Sharing spots

bonepicker · Jan 24, 2012

I have to admit, I'm selfish when it comes to my hard-found hunting and shed hunting spots. I hate to share them and I'm not above being ridiculously vague when people as me where I go or where I found a particular shed. (like: "around the White Mountain area" when I actually found it 20-30 miles away) I've experience what happens when you take someone to one of your spots and you have a killer day. Oddly, (

) there are tons of tracks, people, wheelers there the next year. It happened once when I was a teenager, I don't plan on it happening again.
So here's the problem. I'm having a little trouble recently with people who are wanting to go with me. Obviously, I don't really want to take them but I don't want to be a jerk either. I've got a couple guys that I've put off with "Yeah we'll have to go sometime" and one guy that I took to a well known place, and one guy I took to a place I'd never been and it was a bust (fine with me) How do you guys keep from taking every Joe who wants to "get into horn hunting" without being a jerk (I can think of plenty of ways to do it like a jerk) Any thoughts?

MTSHEDHEDZ · Jan 24, 2012

Dont tell them your going,works just fine for me,Id rather be alone in the hills anyways.If they are dead set on going go to their spot first trip out.

fatrooster · Jan 24, 2012

Go ahead and be a jerk. It takes years to learn and find good spots. Let them find thier owne. fatrooster.

hornkiller · Jan 24, 2012

+1 fatty

bonepicker · Jan 27, 2012

It would be alot easier if I could just be a jerk, but being in a small town, my livelihood depends on being able to be tactful. (I'm sure you guys understand) Obviously, it is rude to ask someone where they found their horns or for them to take you out sometime, so I would be justified in responding to a rude request with a rude answer but unfortunately I don't make enough hunting horns to quit my day job and be rude to everyone. Of course maybe if I put in 40 hours a week shed hunting...hmm...

MTSHEDHEDZ · Jan 27, 2012

Just blow em off they will figure it out sooner or later.

NeverStopHuntin · Jan 27, 2012

Its lonely at the top, but so worth it ;-)

Huntmaster · Jan 28, 2012

Define friend first... that's the real question.

mountainman · Jan 29, 2012

It's an easy answer, maybe. You tell these people about your honey holes that took you so long to find and they are not in play but that you have some spots you want to go try out and you take them with you to those locations.

We have some people we shed hunt with once in awhile. We both have our private spots that are out of bounds so we pick large areas that we have been thinking of trying and we go give it a shot - sometimes we pick the spot and sometimes they do - it has worked out OK.

The only down side is that it can take up some time you might rather want to be in your honey hole areas.

Good luck, sounds like you're in a tuff spot.

heartshot · Jan 30, 2012

Tell them that you promised the guy who showed you the spot that you would never show it to anyone else and that you have to be true to your word.

Otherwise What mountainman said above is probably the most tactful. "You tell these people about your honey holes that took you so long to find and they are not in play but that you have some spots you want to go try out and you take them with you to those locations."

oakland_raider · Jan 30, 2012

man i am in that boat every year and i do not even have great spots just spots that i do not want other people in. here is how i handle it.

I always tell people that my friend is taking me and i cannot invite people because it is his spot and he is taking me. but i would love to go shed hunting with you if we want to find a new spot. (which most people never take me up on that because it is too hard to find a good spot and they are not interested in working that hard.)

My shed hunting friend then tells the people that hit him up this. hey i would love to take you but my friend is taking me and its his spot and i cannot take you.

so far it has worked out well over the last decade or so i hope i did not just jinx myself

you feel bad cuz like you said you do not want to be a jerk but hey its hard enough to find good shed spots

buck44 · Jan 30, 2012

I'm in the same boat. If I do take them out, it's to a new area, or an area i haven't had much luck. Even with seeing deer in the hills "scouting for the shed season" they ask where did i say that deer or this deer.
Brown Gold

theox · Feb 7, 2012

>It's an easy answer, maybe. You
>tell these people about your
>honey holes that took you
>so long to find and
>they are not in play
>but that you have some
>spots you want to go
>try out and you take
>them with you to those
>locations.
>
>We have some people we shed
>hunt with once in awhile.
>We both have our private
>spots that are out of
>bounds so we pick large
>areas that we have been
>thinking of trying and we
>go give it a shot
>- sometimes we pick the
>spot and sometimes they do
>- it has worked out
>OK.
>
>The only down side is that
>it can take up some
>time you might rather want
>to be in your honey
>hole areas.
>
>Good luck, sounds like you're in
>a tuff spot.

+1 just go to an area you have always wanted to try