What are your hunt killers
 

Greetings from Colorado:[/align][/align]Rocky Mountain Outdoor AdventuresTelevision show would like to know what are thetop 5 hunt killers are for you, is it wet boots? Not knowing an area to hunt? We want 5 idea's from you, if you have other hunters that you can forward this to,I sure would appreciate it, we need 50 hunters to participate in this Q&A survey send your thoughts to [email protected] [/align][/align]Thanks....[/align]

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

High winds. Never taken a big game animal during a high wind situation.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Outdoor338,

Finally, a topic one can sink a tooth into!

NOT SUITABLE FOR TV, BUT REAL!!!
** Hunting partners that can’t stay focused on and follow thru upon an event 1 year away.
** For hunters aspiring to away from home/remote hunts…… WIVES (spouses?)
** Vehicle failure en route. Many folks have marginal vehicles, then load them heavy and launch off on a “forced march” of 1500 miles non-stop and find themselves broke down along the highway.
** In the event of migratory animals and a DIY hunt where the hunters are coming from afar with little option of changing areas, NO GAME…. Planning and research should be able to avoid this but a guide works even better.
** Going cheap --- poor bullets, weak rifles, and marginal equipment in general (good Cabelas ad though).

SUITABLE FOR TV, AND ALSO REAL!!!
Okay assuming we are past the pitfalls of hunting partners, wives, vehicles, poor equipment and wayward migratory game animals…..
** Poor physical conditioning. This can be overcome to a degree if it is planned for from the get go; otherwise, it is an accident looking for a place to happen.
** Sickness or injury, namely altitude sickness and horse accidents or falls.
** Horrendous weather, freezing rain and high winds --- hypothermia time.
** Equipment failure: not checking the sight in of the rifle, fire pin gumming in sub zero weather, propane stove don’t work (e.g. Buddy Heaters over 9,000ASL), clothing not suitable to the conditions.
** Poor attitude relative to the above four items. Sometimes you just got to go ahead and suffer a little (or a lot) in order to win.

MY PET PEEVE!
my most commonly observed phenomenon where hunters risk ruining their hunt….
** Shooting and then standing there admiring the shot and waiting to see what happens instead of upon recovering from the recoil of the first shot, immediately cycling another round and drawing down on the animal again for the follow up shot. Some of big game animals can take a fair hit and keep going long enough for you to lose them. These same folks get mad, when someone else in the groups puts “their animal” down while they are busy admiring “their shot” waiting for the animal to fall and a clear shot still remains.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Wet Boots andan Un-reliable hunting partner.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

being cold and hunting alone

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Not being prepared. Met a guy who drove 2,500 miles for a Caribou hunt in Northern Quebec last year. He had an ecclectic load for his rifle and arrived with only 6 bullets. After a couple of misses he was in bad way. Obviously not Ammo was available up there. I alway over pack and over plan.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Hunting public land and running into a hunter every 10 feet the whole trip. If you ever hunt the silver lake or ochoco unit in deer season in Oregon you'll have this experience. Three people died in the ochocos last year from gun shots. It seems like fish & game guys would realize there doing something wrong by selling more tags than there are animals!

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Slob hunters.
The sound of ATV's 15 minutes after legal shooting light.
Hearing 5 shot volleys.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

EKM,
I'm going out on a limb here but it looks like you were used and abused a little too much. I hear ya, I took 2 "aquaintences" out with me last year to Wyoming for my first western hunt and they turned out to be a couple of slobs and embarrassed the hell out of me ( I won't go into the long details ) . The guys I normally hunt with, who are more like family to me really just couldn't make it out so I agreed to take these 2 clowns. I guess I really should blame myself for breaking a basic rule like hunt with who you trust.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

weather-too hot,heavy rain,high winds,blizzard

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

1). My first and foremost fear while on a hunting trip? Running out of beer and good grub. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS know where the nearest quickmart is or if you are DEEEEP in the boonies, better clear out a BIG spot in someones truck for the beer and food. [:o]

2). A whinyazzed spouse of a huntin buddy. NOTHING peeves me more (well ceptn runnin outta beer) than to be 3 days into a 5 day hunt out of state when a buddies wife calls (first mistake is leaving your cellphone on 24/7) and starts moanin and whinin and complainin and throwin a guilt trip on him so he feels "obligated" to load up and head home. That's why I ALWAYS take my truck and encourage others to take theres. Unless some nukes start mushroomin overhead, we are THERE for the duration and if need be maybe even an extra day or two. CONTROL YOUR WEMUNZ!!! :eek:

3). As mentioned in #2, cellphone usage. I carry one at all times but it is NOT turned on while hunting and ifa conversation is going to last over 2 minutes while I am in the woods or driving around the hunting land in the truck, I will ask them to call us back. NOTHING is more important at that moment than the hunt. They got 360 other days to talk too someone, why they gotta do it on THAT particular 5 day hunt? [:'(]

4). Partners who run late aka, DRAG AZZEZ. By the third morning alot of guys are either to hungover and/or tired so they drag around and oversleep and end up making me 5 minutes late too the hunt. Do it once, I'll have something to say, do it again... you can take YOUR own truck this morning. I'm goin well before "bright and early". If you can't play poker till 2 and still make a 4am wakeup or can't hold the nights alcohol, here's a quarter call someone who cares! :(

5). "Men" that are skeert of their guns and arrive in camp with them either not sighted in or they simply can't shoot straight. I carry alot of folks and set them in some of my prime stands and KNOW they will have a chance to kill deer, but I get FURIOUS when they blow their chance and miss a babypiss shot for xyz reason. Here's another quarter, call someone who REALLY cares! [:@]

Bout does it for me, the rest I'm pretty workable with!
RA

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Agrrrrrr,
Go Red

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Giardia, all others can be overcome, but that will keep you nailed to camp...............................

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Sharing the woods with people who are more concerned with there beer supply than safety. Seriously I've seen camps where the inhabitants are slobering drunk for a week straight. I don't feel safe hunting around them. Don't get me wrong I drink beer same as the next guy. But, there is a time and a place for it.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

1. Missing. I can't ever decide which is worse . . . . When I don't see anything I wish would get at least a miss. When I miss, I wish I had never seen anything.[:@]

Guess if I would just never miss I wouldn't have to choose.

2. Rifle hunters that herd up where the elk do. I hate 'em all. Why can't they hunt somewhere else?Don't they know I want one more than they do? What is wrong with those guys? :eek:

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

From a guides aspect of hunt killers here it is and not for the weak of heart.

No.1 Is being so out of shape you can't even make it 400yds without dying in the field. ( Have to be able to get to the game)

#2 Bringing a brand new unfamiliar rifle that cost's morethan the hunt that the person hasn't fired a box of shells through.

#3 Unsighted rifles that gunsmith boresighted just before their hunt or a buddy sighted in for them.

#4 Scopes that have more gadget modes than a gps.

#5 Forgetting the guide told you to turn down your scope to lower power while hunting in the trees.

#6 having the focus ring on the scope set at long yardage while walking in the trees.
#7 using more than one type of ammo on a hunt (opps)
#8 Talking in a normal loud voice (Grrrrrrrrrr)
#9 Playing with the gps instead of having four sets of eyes looking for game.
#10 IF NOT THE BIGGEST HUNT KILLER OUT THERE> Losing self control not cycling a round into the chamber. Shooting at hair or somewhere other than the animal. And most important so excited it makes the situation not safe.

Mostly from a guides aspect besides not being in shape the most important boils down to shooting. The rest is usually being handled by the guide. Of all the hunters I have personally guided only a very small select number of them where actually what I would call seasoned killers. The man that can step of the horse or stop in mid stride and aim, relax and kill the animal with no secound thought of all the what if's in the field of hunting.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Why is it some people feel the need to post the same question in multiple forums? I guess this has become my pet peeve. If you read the rules it's covered under item # 11.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

thndrchiken, are you tring to get points to be moderator? You got my vote,...right, if a post generates 2 pages of response then just sit back and read it andlearn to what is being replied.
To answer the orginal question the worst killers when I'm hunting depends on the location where I'm actually hunting as the conditions change from one location to another.I know my killers vary from eastern montana to here in the nw part of the state. If I am hunting around within 10 miles of my property my main concern is predators. Going in the bush solo 2 hours prior to daylight with griz sighn on the trees and stepping in bear crap kinda puckers up my arse up if you know what I mean.
Cats are abundant also as I know their looking over my sholder, but I'm not as concerned with them as I am a griz. Going in the bush with a bow, I relieze that I'm not on top of the food chain.
My numeral 2 killer would be heat. In triple digit temps I'm relautant to even shoot a trophy bull or buck under these conditions. Since I usually hunt solo the meat would be spoiled and I'm getting to the point I don't want to work that hard in killing myself in making a kill under these conditions, I'll take sub-zero temps any day.
Numero #3, would be getting the kill back to the truck as terrain and elements depending on the time of year vary, game cart ortobogon can be quite a chore to navagate over mountain goat country.
Numero #4, while bowhunting, ice is always a concern while in the bush. I don't want to use dry ice due to the potential dangers it has removing oxygen from the air.
numero #5, and maybe it should be number 1, but the wind is tough here. It changes direction every 15 minutes, and when that critter starts walking stiff legged, it knows somethings not right and the sound of a bowstring.... its gone.
Of all the killers,I guess the end of hunting season is maybe my worst, this is when I think of the, "would of's" and "could of's" and kick myself. ;)

Bobby

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

For me its wild/stray dogs!! I hunt a 330 acre piece of land and every morning you can hear dogs running wide open on a deer's trail.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

No Bob, not trying for any points, however when the same question is posted under several topics it's a real pain in the #$%* !! Apparrently the moderators aren't doing their jobs.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Rain, when there's just too much of it. I'm not talking aboutthe occaisional shower, but the bigger system, heavier stuff that hangs around for a few days. Ruins your visibility, muddies up the gear.

Finding out that a hunting buddy isn't on the same page after all. For some folks its more about drinking and camping, etc. By no means are those bad things, just different. Sometimes people surprise you, even when you thought you had a good read on them.

And perhaps the most irritating is finding someone who's maybe a "beginning intermediate", had some success but in a limited situation/area, who elevates themselves to the authority on the matter. Their way must bethe bestway kinda person, but without the real depth of experience to back it up. Had that once and it sucked a lot of funout of the whole trip.

After those live and learn experiences I came to the conclusion that I'd rather hunt with a small, simple camp with fewer known, good friends than an elaborate camp with more casual aquaintances, friends of friends, etc., even if it costs more.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

#1 - weather - be it wind, heavy moisture, too warm, etc it is something we can't control but is very much a factor in every hunt.

#2 - hunting partners. Finding outa guy or guys you invite into your circle are all talk and no action. Nothing worse than making the trek to your camp and come to find they are nothing like they pretended to be. In our camp you are useful only if you contribute to the group! We know not everybody is a great woodsman, shot, caller, etc but for god sakes meals, dishes, water, daily chores need to be done so pick one and get to it instead of standing their like a knob watching the vets make your hunt. You only get one chance to prove your worth in our camp, shooters are a dime a dozen we want partners!

#3 - unprepared. This encompasses everything from sight in, knowing your equipment, gear, conditioning, area knowledge, etc. My motto has always been hope for the best, prepare for the worst and expect something in the middle. Their is no excuse for coming unprepared, do your home work, pack more than you'll need & expect the unexpected.

#4 - Safety You must consider your safety as valuable as those around you, wheter in your party or not. Their is no room for error when it comes to being safe IMHO.

#5 - Slob Hunters I don't need to elobrate any further as we all know what this term infers.

RE: What are your hunt killers
 

Heavy continuous rain - depressing after a few days.

Very strong wind – worrying when tree limbs start coming down.

A hunting partner that insists on having his mobile phone turned on in the field. Why? [:@]

A hunting partner that fires a shot off just to stir up the game and see what is moving around.

A hunting partner who muddles and fluffs around taking forever to get organised to go out on a morning hunt.

A hunting partner that is not familiar with his gear, in particular, his rifle.

An inexperienced hunting partner that is a complete know-all on everything. This same person took a sloppy shot on a Sambar spiker, lost the animal and proceeded to blame the 7mm Rem Mag, which he borrowed, as "not powerful enough". [:@][:@]