A sensitive subject that needs an honest opinion

[littletoes]

Thank You Gentlemen

[coldsteel3d]

This is kind of a tough subject. My hunting buddy and I scouted our asses off a few years ago and found a phenomenal area to elk hunt for our group of four. We had some other friends who we shared a camp with in the past but hunted different areas so we let them in on the secret with a promise that it would remain between the six of us. Now in the last two years these other two guys have shown the area to at least eight other guys that I am aware of, and with those guys showing their buddies, this year it was so overrun that we had to move and find somewhere else to hunt. What I am trying to get at is that it's my opinion that hunting camp is best at two guys, four max. IMO. 

[carpsniperg2]

i have always thought the more the better unless we are talking huntin  its hard when you are a nice guy which it sounds like you are or you would of said hold up along time ago. my feelings would be the people that are there to hunt as long as they bring something to the table no problems but its hard to have that many people packed back in with you a things no get a little cramped if it were me i would talk to the guys set up a day or 2 for the familys to come and stay and not worry much about the hunting preferably after like 3 or 4 days of hunting then let things calm down and spend some time around camp small trip hunts etc them when they head back break out the leg work and geter done. hope my   helps

[yelp]

Can I come too?  Been there man.  Tough choice..are you all hunting the same area?  Sometimes it is tough to be serious with people that just want the comradre vs. actual hunting.  All of my friends with the exception of a few are fat and lazy.(No not you Wacenturian).they like to road hunt..then they get bummed out when they don't see a deer...just saying most of the time you don't get to pick your friends.  I also use the argument that if you were to go to thier camp in Idaho and bring your relatives and cousins, etc..it would be OK right?  That maybe a way to show that there is an infringment on your hunting...I know my time hunting alone is my favorite time, but I do like hunting with my buds..I like laughing and it makes the hunt more of an adventure. Sharing memories with buds is great.  Good luck.

[littletoes]

Thanks for the input guys.

[PolarBear]

Cut your losses an find a new spot.  The hunting woods is no place for a crowd.  Sorry to hear about your predicament.

[littlebuf]

oh by the way im bringing my whole family including young kids out camping in November for elk season, no prob right? WTF i would go solo and wish everybody else good luck and a good time 

[Navyhunter]

Here's how we do it...Every year we're drawn for MT, the guys in the family (dad, me, uncle, two 2nd cousins from california, etc) all meet up in Libby.  This is OUR time, the guy time.  We don't do it just because we don't want the women and kids around, we do it for all sorts of reasons.  For a few of us, this is the once chance a year that we can get away from our wife and kids (in a good way) and be around other men, talk about problems, talk about life, talk about whatever we want to and not have a womans ear within a hundred miles of us.  It's too much of a pain in the butt to have a wife come in because, form experience, they want to change things around, voice their opinions on how the camp should run, how we cook, what/how much we drink....it's just an all around pain in the butt.  So, for us, from the beginning of our adventures to the Big Sky, it's been well established that women and children (unless they're a tag holding person) are not allowed to come to camp...for any reason....EVER.  If the wife or kids are hunting, fine, if not, they stay home and do their thing there.  My wife gets vacations and such throughout the year so it all works out as far as tiime.  
That's just how we do it.
As far as your buddies that drink...well...burnt food is better than no food at all and a gruff/growly drunk is just that.  Unless they get rough physically, I don't see any problem with it.  Though I don't know them from Tom, Dick or Harry.
From what I read, the wives, daughters and kids should be left at home and the guys need to go hunt and have a miserable, freeze-your-ass off week, suffer, fall, cut yourself kind of week......just the boys.


Went back and re-read everything....yep, cut your losses, try to keep your spot or find a new one, just you and the boy.  Our kids will remember this stuff for as long as they live, a young hunter, in my opinion, should not be around that type of behavior or be introduced to hunting in that fashion.

Best of luck, I hope it all works out.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I had a similar situation and I suggest you do what I figured out works best.
Set up a main camp at a convenient location  , near a lake, trails whatever, where there is something for the crowd to do and hunt out of a "spike" camp in the actual hunting area.

[Ridgeratt]

Dang!! What time should I have my stuff ready? Or better yet draw me a map.

[Huntbear]

littletoes, I feel for ya man.  Looks like you have a decision to make.  Either hunt with the herd, or decide to go it alone with your son, and hope they get skunked and will not want to go back.  I agree with what has been said above.  A horse camp for elk is not place for little kids and women, unless they are hunting.   As for the drinking, I guess I am with you.  We keep a SMALL bottle of schnapps in camp for a shot in our cocoa at night.  Other than that, no alcohol is allowed, period!!  I have seen to many friendships, and family hunting groups broke up because of alcohol.

If you decide to go with the herd, can I come too?? 

[Red Dawg]

looks like you have a tough decision ahead of you. I would just talk to your buddy about the problems you are having and try to work it out. No sense in loosing a partner in this situation. If he doesn't like what you have to say than I guess he was not much a hunting partner to start with. Like others have said young men are very impressionable and watching a bad drunk is not something they need to learn at a young age. I also feel that wives and little kids who dont hunt need to stay at home.

[Rick]

Lets see...

A bunch of yahoos ruining your hunt,or some of them with hurt feelings. Personally,I'd tell them to hit the road.

[EastWaViking]

a drunk and a bunch of his loud friends/family.... not a tough decision.  Tell them to get lost and hunt alone!

[C-Money]

  It is sure tough when your friends want to bring friends/family. I hunt with one or two close friends that I know wont screw me over. FF4607 and I hunt together and I would not think of taking ANYONE to the spots he has showed me. It is just commen sence. Sounds like you are in a tough position.