Something else I’m really trying to focus on for this upcoming backcountry archery spring bear hunt is strength training. I will admit, that this is something that I have lacked over the past few years. My primary way of training for hunts has been trail running and weighted pack hikes. This has gotten the job done but with a caveat. I’ve noticed that I’ve been more prone to injury. Which is where strength training comes in.

The Goal

At least on the surface, when I think of strength training, immediately an image of giant muscles destroying the weight room comes to mind. While this exists in that world, it couldn’t be farther from my personal goals as a backcountry hunter.

My biggest goal with upping my strength training is not body composition or hitting a max PR. It’s simply being strong and durable for the task ahead. These backcountry bear hunts are no joke and are extremely physically demanding. Not to mention, bears are heavy. Packing them out and traversing through the nasty terrain they call home requires strength and stability. I want to make sure that my entire body is ready for that, as well as reducing the chance of injury. Weak muscles don’t bode well for preventing injury.

Example Workouts/Movements I’ve Been Doing for Backcountry Prep

These are listed in no particular order and I don’t do ALL of these every time I train. I might take 3-4 of them and do something along the lines of 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps for each. My focus with these is leg, back, and core strength.

• Walking Lunges(weight and non-weighted)
• Bear Crawl
• One-legged Romanian Deadlift(dumbbell)
• Bent Over Rows(dumbbell)
• One Legged Weighted Step Up(dumbbell)
• Goblet Squat(dumbbell)
• Man Makers(dumbbell)
• Push-Ups
• Knees to Chest When Hanging from Pull-Up Bar
• Side Plank with Hip Pulse

Along with what I’ve listed above, I’ve also been doing work with a resistance band. This has mainly been for my upper body and more specifically trying to strengthen my rotator cuff. I had been experiencing some shoulder pain while drawing my bow before I even started this training. It’s another reason strength training came more onto my radar. So, simple workouts with the bands have really been helping. Now, I don’t have any pain when shooting my bow.

Closing Thoughts

Even past the point of this hunt, having and maintaining strength is something that will help carry me into many future hunts to come. It scares the shit out of me thinking of a day when I can’t backcountry archery hunt. The truth is, though, TIME WAITS FOR NOBODY. So, I want to do what I can now to try to age like a fine wine instead of like a forgotten piece of produce.

In the next piece, I’m going to dive into my archery game. The setup I’m bringing along as well as how I’ve been training behind the bow.

Want to learn more about backpack hunting? Check out my book Becoming a Backpack Hunter – A Beginner’s Guide to Hunting the Backcountry.

Joshua Kirchner