New year...New plan

[Birdguy]

Ok, I have a couple close buddies that I hunt with. I know them well, I trust them. I would allow either of my kids to go with them anytime. I problem is we all have lives and I can never seem to (upland) bird hunt enough. They enjoy going but LIFE gets in the way for all of us. I would like to meet, and get to know a few more guys that when life gets in the way I could hunt with. I am a serious hunter (meaning I value safety, my/others time, dog, and those I go with) it does not mean I hunt sun up til sun down every day, that the harvest is all that matters or anything like that, I look at it as I am still on vacation. Is anyone else looking for something similar?

What I have to offer:
family guy (kids may come with if school allows)
some experience
a decent/good dog (he is a work in progress...my fault)
off season training, birds too
reliable transportation
a place to stay depending on where we are hunting
ability to split costs
I live on the Kitsap Peninsula between Port Orchard and Gig Harbor, hunt mostly Okanogan, but some basin and southeast areas in the past.

I figure I have a few months to see if anyone is interested.

[AWS]

Why bother, trying to find a compatable partners is one of the most difficult tasks there is, harder than finding a wife.  If you get tired of the wife you can go hunting.  If you get tired of the partner you have to quite hunting.  My real first partner and I are very different, he's 20yrs younger than me and is a hard core upland hunter.  I am slowing down and like to hunt coyotes and ducks also.  We take two vehicles and when I get worn down I leave and go coyote hunting so I can get a rest.   When we go on out of state hunts we take my van so I can go back to the truck and relax or he takes me back to camp and he goes out again.  We work well together and he hunts alot alone as I do, but our hunts together are always fun.  I didn't look for him we just ran into each other.

You can tell a good partner when you look at you watch and it is 5 min befor the time you agreed to meet and you worried that he's had some problems because he's always been early before.

Your hunts alone cane be very enjoyable and it sounds like you have a young partner just a few years off.

[Stilly bay]

. Is anyone else looking for something similar?

What I have to offer:
family guy (kids may come with if school allows)
some experience
a decent/good dog (he is a work in progress...my fault)
off season training, birds too
reliable transportation
a place to stay depending on where we are hunting
ability to split costs
I live on the Kitsap Peninsula between Port Orchard and Gig Harbor, hunt mostly Okanogan, but some basin and southeast areas in the past.

I figure I have a few months to see if anyone is interested.

check,
check,
and check
sign me up.


I am in the same boat, like AWS said good solid hunting partners are damn hard to come by.  seems like alot of folks looking for hunting partners on the net are only interested if you have a lot of good spots up your sleeve or something else to take advantage of.

If it was as easy as posting an ad on line for a decent dependable hunting partner I would have my dance card full by now, unfortunately the internet gives voice to too many introverts and flakes who should just as well stay home as interact with the rest of society.

I moved away from most of my hunting friends and miss them keenly. they are the type of guys, that should a chore stand in the way of you and they woods they help you finish it without even asking. But as I have come to realize quality people, whom you value are damn rare to come by. and good hunting/outdoors relationships rarely spring up overnight.

and don't even get me started about meshing schedules.... or politics or religeon

although all the above isn't enough to make me stop trying.

birdguy or AWS you both sound like guys I could hang with drop me a line if you ever want to do some dog training.

and singleshot12... when the hell are we gonna kill some ducks?

[good2go]

PM sent
Seems like a few people are interested. It was a well timed post for me. I have good friends but they aren't bird hunters or dog guys really.

[Old Dog]

I"m interested.  We can talk about it more when we get together with the dogs.

[Birdguy]

This is exactly the responses I expect from folks on this board. I have been around quite a while and have a great deal of respect for a lot of folks on this forum.
 AWS, you are right on with your post, partners (if you are serious) are very hard to find, bottom line there are a few times on each hunt where you depend on your partner and he you, you never knw when an accident will happen and you will REALLY need that guy either. As for young hunters I got two  , she is 12 and a great shot but so far really enjoys targets over game. She is just starting to show real interest in hunting. He is 9 and though he has ALL the ambition and go he was cursed with his Moms side of the growth chart. I am sure he will grow but it is going to be later than earlier, he still shoots his youth 20 but his arms are not long enough to cycle the pump  . I could get him a semi auto, but this way I still have control.

Stilly, you seem pretty spot on with your post as well. Good folks in general are tough to find. My Buddies are great we were scheduled to take a scouting weekend this last summer leaving right after work, the Mrs. called at lunch and saidd we had no water  . I took off at lunch to try and get it fixed before we were to leave...long story short I cannot pull the pump replace all the wire and replum the well in 4 hours. Called Buddy #1 he left work and was there in 1/2hr to help, Buddy #2 just started a new job so he could not leave but was there as soon as work let out  . We were on the road by 7 with water all fixed. It was a long drive but good Buddies make for a good trip. We should try to meet up at some point and see if we can kill some birds.

Good2go, I will reply to your PM as well.

Old Dog, I actually was thinking about you when I wrote this post up, we will certainly talk.

[Camp David]

With ya. I have a some great friends and most of them are also hunting buddies. Important to me is that they bring something to the table be it skills, humor, able to pull their own weight, cook etc...and have the money to spend on hunting. They must be able to have a multi hour conversation in a truck on the way to where-ever. I had a few that thought they would catch up on their sleep while I drive; no longer my hunting buddies. I've met a few new ones in the last few years...I consider myself blessed. I always have a room for more good friends and hunting buddies. I'll say what I think most people feel on this forum....We, for the most part,  are afraid of who we will get if we invite a new person without knowing them well. Especially in a hunting situation. I like to invite someone to a range for a shoot, have a beer etc before I take the step of inviting them for a hunt. There is just so many bad people that are looking to take advantage of the situation that we all have to extra careful who we invite along.

[good2go]

Camp David I agree 100%. Thats one reason I think that this post has good timing. It would give people a chance to weed out the freeloaders and flakes. I have been the only guy with money or transportation and got burnt. "Hey what gun are you bringing? Cool I'll bring mine too I don't have any shells". I have also been the guy watching someone load shells backwards into the magazine.
I hunt alone allot now.

[Stilly bay]

With ya. I have a some great friends and most of them are also hunting buddies. Important to me is that they bring something to the table be it skills, humor, able to pull their own weight, cook etc...and have the money to spend on hunting. They must be able to have a multi hour conversation in a truck on the way to where-ever. I had a few that thought they would catch up on their sleep while I drive; no longer my hunting buddies

..We, for the most part,  are afraid of who we will get if we invite a new person without knowing them well. Especially in a hunting situation. I like to invite someone to a range for a shoot, have a beer etc before I take the step of inviting them for a hunt. There is just so many bad people that are looking to take advantage of the situation that we all have to extra careful who we invite along.

its just damn rude to sleep while some else is driving unless circumstances dictate otherwise. a couple screaming break checks usually cures that problem quick.

I like the idea of an off season get together, it would certainly take the stress out of meeting a complete stranger and hunting with him the rest of the day, besides if you can't stand someone's company at bar, coffee shop, or gun range you certainly have no business sharing a day in the field with them.  then again I am the type of person who would rather have a handful of friends that I know really well, than a bunch of fair weather acquaintances.

[Birdguy]

Camp David you are absolutely correct, anyone who is serious about hunting, their family, their life, etc. is nervous about asking a new person to go hunting with them. That is the main reason I waited until after the season had closed figuring I had a good length of time to try an meet some of the folks who replied in a setting outside of the field to determine if they are someone I would hunt with and vice versa. My Wife tells me I have a few qualities not everyone appreciates as much as she does  . Yes, I am a little nervous about finding new hunting partners but I am also tired of waiting all year for weather, seasons, and just when it is all to come together life throws a curve into the mix. My hunting Buddies are good guys with good intentions like most of us, they maybe able to go everytime I want to go next year but the last two years tells me that life will get in the way.  I promised my Wife and kids that I will not hunt alone, just too many variables, so either I sit at home a pout about missing the last month of the season, or I do something different. I look forward to meeting up with the guys who responded, having been on this site for years now I have met some great folks on here and I am certain there are a LOT more   .

[huntindog]

I'm always looking for hunting partners especially since I have only been living in WA for 3 years.  That is PARTNERS not tag alongs  or freeloaders. I have two dogs both GSP one 10 years old and one 6months. Both are good dogs and the pup is coming along great. Last training hunt he found 5 out of 5 birds with 5 points and 5 retrieves, that ain't bad. I live in the northwest of Washington in Bellingham so over the mountains can be a haul for me. I don't mind the drive with the right company. I am self employed so I can take time as I see fit. I think it is a great idea to get together in the off season and get to know each other, so count me in.

[Camp David]

Birdguy,
Let me know your turkey plans. I'll be in Seattle hopefully the first weekend of April than I'll be in North Spokane for a few weeks hopefully for the opener and a few weeks after.

[CoachNemo]

I would be interested in a meet up as well.  I am just getting back into hunting and would love to have some people to go with and learn from.  I am in Shoreline.

[Birdguy]

Birdguy,
Let me know your turkey plans. I'll be in Seattle hopefully the first weekend of April than I'll be in North Spokane for a few weeks hopefully for the opener and a few weeks after.

If all goes to plan we will be in Chewelah/Colville area for the youth hunt (hoping to get the kids onto a few birds  ). Then if the bird numbers have improved like I am hearing I hope to be over that way for a few days around the general opener. If I am not seeing more birds than last year we may hunt a little further west. I would live to try a little later season hunting as well in the opener is not great but that will really depend on the kids spring sports. The daughter will be well into her fastpitch season by then and the boy into baseball. I really try to make all their games. Sometimes it is tough being Dad first then sportsman, but it is all worth it in the end, I do not know how long they will choose to play but I enjoy being there and watching them  .

[Bob33]

"eHarmony_HunterVersion"