It seems that every backpack hunt or backpacking trip I go on, I am trying to figure out how to lighten the weight of my pack. There was a time when I would bring things just to bring them, and quite honestly, I probably still do it some. Over the years though, I’ve gotten more comfortable and in tune with my gear to really start realizing what I need and what I don’t need. I quiver when I hear guys carrying 70-80 pounds of gear into the backcountry. If you want to do that, that is totally fine, but I just don’t, especially when I am planning on hauling out loads of fresh meat. Now, I am by no means a backcountry minimalist and for sure enjoy some creature comforts. Here are some things though that I have learned and ways that I have been able to cut down the weight of my pack.
If you’ve spent any great deal of time looking into new gear for your backpack hunting endeavors, I’d be hard pressed if you didn’t cringe a little bit every now and again at the prices of some of these items. I know I used to do it a ton, when I was first looking into this stuff. Why in the world would someone spend $500 on a sleeping bag?! That’s more than my truck payment! $800 on a tent? “NO FRIGGIN WAY,” I’d tell myself. The fact of the matter is though, if you want to be an ultralight backpack hunter and have good reliable gear, you are eventually gonna pony up the dough here and there on certain items. The more we get into something, the more we care about the gear that goes along with said something. When I started, anything was “good enough.” Now, that I’ve had more experience, I care a lot more about the functionality of my gear, because of previous gear failures as well as knowing what I need out of that gear. I don’t want to be 5 miles + into a wilderness, only to realize that my tent broke or that my rain gear isn’t quite as “waterproof” as it was advertised to be. With that being said, I think that there are some areas where you can definitely avoid the huge price tags and still have an enjoyable experience, especially if you’re new to all of this.
Alright, so it’s been awhile since we’ve chatted about one of my favorite kinds of media to consume and that’s podcasts. I thought I’d put together a list of what I am looking forward to listening to in 2017. These aren’t in any particular order, so if a podcast is at the bottom of the list, that doesn’t mean that I like that show the least, it just means it’s at the bottom. Most of the podcasts I listen to focus on all things western hunting, so that is what you are going to see here. I will include two sections to this. Podcasts that have been constants in my library and then I will follow that with newer podcasts that I have just recently started listening to. Let’s go.
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.
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?
The world of western hunting and hunting in general can be a bit overwhelming to a new comer. I found this to be all too true after blitzkrieging my way into this lifestyle. It is a lifestyle in my opinion. What gear do I need? What do I want to hunt? Do I hunt alone or with a partner? Then there is a the question of WHERE do I hunt? This one probably plagued me the most in the beginning and still does from time to time. With so much public land to hunt out west, the question of where to hunt almost seemed unanswerable at the time. A guy can walk a whole lot out here before finding that “magic” spot.
So, you’ve just about had it! You have looked through every western hunting magazine that is in existence, watched every hunting show out west, and just can’t take it anymore! The West is calling. The Mountains are screaming in your thoughts. It’s time to go on your first western hunt.
First off, let me say, CONGRATULATIONS, and I am super excited for you! The world of western hunting is filled with adventure and memories that will last a lifetime. Be it the views of our vast landscapes or the animals that call them home, they will for sure leave an imprint on you for life. Going on your first western hunt can be pretty overwhelming though, especially if you are coming from another part of the country. I am gonna do my best to lay some basic information out for you that you NEED to know.
Ever since I was a kid, I have been going on hunting trips with my dad. In my teenage years, I would head out with both friends and dad. There came a point though, when I reached adulthood, where I wanted to spend more and more time in the field. I wanted to be out there more than just for the annual deer hunt or sporadic quail hunt. As we grow up our list of responsibilities keep getting bigger though. This proved difficult in being able to schedule hunting trips with friends and even dad. So, I had a choice to make. Either I don’t go out hunting as much or I grab my bow/rifle, put on my backpack, and head out on my own. I think you can guess what my decision was.
If you have never heard of Target Panic, consider yourself lucky, because that probably means that you haven’t had to deal with it. Target Panic is when the archer is unable to release an arrow without panicking. Panicking can take many forms including flinching, not being able to keep the pin held on the bullseye, and not even being able to release the arrow. Movement is completely normal when aiming your bow, but some people have a hard time accepting this which causes them to panic. While you are never going to be as still as you would if you put a rifle on a rest, remaining calm throughout the releasing of the arrow is going to have you stacking them in the bullseye. Target Panic is 100% psychological and, lucky enough, very curable.
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