Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Who prefers to hunt alone, and why?

I've always enjoyed solo hunting. I've hunted with groups of 8 or more, groups of 3 or 4, and groups of two (me and my best friend).

After everything is said, I prefer to hunt alone. I've found I get a lot of satisfaction out of being self-suffcient. If I tag an animal, I know it was me who made it all happen.

But most of all, everytime I go hunting with others, I also find myself doing something I don't want to do. Camp here instead of there, drive to town for a drink and cigs, roundevous times, waiting for something or someone.

To me, the hunting is the experience, not the getting.

Just curious as to how others feel about this.

i think everyone "hunts" alone, but the vast majority camp with 1 or more buddies. for me, i like the entire experience. hunting and trying to take an animal while alone, yet enjoying the banter and bs associated with a buddy or 3 back in camp. others may differ.

I've done the group thing, and I've done the alone thing. Now I hunt by myself, or with one other guy, usually. Antelope is sometimes two or three guys (cousins).

I mostly hunt alone. I do hunt with my son but he lives back east so its only now and then. I love to fish/hunt the backcountry by myself. I like getting away from it all. I like the experiance of hunting solo and I like being able to do my thing. Like you said camp here. Do this, do that. That is all great once and a while but my love is solo.

I leave when I want and I go when an where I want, and take as much time as I please. solo rocks in this case

The deal breaker a while back was when I was glassing a hillside and my "hunting partner" kept wantin to know why I was wasting my time because he could tell with just his eyes that there werent any deer over there. He doesnt tag along anymore

I agree with hotsoup but I like to hunt out of a backpack so there's a limited number of people who even want to go on a hunt like that. Many times I hunt solo, sometimes two in camp but we always go our separate ways, sometimes three, maybe four if I bring a son along.

The one exception may be when I go on a future archery hunt for bulls during the rut. Guys who know a lot more about that kind of hunt than I do say that calling one in to within 30 yards of your location pretty much has the bull dialed in and looking for you whereas a guy calling 50 yards behind you is an entirely different story.

I hunt elk alone, but do enjoy hunting deer with my daughter and my three grandsons when I get the chance. If they don't go with me, they don't get to go. When my wife and I both draw a tag, I hunt with her until she gets her deer, then hunt alone. Bird hunting is usually a group activity, but I get to go by myself, too, and enjoy it when I do.

I actually prefer to hunt alone, mostly because when I hunt with someone else, I am more of a guide or a flunky, concentrating on seeing that they harvest game. When you hunt alone, you do it at your own speed and you don't worry about taking time to just enjoy the scenery or watch nongame wildlife.

Exactly, I like to do what I want, when I want!

What I want/when I want is such a nice vacation from the usual what you want/when you want it. I fly solo mostly.

I hunt alone, unless I'm with someone.

I've hunted with folks that I enjoy hunting with and I've hunted with folks that uh...I will never hunt with again. I enjoy hunting by myself for the most part because it's "my time" and I enjoy the solitude and peace. I do however, enjoy hunting with a few select friends that I know and trust and enjoy taking out new hunters, young and old. I guess I'm somewhat picky but to me, hunting involves a great deal of responsibility, respect, and passion. I've hunted with folks that were probably not the best in the bush but they are safe(paramount), legal, and ethical hunters and I'll always hit the woods with them. Hands down though, I'll never have a hunting partner or anyone I enjoy hunting with more than my Dad (Dave in WV). He introduced me into shooting and hunting and I hate not hitting the woods with him at least a few times a year. So I guess bottom line is that I 95% of the time hunt solo but I darn sure will never skip a chance to hunt with Dad.

One of the main reasons I go deer hunting is so I can be alone and enjoy the woods.

I much prefer to hunt alone. I can camp and hunt where and how I wish to. I am responsible for what does- or doesn't- happen. And, the conversation is more entertaining when I only have myself to talk to! Although, I once read a comment from someone that is a deeper thinker than I, that said something to the effect that "When I am hunting with someone else I have to talk to them, when I am alone I can concentrate on speaking with God."

....I too hunt the great majority of time alone. No distractions, easy to become single minded, and enter a real commune with the natural surrounding.There's a whole lot to laud hunting with friends, the camaraderie and great experiences shared has much to commend it, but I've found, for me, I'm a better and more successful hunter when I'm left on my own, alone in the wood.

Elk camp can be from myself to as many as 10 but I will hunt on my own and normally pack out my elk myself.
When hunting white tails in north east Wyo. there will be 4 or 5 of us and we tend to stay in pairs, it's more of a social hunt.
When hunting Mule deer it's me and hours of glassing that would drive most guys nuts.
Antelope is time to bring the kids or anybody that wants to go It totally a social event and fun for all. If you want to get young kids hooked on hunting Antelope is were to start them.

I also hunt alone most of the time. I can go where I want and stay as long with out having to met someone elses schedual. The only time I do not hunt alone is the first two days and the first Saturday I hunt with my cousins on the farm and drive.

I prefer hunting alone, for reasons stated.

I have a moose-hunting partner, and we generally hunt alone together. Our stand sites - and camps -are up to a half mile apart- but sometimes we team up to try to "short-stop" a dialed-in bull we are trying to call in - as mentioned above.

i'll take a buddy to an area then we'll go our separate ways. i hunt mostly alone unless it's a newer hunter then i make them stick w/me {i don't like searching for lost people}. this is how i watched my cousin shoot his first deer his first year deer hunting. i've shot a pile of deer and it still gets the blood racing. untill then i'd never got to see another hunter at the moment of truth. it was more exiteing than if i had pulled the trigger. besides, i bore the crap out of myself, humor is needed and i could use/lend some help packing the game out swaping stories.

Yep always go away hunting by myself. Had to many people let me down over the years such as pulling out at last moment after youve organised a trip together. Have taken people to various locations hunting and then theyve taken there mates back there...
Easier just to go by yourself,its great knowing youve hunted successfully because of your own skills!! Only downsides to hunting by yourself is if you get injured your on your own.Crossing swollen rivers can also be some what more dangerous by yourself...but hey Im prepared to take those gambles.

Most of my hunting is done with 1 or 2 others and occasionally up to 4 others, it seems I always do better when I'm by myself.