Archery Spring Bear in the Backcountry – I’ve Been Dreaming About This For YEARS

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Mar 21, 2024
Hunter holding a compound bow

Going on 4 years now, I have gone to Idaho during the spring to hunt black bears. Since my first trip, which was actually solo for 8 days, I have looked forward to this hunt every year. The first year I missed several bears. The second year I made a bad shot and couldn’t recover a bear. And the third I finally laid my hands on my first Idaho black bear. These were all backpack hunts with my rifle. There was one thing on my mind the whole time. A dream.

Index Style Releases – Carter Like Mike II vs Stan SoleX

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Mar 13, 2024
Two index style releases Josh Kirchner from Dialed in Hunter uses

There are a ton of different archery release aids floating around out there. Index style releases, hinges, thumb buttons, and resistance releases. And there are a bunch of options for each of those categories. I am a strong believer in an index-style release for bowhunting especially. My two go-to index-style releases are the Carter Like Mike II and the Stan SoleX. Both are very similar in design, but come in at very different price points. I’m going to break down what I like and what I don’t like about each of these releases. Hopefully, this can help you weigh out which of these awesome index-style releases might be best for you.

Dad Life Check In – 2024

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Mar 2, 2024
Josh Kirchner from Dialed in Hunter shooting his bow with his daughter

Almost 4 years ago now my life changed for the better. Not that the life I was living was bad at all. I loved my life. But, now I love it more than I could imagine at the time. On June 15th, 2020 my wife and I had our first child, Juniper Rain Kirchner. Things would never be the same for us and we’d grow in more ways than one. The Dad life began.

Josh Kirchner's wife Amber holding their daughter Juniper shortly after her being born. The day Josh Kirchner became a Dad

As someone who lives a very busy life and spends a fair amount of time away from home during hunting seasons, I wanted to do a little virtual check-in with what I’ve learned since our little girl came into our lives. Some changes I’ve made, mistakes, and what life looks like overall now. With any hope, there are some new Dads out there that can benefit from this. If that is you, let me just say, I’m stoked for you!

Fair warning, this is largely going to be about being a parent and has very little to do with hunting, haha. At the same time, it has everything to do with it.

After Season Arrow Setup Report 2023/2024

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Feb 11, 2024
Josh Kirchner from Dialed in Hunter's arrow and broadhead choice for 2024

2023 had no shortage of gear changes for me. I’m always looking for ways to solidify my system even more. The only way to do that is to try out new things. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. During the 2023 season, I was reminded of the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” My arrow setup is now what it once was instead of something totally new.

Rangefinder Tips – Alternative Uses Besides Ranging Animals

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Jan 28, 2024
Vortex Razor HD 4000 GB Rangefinder on a spring bear hunt in Idaho

Back before I ever had my very first rangefinder, my perception of them was always that they existed for one to range an animal to get an accurate distance to aim for the shot. And while they absolutely own that space in terms of use, there are other ways that I have found to effectively use rangefinders to make me a more efficient hunter. 2 in particular to be exact.

Goals for the New Year – 2024 Edition

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Jan 21, 2024
Josh Kirchner from Dialed in Hunter on a late archery elk hunt in Arizona

It’s that time of year. When people are making New Year’s Resolutions and building their aspirations for the coming 12 months. Right after hunting season and the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it feels like the right time for a fresh start. I get it, and I’m no exception. I’ve got aspirations of my own, and because this is my blog, I’m going to share some thoughts I’ve had on the New Year and the goals I have in my sights.

2023 Hunting Season – A Look Back

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Dec 30, 2023
Josh Kirchner from Dialed in Hunter on a coues deer hunt in Arizona

At each start of a new year, I always feel like I am rich with time. A whole 365 days is ahead with a long list of adventure hunts planned. And each year it blows my mind how fast those 365 days fly by. So quick that sometimes it’s hard to appreciate things in the moment as they happen. In light of that, I’m going to treat this as a reflection post. One that takes a look back on the 2023 hunting season.

The Secret to Bowhunting Coues Deer – Rutting Bucks

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Dec 23, 2023
Coues Buck that Josh Kirchner got with his bow spot and stalk in Arizona

Right now, I’m sitting under a blanket downstairs in front of a Christmas tree. It’s my favorite time of year. Not only do I cherish these times spent at home with family, but right after the fact, I’ll be heading into the field with my bow. Bowhunting coues deer during the month of January is like a second Christmas to me.

Backpack Hunting for Coues Deer – 7 Day Gear List

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Dec 19, 2023
Josh Kirchner from Dialed in Hunter Backpack Hunting for Coues Deer during the month of January in Arizona

It’s the end of December right now at the time of typing this. We’ve been soaking up the holiday season together in our home and enjoying every second of it with our 3 year old. I love the month of December dearly, but I also lust for January. It’s archery deer season in Arizona at that time. The bucks are rutting and it’s one of my favorite times of year backpack hunting for coues deer.

Given our unique environment, and an odd time of year, knowing what backcountry gear to bring along is a question that I get asked on a regular basis. So, I’m going to break down here what I am bringing along on a 7 day backpack hunt during the month of January for Coues deer in Arizona.

Post Archery Elk Hunt Jibber Jabber

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Dec 5, 2023
Prime RVX bow on an archery elk hunt in Arizona

I had dreamed all year long about my archery elk hunt in Arizona. And now that I sit here, 12 hard days of hunting are behind me. Time feels like it has been swept right from under me. The hunt had it all. Good weather, bad weather, moments where I felt unstoppable, and moments where I felt incapable.

Josh Kirchner from Dialed in Hunter at the end of his archery elk hunt in Arizona

Right here, I’m going to just say, I didn’t get an elk. I did shoot one though. More on that later. What I wanted to do here is lay out my thoughts after the hunt and some major takeaways after spending so many days in the field. All of those days gave me a lot to think about. Most are hunting-related, but I even was put at peace with something I struggle with in life.