Western Hunting Solo

[ironranger]

Does anyone out there hunt solo in the western states?? Just wanted to get an opinion on my situation. I hunted Montana last fall for muleys in Eastern MT with my brother. Had a great time and saved the money to apply again only to have my brother back out. So I put in anyway as I really wanted to get back there again. Well, I got drawn and am planning on going out solo unless I can hook up with a guy I met from Billings. I'm a little leery because of the safety factor but I've never let it stop me before. Any tips from any of you soloists?? We hunted via a reservoir last fall and I may head back that way again even though I won't have a boat. I figure I can still get to some country that holds deer via foot power and also check out some Block Mgmt areas around there.

[BareBack Jack]

If you are hunting the Breaks,or around FT. Peck,leave a detailed note in your truck that tells pepole where you are going.They lost a guy out there Last year and have yet to find him,found his truck but had noway of knowing wich way he went.
If you are staying at a hotel let them know when you are coming back,or someone close,like your wife or somebody at home,also let them know where you are headed to hunt,give them a general direction where to look if you got hurt.
Take a small first aid kit,you know stuff to splint a leg or wraps for a twisted ankle,guaze to stop bleeding,some pain medication(not to knock ya out but take the edge off)you can buy small kits from Cabelas,or a drug store.I carry a small one in my day pack,and a large one in the truck for majoir damage.

Other than that I just hunt,start walking and hike 1/2 a day forwards and 1/2 a day back or a little later in the dark.
P.S. Give me the dates of your trip and maybe I can help you out,if you can't find no one to go.
BBJ

[elkhunter40]

compass,maps,gps,cell phone, and a whistle

[ironranger]

Thank you all for sharing the information. BBJ-thanx for the offer. I sent you an email...

[121553]

Iron, Just do it. Sometimes you can think about the "What If's" and you might as well as stay on the porch if your going to get over whelmed on what might happen. I do it mostly every year for 2-3 weeks depending on the specie I'm hunting and different regions also. A lot of these areas I have never hunted so I gather any maps asssiociated with the region I'm hunting and start my homework 5 months prior to the hunt. I enjoy the serenity of a solo hunt as I can make my own schedule and be there and back any damn time I want. Better have your act together as weather condions constantly change without warning. Tring to transport an elk/mulie back to the rig by oneself is not easy, specially in griz country with a bow, I got in some places last year that I knew I shouldn't of been in. Cell phones are great when you get a signal but when hunting in most areas they are useless. Usually when you get into some of these areas some local homeboys are always willing to share a lot of imfo to point you off in the rite direction. Good Luck, Bobby

[ironranger]

Yeah Bobby, growing up I was always a lone wolf when it came to hunting/fishing the backwoods trout streams, etc. Kind of got away from that in years past and haven't been out solo much as a result other than pheasant hunting with my springer. I've had some encounters with weather changing quick on me in northern MN before so I brought my portable radio with to MT last fall. After a night of pouring rain, it cleared briefly and I knew from the radio report that cold and snow was coming. We got out of there via boat and none too soon. Definitely something to keep an eye on. I bought Maptech's Terrain Navigator for Montana and it really came in handy. I printed maps with waypoints on them and then downloaded those waypoints into my GPS. They were accurate as there is an intersection in a town I was passing thru and before I left home I downloaded a waypoint for that intersection. When we reached it I turned on the GPS, Hit "Go to", and I was within 29 feet at the intersection. So I've been scouring the maps already and working on getting my butt in shape. Can't wait...

[NVMIKE]

you have one advantage over some non westerner, you come from a cold climate and can deal w/ that, but the other big difference is remoteness. Keep firestarters, high calorie food water, emergency shelter on you at all times. Go for it but be extra carefull.