Josh,
Some good info there, I think I remember the original thread you are referencing too.
I think things differ between "tag along" hunters, and hunting "buddies/partners"
Tag Along-
If I invite someone to hunt with me, I expect nothing of them as far as fuel, drinks, etc. I consider them a guest if I have invited them, and I hope that they have a good time. Do a fair share of the legwork, be it getting gates, dragging hogs, leading dogs, etc. but all in all, I am in the woods to have a good time. Leave the egos at the truck, and don't trash talk after the hunt. There are lots of people that I have hunted with the last couple of years, where I was the tag along, or I was the host and they were the tag along. Very few of those people have made my list of hunting buddies. Rarely do I have a tag along with me more than once or twice, if we hit it off and become friends, then we continue to hunt, if we don't there are no hard feelings, just not gonna be spending much time in the woods with them. I will not continue to hunt with someone who does not have some land to reciprocate with either.
Hunting buddies/ partners-
These are the guys that I would consider friends even if I had to sell out, or could not continue hunting. For whatever reason, we hit it off. They are the first people that I call when I am hunting, to see if they want to come. I also try to reciprocate with my hunting buddies. Hunt my properties and theirs, and try to keep it from being to one sided. These are the guys that if their dogs were cut down, I would offer the use of one of my pot lickers until theirs were healthy again. Before me and my hunting buddies get together we discuss where we are hunting, and what dogs to bring. Then we meet and hope to get on the hogs. If we don't, no big deal, there is no pressure to perform like there is when taking someone for the first time.
Then there are the friends I have that remain my friends, and they run dogs too, I just don't care to hunt with them. People have different styles of hunting, and some people get too serious for my liking. Some get too drunk for my liking, and others I like as friends, just don't care to hunt with them.
It takes the right kind of person for me to want to spend my free time with. The people I consider friends and hunting buddies are on a very short list.
Just reread my post, and I want to add something.
There have been several people who I have hunted with one time as a guest. I have never given it much consideration as to why I was only invited one time. Possibly we did not hit it off, or I might have done something wrong too. Who knows, I am not going to sweat it. Same thing with people I have only invited one time, might not be anything there, just did not hit it off. Kind of like a first date
