Do you ever hunt just to be with friends and family. Even though you think you have a better shot going alone

[Hunter007]

Do you ever hunt just to  be with friends and family.  Even though you think you have a better shot going alone.

So  almost every year I get a invitation to go hunting with my relatives  who I don't get to see much . 

They like to go way far up there 200 miles away from me .

But I think I have  better chance getting one near me  because I know the area better know where to look and spent lots of time in those places close by .

But I'm probably just going to go with them anyway just to hang out with them  been a few years now since I went with them .

 

 

[Hock3y24]

That’s why I shoot 95% of my deer with bow, so I can gun hunt and give my dad my best spots for gun when we go together. 

[greensider]

Yes I used to go to in-laws and had a great time now I hunt our own land but not to have a better chance at a deer but because more sons and grandsons are hunting now so i am giving them a better chance by no being there 

[cynthiafu]

Nothing like hunting with family . Do it because once they are gone it can't be replaced

[NFA-ADK]

I figure they are hunting in the ADK or general area, when going into deep woods the population drops significantly.  That type of hunt is usually more about the experience than anything else yet getting one in these remote regions is very special, sharing with family even more so.  

You probably have a better chance where you live and are familiar with patterns but nothing like sharing a remote experience with family even more so if someone gets a good buck! 

I leave Long Island during prime time with 150 inch plus deer running rampant in multiple locations to hunt the Adirondacks with friends where those types of deer are almost a myth.  Personally the deer I take up North will never compete with Long Island deer, simply put they are in a class by themselves!  Doing it with friends or family makes it that much sweeter! 

[Uncle Nicky]

4 hours ago, Hunter007 said:

Do you ever hunt just to  be with friends and family.  Even though you think you have a better shot going alone.

 

Yes, a lot. As i get older, my outlook on hunting has changed. I'm just as happy getting a new person or friend a deer or turkey as I am getting one myself. The memories of the animals you kill and the meals fade with time, but the memories spent helping others and time spent with relatives seem to stay with you (at least in my case). 

One of the best fishing trips I ever went on was last summer, not only because the fishing was very good, but because it was with a lifelong friend dying of cancer. We both knew it would be his last time fishing in the ocean, he could barely crank the reel and I had to pretty much hold his hand the whole time. But it meant so much to him and his family that I brought him with me, I was getting embarrassed at his funeral after a while with all the accolades that were coming my way. I'd do it all over again in a minute.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have better hunting within a half hour of my house but chose to get our lease 2 and a half hours away becasue it was half way between me a Dad. To me the family tradition and time with them and friends is what it is all about, first and foremost. Getting a deer is just icing on the cake. I have shot a lot of deer in my life and a few good ones. The hunts that stick out are the ones shared and those are the ones we seem to always talk about. To me a memory means less if the memory is only mine. 

[GreeneHunter]

Years ago I took my son out on opening day .... he was not interested until early twenties .... and he shot a buck !  Best day of my life and his !

[UpStateRedNeck]

4 hours ago, Hock3y24 said:

That’s why I shoot 95% of my deer with bow, so I can gun hunt and give my dad my best spots for gun when we go together. 

Same reasoning, but I'm still learning bow.  It's also why I built that nice blind, so my dad has a better chance, and I don't have to worry as much about him stumbling around in the woods.

[Hock3y24]

27 minutes ago, GreeneHunter said:

Years ago I took my son out on opening day .... he was not interested until early twenties .... and he shot a buck !  Best day of my life and his !

My dad has hunted his whole life, I showed 0 interest till I was 18 and a light switched. 

[Steuben Jerry]

I do at least once or twice every year. Grandson should be with me for a team hunt next Friday!

[ApexerER]

I passed on a deer this bow season because I was hunting alone. It wasn't a huge deer, but would have been my largest bow buck. Maybe I would have missed him cause I did miss a beautiful Buck at 26 yds. Anyway. I didn't take the shot because I was alone. I thought about the fact that nobody was around to celebrate with if I was able to harvest him. More than half the fun for me is seeing my hunting buddies get a deer or them being there when I get one. 

[dbHunterNY]

I would have a home full of large mounts if I hunted elsewhere for myself and/or alone.

I hunt the family farm to be around family during hunting season, we have respectable bucks. still everyone has been seen by someone and nothing that's around is much of a secret. nothing lives to full 6.5+ yr old maturity to grow truly large antlers and bodies. rarely go on destination hunts or travel like some do to midwest states like indiana or ohio. often i don't have the vacation time to sacrifice after visiting friends and family elsewhere, including taking my family on vacation because i can't get those years back.  i've known guys with awesome trophy rooms but have gone through things like divorce or made sacrifices to get them. i know others that shot truly giant deer for an area from pure dumb luck. couple where new hunters that barely knew anything about deer hunting, one literally had the buck run into the path of the bullet while trying to shoot something else, and one was hungover and his friends had to practically haze him to get him out of bed that morning.

it does get old at times. it's blatantly ridiculous some people don't take things seriously unless you have a wall full of shoulder mounts. i will at some point hunt for myself to expand my collection of mounts.

[The_Real_TCIII]

I have better hunting within a half hour of my house but chose to get our lease 2 and a half hours away becasue it was half way between me a Dad. To me the family tradition and time with them and friends is what it is all about, first and foremost. Getting a deer is just icing on the cake. I have shot a lot of deer in my life and a few good ones. The hunts that stick out are the ones shared and those are the ones we seem to always talk about. To me a memory means less if the memory is only mine. 

Same, I know there are big bucks right here in my local spot but opening weekend is about deer camp 90 miles away. I love when I get a nice buck but it doesn’t consume me. I do consume it though...


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[airedale]

There is a lot to be said about both types of hunting and I do like both types for different reasons. Hunting with family and friends is a social event, the laughs, the tall tales, ball breaking and the food are almost as important as the hunt itself. A weekend at the Deer camp with the gang in one word is fun! For me most of those days are gone, like Cynthia mentioned above many of the family and friends I hunted with when I was young have passed on and there is not many youngsters replacing them, like she said "do while you can," there is a lot to be said for memories.

One of my favorite memories from over 50 years ago at Deer camp on the last weekend, day and hour of season my Dad scored a doubleheader on a Deer and Bear. In the photo below my Dad on the right with one of his best friends doing a little celebrating.

Still I like to hunt on my own a lot also and do not mind doing so, I get a bit more serious about things when hunting alone and have had better success overall.

Edited November 20, 2019 by airedale

[Will_C]

I hunt in Pa. with family on their farm. It is actually great deer territory. They stop and have lunch everyday. I know that is primetime to be in the woods,  but I still come if for lunch-catching up with them and a couple others who I only see during der season is worth losing some hunting time.

 

Will

[Buckmaster7600]

I would way rather hunt alone. Other than the rare times I hunt my property with my brother I hunt alone. Same thing with fishing I would way rather fish alone as well.

After my tag is filled I don’t mind hunting with others to help them get one.


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[Tughill Tamer]

I hunt alot with family and friends prably 70% of the time and enjoy it. I sometimes think I'd be better off alone however with some of them as then I can go where I want and leave when I want. I am also not a big fan of some of their hunting styles.

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[mlammerhirt]

This opening day was awesome in more ways than one. The 8pt. Was shot by a guy who never shot a deer before.......my boys were there to experience the fun of dragging and loading..... and the best of all they got to experience it with the Gagi(my dad)....almost 73 and hunting as hard as any 30 year old I know.

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[Arcade Hunter]

On 11/20/2019 at 9:43 AM, Steuben Jerry said:

I do at least once or twice every year. Grandson should be with me for a team hunt next Friday!

Absolutely cant wait until my grandson is old enough to go out with us... My son in law, his brother and father and myself.  Make some memories