Hey guys, it's been a while since I posted on here. Ever since I got back from my trip out west I've been busy working and it seems like all my free days have been spent scouting for elk in the mountains near me. Now that hunting season is just around the corner I feel a need to sit with my thoughts, my intentioins of this up coming season as I will be stepping up my game, as I will be doing a 5 day (possibly longer) back country hunt, followed by 3 more weeks of huting from a base camp. As most of you know hunting is my number one passion and I'm hopeful that in the near future I'll be a part owner of a professional hunting guide company.
Manifest. Manifest. Manifest.
The ball is rolling and actions need to be taken to in order to be a successful business owner.
If that means spending the next two months chasing, elk, mule deer, black bear, and antelope, well then, sign me up.
Just the other day I received a phone call from a best friend and fellow hunting guide, asking if I wanted to join him on a five day, high country, mule deer archery hunt. He barely finished asking me and I nearly jumped through the phone, excitedly I telling him, sign me up! I’ve been waiting for an opportunity such as this and now is the time. Thoughts on how to mentally prepare suddenly raced through my mind, for when hunting at such an altitude, weather can change on a dime, and being out in the mountains during storms is in fact, one of my fears. Knowing that I will be with an experienced mountaineer and guide, this is the perfect opportunity at my first back country hunt.
Who are your people that share the same passions?? Having been a full time hunting guide for the past three years we are both looking forward to hunting for ourselves again. Feeling hopeful.
@pati_gucci
@williamjmetivier
One may ask, how do you mentally prepare for a hunt like this? What gear do you bring? What food do you eat? How do you resupply on water? What happens if you get injured? What do you sleep in? Truth be told, I’m still learning, and hope to always be, and frankly we all prepare for a hunt a little differently. Personally there’s something about being far away from civilization, knowing I must rely on everything I’ve learned leading up to this hunt, and the hunt after that, and so on. Perhaps writing this article is my first step in mentally preparing for this adventure in the mountains.
Growing up with older brothers that hunted definitely was a huge benefit for me. They naturally were stronger and faster hikers, and last thing I wanted to do was slow them down. Thankfully, I inherited my moms muscular thighs, making hiking hills more natural for me. This doesn’t mean I can skip training for hunting season, for the more I train, the further I can go. My favorite way to train for hunting season is simply grabbing my pack that I use in the field, throw inside a rock or two, a dumb bell, or even a gallon of water, I'll even wear my binocular harness as well, and go climb a hill. Get off trail if possible and do a couple miles. The more often I do this, the longer the hike will get, or the heavier my pack will get, and when September comes along, I will be ready to hike deep in, away from any other hunters, to where the big mature animals are. Sure, squatting heavy weight will also work to build the muscles needed to pack out 100 pounds of meat, plus your gear, but, personally I have found weighted hikes work best for me when training for the real deal. But let me warn you, into that first mile you’ll ask yourself, why am I doing this? This hurts, I should turn around. It happens to me nearly every time, but I promise you by switching the conversation in your mind to September, soon you’ll be playing out different scenarios you dream of happening, and just like that your mentally preparing yourself for that bow shaking, heart racing moment right before you pull the trigger, and soon the steps become easier, as you’ll find yourself setting your own pace. Lost in your thoughts of what will September bring?
@andrayagrangrothphotography
Looking back on the younger version of me, I remember after each unsuccessful hunt, I would be bitter and almost upset when we didn’t kill anything. I would go into the hunt with an expectation to kill a elk that day, and when that didn’t happen, I took it as a loss. And this would happen season after season, up until I started solo hunting. Now, it was all on me to make the kill happen, and every decision made, was made only by me. It no longer was my dad or one of my brothers trying to call in a bull for me, it was all on my shoulders now. As missed opportunities and mistakes were made a mental shift happened in my brain while pursing the wild elk and deer alone. Soon I realized that it wasn’t just about killing an animal but that most importantly when going into a hunt, be prepared to fail. You are the one trying to kill an animal that survives in order to live. But please know that with each time you fail, you also will succeed. You'll walk away from that hunt with more knowledge you had yesterday and experinces that only some of us in the world are lucky to have.
Yesterday morning my friend and I hiked up a local ski hill to practice shooting our bows, uphill, downhill, through trees, all realistic shots. As we hiked up and down, and up and down again we talked about the exciting month to come. Some shots were really good, and some definetly needed improvement. This wasn't your typical go to the range and shoot your bow 20-40 yards, on a flat service. This was the real deal, and the humble pie we ate that morning on the the mountain sure was delicous.
@theeberningman
People often think its easy to go out and shoot a elk with your bow, or your rifle, and many times as I’ve returned home after a hunt, friends always ask, did you catch an elk? When I tell them, no not this time, they question my skill of being a hunter. Yes, there is a lot of preparation into getting ready for hunting season, from shooting your weapon of choice, and being religious about it, to scouting, or by putting miles on your dusty boots, to the money you will spend. Why do we devote so much time and money towards hunting season? It's simple. And only you other hunters know WHY you hunt. In the end its all about the experience. Don’t take it too seriously, laugh about mistakes made and remember elk are noisy when walking through the woods, so its okay if you step on a stick and bring sound to the quiet patch of timber your sneaking through.
Last year when I accidentally sprayed myself in the face with bear spray. You gotta be able to roll with the punches, learning how to avoid them the next time they come around.
Typically before each hunt I pull out all my gear seperating it into piles surrounding me. From my clothes to my kitchen supplies, to rope, game bags and flashlights, to my first aid kit, and so on, you get the point. Then, depending on the style of hunt, I create a list of what I need. Turns out for this particular hunt in the high country, I’ll need to add a few items to my quickly growing stash of gear.
Below is a basic list to gear to have when going out on a three day hunt. Once again your gear list will vary depending on the style of hunt you’re going on.
- Sleeping bag
- Tent
- Flashlight
- Back packing food
- Trecking poles
- Boots
- Gear such as, pants, shirts, rain jacket, socks, etc
- Knives
- Jet boil/MRS stove
- Game bags, rope, license
- Water pump/straw
- In-reach
- Compass, map, or downloaded OnX map
- Portable charger (for phone, headlamp, etc)
- Small tarp (optional, its nice to have it if there is precipitation)
- First aid kit, lighter
- Binoculars
- Gaiters
- Weapon of choice
- Wet wipes, they serve more then one purpose :)
Good luck to all you hunters and guide out there! This is our time of year to do what we love doing the most! Be safe out there!
Cheers!
WHAT'S YOUR WILD?
@andrayagrangrothphotography
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