Hunting partners

[PacificNWhunter]

I'm sure this has come up before my time here on the site but I have to complain to someone who cares, or pretends to care. I have hunted primarily alone since I got my hunting license. When I first started out I would hunt with my Dad, but several years into hunting I discovered I found more game and was more successfull hunting alone. Well this year was my first year venturing over to the east side of the mountains, I looked at the map and picked a spot and headed over for the general rifle season. Low and behold I picked a fairly good spot near bones stomping grounds. Never connected during my 2 day camping/hunting trip but saw several decent 3 pointers and made several trips back over after the season to do some scouting and saw some very respectable bucks and a ton a beautiful county. Now to my point......I showed some pictures to a friend and he was really excited about going over there to hunt with this next year and asked to go with me. I initially told him I don't hunt with other people (for the most part) but that I would think about it. Well after a couple weeks I sat him down and explained to him that I would let him go with me because I was planning a 4-5 day hunt in the wilderness and thought it would be nice to have someone out there with me. Luckily I have never told him where I hunt just over on the east side, well he swore he would not invite or tell anyone else about our trip. Well two days ago I found out from a friend of his that he has been inviting several people and that there are now 4!!! other people thinking that they are going with us. I have not called him because I am kind of steamed up and did not want to say anything while I was mad. Any ideas or suggestions?

[bobcat]

Your friend had no right to invite other people to hunt with you in your area. That's a tough one though. I think I would cancel the hunt. I mean you could just flat out tell him it's only you and him going on the hunt and give him the option of un-inviting the other four. But after he did that to me I don't think I'd trust him anymore and probably wouldn't even want to take him to my spot. That may seem a little harsh, since after all there are lots and lots of places to hunt mule deer, and most of it is public land that anyone can hunt. But still, you found that spot, and spent your time/money scouting and hunting it. Now how do you know the other four he invited aren't going to invite four more to go the following year, and before you know it, your spot will be overrun with hunters and you'll have to find a new place to hunt. I'd rather hunt alone than hunt with someone I can't trust.

[Dman]

 Bobcat's right, you can't trust him anymore, you had an agreement and he broke it. I'd cancel if you can't find anyone else to hit the wilderness, or maybe look for an outfitter.

[wackmaster]

 i agree with bobcat and dman

[Colville]

Who doesn't like to go hunting when someone has already done all the work, found game etc.

You can be diplomatic about it. Just explain that you had serious second thoughts when it was just him and when it started to open up from there you'd rather not hunt that go that way. I hope he didn't already know the location because if he did, you may have a group of 4 no matter what.

[jdb]

its hard to find a good hunting pard. I enjoy hunting with someone else for company but find few who are as dedicated as ZI am and fewer who's wives will let them go as much as mine JB

[runningboard]

I agree with bobcat, uninvite them all. Even if you explained to him that it's going to be you and him this time, what's to stop him from taking the others when you aren't with him? is that fair to you? would you do that to a buddy who showed you where to go?

[Ridinshotgun]

Tell him that the trip is off and why. If they all go with and you do well who knows how many will be there next time. You'll have to find
a new place to hunt.

[ICEMAN]

Yep. I had this occur at elk camp once, deer camp once. At deer camp, after the univited guest was gone, I made such a stink about it, no one will ever forget it. Look....this is your vacation. This is your investment, your family helps you go, you invest all year getting ready for and executing this. This is your hunt. For some inconsiderate "friend" to toss your whole vacation down the drain, even after you have mentioned the parameters of the hunt, you definitely need to part ways with this guy. The trust is gone. Besides, he just doesn't "get it". He most probably won't "get it". A hunting partner is a very difficult arrangement to make work anyway. Why try to make this one work, when the two of you have such differing thoughts about it. I would be direct, and blunt. Explain that you have invested time and effort in locating this great area. You do not believe it has the ability to support a whole bunch of guys, especially guys who have not earned the hunt. Good luck, you are not going to be real popular with those fellows.

Personally, I believe you would have better luck hooking up with someone who frequents a site like this one, someone who is thinking about the hunt each day of the year.

[billythekidrock]

I mean you could just flat out tell him it's only you and him going on the hunt and give him the option of un-inviting the other four. But after he did that to me I don't think I'd trust him anymore and probably wouldn't even want to take him to my spot.

Yep, you take him and you will never be alone, even if he doesn't show up. Cancel the trip and go alone.

Look....this is your vacation. This is your investment, your family helps you go, you invest all year getting ready for and executing this.

Exactly.

[Idabooner]

Get out of this situation while you can if you ever want to have a good hunt, him or his friends will hound you for years.  For several years I had a ground hog honey hole, I could go shoot a couple hours several times a summer, nobody knew about it. I sort of farmed it, never shooting until the young were out and on their own in the spring, not shooting the real close ones etc. that way I had good shooting year after year, it was great. UNTIL I told my best closest friend about it, the next time I went there was no more ground hogs, ever.  He had taken his friends and family and just wiped them out. Good Hunting partners are hard to come by, I only have one or I hunt alone.

[Webfoot]

I would tell the S.O.B. that you are going over early and that him and the others are going to have to meet you there. Then I would go hunting on my own somewhere else.

John

[nw_bowhunter]

Guys like that are idiots. I can understand why you would be pissed. It is hard to find someone you can trust that is reliable and does not pull this type of stuff.

[jae]

I have been there and know how you feel. Some people do not understand the importance of a secret spot. That is because most of them do not invest the tremendous amount of time and effort it takes people, that are passionate about Hunting to find these spots. Tell him what ever you want but, if you take him you will regret it. Your spot will be ruined forever and you will not be able to look at him with out getting mad for a long time.
Good luck, John

[Ridgerunner]

I concur, cancel the trip or your spot will be ruined.  Perhaps try to find a guy on a site like this if you want to go with someone.  Good hunting spots are too hard to find, same with good hunting partners, heck they are probably harder to find than a spouse....