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What is a partner?

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What is a partner?

Postby Tom Grates » 10 26, 2019 •  [Post 1]

I am new to elk hunting, and when me and Indian Summer talked about partnering up, I was pretty much dumb on what exactly a partner was.
This year, after two weeks of elk hunting, I now realize what exactly it is.
It is the only person you talk to for two weeks, the one not only there to help physically, but to lift you mentally. To teach each other not only hunting situations but life situations. To kick you in the ass when you are down and feeling defeated. To make a plan and follow that plan until you need to change it.
I harvested my first bull on my first bull hunt on the last night of our hunt. I would probably have given up if I was alone, but Joe pushed me and kept me going. He taught me the skills needed to be successful, but also left me make the needed mistakes to learn.
I put everything together that last night and can honestly say I am 10 times better of a hunter than I was two weeks ago.
Slow down, hunt, and watch each other's back, make sure we both make it home.
I am now an elk hunter!
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 10 26, 2019 •  [Post 2]

Excellent! Congrats on a successful hunt with old IS this year Tom; have a safe trip back to your ranch. Anxious to hear about your adventure in the Cowboy State.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby Swede » 10 26, 2019 •  [Post 3]

I am fine hunting with family, friends and guests, but partners are the best. It is even better when family and friends are the partners. A partner is there to help set up camp and tree stands. They are with you the whole way, and finally to pack up and leave. My cousin is a good partner when he hunts with me. My brother is a faithful partner and he does not actually hunt.
Tom' I am pleased you got to experience a successful hunt and a good partner.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby Lefty » 10 26, 2019 •  [Post 4]

All of what you are saying and more. Good job expressing the relationship.

Partnerships evolve, and can become something that may not exist elsewhere. Like marriages some are better than others.

Some the goals purpose and desires are different. Some are mutual.

Ive had lifelong hunting partners, a couple died the passed two years, The one was always ready for an adventure,.. and he had the money, time and energy. The other; Fridays we would get ready to hunt and fish Saturdays.
One exceptional partner. He was exactly like me, only 20 years younger. He became me,,,.. only better.

I now mostly hunt with family. Sometimes Solo
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby Trophyhill » 10 27, 2019 •  [Post 5]

Great thread! I agree. A partner also helps pack your bull out ;)
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby 7mmfan » 10 28, 2019 •  [Post 6]

I'm lucky enough to have 2 bonafide hunting partners. One is my Dad. I started hunting when I was 12, and he has always been up for whatever hair brained idea I could come up with. We've packed many animals out together, most of them mine. I didn't realize it until a few years ago that it was all because he would rather see me kill an animal than get one himself. Luckily, I've been able to reciprocate the last couple of seasons and pack his animals out for him, I hope to continue to do that for as long as he can get into the woods.

My other partner, we met in high school chemistry class. He came from a no guns, non-hunting family. Over the course of high school and college, we did a ton of fishing together until he finally showed interest in hunting. He has turned into an exceptional hunter on his own. He is driven, in great shape, and always up for an adventure, even more so than me much of the time. This last trip to Idaho he spotted the spike I killed and knew the shot was outside his comfort range, but not mine. Rather than blowing them out trying to get closer to make his own shot, he told me to shoot. In all aspects it was his elk, but he let me shoot and then stayed out in the wood still all hours of the night cutting and packing and only got pissy with me once when I tried a new route to get back to the kill site. Whiskey solved that problem.

In the end, it is what everyone else has said. A person that has the same goals and mindset as you, and that you can depend on not just to be around, but to be where you need them when you need them and to share the ups, downs, chores, costs, loads, etc... without a complaint, thats a real partner.
I hunt therefore I am. I fish therefore I lie.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby Tigger » 10 28, 2019 •  [Post 7]

I have a bunch, but I am really lucky in the 3 I go with the most. My dad got me started and we can talk strategy together better than with anyone. My brother is a lot younger and is on one heck of a hunting path. I taught him a lot and now he is doing more research than I am. And now my son. The fire in his eyes...the enthusiasm...the excitement. The other day we pulled in to check a slough for ducks. We saw some pheasants and decided to try for them. He gets out of the truck pumping his fist with a big ol' grin on his face. man, what an awesome thing to see. he didn't know I saw him. And yes, he shot a rooster.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby Fridaythe13th » 10 29, 2019 •  [Post 8]

I hunt with anybody! I really try to find the good in everyone. Yep there have been people in elk camp that that aren't my cup of tea. But it all way works out.
I invited the wife's coworkers husband because he always want to try elk hunting. I knew he was a little hyper but holy smokes we did a location bugle and a bull responded 600 feet up the hill and a half mile down the valley, next thing I know he's diving in the trees telling everyone he coming get down. I have never be chewed out so much buy a rookie in my life. Lol. But mid week some local Idaho person must have hated non resident hunters because there happened to be a screw in every non residents tire but the locals were fine no screws. Before I could get my pack off he was on the ground changing the tire. All the rookie said was stand back I've got this.
Maybe some day I well get burnt, but I haven't so far.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby Trophyhill » 11 01, 2019 •  [Post 9]

Fridaythe13th wrote:I hunt with anybody! I really try to find the good in everyone. Yep there have been people in elk camp that that aren't my cup of tea. But it all way works out.
I invited the wife's coworkers husband because he always want to try elk hunting. I knew he was a little hyper but holy smokes we did a location bugle and a bull responded 600 feet up the hill and a half mile down the valley, next thing I know he's diving in the trees telling everyone he coming get down. I have never be chewed out so much buy a rookie in my life. Lol. But mid week some local Idaho person must have hated non resident hunters because there happened to be a screw in every non residents tire but the locals were fine no screws. Before I could get my pack off he was on the ground changing the tire. All the rookie said was stand back I've got this.
Maybe some day I well get burnt, but I haven't so far.


That's a great post and I commend you guys who can do that! I've hunted with others a few times. I'd rather share camp, but hunt alone, then help each other pack out. The few times I've hunted with others, the styles just don't seem to jive. There's always that feeling of uneasy because these guys are great elk hunters in their own right. There are only a few I will hunt with now and it's nothing personal. But like I said, I'd love to share camp with others.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby Swede » 11 07, 2019 •  [Post 10]

Is a partner a one outing thing, or is a partner by the nature of your relationship, someone you go with time after time? Is a person we invite to come hunt out of our camp and hunt areas we have scouted a partner or a guest? Is sharing costs and staying together on a single hunt enough to make a partnership? What are your thoughts?
The reason I ask is because I hunt with different persons at different times, but do not consider anyone other than my brother to be a partner, and he does not actually hunt.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby saddlesore » 11 07, 2019 •  [Post 11]

One partner I hunted with for 25 years. Since he can no longer ride or be away from home, my other partner I have hunted with off and on since 1976. But pretty much every elk season for the last ten years.

Every new hunting companion have tried out has been a sore disappointment.They don't want to work that hard,only hunt for 3-4 days and not the entire season, wants to go to town to a bar or watch a foot ballgame. A one time hunt does not make partner, but most of them don't get a 2nd chance anyhow.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby Swede » 11 07, 2019 •  [Post 12]

That is my take on partners too. I do not consider a person a "partner" that shows up two or three days after me, throws out his sleeping bag in my tent, hunts from my tree stand, then leaves weeks earlier than I do, even though I may enjoy having them there. That in and out person may be welcome season after season, and may help pack out a critter once in awhile, but they are not a partner. I call them a friend or relative.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby saddlesore » 11 08, 2019 •  [Post 13]

Most important is will that partner do the right thing if you are injured or such .Can you count on them. Like when you are 200 miles from home and your truck breaks down, you have a trailer full of livestock and it is snowing.You call him up and they will be there in 2-3hours to get you and your livestock home. Good friends and hunting partners are usually better than kin.

This year, I did a 70 mile round trip before and after the hunt to pick up a rental horse ,for my hunting partner so he could have a horse for elk season. He didn't have to go hunting with me, but did because he didn't want to have me go alone.
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Re: What is a partner?

Postby hammer3332 » 02 13, 2020 •  [Post 14]

I have a good friend from college that I hunt with now. He picked up hunting when he moved to Colorado after school. We push each other and he has the strongest moral conscience of anyone I know. I have hunted with others that have made me uncomfortable with what they were willing to compromise on. I am from the Midwest and do a lot of whitetail and turkey hunting solo. I think it’s more fun when you have a good partner to share the hunt and experiences with, plus it gives you a witness for when that 400” bull comes in and just needed to take one more step or you hit a branch :lol:
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