Tight lipped / vs helping out

[campking]

I have been following Hunting BC for a few years now and have found something interesting yet perplexing to me, and that is helping or not helping someone who asks for help when it comes to hunting areas.

Last year I was lucky enough to draw one of the sheep draws in 8.01 with the help of a few members (one in particular) I was successful and am more grateful than I can put in words.

I am now 60 years young and I can not tell you how much I have learned about our sport we all love from other hunters/mentors , there have been a few times I have helped other hunters and they were successful and very grateful ( I think I got more satisfaction from that then my own success!) I for one will not hesitate to help in any way I can and will not stop doing so.

What are your thoughts?

[nature girl]

Instead of writing on here for everyone to see I have pm some people. More personal that way for me.

[warnniklz]

I've had the best help by showing my work. Without saying where I was, but showing some scenery and the effort made. Members came out of the woodwork via PM to help out.

I know that isn't always possible. If I was to go to say Atlin, I wouldn't actually know where to start. So I would probably straight up ask for help.

I don't really help people via internet. If someone ask "where to hunt deer around Williams Lake?" or "got a moose draw behind Likely, never been there before... any help?" They're on their own. However, if I run into you in the bush... I'll tell you exactly where to go, or how to work a ridge or whatever.

Lots of people have shown me the spots I hunt, therefore I don't tell others.

[monasheemountainman]

I have helped out a lot of people hunting, and have had the same in return, but that doesn't mean I will go on the internet and tell people where to hunt.

[Backwoods]

I enjoy helping others when I can, I have hunted all over reg 8 for 20+ years and now new to 7b last 4 years since I moved from Kelowna, i definitely won't give my honey holes when I'm going after a specific deer/elk/moose/ bear but with area that I know holds good game I'm not afraid to help another hunter succeed. Makes me feel good if a guy puts time in and harvest an animal that I put him in a spot!! A good friend of mine harvested a nice whitetail buck last November in an old spot I use to hunt after I told him were about to go sit, rattle and grunt and sure as $hi!t a nice buck came in after a few hours, he still thanks me and it made me stoked for him to cut a tag!! When I moved to 7b I was shocked how hard of a change it was for hunting new ground, after 4 years now I finally have a few spots, and I'm lucky enough to have met a few great guys and gals in the hunting community to share a few crown land locations!! PS- I still keep my honey holes for solo hunts! ������

[J_06]

I'm all for helping out, just not on a public forum where you have no idea what slob/idiot/etc your giving away your scouted an proven areas too. I'm more than willing to help like I said, just not by posting billboards for all too see. Far too many places around my areas absolutely destroyed due to lazy littering slobs setting up camps and leaving a dump behind. It's amazing how fast word of mouth travels when the wrong set of ears is listening.

[ruger#1]

I'm all for helping out, just not on a public forum where you have no idea what slob/idiot/etc your giving away your scouted an proven areas too. I'm more than willing to help like I said, just not by posting billboards for all too see. Far too many places around my areas absolutely destroyed due to lazy littering slobs setting up camps and leaving a dump behind. It's amazing how fast word of mouth travels when the wrong set of ears is listening. I couldn't of said it better. Nice post.

[albravo2]

If I have been shown an area I feel obliged not to share it. If I discover it myself and work to know it, that knowledge is mine to share if I want.

Like others, I wouldn't post anything but good grouse territory on a forum, but I've exchanged lots of PMs and have been on the giving and receiving end of advice.

Honeyholes notwithstanding, you can't beat this site for sharing information. Lots of knowledge and nice people on here.

[MB_Boy]

I couldn't of said it better. Nice post.

x3.......:wink:

[HarryToolips]

If I have been shown an area I feel obliged not to share it. If I discover it myself and work to know it, that knowledge is mine to share if I want.

Like others, I wouldn't post anything but good grouse territory on a forum, but I've exchanged lots of PMs and have been on the giving and receiving end of advice.

Honeyholes notwithstanding, you can't beat this site for sharing information. Lots of knowledge and nice people on here.
This is exactly it, great site for info, but no-one can expect to be told honey-holes, everybody's gotta put the time and effort into scouting and finding their own honey-holes..

[ACB]

I'v never expected anybody to be giving up their honey holes but that said you would think it would be in the best interest of Sporting goods stores to be a little forth giving to people that are new to their area. A number of years a go just before the May long weekend I was in the 100 mile house area doing some springtime fly fishing and had brought my rifle and black Bear tag and had intended to look for a colour fazed bear. I was in EXETER sporting good's picking up a few things when the guy behind the counter asked where I was from and what kind of fishing I was going to be doing and I told him and mentioned that I would mind looking for a coloured Blk. Bear and asked him if he thought they were out yet. He kind of hummed and hawed and didn't really give an answer. About 5min. later another guy come's in the shop and the guy behind the counter ask's him well. The new guy say's we got another one and he's bigger than the last one, they had a beautiful brown boar in the back of the truck. This guy behind the counter couldn't tell whether he thought they were out yet! Really! Ya come in my store spend money and if you want any information, that's for me to know and you to find out! That was the last time I'v ever been in that store. When I'm up in that country I go to the Screaming Reel in the drug store or to the shop out at Lone Butte. I'll never step another foot in that guy's store. again!

[Fella]

I give general info on potential spot but I don't say "drive up this FSR and go to such and such lake" unless it's a good friend of mine. The group I hunt with tends to keep things in house, mostly because no one taught any of us how to hunt and we've had to work hard to find our spots.

[moosinaround]

I help out others, I can hunt in many different spots all season around my neck of the woods, so I will usually throw out a bone! Many fellow HBCers have PMed me, and if I am able to help, I usually do! I have made some pretty good friends from this site, a few have developed into my hunting buddies, and closest friends. I enjoy hearing the successful stories when folks comeback from their hunts I helped them out with! Moosin

[MichelD]

I've had good general information and some very specific offered to me when I've asked and I have passed my own info on too by private message.

[Everett]

I try and help people out if I am able to. I don't really believe in the existence of honey holes they are sort of like the Easter Bunny and santa clause. I have also been helped out by fellow members in the past and hopefully in the future.

[Ourea]

I try and help people out if I am able to. I don't really believe in the existence of honey holes they are sort of like the Easter Bunny and santa clause. I have also been helped out by fellow members in the past and hopefully in the future.

I guess it comes down to what a person defines as a "honey hole".

Are there spots and areas of isolated premium habitat that wildlife are drawn to like a magnet??
Damn straight there is.

I don't know of a single, well dialed, well seasoned hunter, that has consistently put big quality animals down that talks much....let alone points people to an X on the map.
Not many sheep hunters or trophy mule deer guys that share outside of their close and well respected colleagues.

And, if they have, they most certainly ended up regretting it.

Having said that, I am always the first to try and help others out to a certain extent........especially youth.

I never focus on the "WHERE".
I always talk about the "why's" and "what" to look for.

When a hunter fully understands what a particular species needs from a habitat and security standpoint he never struggles with opportunity. It all comes down to time after that.

All successful guys I know spend a lot of time in the field figuring out new areas and scouting well outside of hunting season.
They do their homework.

[srupp]

Hmm try and help out any one that asks.never on open forum..PM..more of how and why..as well as general areas..everyone has had help from many many sources, people we sometimes never meet face to face...
When asked about my successes in hunting I am just as proud of any help I can give and they find success...I still love the thrill of the chase, and a good shot and a cleanly harvested animal however to see a new hunter ask some questions..be willing to answer whatever you can...and for them to figure the rest out..priceless.its not what we know..its how the hunter uses this information gained through experience. .and years of success and failures..I have learned far more from those many failures than the occasional success..and slowly thos successes become more numerous..unfortunately. .it takes many many years....

Cheers
Steven

[decker9]

I'll help anyone out any day, sure I won't spill my main areas, but I have no issue helping guys out on areas iv hunted in the passed. If those areas turn out to be some joe blows hunny hole, so be it. On that note, I wouldent spill a spot that was mentioned to me if that person still hunts it. What goes around comes around imo, people have helped me in the past, I'll do the same.

[Gateholio]

I'v never expected anybody to be giving up their honey holes but that said you would think it would be in the best interest of Sporting goods stores to be a little forth giving to people that are new to their area. A number of years a go just before the May long weekend I was in the 100 mile house area doing some springtime fly fishing and had brought my rifle and black Bear tag and had intended to look for a colour fazed bear. I was in EXETER sporting good's picking up a few things when the guy behind the counter asked where I was from and what kind of fishing I was going to be doing and I told him and mentioned that I would mind looking for a coloured Blk. Bear and asked him if he thought they were out yet. He kind of hummed and hawed and didn't really give an answer. About 5min. later another guy come's in the shop and the guy behind the counter ask's him well. The new guy say's we got another one and he's bigger than the last one, they had a beautiful brown boar in the back of the truck. This guy behind the counter couldn't tell whether he thought they were out yet! Really! Ya come in my store spend money and if you want any information, that's for me to know and you to find out! That was the last time I'v ever been in that store. When I'm up in that country I go to the Screaming Reel in the drug store or to the shop out at Lone Butte. I'll never step another foot in that guy's store. again!

Maybe he didn't understand your question? Since it's pretty much a given that by the third week of May, lots of bears will be out. Never been to that shop so I don't know what the staff is like though.

[Gateholio]

I"m happy to help if I can. I've given directions to plenty of hunters here. This year there have been several guys that I gave a few directions to that ended up getting bears. There are plenty of bears around here so targeting a few decent spots will usually result in a dead bear unless you are holding out for a monster.

I've given advice on deer migration patterns and where to look for deer and deer habitat although I don't draw X's on maps except for one or two new hunters that I have known for years. Area knowledge I've gleaned from PG66 never get's shared unless the bribes are very, very high though. :)

I've received lots of advice in areas I don't know well but decided to go for a look or won an LEH for. I've taken numerous new hunters out to hunt, usually for black bear as it's a fun hunt with good success rates and usually in good weather.

You gotta give back, gotta pay it forward. Except to assholes. Don't help assholes. :)

[ACB]

Maybe he didn't understand your question? Since it's pretty much a given that by the third week of May, lots of bears will be out. Never been to that shop so I don't know what the staff is like though.
Unless he didn't understand ENGLISH I don't know how he could of not of understood me.

[ruger#1]

You gotta give back, gotta pay it forward. Except to assholes. Don't help assholes. :)

I would love to see this list. Interesting.

[J_T]

I agree with those who believe in giving back. For most of us, helping others is human nature. I have pretty strict rules about coughing up much information on here though. Inevitably a person gets negatively challenged. When it goes south, it just isnt worth it.

I've received pm requests from hunters and I've helped them determine where they want to hunt, what they might expect and I've built maps for people indicating camp sites hiking routes and likely locations.

I bring guys in to camp and offer to go out with others. As an IBEP instructor there is always lots of conversation/sharing about what to look for and how to react. I published a bowhunting magazine (profits went 100% to habitat work) that had a lot of good hunting tips material.

I along with others believe, "show me your hunting spot and I will never hunt it without you." Do the work and I dont mind helping.

[KBC]

I'm a new hunter and to be honest I've found it hard to get someone to teach me a few things. I could care less about what location more experienced guys don't want to tell me about, I would love a chance to learn what to do in the field by joining someone who could maybe teach me a few things.

I know quite a few experienced guys and have always put it out there that I would love to be an apprentice and if there was an extra spot I'd love to tag along but getting that invite seems to be pretty tough to get in the end. A lot of guys are cool with talking about general strategy and things like that but finding someone who will show you how look for deer or how to gut a deer actually seems to be pretty challenging.

I've been trying to get in on a hunt or two for a couple years now and have been unsuccessful but at least this year I've managed to at least get my name into a shared moose draw so maybe I'm getting closer to a real hands on lesson.

I learn best by watching and doing so only watching youtube isn't quite cutting it. Then again, maybe it's me as to why I'm not getting an invite...Ha!

[Boner]

I'm all for helping out, just not on a public forum where you have no idea what slob/idiot/etc your giving away your scouted an proven areas too. I'm more than willing to help like I said, just not by posting billboards for all too see. Far too many places around my areas absolutely destroyed due to lazy littering slobs setting up camps and leaving a dump behind. It's amazing how fast word of mouth travels when the wrong set of ears is listening.

I agree with this.

[Gateholio]

I would love to see this list. Interesting.

I don't have a list, and not talking about people on HBC in particular. It's just if someone comes across as an asshole, I don't help them. Or when people come to me and ask me about something (hunting/reloading/guns/scopes) and I give an opinion they don't like and try to convince me I'm wrong, I just think "why did you bother asking if you didn't want my advice?" So I don't advise them anymore :)

[Lucky77_]

I've always found it tough, or cringed a bit when people start giving open advice in forum.
Over PM or in person I enjoy sharing what I have learned, that's one of the biggest pleasures is sharing.
But to make open posts is just in poor taste weather the info is true or to lead astray, both ways.

[BTF]

I agree, in person or PM is fine by me. Everything comes full circle. Knew you would get a decent ram Campking!

[Gateholio]

I don't have any issue with giving information on the open forum. It's up to the individual who gives the advice on what they share. I've done it plenty of times and have no problem with it. I often might offer the same info on the forum as I do in PM. Depends what it is.

[caddisguy]

Generally once a good spot is mentioned publicly online, it's done. Doesn't matter if it is fishing spot or a hunting spot. It will go from serenity to trucks/boats/whatever all over the place.

I share information privately and sparingly, but even then, it likely has the same affect, but just happens more slowly and naturally, like the old word-of-mouth days

Made the mistake of mentioning a spot on one of my Youtube videos when someone asked in the comments... went from nobody ever being there to looking like a walmart parking lot in over a couple years... it's no longer fishable, at least if you like a little elbow room :(

Same even goes with places to camp where you can get away from it and not see many, if any people. Social media has destroyed a number of pristine walk-in lakes... there are even individuals/groups who make a living posting articles about like "100 cool free places to camp in BC", promoting their e-magazines, fishing groups etc... people will do anything for hits/likes/subscribes and people can't resist partying in pristine places with a scenic back-drop.

Definitely help people and point them in the right direction... just be selective... do a little bit to get to know the person and keep it private.