Tips for safe solo hunting

[Sundance]

Just thought of another one, the few times I have been hurt was packing out at night with a heavy load. Both times I was with other people and it ended up not being too serious. Solo hunting I will now process the meat and hang it until morning then pack out. If I'm close to a road then no problem, anything more than a mile off the road I wait until daylight to pack when solo.

[pianoman9701]

Not sure if mentioned but trekking poles help prevent mechanical injury.

[ganghis]

:yeah:x4  Inreach. Quickclot, tourniquet, lint fire starters and blast match, foil packs of cat food, 100' rope, knives, and more water than you think you need.

Cat food?! 

[pianoman9701]

:yeah:x4  Inreach. Quickclot, tourniquet, lint fire starters and blast match, foil packs of cat food, 100' rope, knives, and more water than you think you need.

Cat food?!

Yep. You don't eat it until you're really hungry.

[NRA4LIFE]

I could think of a few tastier options.

[hunter399]

I could think of a few tastier options.

Ya,like tuna in foil pack ,which is kinda like cat food.
 

[GWP]

One thought....once you shoot be prepared as you can me. Meaning....do you have time to track,  gut, deal with, pack out, call in support,  cut, clean, cool down etc the critter. Imo, hunting is nothing.....being successful is hard work after one lil ol trigger pull.

The reason I stopped hunting big fur critters.
After a long day ‘hiking with hunting gear’, bow in this case, I called in a nice deer late in the day. It had been raining light all day and I was wet and tired.
Went to full draw and thought about all the work that would start as soon as I released. Yelled instead and watched it bound off. Figured if it was not worth the work any more it was time to hang it up.
May go again at some point. Got a ‘new’ Buddy with lots of Elk on his land and an invite. I would just have to share some.
I WILL NOT pay for processing my critter. That is part of the ‘work’. Elk are a LOT of work to process.
You DO need to consider what happens ‘after’. Particularly if you are way back and remote.
Have spent from nearly a day dragging a critter (with another person) to having a deer roll down a hill on to the side of a road. That one was 45 min from parking to start hunting to heading out with the gutted deer! My partner only got one boot on!
Can’t count on an easy time.

You stopped hunting because “it’s a lot of work”? the work is what makes it so rewarding to me.

I am guessing you are a good bit younger than I am. There are a LOT of things that are becoming more like ‘work’ these days. One day, you will say that as well………

[hunter399]

One thought....once you shoot be prepared as you can me. Meaning....do you have time to track,  gut, deal with, pack out, call in support,  cut, clean, cool down etc the critter. Imo, hunting is nothing.....being successful is hard work after one lil ol trigger pull.

The reason I stopped hunting big fur critters.
After a long day ‘hiking with hunting gear’, bow in this case, I called in a nice deer late in the day. It had been raining light all day and I was wet and tired.
Went to full draw and thought about all the work that would start as soon as I released. Yelled instead and watched it bound off. Figured if it was not worth the work any more it was time to hang it up.
May go again at some point. Got a ‘new’ Buddy with lots of Elk on his land and an invite. I would just have to share some.
I WILL NOT pay for processing my critter. That is part of the ‘work’. Elk are a LOT of work to process.
You DO need to consider what happens ‘after’. Particularly if you are way back and remote.
Have spent from nearly a day dragging a critter (with another person) to having a deer roll down a hill on to the side of a road. That one was 45 min from parking to start hunting to heading out with the gutted deer! My partner only got one boot on!
Can’t count on an easy time.

You stopped hunting because “it’s a lot of work”? the work is what makes it so rewarding to me.

I am guessing you are a good bit younger than I am. There are a LOT of things that are becoming more like ‘work’ these days. One day, you will say that as well………

Well guys I  know getting old sucks,this year my wife got me a game cart. Never needed it when I was younger.
Or she is tired of bringing the radio flyer out to my rescue.
Not sure which,but I got a game cart.

[GWP]

Yup. The other nail was before I went out the wife told me she would not help with the processing any more.
I am guessing I could talk her into it if I let her have ALL of the tenderloins and backstrap, like what happened last time, but maybe not.
Yes, she wrote her name on them as we were wrapping. Surprised she didn’t number them as well!

[Turdle]

Well dang, if I'm eating cat food. I would have to admit to being REALLY LOST.

[hunter399]

Well dang, if I'm eating cat food. I would have to admit to being REALLY LOST.

I was thinking the same thing,but I'm also fat and old so I might last a little while before I ate the cat food.at least dinner time or maybe breakfast cat food taco,I don't know.

[Grousehunter19]

Thanks guys for the answers, I have been looking into getting an in reach as well as getting a tourniquet.

Is there anything different safety wise you guys would do for bear hunting that you wouldn’t do for deer hunting?

[h20hunter]

For black bear...nope.

[Turdle]

 I hear a Whistle is a good idea.....     

[hunter399]

I hear a Whistle is a good idea.....     

I can kinda Whistle with a spent shell case,but that one died with the old guys too.