Hunting Partners

"A PARTNER CAN BE ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS AND SAFETY, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CHOOSING A PARTNER WHO FITS THE TASK AT HAND IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED."

- Ace Sommerfeld

Hunting often includes a partner. For some, it goes back to when Dad let a five-year-old tag along on a squirrel hunt. My dad kept track of four sons when we hunted deer near Lake Superior. I took those lessons with me to the prairie country of Montana where my own son, Nick, and I ventured far and wide.

Throughout his teen years we developed a knack for knowing what each other was thinking. Twenty years later, we still bring up those priceless days when we had the world to ourselves.

There are situations when a partner can be essential to success and safety, and the importance of choosing a partner who fits the task at hand is often overlooked. Be as fussy about your choice of partner as you are when sighting in a rifle. Odds are, you'll be better off in the long run.

Partners seldom fit into the "one size fits all" category. I hunt deer with a terrific partner who goes all the way back to my childhood. Mike Kuehnast was the teenager down the street who was willing to answer all the questions about trapping and anything else that a kid five years younger might ask.

Trouble is, Mike doesn't fish for muskies, and for the last 15 years, musky fishing in northern Wisconsin has been my main focus. As much as I enjoy Mike's company, he would not be the best partner for this. The long hours a musky stick is required to put in are legendary. Pick someone who doesn't have his heart in it and, at the least, you'll be heading for shore at what might be the best time of day. At worst, you could lose your deer hunting partner over a fishing dispute.