Big Game Preparations

With hunting season coming up quickly, there is a lot to prepare for to be ready to pursue big game. This can be overwhelming in many aspects, from your gear, to what to pack, your first-ad kit, to finding the animals, and even down to the nitty gritty of getting into the field, and having a successful hunt. Today we are going to focus on the upcoming couple months, and what you can do to make you a better and more successful hunter.

Often times I think back to when the Indians roamed the land, and the tools they used to provide food for their families. There’s no doubt the abundance of wild game was much higher then, than it is now, but by practicing and using the right tools, your chances of success will increase. 

Health & Fitness: As we all know, being healthy and strong will help you hunt further and harder. When I first moved to Colorado in 2012 I put training for hunting season on the back burner and wouldn’t start until a month before season. I thought going for a run here and there, would increase my endurance enough to get me ready for season. Not only was I slacking on my physical fitness, but also in the time spent shooting my bow and creating a personal connection with it. I would go to the range, shoot a couple arrows, and call it good. This resulted in many bad shots made in the field injuring elk, and a body and mind that wasn’t physically and mentally “up-to-par” for the hunts I was going on. Some of my favorite ways to train for season (I do this year round) is to throw some weight in my pack (I use a 30 lb dumbbell) and go for a hike. Getting off trail will help build up those muscles you don’t use on trail, and will help create balance in your core, and bring you confidence when you find yourself hiking through deadfall. I could go on and on about this topic, but I’ll keep it short and simple. Below is a list of ways to train for season. 

• Weighted hikes. Start with a comfortable weight were you are physically able to hike a few miles, and then start adding more to make it more challenging. By doing so you’ll find hiking 8 miles a day with a 10 lb pack isn’t that difficult!

• HIT workouts. This stands for high, intensity training. Focused on jacking your heart rate up, bringing it down, and then back up. (This happens all the time during season) Below is an example.

  • 30 Seconds work, 10 seconds rest. 6 Rounds.

    • Burpees (My favorite!!)

    • Weighted squat

    • Side plank

    • Mountain climbers

I get it, we all have different bodies and they all react differently to variations to workouts, but through the years I have found hit workouts to work best to keep me strong and my endurance up! 

-Shoot your weapon, over and over again. Get to know your weapon. The more you shoot, the higher your chances of being successful in the field. It’s as simple as that. 

• Don’t forget to stretch and repair your muscles after working them.

Scouting:

-OnX Maps is a well known map app that you can download and use in the field without any service. You can create waypoints for important information such as, water holes, rubs, bedding areas, fresh sign, etc. You can also share these waypoints with people you are hunting with. If you harvest an animal and need help packing it out, you can send that waypoint to whomever is coming to help you. If your new to hunting solo, don’t worry, Onx maps can track your hunt, and as long as your phone doesn’t die, it’s NEARLY impossible to get lost. Another great way tool you can use is called E-Scouting. This means using your map to find where elk potentially would be. These are a few things to look for elk habitat. Water, benches (flat areas typically in the middle of steep hillsides) and north facing timber. All three of these make up prime elk habitat and you will increase your chances of seeing elk by finding these types of areas. Once again, I could go on and on about the tools and the use of Onx but we’ll stick to the basics for now. 

-Trail cameras: Finding an area such as a heavy used trail, or a water hole to capture what animals are traveling through and at what time can be a great way to find a general area the animals are in. Always be mindful when checking or setting up your camera, of your wind/thermals, time of day, and how soon till season.

- Glassing: Being able to watch wild game from a distance is my preferred way to scout. They don’t know your there and you don’t have to worry about spooking the wild game you are watching. The early morning and last hour of daylight is when you’re going to see the most activity as they get up from their bedding areas (typically dark north facing timber) to feed for the night. I like to keep notes whether on my phone or in a note pad of certain details such as, the time the elk are visible, date, weather, if the bulls are still in bachelor herds or with the cows, etc. I also found that glassing for animals year round gas made me a better “glasser” and that I find the animals I’m looking for quicker and almost effortlessly.

-First Aid Kit: Now is the time to make sure your first aid kit is ready for any accident in the wilderness. Head on over the The Western Hunting Hub Podcast, Episode #64 as Matt Jost gives a detailed list on what he carries in the back country. (Available on all podcast platforms)

The more time you spend working towards being a better hunter, the more success you’ll have in the field and you will most definitely find that the process of preparing for your hunt is just as fun as the hunt itself.

Also- IF you havnt heard the news yet, Ridge Patrol has started our Pre-Sale of 20% off your entire purchase until July 9th. To learn who we are, and what product we are selling you can head on over to my SHOP page for details and to purchase!