How many will sit in camp all day drinking and playing cards? I agree that 7's too many. I've been on group hunts like that and in the end, nobody gets any serious hunting done.
Seven is a lot of folks in a tented camp on public land. Definitely have ground rules for how you're going to manage firearms while not hunting.
I'd also make sure that you all agree on how much booze will be in camp and how it gets consumed. Also bear in mind that Colorado is quite a bit higher than Alabama, and that alcohol hits you sooner and harder in thin air. The last thing you want on a stalk is some guy who smells like a tavern and pukes because he got sideways the night before.
I used to hunt with three other guys. The first day we all hunted. Every other day, two of them were in camp with sore feet and hangovers. I'd be up and gone long before first light and not back until long after dark, but the two party guys expected that any deer we killed would be split evenly among all four of us. I'd have been willing to share if they had put in effort every day and legitimately gotten skunked, but that just pissed me off. On the bright side, they kept the camp clean and hot chow was waiting when I got back at the end of the day.
Okie John
Definitely agree on the firearm rules. Need to discuss ow they will be handled in the field, too. Have hunted with a couple people that had no concept of muzzle control and another who hunted the entire time with loaded chamber and, as we found out on the last day, a safety that didn't work. He said it was OK because he "kept his finger off the trigger". Such people never got invited back.
As to the alcohol, I agree on that, too. hunted with some business acquaintances one year. They brought four coolers of food and I thought we would eat well. Turns out two were full of beer and the other hard liquor. In addition to terrible personal habits, a couple guys couldn't function until past noon on opening day. I left early the next day in total disgust.
Another thing that should be discussed is whether people are attending to hunt or party. One year we camped on public land just inside the National Forest gates, along with a number of other groups. Damn people next to us partied loudly half the night before opening day. Then about 3AM a couple were outside puking their guts out. Thankfully, they only hunted opening weekend and we were able to get some good sleep after they left. Family non-hunters excluded, if people aren't serious about hunting, I don't want them in camp.
