Group hunting

Goosemaster

Goosemaster

Well-known member
In the past, I have been critical of group hunting. However, I can see how it would be a good time to meet up with friends every year and have some hunting. I just think it's kind of dangerous, and those birds have to fly and probably get wounded by this bararg.
 
This will be our 29th straight year as a group to pheasant hunt SD. We vacation, play golf, fish, rabbit hunt, and watch college football as a group as well. We all grew up together in a small town. I wouldn't have my pheasant trips and hunts any other way, but that's just my preference.
 
I used to hunt in a group of 3-5 people. I knew and trusted all of them. If I had not, I would not be hunting with them. I don't trust someone with a loaded weapon that I don't know well.

That being said, I much prefer to hunt by myself or just with one other hunter now. I'm quieter and more effective. Every time you add someone, you make more noise. Especially the bone heads who yell "hen!" out there.

I can 100% say I would never hunt with Goose given his credentials and reputation on this forum.
 
I hunt by myself locally but when I travel, I go with 3 friends. We typically hunt in pairs or singles, however there are places that wild pheasants tend to run, so we use a person or two as blockers. You have to trust each other and stick to the plan. We have been hunting together for 15 years.

Its the after hours story telling and meal times that make each trip memorable. I look forward to each season with these folks........and its only 1.5 months away. At least for grouse.

Drew
 
Every large group I have ever seen leave behind a mess. Water bottles, trash, etc. I have seen them park in the middle road and refuse to move until I confronted them. There is nothing about a group of 20 plus hunters surrounding a field that excites me.
 
Hunting is the foundation of civilization. When you work together…you get more game and tales told round the fire with a full belly.
 
westksbowhunter said:
Every large group I have ever seen leave behind a mess. Water bottles, trash, etc. I have seen them park in the middle road and refuse to move until I confronted them. There is nothing about a group of 20 plus hunters surrounding a field that excites me.
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My group doesn't number 20 but I have seen single and double hunters do the exact things you mention also.
 
westksbowhunter said:
I don't know that I call a group a 20 or more hunting. For most of the large groups in Kansas, it is the only time they go all year.
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Call it what you want in Kansas. In SD we call it hunting. We don't hunt with 20 hunters but even if we hunted with 60, it'd still be "hunting".
 
I traditionally hunt by myself or with one other person in Mn or N.D. But in S.D we hunt with a large group, that is tradition for them out there and I'm a guest so we go with the flow. There are some really cool things about it along with a few draw backs. Some of my best friends are because of this tradition.
 
Rooster Shooter said:
I traditionally hunt by myself or with one other person in Mn or N.D. But in S.D we hunt with a large group, that is tradition for them out there and I'm a guest so we go with the flow. There are some really cool things about it along with a few draw backs. Some of my best friends are because of this tradition.
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In 1984, me and 3 friends joined up with a big group that was staying at the same hotel as us. Must have been 20 of us walking in a line with blockers on the side and at the end. A rooster got up flew parallel with the walking line I was on. I shot and so did everyone else. There is no way to know who shot that bird. We walked to the end of the field and that was it for me. The only time I ever did it. Most all of them were drinking, which isn't my thing, and most knew nothing about shotgun safety or how to hunt with a dog. My experience of large groups in Kanas had been negative. I am sure they think they are doing things right but not in my opinion. A group of 3, me and my 2 dogs, is big enough for me. The Game Wardens tell me in Kansas they write more tickets for violations when they encounter large groups vs small groups when pheasant hunting. I am sure a person could strike up a friendship with someone in a group but for me, I would rather spend time with my dogs and know that at the end of the day, it was me who put the 4 birds in my bag.
 
Show up as a group of 4 or more where I hunt and you have just about zero chance of being allowed into private property, the best of which will have vastly more birds than any public land, WIA, WPA, etc. Come as two or fewer and you have a chance.

I have done it in a group of six, and it was fun. Because of party limits I got to shoot a dozen roosters driven out of a treeline one afternoon. Would never do it again, though. We chased every bird around into the next county trying to get everyone a limit.

My fav is hunting with one other person. If I walk a fence/bruch-line alone it is guaranteed that every bird will go low out of the far side, with many not even giving me a shot. With another person on the far side I will get a good shot at many of them.

Plus if anything goes wrong, like the dog getting into a porcupine, it is really nice to have another set of hands. Also nice for crossing BW fences.
 
dawgs14 said:
Call it what you want in Kansas. In SD we call it hunting. We don't hunt with 20 hunters but even if we hunted with 60, it'd still be "hunting".
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Enjoy your trips anyway you like… I have done both and still do as just being out is enjoyable enough for me. I wouldn’t trade the hunts I was a part of when I was young for anything. For me the off time at the diner or playing cards after was as enjoyable as anything else. I typically enjoy others company and some even enjoy mine…. Life’s too short to be a tool.
 
Gross...hunt by yourself and be safe. What is the fascination with becoming another statistic. Id never hunt with a large group, half of they people are probably drunk and dont know how to operate their firearm. Not for me. Never would I do that even if they were my friends. Its not even fair or fun to line up and walk through grass and push them like cattle. What's the difference between that and what happened in Germany? Im joking and I hope you realize you are getting Goosed.
 
Odd to have such strong opinions on what other folks do.

I will say for me it is the people who make the difference, not the number. I have hunted in a group with one or two others that I didn’t enjoy much. Heck, there have been times I’ve hunted by myself and didn’t enjoy the company.

With a large group it’s easier to get that one person who for whatever reason makes it unpleasant.

I enjoyed hunting by myself when I had a dog, now I pretty much need others to help. Even better if they have a good dog.
 
McFarmer said:
Odd to have such strong opinions on what other folks do.

I will say for me it is the people who make the difference, not the number. I have hunted in a group with one or two others that I didn’t enjoy much. Heck, there have been times I’ve hunted by myself and didn’t enjoy the company.

With a large group it’s easier to get that one person who for whatever reason makes it unpleasant.

I enjoyed hunting by myself when I had a dog, now I pretty much need others to help. Even better if they have a good dog.
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"Party Hunting" is not legal in many states so it isn't odd to have an opinion on a controversial way of hunting. That doesn't mean you can't hunt in a large group, but let's face it, any large group is really party hunting. They just divide up the birds at the end of the day. Someone who shoots 5 birds is in violation in Kansas, just no way to prove it when the birds are divided up.
 
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