Help out... or Tight Lip???

[Songdog]

OK, so some of you saw my "Ballistic Tips Suck... if you're an Antelope" thread over in the reloading section... if not, check it out. Anyway... I've received a lot of flack from some of my buddies for taking a couple of guys (who I didn't know prior to last month) out and killing some antelope bucks that I'd been watching all year. I can't seem to pull a tag in this particular area... or I'd have shot one myself. All this ribbing has only solidified my stance on hunting, sharing, and passing it on... so I thought I'd pose the question here... home of "bullets for Sportsmen".

Seems to me there's two pretty polar sides to hunting these days... which one are you?
1. Scout, and keep Tight Lipped about areas that hold critters.
2. Scout and apply, then when you don't draw... help other hunters out. Either by giving helpful advice on an area, or by physically helping the other hunter out.

My buddies... and most folks in general... seem to have gravitated toward #1... and I'm not sure why. I understand that there's an increase in pressure on certain land, that the internet has allowed people to "cyber scout"... and that "you put in the work scouting" so you should reap the rewards. But, when I was growing up my dad didn't hunt much... so I relied on advice from gracious guys who I'll never forget. I remember an old guy who showed me on a map where to go looking for mule deer when I was 14... I killed a little buck about a week later and couldn't wait to show him the pictures.

I guess I just like hunt... doesn't matter much if I pull the trigger... or someone else does. If I'm there, and I help out... then that's my "trophy" too. I don't need bone on the wall to remember a good hunt... I suppose I'd rather have a picture, a story, and a friend for life... you can keep your "secret" hunting areas.

 

[DrMike]

Songdog,

I appreciate your generosity. Perhaps the pressure is increasing in many areas, but without people being attracted to the sport of hunting, all of us are threatened. The only caveat I would offer is that we must be judicious in helping strangers. Not everyone who carries a rifle and wishes to hunt is ethical or considerate. However, I tend to be helpful, especially to new hunters coming into my area, especially if I won't be able to hunt in that area for a given season because I didn't get a draw.

 

[JD338]

Here in MI, there is a lot of hunting pressure for WT deer. Getting access to some of these properties can be tough, if not impossible. To a lesser degree, turkey hunting is the same. Most areas are over the counter but there are some draw areas.
I too get a lot of satisfaction helping out others, especially youth hunters. I would give up a big buck or tom if I knew a youngster could put their tag on it. I guess at my age, its not all that important any more that I have to fill my tag with a big trophy. I have taken a book Tom turkey every season here since they opened it up to hunting except 1 yet only my first tom was entered into the books! I would rather help out a friend. The funny thing is I get calls from others to help them but I never get a call or invite to hunt their "secret" spots.
Funny how that works......

JD338

 

[Songdog]

The funny thing is I get calls from others to help them but I never get a call or invite to hunt their "secret" spots.
Funny how that works......
JD338

I was thinking the same thing when I was writting this post... it is kind of funny how that works. I took a guy coyote hunting one time... he promised to take me to his goose lease... and he promised not to tell anyone about the coyote spots I showed him. Guess what? I've never been goose hunting with him... haven't even seen an invite... AND, I've run into him with several other guys out hunting coyotes...

I try not to let that stuff bother me... he killed his first coyote that day... and I think I was more excited. You only get the chance to kill one "first"... first buck, first Tom, first coyote... but you can be a part of many firsts... that's single thing in hunting that I truly enjoy the most, being a part of another "first". To date I've been a part of 30 or so "first coyotes"... and I can't wait for the next one. Last Saturday I got to be part of a guys "first antelope"... and I really think it was better than shooting that buck myself.

 

[Greg Nolan]

The whole purpose of hunting has been two fold for me. The first and most important is to get out in the mountains and enjoy the experience while challanging the game animals in their own environment where they have the advantage and that makes any game animal a trophy. The second is to fill the freezer with some meat and my wall with some heads if I can.
If I had to live off what I shot it wouldn't be sport or fun. If I worried about getting my money's worth of meat or trophies it wouldn't be sport or fun.
If I know about a nice animal I'll go hunt it. If I can't draw a tag I'll tell someone else about it and hunt it vicariously with them. Maybe they'll even let me tag along.
I know the hunting pressure is tough and the big uns rare but if it stops being fun and sport my license money will start going to buy beef. It's a sure bet and a lot cheaper than hunting and a person can buy a trophy head if that's important to them. I agree with you :grin:

 

[russ808]

I'm with #2. Sharing is a good thing.

 

[FOTIS]

I guess I just like hunt... doesn't matter much if I pull the trigger... or someone else does. If I'm there, and I help out... then that's my "trophy" too. I don't need bone on the wall to remember a good hunt... I suppose I'd rather have a picture, a story, and a friend for life... you can keep your "secret" hunting areas.

I agree. Many times I have not shot anything or the itty bitty ones so others can shoot the trophies.

 

[6mm Remington]

I've shared some of my best spots with folks and once in a while it has came back to bite me in the butt. For the most part though the experience and the friendship with good people cannot be beat! I am a guy who would jump at a chance to go on a hunt with someone who drew a special tag such as sheep or something and yet even though it was not my tag, I would work as hard and contribute as much as he would just to get to be allowed to be a part of his experience! I got a call one evening at work and a friend had another friend who had gotten a rag-horn bull about 5 miles from the trailhead and needed some help getting it out. I hit the trail about an hour before dark and headed into the area where he was supposed to be. This was as spot I had never been to before and had never hunted and really didn't have a real good idea where to go. I strapped on my pack and hustled back to his site. I got there shortly after dark and we boned and packed his bull out,the three of us. I barely knew this guy yet it was a great evening and by the time we had him skinnned, boned, loaded, and back to the truck it was well after midnight. Would I do that again, yes.

My son has a friend from church who is a year older than he is and would love to hunt, but his parents or other family members do not! He wants more than anything to go hunting so I told his dad that if he got him through hunters safety that I would try and get him a deer and maybe even an elk this year. This young man was diagnosed with Cycstic Fibrosis as a young child and his life expectancy is about to the age of 25. He is currently 15. If I do not get anything this year, but get him a critter or two,and maybe my son an elk as well, it will have been my best season ever. I am loading up some 25-06 rounds tomorrow so he can use my wife's rifle for elk and deer. I also have some other gear he can use as he currently has nothing. His grandfather gave him an old bolt action 30-30, but it really limits him here in Montana, plus the 700 MTN rifle will be even lighter to pack. He's shot the 25-06 already and did very well with it. God willing, I can get this young man something. He's a great kid! Share it and pass it on!

 

[Guy Miner]

I've helped a lot of folks over the years, and have had a lot of help come my way, for which I'm grateful.

That said, if I do my research, and spend the time and sweat to find my "honey hole" I'm not about to go posting the grid coordinates on the internet, or inviting a bunch of folks to "my" hunting spot. Nope, public land hunting is tough enough without inviting in a lot of competition. Good friends and family are trusted, and haven't burned me yet. I use a fair bit of discretion discussing where I go and what I've seen there. General area? Sure. Exact canyon? No, I think I'll keep that to myself. If someone else wants that info, they can go and wear out their boot leather instead of relying on mine.

I've got a friend who has figured out how to hunt a small elk herd, where there aren't any elk according to popular belief. Yet every year he arrows another elk. I've a rough idea where he hunts, but he hasn't invited me and I'm not about to pry. I know that he spent a huge amount of time and energy locating that herd, and that if he keeps at it slow and easy, he'll be able to hunt that herd for years and years without competition. It's a smallish group of elk though, and if word got out about it, I think it would likely see way too much pressure in one or two years and would essentially cease to exist. I'm not going to spoil that for him, he found them, it's his info.

BTW - I'm looking for another smallish herd in a nearby area, and he said I'm getting close. Dang they like steep, deep, nasty hiding holes! :grin:

FWIW, Guy

 

[sask boy]

We have to pass on this heritage and after talking with new hunters I think you can get a pretty good read on them. If you feel they are okay then go for it and help them out.
I am at that age that where there is a end of my hunting days but I want someone to say that Dan was not a bad guy he gave some real good advice and hopefully they will pass it on 2.
Don't worry I am not ready yet to call it a day.
But that Pheasant hunt the day before yesterday slowed me down for a day or 2. I could not believe it was 27 cel. or for my friends down south 80 something by 11:00 am. We are getting summer now

Blessings,
Dan

 

[brianwyo]

Tight lips all the way. I work all the time and plan my hunts very carefully. I dont want to drive 100 miles to find a bunch of yahoos in my honey hole. Pick your hunting partners carefully.