topic from another board.....tag along hunter's ettique

[duece24]

i've been thinking about this alot here recently. on another board they started a post like this and it was helpful to a lot of people. i'll put down what i have done, then i will put down some of things that others have said they would like for people to do as well....

what i do/have done is i NEVER hunt another person's place without permission(i actually don't even go to those people's places without them being there), i offer to help load/unload dogs, atvs, i offer to help collar up dogs and put cut gear on dogs, i offer to drag out any game caught and try my best to do any heaving hauling if it is needed. previously, i felt that my ettique was pretty good as i got calls to go again but here recently i'm looking to amend somethings i'm doing/did cause i'm not getting those calls anymore(figure it's something i've done cause the guys i've been with are good guys).

other people have said they would like for people to offer to help with work on there land(mending fences, building kennel spots/runs, etc.), other said a little cash helps when the dogs get hurt(this is mainly for those tag alongs that don't have dogs, but want to hunt hogs), buying drinks(both alcholic and on alcholic), being respectful of their time(don't call wanting to go on this date then have an attitude when they can't make it or expect them to rearrange their schedule to take you hunting), don't go to the property owners looking to get a contract behind the other guy's back, don't invite your friends to show them how 'we' hog hunt.

i know that i will call people seeing if they are going out. usually i will tell them when i can go and if they are going when i'm free to give me a buzz if they would like some extra help. i don't get upset when they are going and i can't go, that's life. i will be admittedly be disappointed when i've called and people know i'm available and they don't call, but again i don't get upset they don't HAVE to take me. when they do take me they are being nice and all i can do is ask. i usually just chalk it up to as they just didn't remember which is usually why i will call more than once if i don't talk directly to them so that i can personally tell them when i'm done and hopefully they will remember me when they go again, but again if they don't call they don't call. i can't be upset they are doing me a favor so i have to accept it as that.

if you have anything that you could share with those that are tag along hunters to help them to get invites and continue getting invites i'm sure they would be very appreciative..i know i was/would be.

[Circle C]

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

[duece24]

great clarification between the tag along and the buddie/partner..buddie/partner are like friends, tag along is like acquaitance.....agree about the first date aspect of it all...this topic might not get a lot of buzz over here cause i think most everyone on here has their own spots, but i figure that might be a few people on here that are like me and is always the tag along because we don't have any spots just yet....just wanted to possibly help any of those who were/are in the same boat as me...

[Circle C]

Josh,

    Every spot that I have managed to get access to( except one ) has been through me picking up the phone and just asking. The one referral property that I got was through a place that I originally called and got permission.

   One thing you have going for you is the Alumni.  Plenty of other landowners that are Rice grads looking for a solution to their hog problem. The worst they can do is say no.

    Come to think of it, I have not been told no yet. Each person I have called has given me permission to hunt.   

    I think of it like credit. The first property that you get is the hardest. Once you have one, the others fall in place.

[jml]

I dont know if its the right thing to do or not but I invite people to hunt with me hoping to get invited to go with them. I didnt take you hunting because I needed any help, and I knew when I took you you didnt have any place to take me, and didnt expect anything in return from you.  When I first started I didnt have anywhere to hunt either and didnt get invited hardly any at all, I have a lease in Evedale, Hemphill, and in Fannett that cost me about 1500.00 a year. I started inviting people to go with me and they took me hunting with them and met some of their hunting buddies who I would invite to go with me and then they would take me to their place, then before you know it your hunting a diffrent spot every weekend.  I havent been to the spot where I took you since we went almost 2 months ago. I guess its like a scratch your back you scratch mine kinda thing. I'm not saying that im not going to take someone out if they aint got somewere to take me its just you can't take a tag a long everytime I go because it aint my place.

[catchrcall]

There's been times I would have liked to ask someone to go hunting with them, I just never do because I know that dog hunting is a big operation with a lot of moving parts and I don't want to be a burden.  I would like to get into hunting with dogs, but I don't yet have a lease to invite someone to, so I can't help out that way.  I'm always willing to pitch in and do grunt work before after or during the hunt, but I don't know any hog doggers well enough yet to ask.  I can't think of a quicker way to turn somebody off of taking you hunting than to ask five minutes after you met them.  what's the best way to "break the ice" so to speak?  

[duece24]

i guess i'm kinda like chris...i don't mind asking, worst thing is a no, which i've been told before. never hurts my feelings, but disappoint, yup. only because i was hoping i could go. no hard feelings nothing even close..just disappointment in not being able to hunt...everyone that has taken me has been very very nice to me and i appreciate everything they've told me or done to help me out(even given me numbers of others i could call). i can only hope that i can one day repay to them what they have done for me.

chris i've been told no once and was told there weren't any signs of hogs another time. i ride by many places thinking "there has got to be hogs there." just never know how to contact the landowner most times...usually i am afriad i might step on someones toes by asking. like if someone is contracted to do it for a price, my price is free..lol. so that usually beats all other prices, so i don't want to step on anyones toes. i have contacted several agri depts and told them that if anyone calls about hog problems i'll hunt their land for free. they were much appreciated and took my name and number down. guess i got to get out to some country areas and knock on doors..lol

[mley1]

I'm a fortunate fella. Several folks, who I consider to be good friends, are kind enough to invite me on hunts. When I do get invited to go I try my best to help with whatever needs doing. I try to make sure I bring things that may be needed. I ask if there is anything that I may need to bring, equipment, drinks, food....etc. During the hunt I try to make sure I help with what ever needs to be done. And, I sure hope that my hunting partners let me know what they need done so I can help out. I know what goes into hunting so anytime I do get an invite I'm thankfull and make sure I thank the person or persons who invited me. They're kindness and friendship is something I could never replace or repay.

I do have a lease where we can hunt with dogs. It's a ways from the house and I have had a few folks out there. But, it seems that most of the time the friends I've hunted with prefer to hunt their spots closer to the house, places they're more familiar with and a bit easier to get to. I wish I could get out to the lease more often. But, shucks, with the kiddo's baseball and other activities it's like we're tied down most weekends.

I think anyone who is invited to another persons hunting spot should show the utmost respect for that persons spot. Never do anything that could get the person in trouble with the landowner. Never come back and hunt the persons spot on your own without being with the person who invited you. Never try to horn in on another persons hunting spot. Never trash talk a mans dogs, either at the hunt or after, to anyone, or at anytime. That is, if you want to be invited back to hunt with him.

This is a good topic, and one that should get a good bit of responces.

[GitDatHawg]

I'm a fortunate fella. Several folks, who I consider to be good friends, are kind enough to invite me on hunts. When I do get invited to go I try my best to help with whatever needs doing. I try to make sure I bring things that may be needed. I ask if there is anything that I may need to bring, equipment, drinks, food....etc. During the hunt I try to make sure I help with what ever needs to be done. And, I sure hope that my hunting partners let me know what they need done so I can help out. I know what goes into hunting so anytime I do get an invite I'm thankfull and make sure I thank the person or persons who invited me. They're kindness and friendship is something I could never replace or repay.

I think anyone who is invited to another persons hunting spot should show the utmost respect for that persons spot. Never do anything that could get the person in trouble with the landowner. Never come back and hunt the persons spot on your own without being with the person who invited you. Never try to horn in on another persons hunting spot. Never trash talk a mans dogs, either at the hunt or after, to anyone, or at anytime. That is, if you want to be invited back to hunt with him.

Yep, mley put exactly down what I didn't feel like typing. thanks