Odd Encounters...

A first and only for me: Five of us were taking a line through a half section of CRP walk-in when two pickups pulled up on the road beside us. Three strangers got out and got into our line, just like that. Two others drove to the end and blocked. No conversation. I was sort of guiding so I signaled my party to move over to make room for the joiners. When I am bird hunting I am in such a good mood I am almost unannoyable. We had over a half mile to go so I had some time to think about the situation. 1. In a big CRP field, more hunters is better. 2. It was walk-in, not private. 3. The two blockers and another dog improved the hunt. 4. They were true hunters: they were silent, safe, and kept in line. At the end we grouped up and chatted. The talker was a nice guy from KC. All good vibes. In following seasons I saw the talker several times at the local PF banquet enjoying himself.
 
Many years ago, I heard a shot and looked up to see the neighbor boys walking down the fencerow that divides our place from theirs. As I watched I saw a quail get up and they shot and missed it. I let my shorthair out and walked across the field to them. Old Bob was a veteran that seldom made a mistake. Long story short they had a blast and wound up with a couple birds. The next weekend while I was at work the boys rolled up and ask my wife if they could borrow my dog!!
Ran into an acquaintance at a put and take hunt. He had always bragged on his dogs, but I had never hunted with him. He had his son in law and about a 9-year-old grandson. I walked with them until my dog pointed a bird up ahead. I said something like take the boy up and let him shoot. They walked up and were talking and looking for the bird on the ground. Then one said there he is get him. The boy shot it about two feet in front of my dog. I haven't spoken to him since.
Another time I ran into a guy about my age. Seemed like a nice guy. He had been west several times mostly by himself. He mentioned we should team up for a trip. I wasn't about to accept until I got to know him better. So, we made plans to meet and do a put and take hunt. He never showed up, so I sent him a text. He gave me a lame excuse, but I said I would give him a call for another time. A while later I called and left a message. No response. Sent him a text. No response. I told my wife that he had snubbed me and she said maybe he ran a background check.:oops:
 
That would take some serious confidence, there is NO way that I would do something like that!
That's what I was thinking too. I am glad it worked out and everyone had a good experience, but I think there are better ways to ask to join a hunt than to do it uninvited. I'm generally a live and let live type of guy, but I'm not very happy go lucky when people jump into the same small area I am hunting (which has happened a number of times). I guess the good thing about the above story is they were at least in a line and walking the same direction. Need some trust that the blockers to only take safe shots, though.

I have invited people to hunt with me, who have dogs, who show up at a place I am about to hunt, without them asking, if they pass the sniff test. I explain that my dog sometimes leaps and bounds, so no shots at low flying birds and obviously no ground shots.

I would love to help parents with children and no dog get their first bird, but without knowing the kids, I couldn't risk it for my dog. It would need to be an adult organized event, with multiple adults per kid, coaching earlier in the day, Clay pigeons, etc. My youngest daughter and I did one of those one year and it was a good, safe experience for everyone.
 
I would love to help parents with children and no dog get their first bird, but without knowing the kids, I couldn't risk it for my dog. It would need to be an adult organized event, with multiple adults per kid, coaching earlier in the day, Clay pigeons, etc. My youngest daughter and I did one of those one year and it was a good, safe experience for everyone.
that is exactly the format of our pf youth hunts . With the extra requirement that the kids have to have a huntsafe card.

Knock on wood the only problem we have ever had is a couple kids are too good of shooters and have to be told to exercise some restraint for the other kids! Kids and their parents are delighted in the experience. We do require a parent or guardian to participate.
expe
 
I've hunted with some questionable people in the past,but that was more than 20 years ago.I use my cousin for permission mainly, and a few other family members on occasion. I grill them on safety, and never shoot around a dog!Sometimes roosters get up low,don't take that shot!!
 
Yes, I'm sure some bonehead hunters take a low shot, and I've seen these video guys do it.
I'm not saying some people don't do this, but most video cameras are mounted on the head. They give the impression that you are shooting lower than you really are, due to the angles involved.
 
If they share the same county license plate number I usually don't have a problem having a tag along. Although last summer I had 2 sketchy lookand ask to shoot my shotguns while I was shooting clay at north point rec area. That was a hard no responsI think you e
You dodged a robbery
 
People are weird. I may stop and watch someone shooting in a public area but who walks up and asks to shoot your gun?
a bad guy who intends to rob you
 
Life is too short to hunt with the wrong people.
Some people are illegal, some are unethical, some were raised to poach and are low baggers. I actually know some illegal poachers from the Bozeman area,and hopefully they have been busted hard.They are not born and raised montana people.They all moved to montana in year 20s.Most are from back east.
 
I normally don't hunt with anyone else. For sure, never with someone I don't know well. Strangers, not a chance. Just this year I had a "friend" that I've hunted with for years shoot at a low flying bird that was directly between me and my dogs. He didn't hit the bird or us, but he's off my list. No second chances in my book.
 
I normally don't hunt with anyone else. For sure, never with someone I don't know well. Strangers, not a chance. Just this year I had a "friend" that I've hunted with for years shoot at a low flying bird that was directly between me and my dogs. He didn't hit the bird or us, but he's off my list. No second chances in my book.
Yeah solo hunting is safe,and pretty much all I do.These big groups playing grab ass are very dangerous.
 
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