Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Hunting Solo

Hunting solo - it's something I've done often over the years. Mostly for small game and upland birds, but sometimes for deer or even bear. There can be a particular satisfaction with having done the entire hunt alone. Hiking in, glassing, watching, waiting. Finding game. Stalking to within range. Making the shot... Field dressing, quartering or even boning out the animal alone, then hiking back to the waiting truck... Can make for a long and tiring day, but at the end of the day, you know that you did it all. That's a good feeling.

It's been a few years since I took a deer solo. A mule deer doe in 2015 with my 25-06, here in "north central Washington." A mule deer buck in 2017 also with my 25-06 here in Washington.

The doe was pretty simple. I had permission to hunt a ranch. I was in position well before dawn. It was cold, snowy and silent. As the sky brightened, I could see deer feeding not far from me. I waited patiently for a safe shot opportunity. One shot from sitting at easy range and the deal was done. I was able to drive the Jeep right to the deer, so field dressed her and lifted her into the Jeep, then away.

The buck came near last light on public land. I'd hunted hard all day. He wasn't huge, but a mature buck headed towards a nearby wheat field. My rifle was zeroed at 200 yards. I shot him at 212 yards, dropping him instantly. Again the shot was from sitting, no support other than the sling.

Walked down to him, and realized I'd be finishing the job in dark then hiking the mile or so back to the waiting Jeep. Alright then, get busy. It took me a while, I've never been particularly fast at this work. Got the buck quartered up, and de-boned some of it by the light of my headlamp. Full of fresh meat, the heavy pack was warm against my back as I began the long hike back to the Jeep and I was glad that the slope I headed up was neither steep, nor too high. Rifle in one hand, Deer head and antlers in the other, pack on my back, one foot in front of the other, slowly, surely up and over the ridge then downhill to the Jeep. It took me quite a while to cover that mile.

Felt so good to set my pack in the back of the Jeep, unload the rifle and put it away then head for home with a tired smile on my face. I'd done it again in my 60's, and knew I wasn't done doing that sort of thing.



Do some of you hunt alone for deer or other game?

Regards, Guy

I hunt alone but not because I like it. I'm 78 and would like to have someone along, and my wife is very uneasy even though I stopped climbing 3 or 4 years ago. Being too poor to afford the the high lease tabs, I mostly hunt on small parcels owned by relatives or friends and the informal agreement will usually end with the owner's words, ".....but don't bring anyone with you". So I hunt alone; I have my pickup outfitted with a small portable 12 volt winch, a short ramp and several feet of chains and towing straps. I have friends with similar circumstances. I wish things were different.

Beautiful buck, great picture and nice write up.

Well done, congratulations!

Born and raised on a working cattle & horse ranch in Oregon's Big Empty. As a young teenager I would take a small pack string of supplies up into the high meadows and find the sheepherders. 'aint no cell phones back then and the sheepherders didn't use radios. You'd just have to go find 'em.

And just like a trucker, you'd rather not run the backhaul empty, so when in season the goal was to hunt Mulies and bring one back for butchering.

On one hunt by my lonesome my Dad and I had made arrangements that we'd meet at a known spot on a dirt 'road' to pick me up. Just so happened freak weather showed up and down came torrential rains. Fortunately, I was in my woolies so while soaked, I wasn't hurtin'.

Dad shows up with a full change of clothes, and while I'm in my birthday suit drying off and swapping out the wet for the dry he says "damn boy, you're nuthin' but one big puddle of water!"

Just so happens my kid brother was along for the ride and thus my nickname was coined.

Nice story and deer.

I continue to hunt alone, but not because I am anti-sociable. I have good success.

I hunt alone often. Always have.

I also do lots of hunting alone. In the early season I take family out but i do enjoy being able to take full advantage of playing things by ear/sight out there. Not much planning but go hunt hard. I don't like relying/waiting on friends/people to dictate if I go out or not.

That's a great story of how the nickname came about!

Regards, Guy

Excepting some guided hunts in other countries and Hawaii, I believe I can count on one hand the number of animals I have killed and packed out when I wasn’t completely by myself. I think I have had help packing only 2 elk and 1 moose. Usually once or maybe twice a year I have a buddy in camp, but we hunt individually. Generally though I do the entire hunt from start to finish by myself.

I prefer hunting solo, for many, many reasons.

I used to hunt alone and loved it but with health issues I haven't in the last four years.

I deer hunt alone about 75% of the time. Small game and birds alone 95% in more recent years. Almost nobody wants to hunt small game or birds anymore. No trophies/glory/bragging rights to small game so they aren't interested.

Nice buck.

I have done a lot of solo hunts. Now that my kids are able to go, solo don’t happen much. I can say that productivity goes down drastically with another human tow. I am ok with that though at this stage in my life.

Sometimes I do and sometimes not.

Some days I enjoy the solitude and other days I enjoy the group.

Congrats on a nice buck!

Good story and nice buck. I do hunt alone because most who I hunted with no longer hunt or who have moved away. I’m 70 now and disabled. No tree stands anymore. Either in a ground blind or leaning against a tree.

I think I hunt a decent mix, lately with my brothers or other family in the vicinity, sometimes by myself. Sometimes I wanna be in the woods myself and others, I like being in group. Depends on the wind I guess.

Great story, one of my favorite pictures Guy.

Like "beefan" I am 78 and hunted both with partners and solo for many, many years. My family is getting less and less comfortable with me out for multiple day hunts , by myself so they/we try to find me a partner for at least a few days. I still feel comfortable out there, but they prefer me to have company. This year I packed out an elk hind quarter, two front shoulders and a backstrap, so I can still get them out myself. My bull came from 3 miles in and 2,000 elevation. In order to keep peace in the family I carry a "RESCUE" beacon, (sp) and the ONX app on my phone. In addition I share my location with friends, 24 and 7 . My hunting area in Wyoming has very little cell service but in Oregon I have about 70% coverage. This year I believe was my 56 th season.

I hunt alone. Haven’t killed a buck in awhile, so I forgot what a pain in the a$$ dragging him out and getting him in the truck by myself was. lol.

Thanks. That buck was actually taken in 2008 on another solo hunt with the 25-06 and Berger 115 VLD. I was dragging him down to a dirt road for easier packout. Sat down to rest and noticed that the setting and the light were pretty good for a decent photo. A few minutes later I was dragging him again. He was a pretty stout buck. I had a cell phone. Called my oldest son and a friend. They helped me quarter this one up and pack him out.

Guy

When I hunt alone,

I prefer to be by myself'

Ya!

GWB

I hunt alone 98% of the time
About once every other season my wife will go sit in a blind with me for a morning or evening hunt. But she always goes to help when there's an animal down.