Spot Sharing

[JLDemo]

Scott Linden recently put out a podcast over spot sharing, very contentious topic with responses all over the spectrum. It was a good listen but I imagine this crowd is going to put me through the meat grinder over this topic.

It got me thinking about where people draw the line, because I find myself in a middle ground. On one hand, sweat equity is everything, and once you give up a spot, you have to accept it's no longer "yours" (if it ever was).

On the other hand, helping a trusted hunter out often pays dividends down the road when you're the one in a new zone looking for a starting point. If someone helps me, I'll help them when the opportunity comes.

What say you, HT?

Do you ever share spots, or is it a hard NO across the board?

Is your rule species-dependent (e.g., sharing bird covers vs. big game)? One it s a maybe and the other is an absolute Nope.

What vetting or circumstances do you require before dropping a pin for someone?

Need to have a come to Jesus meeting with the person beforehand?

Do you expect quid pro quo?

 

[TOGIE]

I'm fairly open. It depends.

Only once did some folks ask where I shot a deer and I had to say "I'm sorry, I really can't talk about this one, not even the unit."

Very specific set of reasons for that. Normally I'll talk unit numbers all day long. Sometimes even drainages and roads. I mostly just don't care honestly.

Obviously there is sort of an equation with inputs like difficulty of getting the tag, proximity to various population centers, size of the animals you shot, etc, that all go into how cagey you oughta be.

I dunno, it all depends. Very rarely do people get pins. Though, if someone draws the tag entirely out of their own volition and learn I had it I'll do a bit of a data dump for them if they want it, but if it's an easy tag to get probably not, unless I know them really well.

Who knows man. Countless different scenarios.

 

[Deez Nutz]

For general units, NOPE. Been burned too many times.

 

[JLDemo]

"It depends" is probably the only honest answer out there.

You should read some of the social media comments Scott received, lol. Some very passionate folks out there about their spots.

 

[Deez Nutz]

If you don't have a good spot it doesn't matter, but a legitimately good spot is hard to find.

A wise man once said "Two people can keep a secret, but only if one of them is dead".

 

[huntin24/7]

It varies a lot. If it’s a tuff to draw permit that I have experience with, I’m pretty good about sharing info. If it’s a friend or acquaintance who I feel would help me in the same way and I trust not to run their mouth, I’ll help them also. Other than that, I’m pretty private about the spots I hunt.

 

[FairWeather]

I don’t have many “secret” spots, but I don’t mind sharing names of the main road or general areas. People have done so for me, so pay it forward I guess.

Units are so large of an area that it’s nearly useless info IMO, so I’ll name those all day long.

 

[Gulf of America]

The only real "spot" I have is for cows on a relatively easy-to-draw B tag. But it's not the spot that's good, it's how you hunt the spot, and that's the part I'm a lot more tight-lipped about. I don't want to hike miles in the dark only to bump into an acquaintance on the glassing knob, but the majority of the people I have shared it with are too lazy to follow the strategy for "just a cow." More people driving the roads just because I tell them the area I shot an elk is no skin off my back.

 

[Sask hunter]

Draws yes cause will be 10-15 years before I draw it again. OTC no way

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

I try not to ever share how good the elk hunting is on Norris Rd

 

[brymoore]

Sheep units and out of state spots I’ll put Xs on the map. Deer and elk I’m a generalist. I have a few buddy hunters who have seen my spots; however, a few honey hole spots have only had family with me.

Bird hunting spots I’m very general except for a hunting buddy. We share our big game/bird spots.

 

[Matthew57]

I ran into a guy in Sportsman’s today who asked where I was going hunting this weekend and started talking about where he’s going and what he was seeing. It’s amazing to me how open some people are with that info and how easily they ask. It feels kind of rude sometimes but I try not to take it that way. My go to response is “around town”. How close that means is anyone’s interpretation I suppose.

 

[Point Creep]

I try to influence draw odds and crowds to directly benefit myself by what I say and type.

#project57

 

[Nuts]

All my "secret spots" are known by my life long hunting partner and vise versa. I have no problem with him hunting those spots if it is currently better then his. Same the other way. Our wives also know that even if we are not together we know where the other is. Outside of that very few people know my go to. They have been to my back up places mostly with their kids. I cant say no to kids. It also helps that my secret spots are typically very hard to get to, and have some aspect that keeps others away naturally.

 

[MTTW]

I told a guy where to find cottontails last year, but only because he had a young boy with him.
I believe most "hunters" have no interest in learning to hunt, they just want to be told where to go kill something.
If you actually learn to hunt you will have too many spots to get to.

 

[Matthew57]

I told a guy where to find cottontails last year, but only because he had a young boy with him.
I believe most "hunters" have no interest in learning to hunt, they just want to be told where to go kill something.
If you actually learn to hunt you will have too many spots to get to.

This. Too many people are searching for the easy button these days.