You probably go hunting with the same people each year. Are those friends or family the best hunting buddies they can be for you? Or, do some of their habits make you nervous? It may be time to find some new hunting partners, if that’s the case.
Here are some bad habits that should make you say goodbye to your hunting buddy.
Breakup with your hunting buddy if they…
Never Get Started On Time
Hunting the right way usually means starting at the crack of dawn. If your hunting partner is constantly late to the hunt, that means you are wasting precious time when the game is out and about. Plus, you may have to set up your stand, get your boat ready, or secure the right decoys on the site. That takes time. When the person you are hunting with is late all the time, that can get really annoying.
Bring Others Who Don’t Know What They Are Doing
If your hunting partner brings other people with them that are inexperienced, it can make the trip a nightmare. That situation can even be dangerous when your buddy is trying to showoff for his friends. Mistakes can be made which can be life-threatening. Make sure you know exactly who is coming with you on your hunting trips.
Are Too Noisy
Is your buddy a “chatty Cathy?” Can he just not shut up for a minute or sit still on a hunting trip? Then he’s probably not the best person to hunt with. Some animals you are hunting, in fact most animals, have very acute hearing. When your hunting partner is running his yap all day, he is probably going to scare off most of the game. There is nothing more frustrating then coming home from an all day hunt without any trophies to speak of.
Are Terrible Shooters
This probably goes without saying, but if your hunting buddy is a terrible shot, don’t invite him hunting next time. Or maybe suggest a few sessions at your local shooting range to brush up on their skills before you hunt with them again.
Don’t Share the Cost
It can be a bummer to pay for everything on each trip. Of course, if you are independently wealthy and don’t mind, this might not mean as much to you. But if you aren’t and your buddy still doesn’t come up with payment for his fair share of the hunting trip, you should probably find someone who can afford to go with you. It’s helpful to work out some of the details of cost sharing before the day of the trip.
Years ago my brother and I linked up with a much larger group…they had a really big outfitter’s tent, and just asked for a very reasonable fee to help with food. The leader was a personal friend of our regular hunting partner. We were set up in NW Colorado, prime elk territory. All went well until later on the first day of the hunt. As everyone was returning to camp, one guy, ‘Jim’, stood in our circle, as all were discussing their experience that first day, and pretty much had his rifle centered on my legs and lower body. Not Cool!! I asked him several times not to ‘muzzle’ me with his rifle and he seemed irritated and said that the safety was on. I told him to point it elsewhere or he’d find it jammed up his butt, so he finally complied. It was the last time we hunted with this bunch!
I WENT OUT WITH THIS GUY TO SCOUT OUT SOME DEER TRAILS. I WAS CARRYING A SINGLE BARREL 12 GUAGE IN CASE OF RATTLERS, HE WAS CARRYING A 41 MAGNUM PISTOL. EVERYTIME WE WOULD STEP ON A LIMB THE OTHER END WOULD RAISE UP. EVERYTIME IT DID HE WOULD WHIP OUT THAT PISTOL AND POINT IT THAT WAY. I WAS WALKNG IN FRONT OF HIM, WHEN I SAW THAT MORE THAN ONE TIME. I TOLD HIM TO GET IN FRONT OF ME. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE DIDN’T HUNT TOGETHER THAT FALL. ALMOST EVERYTIME THEY TALK ABOUT THEY ARE SAFETY CONCERNED. BULLSHIT! AND THEY SHOOT AT NOISES TOO.