Looking for hunting buddies!!!

[Krustypuff]

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Hi all new to the forums, and must say they are great so far love some the pics. I am looking to start hunting and do not know a lot of hunters. I live in Everett Wash. I have gone out with some rel;etives but it always seems like it is a chore for them to take me out with them. So I am looking for a few peeps who might be looking for a hunting buddy or buddies. I enjoy shooting and being out in the woods when i can get out. My 2 year old daughter and work take most of my time. I just want to get out and get some great wild game for the freezer. I have been black bear hunting as well as deer hunting and only things i have got are a cold. Also looking to make a few new friends out of this also. Some things about me 32 male married with a beautiful daughter who take uop most my time. I enjoy shooting most all firearms and have quite a few my self. I am looking to start some squirrel hunting also. Looking to hunt most things that are legal to take. Hit me up guys if looking to chat. Thnx!!!!!

[sisu]

I used to live in the Marysville area after 20 years in Alaska.

I looked for fishing and hunting people while there and found that my wife was my best fishing mate and as far as hunting went I did it alone. I shotgun for birds and bow hunt for deer, so solo was a no brainer.

Be patient fish the salmon runs see if you can't make a friend on the rivers and that may lead to a friend during hunting season. People are reluctant to befriend people now-a-days for some reason and I can't put my finger on it. Back about 30 years ago I could meet a  at work, a party etc guy and suggest we go rock climbing in eastern Washington no problem now that does not fly except with a few and those people have become my best friends in the Lower 48. I've even been asked to send a resume' of my climbs to these self righteous butt heads.

Sisu

[ICEMAN]

Having a resume? Wow...

I do understand the point a bit though. I do not want any new hunting buddy until I see what they bring to the table. I am sick and tired of trying out a new guy, to find out he is not committed, has limited gear, or none, and I end up guiding his whole hunt for him. It used to always be my rig, my camper or tent, my everyting.   

I actually enjoy solo hunting. If one of my buddies want to join in on any hunt, fine, see you there, and they beter prepare themselves for the outing. No more, "hey can I borrow...." or having them drink all my water..... No more free lunches. You know what I mean?

I have taken new guys many times, and most did turn out great, lasted a few years, moved to another city or state...this is ok. My longest lasting  hunting buddies and I go way back to college days. Even these relationships are tough to keep in good shape, but they have lasted. (I am done providing for them though...learned that lesson...better for them now too, they now actually prepare for the back country, no more relying on me for everything...)


Krustypuff, best bet may be the club, or maybe just hook up with someone for a short day trip or campout. There is no way you can spend a hunt with someone you do not actually get along with very well, and I would rather know before hunting season. Good Luck!

[boneaddict]

I found out a long time ago, that if I went hunting with someone, or even a friend, it was to be a social thing only, that there was no serious chance at bagging a trophy.  That way, I relaxed and wasn't worried about it.  I haven't met anyone with the same drive or passion I have.  My Dad has been the closest thing to a partner I have had, and we usually are on at least the same mountain somewhere, only to meet back at camp at night.  No pranks, no rattlesnakes in the sack.  All serious, with one goal in mind.  I think it works, at least in the point of how many trophies we have, or what we have seen throughout the years.  We are like minded, so it has worked out wonderfully.  There are a couple guys on here that I think are like minded.  I've enjoyed hunts with Fletch and his brother, as we are very similiar.  I think alot like Vek, almost scary, and Ridge is about to be adopted, eventhough he doesn't know it yet.   

[Shadow Cat]

Bone, I know EXACTLY what you are saying. I grew up in Arizona and hunted with guys I grew up with. Every time I have asked them to come up to Alaska, Oregon or Washington to hunt I get an excuse or no reply. I don't think they can get past there egos. I am an avid bow hunter and usually hunt alone. My ex-brother-in-law, and his son-in-law wanted to get into bow hunting. I got them set up and took them out. I had the same 12 arrows for 4 years until last year and had to buy MYSELF 2 more dozen! They were VERY hard on my equipment. There are VERY few people I will hunt with seriously. Most don't have a clue about what is going on arround them or lack simple safety processes! I like to breath through the holes God gave me and DON'T need any more thank you. I would like to learn new things from new people, but I never expect anything to really come from it. If I had people arround me that were seriouse about safety and passionate about being in the boonies, then I would be right beside them. The outdoors should be shared, but those you share it with should have the same level of passion that you have and the same respect for the woods and animals they harvest.

[billythekidrock]

Very well said Shadow!

[ICEMAN]

Dittos shadow.

Here is one example of why I do not care to share my hunt with many guys....

First let me state that alot of my gear is old. Take the axe I bring to camp. I found this odd shaped double axe head laying on the floor of my grandfathers shop after he passed away. No handle, just a messed up very old double bit axe head, that had a bit of one blade missing, and also had been repaired with a really gross weld where the handle fits.  I spent many hours at home, filing, sanding, sharpening and preparing this axe for a new hickory handle. After a handle, I shot the whole axe with a clear coat of poly. Still a bit strange and ugly, this axe represented to me my grandfathers tough time he had in life. It represented some of my family history. It is not just an axe. It is special. I resurrected the damned thing, and my buddy has no problem ignoring my story and work, and abuses the thing, trying to split knotted rounds of wood, misses, and rock chips...  This axe represents my hunt, something that I have prepared for all year, to enjoy at that special time, and to have someone else destroy it, is unacceptable. To them it is simply an axe. "Simply hunting season, stop worrying about it..."

It is never simply hunting season.

The point of this story is to point out how special some trivial little thing about my hunt can be, and how careless others are about these things.

Things like, smoking, slamming truck doors, looking at your buddy and noticing he keeps "lasering" you with his rifle barrel, leaving trash laying around camp, too much radio talk, cooking while wearing my hunting clothes, not having ones own alarm clock, watch, compass, map, binocular, spotting scope.

When I whisper to a buddy, and he answers in a loud tone, he just doesn't get it. When a friend asks to use my binoculars, cause he doesn't have any, or his cost 20$ and are worthless, he just doesn't get it. When a buddy hasn't shot an entire box of ammo thru his gun in three years, he just doesn't get it.

It would be very hard to find someone who looks at the hunt thru my eyes. I spend time each day of the year thinking about the hunt. Many of you are probably much like me, or you wouldn't be reading this.

Most often I find myself biting my tongue, and thinking that maybe I do worry too much about this stuff. I have found that I enjoy my friends, but come hunting season, they can really wear on you.

[Shadow Cat]

OUTSTANDING Iceman!!!! I know EXACTLY what you are saying. The only thing I have left of my grandfather is a meat saw that he used. Every time I pick that saw up, it is a connection back to him and I think about the hard times he and my mom went through. My grandfather grew up during the depression and shells were expensive. He taught me to be patient and wait for birds to change there angle when flying by so you could drop two or more with one shot to save shells. I thank him each time I pick that saw up for the lessons he taught me. I was eight years old when he died and I am fortyone now and they still seem like it was this morning that I learned them.

Sounds like you and I think alike Iceman... It is good to know that someone remembers the past and those who went before us.

[Ridgerunner]

I think finding the ideal hunting partner is harder than finding a spouse.  Probably why I'm still looking for the "right" one.  Have a few that I do enjoy hunting with that may turn into that lifelong hunting partner, we'll see.  Well said thoughts on the subject, good thing there is an internet where likeminded folks can talk.

[billythekidrock]

Great post Ice. The whole post is spot on, but the quoted portion is how I feel to a "T". I love my hunting buddies, but none of them, even my family hits all those points. (mostly the smoking and cooking) I won't trade my guys, but I find I kill more critters by myself. At least a portion (sometimes most) of every day is thinking about hunting.

It is never simply hunting season.

The point of this story is to point out how special some trivial little thing about my hunt can be, and how careless others are about these things.

Things like, smoking, slamming truck doors, looking at your buddy and noticing he keeps "lasering" you with his rifle barrel, leaving trash laying around camp, too much radio talk, cooking while wearing my hunting clothes, not having ones own alarm clock, watch, compass, map, binocular, spotting scope.

When I whisper to a buddy, and he answers in a loud tone, he just doesn't get it. When a friend asks to use my binoculars, cause he doesn't have any, or his cost 20$ and are worthless, he just doesn't get it. When a buddy hasn't shot an entire box of ammo thru his gun in three years, he just doesn't get it.

It would be very hard to find someone who looks at the hunt thru my eyes. I spend time each day of the year thinking about the hunt. Many of you are probably much like me, or you wouldn't be reading this.

Most often I find myself biting my tongue, and thinking that maybe I do worry too much about this stuff. I have found that I enjoy my friends, but come hunting season, they can really wear on you.

[GOcougsHunter]

Great points guys.
I am very fortunate to have a single waterfowl partner who is perfect.  We can get up at O'dark thirty, get our gear, the boat moving, decoys set, and set up in our blind, with a total of maybe a dozen words said during the entire time.  He will be out as long as I want to, he loves the crappiest weather.  I am very lucky.

I had the same in a big game partner, but, he moved to Maine and now I solo hunt.  Haven't found anybody who is as serious as me or willing to go into the real crappy thick stuff like me.  Better to hunt by myself than want to shoot the person I'm with.

[smdave]

I took this guy hunting for the first time up in skagit county the first thing he does is slam the door shut and then (you will not believe this) we are loading the guns and all of a sudden his goes off WHOOM!! I said what the f, he replied I was just seeing which way the safety worked.

Dave

Great post Ice. The whole post is spot on, but the quoted portion is how I feel to a "T". I love my hunting buddies, but none of them, even my family hits all those points. (mostly the smoking and cooking) I won't trade my guys, but I find I kill more critters by myself. At least a portion (sometimes most) of every day is thinking about hunting.

It is never simply hunting season.

The point of this story is to point out how special some trivial little thing about my hunt can be, and how careless others are about these things.

Things like, smoking, slamming truck doors, looking at your buddy and noticing he keeps "lasering" you with his rifle barrel, leaving trash laying around camp, too much radio talk, cooking while wearing my hunting clothes, not having ones own alarm clock, watch, compass, map, binocular, spotting scope.

When I whisper to a buddy, and he answers in a loud tone, he just doesn't get it. When a friend asks to use my binoculars, cause he doesn't have any, or his cost 20$ and are worthless, he just doesn't get it. When a buddy hasn't shot an entire box of ammo thru his gun in three years, he just doesn't get it.

It would be very hard to find someone who looks at the hunt thru my eyes. I spend time each day of the year thinking about the hunt. Many of you are probably much like me, or you wouldn't be reading this.

Most often I find myself biting my tongue, and thinking that maybe I do worry too much about this stuff. I have found that I enjoy my friends, but come hunting season, they can really wear on you.

[Ray]

Gosh I think having more hunting buddies is cool.

When my truck dies I just might need one.

[saylean]

I find myself very choosy as well, when it comes to hunting partners. My brothers, father, the late grandpa, and a few very close family friends are the only ones I go with. I have been asked to come along with others, or they ask to come along...but ya just kind of know sometimes, by the person, that they wouldnt be a good hunting match. We usually all split up when it is time to hunt anyway, only returning back to the truck to meet up and head back to camp or so....man...already getting the fever...come on hunting season, hurry up would ya?!

[Shadow Cat]

You know, I went back and read Krustys post and noticed a few things. First off, it was his first post. Lord knows, I sure have not been here long but I was welcomed. Second, I saw his knowledge of hunting and a few things hit me all at once. I am going to go out on a limb here so hang on... We are, for the most part it seems, seasoned hunters that primarily think along the same lines. I started to feel ashamed. We as hunters have the responcibility to EACH OTHER to keep our sport alive and safe. How do we do this? EDUCATION! I spent years as a hunter education instructor because I believe in it. I believe in introducing someone to the outdoors and teaching them the RIGHT way instead of letting them fall to the way side and it leaving a bad taste in there mouth and them turning against hunters. Besides, if they tried to stay with hunting and were making bad choices (like an ethical shot), we would be pissed off at that "hunter" and we did nothing to educate them. All we did was get pissed. How do we train our hunting dogs? I am not saying that this is the case with all "hunters" but think hard about this. The hunter we turn away could be as big a pain for our way of life as Bill and Sarah Brady or the one we take under our wing could be the next Fred Bear. So with that said, Krusty, welcome to the board and to the world of hunting. I will share what I can, but not my maps! ;-)