If you’ve been following along with me for the past few years, then you know how much of a bear nut I am. Last year I wrote a story called Canyon Bruins, which took you along the epic journey that was my 2015 season. If you read that story then you know that is when I was able to harvest my first black bear. On that morning, we were able to see 9 bears in about an hour and a half, all within 300 yards of each other. Everything from the shot to the packout was nothing short of an adventure. It took me 3 years to find a good bear spot here in AZ, so you can imagine how excited I was to get back to that magical hell hole that these Canyon Bruins called home for the 2016 season.
I’ve decided to do something a bit different for this post then previous ones that went over my hunts. On this trip, I actually kept a journal while out in the field and I think it turned out pretty neat. I might end up doing this a lot more in the future, just because of the genuine point of view that it offers with the play by play perspective. This was not only my first out of state hunt, it was my first archery elk hunt, along with my first extended backpack hunt. My brother and I packed into the Colorado backcountry for a week in hopes of making some awesome memories and arrowing my first bull. We ended up doing both…..technically. Enjoy.
Finding a good hunting partner can sometimes be just as difficult, if not more difficult than hunting itself. A lot of things have to lineup between two people in order for it to work. This became all too apparent when I really got into all of this. Up until a certain point, I had always hunted with another person. As the fire grew inside of me to be out in the field though, I came to a fork in the road. Either I was going to not go out at all or I needed to go out alone. I chose the latter and throughout my adventures have really grown to love hunting on my own. Even with that being the case, I still enjoy getting out into the mountains with good friends and family. After all, that is how I ended up loving hunting as much as I do in the first place.
If you are an archer/bowhunter, then you know the feeling of watching your arrow cut through the air and land right where you want it to. It’s a soothing feeling and, for myself, has become somewhat of an addiction. Achieving the accuracy that you strive for doesn’t come free of charge though. It takes much practice and dedication in order to crush your archery goals. Some folks are just naturals and will be busting the bullseye at 60 yards in a heartbeat. Other people have to work a bit harder. Wherever you fall, I think there are a few things that we all should keep in mind while we prepare for our future hunts.
This is an exciting time of year for us hunters. The early archery seasons are right around the corner and some have already started. Soon after that we will take to the mountains in search of bugling bulls followed up by the fall deer and bear seasons. It’s a busy time to say the least if you are a hunter. Some of us have been training all year long in preparation for what lies ahead. Maybe, you have been shooting your bow religiously or you have been hitting the gym and the trails in your free time. Whatever the case may be, hunting has been on your mind and you have been doing what you can to be better than you were last year. Endless scouting has and will take place. Gear testing is in full effect to ensure we are properly equipped for our adventures. The amount of effort that we put into our way of life may seem excessive to an outsider, but for us, it is just that. A way of life.
What if I told you that you could get a bomber pack capable of handling as much weight as you could pick up, carry that weight extremely well, AND come in at a mere 4 lbs 14 oz? Sound too good to be true? Surely, there must be some give and take or sacrifice happening to reach these numbers. The only sacrifice that happened though, was all of the man hours that Steve Speck and Lenny Nelson put in to make said pack a reality. If you don’t know what I am talking about yet, I am referring to the company that is Exo Mountain Gear, and specifically, the Exo 3500 backpack. I have been using this pack for the past couple of months and have been VERY impressed with its performance and functionality.
If you are in the western hunting world and have not heard of Wilderness Athlete, you are missing out. They are the makers of high quality, field tested, sports performance products specifically for the outdoor athlete. Most notably, they are known for their superior Hydrate & Recover and their Energy & Focus drink mixes. I have been using these two products for the past 2 years and I don’t go into the mountains without them. Recently, I got the chance to test out their Ultimate Pre-Workout and Nighttime Optimizer supplements. I will admit, it was hard straying away from the first two products mentioned, BUT I have been pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
Let’s face it. Bowhunting can be and is an extremely difficult endeavor. It doesn’t matter if you are an expert or a beginner, life with the bow constantly challenges us. My biggest hurdle when I started out, and now for that matter, is getting close enough for a shot. This is why we hunt with a bow though, is it not? We love the intimate connection that is shared between predator and prey. Being close enough to hear every step that the animal takes is all too alluring. In order to get good at something though, we need to have ample opportunity to practice it. There are many days when I don’t even find a buck to stalk though. How can you practice something as much as you can, if you don’t have the opportunity to do so?
If you asked me a few years ago if I would be investing the money that I do now in high quality hunting clothing, I probably would have laughed at you. I was indeed a skeptic of these higher end purchases and honestly didn’t see the reasoning behind why someone would pay $100 for a shirt or $200 for a pair of pants. That was until I finally tried the stuff out.
The world that we know today is host to a fast paced, hustle and bustle lifestyle of an environment. Get up early, go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed, and do it again tomorrow. I believe it is called “The Rat Race.” With the tap of our finger on a little screen, we have access to whatever information that we desire and are served with instant gratification in most cases. No work needed and when work is needed, some of us get frustrated, due to how easily things usually come. Imagine that, your phone didn’t load Instagram fast enough for you.
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