[thumper]

Another successful strategy for me, is not to be afraid to HUNT SOLO. With no pressure on meeting a partner at a specific time back at the truck, or worrying about straying into their hunting zone and screwing up their hunt, or fiddling with 2-way radios, I find solo hunts much more relaxing. I'm able to follow my own intuitions/instincts, take my time and focus on the task at hand. When it's time for the shot, it's almost always a well placed shot, on a standing, relaxed animal - not a rushed shot at an animal being 'pushed' by others.

On the down-side, I now have health issues that I need to consider and so I miss out on hunting the late afternoon/early evening 'golden hour', because I don't want to be cleaning game and dragging it out well after dark by myself. After 2 or 3 in the afternoon, I usually quit actively hunting and poke around formulating a plan for the following day. With a partner, or a group, I might be more aggressive in hunting later in the day.

Also, there's the social aspect of hunting with others that I sometimes miss - sometimes not.

But on the whole, I'm much more effective in taking animals, while hunting solo.