Who goes 1st??

[Cougartail]

Split up 

  My thinking exactly!  Your odds double instantly.

(Unless your friend is a hot blonde, then keep her close.)

[MADMAX]

Split up 

  My thinking exactly!  Your odds double instantly.

(Unless your friend is a hot blonde, then keep her close.)

My first thought
I’ve bow hunted for over 40 years and I may walk in a gate with you but after 15 minutes you go left I go right see you back at the gate at dark unless it’s Carrie Underwood than you stay right in front of me and I’ll follow you 🥴

[fishngamereaper]

Split up 

 

See ya after dark. Good luck. Don't get lost

[jrebel]

Elk in Sept. is one of the best times to hunt in pairs or even threesomes....

Callers set up 20-50 yards behind shooter / shooters and bring the bull past the shooter.  Way better than calling on your own....bulls will often hold up just out of range when your calling solo.  That said....I have called bulls in close when solo so it can be done.   

[Sakko300wsm]

Split up 

Definitely not the best decision when archery elk hunting the  rut. Better odds by far hunting as a team

[MADMAX]

Split up 

Definitely not the best decision when archery elk hunting the  rut. Better odds by far hunting as a team

Yea
If your experienced I agree
With a new guy ?

[fishngamereaper]

Split up 

Definitely not the best decision when archery elk hunting the  rut. Better odds by far hunting as a team

Totally depends on your hunting style.
I like "talking" my way into herds. Hard to do with two.
And I haven't found to many guys that walk as quiet as I do
Nothing worse than tuning out everything around you focusing on your quarry only to have the guy behind you step on the only deadfall branch on the trail.

I've blown opportunities solo but I had just as many opportunities blown by having a second guy.

Anyway.
Getting off topic. Kinda.

[Sakko300wsm]

Split up 

Definitely not the best decision when archery elk hunting the  rut. Better odds by far hunting as a team

Yes the new guy has to be taught and learn somehow if he’s going to be your elk hunting partner.  Splitting up during heavy rut for elk - if you don’t have a solid plan you can easily end up calling a hot bull back and forth.

Yea
If your experienced I agree
With a new guy ?

[Sakko300wsm]

Split up 

Definitely not the best decision when archery elk hunting the  rut. Better odds by far hunting as a team

Hard to sneak up on a herd of elk in the rut - better odds calling them into your position

Totally depends on your hunting style.
I like "talking" my way into herds. Hard to do with two.
And I haven't found to many guys that walk as quiet as I do
Nothing worse than tuning out everything around you focusing on your quarry only to have the guy behind you step on the only deadfall branch on the trail.

I've blown opportunities solo but I had just as many opportunities blown by having a second guy.

Anyway.
Getting off topic. Kinda.

[chukardogs]

There's a lot of land out there. Unless there's one of you that needs help because of physical limitations, never hunt side by side. Go into different drainages, have one sit, one move something other than sitting together on a hillside. Why would you not cover double the country?
 The only time my buddy and I see each other during the season is on the backpack in, in camp and maybe lunch time. Otherwise, he comes sneakin around my spot, I carry bear spray.

[Sakko300wsm]

There's a lot of land out there. Unless there's one of you that needs help because of physical limitations, never hunt side by side. Go into different drainages, have one sit, one move something other than sitting together on a hillside. Why would you not cover double the country?
 The only time my buddy and I see each other during the season is on the backpack in, in camp and maybe lunch time. Otherwise, he comes sneakin around my spot, I carry bear spray.

Is this during archery elk during the rut?

[addicted1]

I’d say stick together, he will learn faster with someone giving him guidance (if he is willing to listen). If I were you I’d try to get him on some elk, any elk fast and see how he responds. If he is a shaky mess then have a conversation with him about it, things can get crazy when you get close to elk and never have. If he can call then, have him do that to get comfortable.

He’s made the investment, he put some time in to get ready from the sounds of it. I’d give him an honest chance a the first shot if he is comfortable, but talk with him. You agreed to take him out, in a couple years he might be out hunting you. Someone once help me out, I’d give them GPS coordinates to any spot any time if they asked. Having said that, you will need to be understanding and patient, so hopefully your up for that challenge.

[bkaech]

All of the elk hunting I have done we always split all the meat of any successful hunters in the group equally. The one who kills just takes the antlers, which is not the reason I am out there. Therefore I wouldn't care if I killed the elk or they killed elk...WE were successful and that is all that matters. I would most definitely split up the primary shooter opportunity however you want, set by set, day by day, opportunity by opportunity, whichever you prefer but if he is a good enough friend to take elk hunting with you then share the entire experience.

[Skyvalhunter]

First of all what unit?

[chukardogs]

My 2 cents was obviously aimed at hunting in general as the original post said nothing about calling. If you're hunting in pairs for the sake of calling in elk, so be it, someone is calling and someone is shooting. Done! If you've both put in the time and effort to pack, gas money to get there, etc....etc. Flip a coin for who shoots first, then get to hunting. It wouldn't take me long to find another partner or go solo, if I was just there for moral support and to pay for half the gas and food.
When hunting, I am the quietest when solo. I alone, make less noise, put off less scent. When I hear a noise and I know it wasn't I, I'm more prone to stop and verify what it was that made the noise before I move again. The odds of an animal knowing you're there before you know they're there are considerably less if you are alone. All I was saying.