Hunting alone.....Suggestion

[Brbpuppy]

I hunt better alone, so unless I'm spending time with my old man in the woods, I'm alone. Although the family knows of the general area I hunt, in case I don't make it home when I say I will. Although being in great shape and very confident in my abilities...Anything can happen, but I feel safe.

[graybeard]

Just when you think it won't happen to you....Play Safe

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...-animal-attack

U of C professor killed in bear attack near Waiparous remembered as 'beautiful, unique'

[KegRiver]

On average bears attack one person per year in Alberta.

There are as near as I can find, about 100 hunting accidents in Alberta each year, many of which don't even requiire hospitalization.

About 300 die and another 18,000 are injured in motor vehical accidents.

I've hunted and trapped alone since I was 8 years old. That's 59 years of hunting, trapping and camping far from civilization.

Most of the people I know have also done so for most of their lives. I know of only one situation where someone perished while hunting alone, and that had nothing to do with an animal attack or accident. That person was my brother and my best friend in the whole world.

I still hunt alone, I still don't tell anyone where I'll be and I don't carry electronics as a precaution.

I know the risks and know I have more to fear when driving to town for supplies.

But I do understand why some people fear the outdoors. People fear what they don't understand.
The wilderness is really just your back yard without all the modern conveinances at you fingertips.

[obsessed1]

I have never feared being alone in the wilderness, whether hunting, hiking, camping ect. But I didn't grow up in the city and have spent a ton of time out in the woods from a young boy on. Knowing the dangers and not acting like nothing can kill you or even hurt you is very important.

[treeroot]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

On average bears attack one person per year in Alberta.

There are as near as I can find, about 100 hunting accidents in Alberta each year, many of which don't even requiire hospitalization.

About 300 die and another 18,000 are injured in motor vehical accidents.

I've hunted and trapped alone since I was 8 years old. That's 59 years of hunting, trapping and camping far from civilization.

Most of the people I know have also done so for most of their lives. I know of only one situation where someone perished while hunting alone, and that had nothing to do with an animal attack or accident. That person was my brother and my best friend in the whole world.

I still hunt alone, I still don't tell anyone where I'll be and I don't carry electronics as a precaution.

I know the risks and know I have more to fear when driving to town for supplies.

But I do understand why some people fear the outdoors. People fear what they don't understand.
The wilderness is really just your back yard without all the modern conveinances at you fingertips.

That's the root of most fear, especially in the wilderness.

To be honest, I like hunting alone a lot. But I do have ppl I also go with when I feel more social. I must admit though when I reach out to someone to invite them along, I almost always feel a bit of disapointment when they say yes. Nothing against them, but I like going alone a lot.

I've never once regretted going out into the bush alone, but I've regretted some of the trips I've gone with other people.

[Dariouskater]

This past weekend I went hunting for the first time. It was a solo backpack hunt.
I don't have my own vehicle so I had to be dropped off. Made a plan for pickup, sent my planning and mapping to my roommate so they knew where I would be.

Well I'm no novice to being outdoors and away from the city.
But the level of fear I felt being out that first night was something I had never experienced.

I think the issue I had was the isolation. Knowing that not only was I alone, I was out of contact with anyone, and didn't even have a vehicle to return if I needed it terrified me.
It seemed to make all those small irrational fears that I can usually ignore into something so much bigger.
Sitting alone in camp in the dark listening to animals move around you and trees creak, wondering if any of those animals were drawn to you by your scent but unable to see anything.

Needless to say I unfortunately had zero luck on this first hunt.
Saw lots of deer but nothing I was allowed to shoot.
I will be going out again. But hopefully this time I can find an experienced Hunter to go with me.


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[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by Dariouskater

This past weekend I went hunting for the first time. It was a solo backpack hunt.
I don't have my own vehicle so I had to be dropped off. Made a plan for pickup, sent my planning and mapping to my roommate so they knew where I would be.

Well I'm no novice to being outdoors and away from the city.
But the level of fear I felt being out that first night was something I had never experienced.

I think the issue I had was the isolation. Knowing that not only was I alone, I was out of contact with anyone, and didn't even have a vehicle to return if I needed it terrified me.
It seemed to make all those small irrational fears that I can usually ignore into something so much bigger.
Sitting alone in camp in the dark listening to animals move around you and trees creak, wondering if any of those animals were drawn to you by your scent but unable to see anything.

Needless to say I unfortunately had zero luck on this first hunt.
Saw lots of deer but nothing I was allowed to shoot.
I will be going out again. But hopefully this time I can find an experienced Hunter to go with me.


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Cool good on you for getting out and experiencing the wilderness the way most people never will

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[Dariouskater]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Cool good on you for getting out and experiencing the wilderness the way most people never will

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Won't be my last by far.
Just think I'll do a trip with someone who has more experience before I do another solo trip.

Still have 2 tags to fill this season

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[Jadham]

You know when I go out solo I always bring a set of earplugs.

If I find it noisy and unsettling I pop them in and usually wake up in the morning feeling refreshed. Don’t use them every time but some nights certainly have been useful.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I'm a bit like you, Dariouskater, but part of it for me is that when I'm sleeping somewhere other than my own bed, I need a night or two of "adjustments" to get used to the different environment (tent, trailer, etc.)

I really didn't spend enough time in the woods growing up. I wish I did.

That being said, I consider myself one to have realtively slow reflexes (I would have been the caveman that would have been eaten by the sabre tooth cat first!) and I like having at least one person with me for the extra set of eyes, and I am a bit of a social animal. Either my children, or a trusted hunting buddy. Getting older, I like to have some help getting game back to the truck too, especially when I'm hiking farther away.

But over the years, I have become much more comfortable on my own. Seeing more game in the process too.

[Smoky buck]

Don’t overthink it there is way more dangerous things in a large city then there is in the bush

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by honda450

I have a job where the shift is not written in stone. Where I will be in a week from now I do not know, nor how long I will be there. Nor do I know how many days off I will have at the end of the job. Most of my hunting buddies are in the same boat. It is very hard to get together. I will continue to hunt alone, got no choice. Yes I do take more precautions than when I am with a buddy.

I'm kind of in the same boat given the busy time of year for me is hunting season. With that, I do hunt by myself some but I pick where I hunt differently due to the number of bears then I do when I'm with someone. Having said that, biggest suggestion I could ever give when hunting in bear country alone is keep your darn head on a swivel and eyes/ears open. If you hear a twig snap don't go trotting off after it without considering it may be something you don't want to tangle with. That happened to my FIL last year when we were hunting. Heard some snapping brush he took off thinking it was an elk, I hung back and said I don't think so. Come to find out later that day it was a 560-600# griz.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Dariouskater

I will be going out again. But hopefully this time I can find an experienced Hunter to go with me.


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Too bad you live so far south. I'd go with you, providing I could stay in camp.
I could do the cooking. I can't walk much any more so that's about all I could do, but I wouldn't mind being a campy for a bit.

[Red Bullets]

Fear when hunting and camping alone was mentioned.

It is not until you spend time alone in the wilds that you test and build your mettle, and learn your strengths and weaknesses. Fear is just an exercise for developing critical thinking.

The time I spent alone in the woods when I was younger are now my fondest memories. The sense of pure natural freedom cannot be found anywhere else. There were times I had fear when I didn't need to and there were times I should have been fearful and wasn't. Each time taught me lessons.

[daveyn]

I generally go with at least 1 other fella and at most 3 others. Not really hunting alone but every morning we have breakfast, lay out the plans for the day and part company. We won't see each other again until after dark for supper back at camp when we can share our adventures with each other. Where did you go, what did you see, how many, any tracks around the mineral spring etc. So again, not really alone but I think its the best of both worlds. Good company and comradery in the evenings, and all day by yourself in the woods chasing game.
You get to hunt alone and if you don't come back for supper the search can start much earlier than if you didn't show up back home on the weekend.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Fear when hunting and camping alone was mentioned.

It is not until you spend time alone in the wilds that you test and build your mettle, and learn your strengths and weaknesses. Fear is just an exercise for developing critical thinking.

The time I spent alone in the woods when I was younger are now my fondest memories. The sense of pure natural freedom cannot be found anywhere else. There were times I had fear when I didn't need to and there were times I should have been fearful and wasn't. Each time taught me lessons.

I can relate to this. Each year I go on at least one multi-day solo hunting trip where I can just be by myself. There are moments when I’m not 100% comfortable, but those are the moments I feel when you truly test yourself and see what you are made of.

[KegRiver]

I've slept on the ground, no tent even, just a bedroll and a tarp to keep the rain off. I never had anything bother me and don't expect I ever will.

I was talking with a friend a couple of weeks ago. His cabin got wiped out in the flood four years ago and he's been building a new one, in his spare time, since then.
He sleeps in an open faced shed on the property while doing so. Well about a month ago he woke up very early one morning to discover a bear walking past the open side of the shed, not ten feet where he lay in bed.

That clearly rattled him and I must admit I believe it would rattle me as well.

In 50+ years of camping in wild country that has only happened once in any camp I've been in. That bear eat about ten pounds of fried fish left over from supper the night before, and it didn't seem anxious to leave.
So I fed it a 30 cal pill. End of problem.

That time I did get a bit rattled, when I looked up from my morning coffee and found a Bear staring at me from six feet away. But I wasn't rattled enough to miss the first shot, ten minutes later when it returned.

[buckman]

Have hunted alone more than with partners.I am fussy who I hunt with. Been doing it for 40 years, I will turn 68 next week.
I am thinking about buying a spot or something similar for when I am beyond cell coverage, which is most of the time.
Never been bothered by any kind of critters. Have had bear tracks Grizzly and Black around or close to my wall tent many times.Also Wolves and Cougars.
The older I get the more care I take when traveling in the woods. More worried about a serious injury than anything else.
The only animals that ever give me any trouble are Pack Rats,they keep you awake all damn night scuttling around,on,over and in the tent.
Have also taken most of my game alone including Elk and Moose.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Good example of bear encounter is trapper we bought line from. He was doing his morning duty and door john left part open. A black bear poked his head through the open door. Load moved real fast after that!

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

Good example of bear encounter is trapper we bought line from. He was doing his morning duty and door john left part open. A black bear poked his head through the open door. Load moved real fast after that!

LOL No need for fiber that day hey!

[lambski]

I hunt alone all the time and I love it...Im prepared and always very aware of whats going on around me, common sense can go along ways when making certain calls in certain situations ....just my 2 cents!

[-JR-]

I have hunted many time alone for many days , sheep ,moose, deer and bear trips . But now that there are more people that hunt these day its easy to find some one to go hunting with . Keeps me at ease and i enjoy the trip a lot more.
Feels a lot more like pleasures than work .

[graybeard]

The new calls have changed hunting and become very convincing.....

A guy can quickly turn from a hunter to being hunted.....When calling I have brought in bears, wolves/coyotes and cougars....Yikes...

My head is on swivel at all times...

Be safe,

[Demonical]

Originally Posted by Tuc

Well, two unfortunate hunter deaths in two years and both hunters were hunting alone.

Whether it be grizzly bears, chance of getting lost, falling and breaking a leg or whatever, I think everyone can agree it isn't safe to hunt alone.

Most times I have buddies I hunt with but recently two of them have moved off to Sask and the others don't take a significant amount of days off to hunt. What I'm saying is they hunt there days off then leave camp to go back to work.

What do you say we compile a list of guys who would like to have hunting partners. This is not to say it will be permanant but a list that will give a hunter the option to contact another hunter in the same situation that might want to get out for a couple of days or even a day hunt.

Throw some ideas out there guys and see if can get em to float. Alot of new friendships were made this way and some for a lifetime.

If we get something together maybe the mods would keep it pinned to the top for us.
What do you thingk....lets hear some ideas.
Thanx!

I've hunted solo for 40+ years...

No backup. Nobody knows where I am. No safety harness in the treestand.

Life is to be lived.

[tracker]

I've always hunted alone. After some recent encounters I always keep in mind that I'm not the apex predator out there and be prepared for that. The smell of a nearby grizz or the sight of a big cat coming toward you make it easy to remember that.

[nimrod]

I just spent a week by myself sheep hunting, A thing that lets me sleep at night is a trip line, it will wake me up to discover whats up, I leave it up day or night, If Im up in the mountains it will be in ear shot to scare what trip the line, its a 12 gauge blank, so its great to be alone for me,

[Big Grey Wolf]

Nimrod, can agree with the blank 12 gauge for first scare shot. However might want 00buck or slugs as back up in case he does not get the message. Few years back it took me 3 shots of 300 win mag over grizz head at 20 feet in dark to convince him to move.

[nimrod]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

Nimrod, can agree with the blank 12 gauge for first scare shot. However might want 00buck or slugs as back up in case he does not get the message. Few years back it took me 3 shots of 300 win mag over grizz head at 20 feet in dark to convince him to move.

I hear you, but with hunting in the mountains for over 15 years now, nothing has tripped the trip line yet, but i always have my riffle next to me, when sleeping so if the trip line goes off, my riffle is in my hands

[Frank_NK28]

How is hunting alone unsafe? You stand the same chance of an accident with or without someone along.Probably even less chance to be perfectly honest. Given the number of times I have had someone invited along with us on hunts who understands nothing about muzzle control the last thing I am going to do is call names on a list for someone to hunt with! Personally I like my solo hunts and I just tell my wife where I'll be. Should I not show up at home when she expects me she has a starting point to send someone looking. ....heck you can get killed or hurt on any given day doing any number of activities. I don't need my hand held to live my life....

[huntinstuff]

When I hunt alone, everyone knows where I am..here, here or over there

If Im gonna take off somewhere different, i tell them

Mostly I have the boys with me.

Before they were born, I hunted alone. Like Keg, sometimes a tarp and sleeping bag....

Now I have a house so I dont camp out anymore