How Not to Die While Solo Hunting

Ben Long Jan 22, 2025

My friend Jack is a tough retired Montana logger who hunts like a cougar. Sure, he enjoys his hunting buddies. But for decades now, each hunting season, he disappears alone into the high country with a simple kit of dried food and a rifle after bighorn and elk. Often, he returns with game. Always, he returns with an adventure.

While I share Jack’s taste in solitary hunting, I don’t have quite his tenacity. For me, a day or two alone is often enough.

When you think about it, nature rewards both solo and team big game hunters. Wolves hunt in packs and thrive together. Mountain lions are about the same size and have the same diet as wolves but thrive alone, hunting by stealth. Some days, I enjoy hunting with a team of other hunters and appreciate the company. But most days, I like hunting like the cougar.

Solo hunting isn’t for everyone but does have rewards, both tactical and aesthetic. Backcountry rangers warn against venturing into the wilds alone. I’m no dare-devil, but risk is an acceptable part of any worthwhile venture.

When hunting with buddies, the comradery is much of the fun—the ribbing, the encouragement, the stories. A hunting companion may see or hear clues that you may miss.

When calling, I’ve had great success when one hunter calls and the other sets up and waits for the shot. Drive hunts involving many hunters are among the oldest and most effective hunting techniques around the world. And no time is a hunting partner more appreciated than when the game is down and the pack-out begins.

Over the years, I’ve noticed a trend toward hunting in groups. When folks draw a particularly prized tag, social media posts are full of hunters posing with squads of spotters. Hunting television shows feature groups of hunters backed up by camera crews.

That stuff is not for me. Even when I do hunt with a friend, we generally split up at dawn and regroup at the day’s end, or a reconnoiter only at midday. This makes sense for the still-hunting I prefer. Two people make three times the noise as one.

I also find solo hunting more rewarding. When I succeed, the sense of accomplishment is greater. When I fail, I can only blame myself. Alone, I have absolute autonomy. I hunt where and how I want; if I get tired, I can rest or go home. If I want to linger deep in the backcountry until well after dark, I’m free to do it. I am enough of an introvert to enjoy my own company every now and then.

Is solo hunting for you? If so, there are some important matters to consider.

Foremost is safety. When you hunt alone, you take additional risks regardless of if you are in the backyard or the backcountry. There is no one to help, or even find you, if you have any kind of accident. If you’re married or have a family, this is not just a risk for you but an additional stress for your loved ones.

Communication is key. First, plan your hunt and hunt your plan. Write down where you are going and when you intend to return. Share this note with someone—if not a family member, a trustworthy neighbor, co-worker, or friend. Even if your mishap is minor, say your truck breaks down, at least folks will know where to start looking.

Consider remote communications. Most places I hunt have no cell service, and I have strong misgivings about carrying my phone when I’m hunting anyway. Still, I do carry a Garmin InReach for emergencies. There are other similar emergency beacons, and some cell phones include emergency satellite call services. None of them are any good if your account is expired or if the battery is dead.

Know your limits and access the landscape. Hunting solo forces you to be honest with yourself. There’s no one to bail you out if you go beyond your capabilities or follow hot elk tracks into some distant canyon that is a bit too far for your own good.

Plan for boredom. Hunting solo isn’t a thrill a minute, and you can only take so many naps. On overnight solo outings, I carry a paperback book and a journal to help pass the time. Listening to music or podcasts might suffice on a short hunt, but costs precious battery power.

Plan for the packout. Hunting backcountry alone gets monumentally more difficult when you have a kill to take care of. Have your extraction plan and all necessary tools in place before you begin. I have an internal frame pack that’s capable of carrying an elk quarter, so I can at least get one load off the mountain that first trip. When you slam the tailgate, you’ll slam it with satisfaction.