a 01 Ford Excursion with the 7.3 power stroke diesel.

I can have a local shop rebuild the transmission back to stock with a 1 year warranty for $1,900 or have a Ford dealer do it with an updated Heavy Duty 4R100 transmission and replace the oil cooler with a larger one for $3,500 that comes with a 3yr/ 100k warranty. Right now I am leaning towards the Ford dealer option even though it is more expensive.

 

[deer_shooter]

Ouch. I had a '97 powerstroke and had to replace the tranny. That sucks.

 

[StHubert]

Ouch. I had a '97 powerstroke and had to replace the tranny. That sucks.

This might reduce the hunting for the rest of the year.

 

[sagebrush]

I hunt solo usually every year. I leave my wife a letter outlining my trip and what to do if things go sideways. I include phone numbers for the appropriate authorities. Once I set camp, I get to a location where I can let her know the lat/lon of camp. Each day I complete a journal of the days events and my plan for the following day. She knows my journal is on the table in my tent if anyone needs to come looking for me. I hunt from a base camp and don't backpack hunt overnight. I don't put myself in a position of high risk while hunting. I figure there is more risk on the road while travelling to and from my hunting location than there is on the actual hunt.

 

[Zach]

I have about 5 miles of kite string in my pack. I tie it to the truck then follow it home.

I thought you just left those little smiley faces on the ground and ate them on the way back to the truck?

 

[Zach]

Funny on how vehicle maintenance just popped up. I was out scouting for geese on Saturday and my transmission started acting up on me, so long story shot. Looking at replacing the transmission. I have a 01 Ford Excursion with the 7.3 power stroke diesel.

I can have a local shop rebuild the transmission back to stock with a 1 year warranty for $1,900 or have a Ford dealer do it with an updated Heavy Duty 4R100 transmission and replace the oil cooler with a larger one for $3,500 that comes with a 3yr/ 100k warranty. Right now I am leaning towards the Ford dealer option even though it is more expensive.

I had to rebuild the tranny on my '01 F250. Just my .02, but I stayed away from the dealer. I found a well recommended tranny shop that specialized in diesel trucks. I had them put in a better torque converter and the best seals on the market. Mine cost me around $2200, but it's been without problems since the rebuilt.

Not sure if you ever visit http://www.thedieselstop.com/ but you might search there and see if there is a reputable shop in your area or close enough to make it worth your while.

 

[StHubert]

Not sure if you ever visit http://www.thedieselstop.com/ but you might search there and see if there is a reputable shop in your area or close enough to make it worth your while.[/QUOTE]

I will look into that, thanks for the help.