How many over 60, still mostly hunt alone?

[fairchaser]

The thread about hunters over 50 still using a climber got me thinking about hunting alone. I'm over 60 and still occasionally hunt alone. What I mean is getting up and going without a buddy to meet with and then go separate ways to your stand. Somebody to share the experience with and get help from if needed. I always sit by myself.

As I sit here this morning, it's a perfect day, in the heat of the rut, and I'm wondering why I didn't go. I still have the drive but it's tempered more than before. I like to have someone there to share the experience and to have as a backup.

 

[MUP]

I am 55, and still hunt alone exclusively, unless I have my daughter with me, which has stopped this year due to her lack of interest. My cousin used to hunt with me a few years ago, but he burned out I suppose and has stopped going.

 

[encore06]

I'm 59 and hunt alone about half the time, although not as much as I used to. Sitting in shooting house now watching two does at 220 yards. Waiting for a decent buck


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[smyrnagc]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you fairchaiser. 64 and don't hunt as much alone as I use to. It is much more enjoyable with a partner and I feel safer with someone with me in case something should happen. My one hunting partner and I always use life lines in our stands and we will let each other know when we are up and settled as well as when we are down.

 

[iowavf]

I'll be 60 in a few days and the last ten years or so pretty much set by myself in the blind. My brother is sometimes within a couple miles and we do help each other with the deer if both are there, but a lot of the time it's just me due to us hunting at different times. I do miss the deer drives with the group we use to have but we also had a lot more area to hunt and they pretty much just sit in blinds now hoping the other hunters around them get some deer moving. Our seasons are shorter and I don't bow hunt so with limited days can't miss a whole lot. 1st season shotgun starts this weekend and only last 5 days, then 2nd season shotgun starts and last two weeks but you can only hunt one of them unless you own some land. Late ML starts on the 23rd and last til Jan. 10th and that's the season I choose to buy my one any sex tag and buy a doe only tag for 1st season but during shotgun seasons you can party hunt and a my brother or his SIL will have a buck tag.

 

[Mike Belt]

Not hunting this year but I've spent about 95% of my prior hunting solo.

 

[DaveB]

I prefer alone although I very much enjoy hunting with my kids. I also like hunting with people who feel the same way.

I have paid for hunting alone-crawled on hands and knees for over a mile when I twisted my ankle, when I got lost in black timber, when I killed two deer in 10 seconds and had to drag them out by myself, when I got wet, list goes on.

 

[Crappieaddict]

I'm 60, just started deer hunting last year after "breaking up" with golf. I recently inherited 35 acres, and am trying to minimize the pressure, so it's usually just me. I had an incident with my climbing stand last night, nothing major, but got me to thinking that hunting alone may not be the best idea.

 

[10 POINT]

66 and still pretty much hunt alone.

 

[Snake]

I do .

 

[Wrangler95]

Im 65 and I always hunt alone!

 

[tahtah]

60 and hunt alone 100%.

 

[Matador]

I'm 73 and we always tell each other where we are going to be and we help each other get our deer out. Through the years we have had one guy have a heart attack on the mtn and another member of our group made it back to his truck where his son found him slumped over the steering wheel dead. My opinion no one needs to be hunting alone without someone knowing where to find you in case of accident or you needing help.

 

[JT262]

I'm 56 been hunting alone since I started but have had a few friends hunt with me now and again. Past two years met young fellow at work and have invited him to hunt with me as he had no where to hunt. It's a lot of fun having him along and see the excitement when he scores. I have Killed a few over the years but I enjoy seeing the younger folks get involved in hunting, scouting and all that is involved in this sport. The friendship and memories are what make it fun for me sounds sappy sorry. Hope when my time comes they find me 25 ft up a tree in my tree stand doing what I love.

 

[fairchaser]

I'll be 60 in a few days and the last ten years or so pretty much set by myself in the blind. My brother is sometimes within a couple miles and we do help each other with the deer if both are there, but a lot of the time it's just me due to us hunting at different times. I do miss the deer drives with the group we use to have but we also had a lot more area to hunt and they pretty much just sit in blinds now hoping the other hunters around them get some deer moving. Our seasons are shorter and I don't bow hunt so with limited days can't miss a whole lot. 1st season shotgun starts this weekend and only last 5 days, then 2nd season shotgun starts and last two weeks but you can only hunt one of them unless you own some land. Late ML starts on the 23rd and last til Jan. 10th and that's the season I choose to buy my one any sex tag and buy a doe only tag for 1st season but during shotgun seasons you can party hunt and a my brother or his SIL will have a buck tag.

Bowhunted In Zone 2 this year but there was too much corn still out. A late planting and the ethanol plant would only take so much a day. Hate the shotgun season as the deer drives were not my style but they do get deer killed which is the goal I reckon. This maybe my last year to hunt Iowa but we loved the bow hunting and pheasant hunting over the years. You can keep the cold though. One morning was -3 plus wind.

 

[sallee-bo]

I'm 64 and hunt alone.

 

[Lost Lake]

Not close to 60 yet, but from a safety standpoint, a trusted hunting partner is nice. But it is nice to hunt alone sometimes.

From a motivation standpoint, a partner can keep you accountable on those days when each of you would rather hit the alarm and roll back over and sleep. I know that my friends and I keep each other going when it's been tough.

 

[huvrman]

I'm on my way to 60, and hunt alone. But, I'm never really alone, because I'm usually texting my nephew and brother-in-law and cousin, who are in other states and usually hunting as well, about what they are seeing. Only reason I miss hunting with a partner is to help narrow down deer movement early in the season.

 

[Stalkhunter]

I am not 60 but 56 and hunt alone a lot.


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[bigtex]

I'll be 70 in a couple of months and I always hunt alone.
Of course I only hunt here at home now unless on the rare occasion I go out of state.
Unfortunately we don't have cell service but I do carry a walkie talkie and the wife keeps one on in case I need help. I also tell her exactly which stand i'll be in and about what time to expect me home.

 

[tn24]

I always hunt alone except for a few hunting trips.

 

[Jon54]

65 and the victim of a treestand accident 2 years ago. I was lucky to hobble our on a fractured leg/ankle. There was no cell service there. Since, the thought of surgery and 5 months of rehab takes the joy of hunting away.

 

[BULL MOOSE]

65 and the victim of a treestand accident 2 years ago. I was lucky to hobble our on a fractured leg/ankle. There was no cell service there. Since, the thought of surgery and 5 months of rehab takes the joy of hunting away.

Just stay on the ground! Climbing trees is overrated.

 

[Jon54]

Just stay on the ground! Climbing trees is overrated.[/quote]

Yea, but I'm still driving 2 hours alone there and back.

 

[kamml]

At 68 I still enjoy hunting alone, but I know better. Now I don't go out alone anymore, sad to say.

 

[oldmanelrod]

I am 66 and hunted alone until I was 48. Still hunt alone some and use a climbing tree stand. That said I now feel much better about hunting when I hunt with some who knows were I will be and will come looking for me if I do not show up back at the truck.

 

[gunrunner]

I am 70 and still hunt alone.I have to drive in past my friends house that I lease from.He knows when I am hunting and knows to check on me if I am not out in a reasonable time.The only problem I have had so far is loading a deer onto the carrier on my jeep.As Mark Twain said "I ain't the man I used to be,I never was."

 

[scn]

66 and all of my TN deer and turkey hunting is alone. I do camp in an area with some other folks that likely would notice if I didn't show back up after dark, but, I'm pretty much on my on in some fairly rugged territory.

I've been fortunate for several years to have some other folks on my out of state trips. But, this year, I was by myself up there as well. I'm pretty close with my landowner, so he was checking on me at dark thirty if I hadn't texted him I was down and out. I made sure to drop him a text before every hunt on what farm and where I would be in case something did happen.

There are pluses and minuses to both. I enjoy the freedom to stay longer or leave earlier when I am by myself without worrying about someone else. But, it does tend to make me think before I shoot one about getting it out by myself. I've done a bunch by myself over the years, but more and more are getting a free pass now unless the drag is going to be relatively easy.

 

[tellico4x4]

4 of us been at camp all week & probably all next week too. Ages range from 64-67 plus we have a 71 yr old that shows up every other day. Normal day for us is in stand by daylight, back at camp for lunch around 11:30 & head back out at 1:30. Think I've hunted 15 out of last 18 days.

Another 65 yr old & I guided my 35 yr old nephew & his buddy for archery elk this year. Packed in on horses 11 miles for 12 days, all DIY.

If I go out hunting, I'll go out happy!!

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[RobDooley]

I'm sixty-three (63) and hunt alone for the biggest part of the season. I do get to hunt with others on lease for a week or so. Not sure how many trips I've made to Hickman County from Chattanooga. Sometimes it gets pretty dang lonely. Also, I have been fishing Chickamauga Lake for thirteen (13) years solo.