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Your opinion on a community out reach for fellow hunters

HuumanCreed

HuumanCreed

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
2,724
Location
Westminster Maryland
Just brainstorming something. So wanted some input from the community if this is a bad idea or any suggestions on making it feasible.

I was thinking that we could expand the SH user map and meetups. So beyond just showing where members are, they can make public their hunting plan/schedules for community if you are looking for hunting buddies. Or letting people know that you have time and are willing to provide some guidance or looking for guidance.
This could be simply an open calendar or excel spreadsheets that anyone can read/edit. Or a thread where you can post this info. Kind of like a job profile such as LinkedIn but not as uncomfortable as MATCH.com? haha

Example:

Username: HuumanCreed
Zipcode: 12345
Date: Planning all day sit on November 11th in Liberty Reservoir.
Notes: Public Land, Archery, saddle

Looking for mentor or guide:
Username: HuumanCreed
Zipcode:12345
Date: Weekends during October and November archery season until gun season.
Notes: Within 2 hrs drive of Westminster Maryland. Any style of hunting.
Animal: Whitetail

Available to guide or mentor: (FAKE)
Username:22Slayer
Zipcode:54321
Date: Retired, so plenty of time.
Notes: Scout in off season, have access to private land, public land hunting, prefer ground blind
Animal: Whitetail, squirrel, pig

Main point is advertising yourself and providing some ice breaker information. The people that are interested would then message you directly. You then get to know each other and make actual plans.

This idea came because a lot of members have been really helpful and generous about offers to hunt together. Some have provided me with great spots and other even offer to hunt together. I would not suggest this in other forum because....well the way the internet is to be honest.


The concerns:

Serial killers. No jokes, I mean you hear stories all the time. But I don't think the chances of someone here is trying to catfish anyone. But then again....a giant 12pointers on camera is our version of puppies and candies in the back of a white unmarked van.

Providing too much personal data out there. But then we provide address to seller/buyer. So maybe create a sub-forum that only paying members can see?

Fear/guilt that you are view as unsocial, greedy, etc if you did not post anything. Like if you have 200 acres and great spots that you always harvest a giant buck but not willing to share it. I don't personally see this but maybe someone else might.

Thoughts? Am I totally crazy?
 
i just posted in a different thread offering to meet up and scout etc so i'd be game for this. definitely make it a paying member only thing then that'll help filter some of the spam/misuse most likely, then if it's opt- in just like the map is then no worries for sharing too much personal data, we can all choose how much we want to share. I'd limit it to city/state and keep all email/phone etc sharing in PM only if it were me, but all in all yes i like this idea and i'd participate.

as far as the fear/guilt/greed angle, if it's an opt in with clear rules to follow (like the classifieds), i think the mod team can handle it. we're all strangers on the internet with opinions, but i feel like this group can stay adults if we open a new part of the sandbox.

or we don't do anything, have a pinned/stickied thread where people can post and let it be more of a DIY style. i'd think that version is easier t omoderate but may not generate as much interest.

soapbox done, thanks!
 
I would definitely be game for this.
I agree it should be offered to only paid members which should weed out the unwanted creeprs or scammers lol.
Even this forum could make a section to chat or post for only paid subs.
im in Delaware sussex county and cape may county New Jersey and have met up with a few people already and had s blast.
Showing how to Scout in an efficient way for limited time to hunt.
entryways, trail camera strategies, and of course identifying bedding die and buck.
 
I’ve made several friends through the forum. It’s started through private messages, then phone numbers, then some in person meetings.

This is an efficient normal vetting process when you don’t have the luxury of being neighbors with the person.

I don’t see any need to change.

If a person doesn’t have the gall to post a request in a thread, or shoot me a PM to ask for advice, or help, or to shoot the bull, why would I think they’d do something similar in real life?

We don’t need tinder for hunting buddies.

Advice:

if you want a mentor or a hunting buddy, reach out to those folks who meet the criteria you’re looking for. Play the game.

If you’re looking to be a mentor or have tag alongs, just make a post saying so. Advice and company are the product. If people want your product, they will seek you out.



I don’t think there needs to be a special process for all the above. I just think folks need to be confident and reach out. Use your words! It’s all we have
 
Man I like the idea of networking with other hunters, however I am more inclined to agree with @kyler1945 on this. I’ve met some awesome guys through this forum. Some from completely different sides of the country. I reached out to say hello to some, others reached out to me. I think something as simple as stating a post that says wanting to find a couple hunting buddies in such and such area, will probably produce way more replies than you think. I know if I were within a couple hours of ya, I’d be down for some scouting or hunting trips. And that way scammers won’t have a site specific area to target guys (like they seem to do in the classifieds).
 
Part of me agree with what the 'I think its a bad idea' group. I am thankful for a lot of the great guys on this forum. But I work with a lot of introverts at my job field, and even knew people in the Army that were in need of just a little reaching out of the hand from others so they take it. You can teach and learn confident, but some people just have a hard time doing that.

Example, I remember they open up a casino right next to a military base I was station at. A few young privates blew their salaries so of course the whole unit had to have 'financial responsibility training' day. The topic of how much saving we should have came up and one young SGT told us he had over 150k in saving. Everyone was REALLY surprised, even a little suspicious. So after looking into his life casually, it turn out that nothing was wrong except the man has no life. He didn't have any real hobbies, eat at the barrack, came back to room, watch TV then go to sleep everyday. Even on the weekend he just spend the day by himself, has no real friends close by. So he didn't buy anything most of the time and just put whatever he had into saving which was like most of his paycheck. He wasn't suicidal or anything, but he was just 'surviving' life, not really living. You wouldn't think it from working with him, I did for almost 2 years before finding all this out. So 1SG made him take charge of the "Single Soldier Program", forced him to get out of his shell and comfort zone. He meet someone a few months later and is married with 4 kids now.

I'm just saying, it is hard for some people to take that first step that some of us think its only natural.

After that, most of us are more willing to ask for help. I mean, I tricked @GCTerpfan to offer an open invitation to go hunt with him! Even if he play favorite and allowed @Red Beard to wear Crocs but I can't. Just saying.
 
I like the idea. I have only been bowhunting for about 38 years. And some days I question If I even have a clue as to what the heck I am doing. I could sure use some guidance, LOL
These KY public land deer can sure be tuff!
 
HuumanCreed said:
Part of me agree with what the 'I think its a bad idea' group. I am thankful for a lot of the great guys on this forum. But I work with a lot of introverts at my job field, and even knew people in the Army that were in need of just a little reaching out of the hand from others so they take it. You can teach and learn confident, but some people just have a hard time doing that.

Example, I remember they open up a casino right next to a military base I was station at. A few young privates blew their salaries so of course the whole unit had to have 'financial responsibility training' day. The topic of how much saving we should have came up and one young SGT told us he had over 150k in saving. Everyone was REALLY surprised, even a little suspicious. So after looking into his life casually, it turn out that nothing was wrong except the man has no life. He didn't have any real hobbies, eat at the barrack, came back to room, watch TV then go to sleep everyday. Even on the weekend he just spend the day by himself, has no real friends close by. So he didn't buy anything most of the time and just put whatever he had into saving which was like most of his paycheck. He wasn't suicidal or anything, but he was just 'surviving' life, not really living. You wouldn't think it from working with him, I did for almost 2 years before finding all this out. So 1SG made him take charge of the "Single Soldier Program", forced him to get out of his shell and comfort zone. He meet someone a few months later and is married with 4 kids now.

I'm just saying, it is hard for some people to take that first step that some of us think its only natural.

After that, most of us are more willing to ask for help. I mean, I tricked @GCTerpfan to offer an open invitation to go hunt with him! Even if he play favorite and allowed @Red Beard to wear Crocs but I can't. Just saying.
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I guess my point is this:

You’re proposing that the barrier of entry for your imaginary introverted folks is clicking 2 buttons on the magic pocket brick.

I’m proposing that the current system requires pressing 7 buttons on the magic pocket brick.


My guess is the 2 button barrier group is like, 1 guy. The 7 button barrier group is like 10 guys. And the “nothing you can engineer on the internet is going to get time to come out of my shell and hang out with strangers” barrier group is like the other 9,989 guys.


If you want to make a significant difference in the amount of folks who pick up friends or group activities, go spend time in your neighborhood drumming up strangers. Nothing we can spend time engineering here will make an appreciable difference.


To be clear - I’m not poopooing your idea. I’m just reframing the issue. I agree with your general ideas on what would be nice. Just not on the math or path.
 
In my defense, @Red Beard didn't wear Crocs on the hunt but, he apparently snuck them on when I wasn't paying attention and wore them during the track job and pack out. In hindsight, I now know why he let me pack out the entire deer. I mean, who packs out a deer in crocs? :)

I generally agree with @kyler1945 and @Fl Canopy Stalker. I think posting a lot of detail in a thread or calendar could have some unintended consequences and wouldn't add much value. I do think that people are generally receptive to PM's. @Red Beard sent me a PM one day that said he was looking to get into Trad and had some questions, a year later I videoed him shooting his first trad deer. I am sure there are several more stories from other members that are similar.

If a person doesn't want to send a PM, I've seen several members start a thread that simply asked if anyone lived near X and wanted to get together to hunt/scout. I would imagine you would get the same response to a general question like that as you would a dedicated thread or calendar. Then the details could be worked out in private.

And the invitation this fall still stands @HuumanCreed. I might even let you wear crocs, as long as your recurve isn't painted also. :)
 
It's an interesting idea. An idea that doesn't take away from what this site is/does would be offering for sale a discrete vinyl sticker for your vehicle you could customize with your username. If you were at a public access and knew where/what to look for and saw one, you could reach out to that hunter via the site to open a dialog. Groups of hunters who connect this way could use apps like Huntstand to establish group maps to make each other aware of presence, pressure from non-member hunters, or just help newer hunters with scouting in general. I know on Huntstand there's even an option with the group map to do "stand reservations" which would just be a digital way of being polite and talking in the parking lot before the hunt so you don't walk a half mile to the same spot.
 
131north said:
It's an interesting idea. An idea that doesn't take away from what this site is/does would be offering for sale a discrete vinyl sticker for your vehicle you could customize with your username. If you were at a public access and knew where/what to look for and saw one, you could reach out to that hunter via the site to open a dialog. Groups of hunters who connect this way could use apps like Huntstand to establish group maps to make each other aware of presence, pressure from non-member hunters, or just help newer hunters with scouting in general. I know on Huntstand there's even an option with the group map to do "stand reservations" which would just be a digital way of being polite and talking in the parking lot before the hunt so you don't walk a half mile to the same spot.
Click to expand...

Hmm...that doesn't sound that bad.

I guess it's hard to find the balance and interpretation of "give the man a fish, he can eat for a day, teach the man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime" kind of thinking.

To be honest, right now anyone can use the SH User Map to find people near by and just pm them asking if they want to get together for a hunt or just hang out. There is no need for some new system. The number might be in @kyler1945 favor, if they were not willing to even use the SH user map, chances of them reaching out even if you provide the data is just as small.

Well its an idea.

Simply posting about looking for mentorship or guidance might be the best. I think I will do that once whitetail season come along.
 
131north said:
It's an interesting idea. An idea that doesn't take away from what this site is/does would be offering for sale a discrete vinyl sticker for your vehicle you could customize with your username. If you were at a public access and knew where/what to look for and saw one, you could reach out to that hunter via the site to open a dialog. Groups of hunters who connect this way could use apps like Huntstand to establish group maps to make each other aware of presence, pressure from non-member hunters, or just help newer hunters with scouting in general. I know on Huntstand there's even an option with the group map to do "stand reservations" which would just be a digital way of being polite and talking in the parking lot before the hunt so you don't walk a half mile to the same spot.
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You can already spot all the saddle hunters miles away with all the tethrd stickers on their trucks. What is one more to add their username on SH.com as well lol!!!!
 
I agree that meeting and making hunting buddies from the site is cool and worth the time; however, finding people that you jive with is a task. I think making a SH bumble or tinder or whatever heck the thing is sounds like it makes it easier entry. Easier entry means easier to take advantage of. Meeting up and hunting with someone is one thing, but finding a person you can share a camp with and share trail cam pics and hunting locations with is another thing. I’d say reach out to people and talk to people you meet and go from there. Or, do what I had to do which is go at it alone and figure it out. Boots on the ground and doing it yourself will feel a whole lot better than being put on deer to shoot. You used the word “guide” and “mentor” but that sounds like put me on one of your spots, to me. After 3 years solo, I made friends and started hunting with some buddies. The fellowship I cherish as much as the kill. Good friends are hard to find though.

So I am knocking the idea, but am not against making friends and hunting in general.
 
HuumanCreed said:
Hmm...that doesn't sound that bad.

I guess it's hard to find the balance and interpretation of "give the man a fish, he can eat for a day, teach the man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime" kind of thinking.

To be honest, right now anyone can use the SH User Map to find people near by and just pm them asking if they want to get together for a hunt or just hang out. There is no need for some new system. The number might be in @kyler1945 favor, if they were not willing to even use the SH user map, chances of them reaching out even if you provide the data is just as small.

Well its an idea.

Simply posting about looking for mentorship or guidance might be the best. I think I will do that once whitetail season come along.
Click to expand...
Exactly, I was just trying to avoid the "ISO hunting buddy" posts on here. Hanging around someone's car in the dark is kinda sketch, but jotting down their username and shooting a note the next day on the computer to introduce yourself and say you hunt the same area seems more normal. Then, folks can do whatever they want, off the site, the way people made friends for the first 2000 years.
 
GeoFish said:
I like the idea. I have only been bowhunting for about 38 years. And some days I question If I even have a clue as to what the heck I am doing. I could sure use some guidance, LOL
These KY public land deer can sure be tuff!
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I’ll be at Higginson-Henry in October. Maybe I could use some of that 38 years of experience ;)
We are thinking of scouting Land between the lakes while we are up that way…
 
I think we actually have an unusually friendly group here. Tons of meetups and PM collaboration. I've received more hunt invites than I can really accept. And I've had folks take me up on invites.

I went from hunting with my dad and 1 friend to having more friends than I can hunt with in a season in just a few years. And I'm not a friendly man.
 
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