Not 3 days ago I got back from what was my second round of Idaho spring bear. The first round took place in late April and I snuck away again a month later in late May. Both were backpack hunts in some of the most rugged country in the lower 48.
On the first trip, I was joined by my cameraman and friend Dillon Flint, along with two other friends Brian and Eric. Both are on the green side of bear hunting, but both are ever so eager to get after it. Early spring hunts like this are very weather-dependent in terms of bear sightings. Bears aren’t moving a ton this time of year anyway, so if any bit of nasty weather blows in, they usually shut down. We found this out very quickly.
All in all, we only turned up 2 bears in the 6 days of backpack hunting we did. They were 2 small boars that were both sticking very tight to their dens. We’d see them one day and then they’d disappear for a few days. My hope going early like this would be that we would have a better opportunity at pinning a bear down for a stalk. If it weren’t for the weather, based on what the bears were doing that we saw, the plan would have worked perfectly. We just never saw the right bear.
On the second trip, I was alone backpacking into the same country from earlier in the spring. It would be a short trip. Just a few days. With it being later in the year, I knew ALL of the bears would be out moving around. My first two days in camp were HOT. It felt more like my home state of Arizona than it did Idaho. In that time I only saw one lone bear. Again, a small bear. The weather was set to turn for the next few days with a temperature drop of 20 degrees. This is what I needed.
Once the temperature dropped, the bears really started moving. In the one day I got to hunt during this time I turned up 6 bears. A sow and 1 cub, a sow and 2 cubs, and another lone small bear. Even though I never saw a bear I wanted to go after, watching these animals never gets old. From the cubs playing with their Momma to watching little bears try and move big boulders around to uncover food underneath. It was a great hunt.
I think the number one thing I learned on this hunt is there is only so much you can control and plan for. My focus was so lasered in on bringing a bow into this landscape. It was all I could think about and something I had wanted to do for years. Not for a second did I think I wouldn’t even go on one stalk. I love Mother Nature for that. She always has a way of getting me to look at things in a different way.
Walking out of that Idaho backcountry there was a smile on my face from ear to ear. Not only was I fulfilled with another spring in Idaho, but I was looking toward the future. An August spot and stalk archery black bear hunt in my home state of Arizona. Arizona Fall Bear is very near and dear to me and I am so very eager to start my scouting and enjoy another Fall season in Arizona bear country. I have a few scouting trips already planned and will try and keep you all updated!
Want to learn more about backpack hunting? Check out my book Becoming a Backpack Hunter: A Beginner’s Guide to Hunting the Backcountry.
Over and over again my arrows kept hitting to the left. So, naturally, I ended up adjusting my bow sight, only to then experience an occasional impact point that was now to the right. After a lot of unnecessary tinkering, I later put the pieces together that I was anchored too hard into my face. This was affecting my archery accuracy with inconsistent left/right misses in my archery accuracy.
For a right-hand shooter, like myself, if you are anchored too hard into your face, then your string will kick off of your face to the right. This will cause the front of your bow to kick left, thus causing the hits to the left. For left-hand shooters, the opposite will occur. The misses are visible at shorter ranges but are really magnified when you step back farther. And if you aren’t in tune with this face-pressure business, these misses can be quite maddening.
Right on the surface the most obvious thing to do is to just be aware of the amount of face pressure you are applying with your string at full draw. This is what I did and it’s amazing what the results are making this tiny adjustment.
Your face should really just touch your string. The string shouldn’t dig into your face. If you’re unsure about this, take a video of yourself. Notate the string on your face and then pay attention to if your bow is kicking left or right depending on if you’re left or right-handed.
There are also a few tools out there to help. One is the Bowmar Nose Button. This is essentially a spikey addition to your string that you set to your nose height at full draw. The spikes ensure that you don’t press your nose into the string too much, which inevitably keeps the face pressure at bay.
Something that helped me long ago was a certain release. Now, to be fair, I don’t know if they make this anymore, but it is worth mentioning just for context. There were also some mechanical issues with it, but hey, maybe a release company will read this and make one of their own.
I used a Stan Xtinction 2 index-style release for about a year. A unique feature was the hook was on the opposite side hooks normally are. Most of the time hooks are on the side of the release closest to you. On the Stan, it was the opposite. What this did was it helped keep the string away from my face just enough to not affect my shot. Going back to a normal index with the hook on the inside actually took some time to get used to and I found myself applying too much face pressure, unlike with the Stan.
Did you catch episode 1 – Beating Target Panic?
Cracking the code on what is killing your accuracy is a pursuit that will never cease to exist. Everyone wants to hit what they’re aiming at and it’s somewhat crushing when it keeps not happening. I’m no exception here. The times I’ve spent not being accurate were equally times I spent trying to crack the code I mentioned. And in all honesty, I don’t think I’ll ever have it all figured out. That’s one of the beauties of archery/bowhunting. There is always room for improvement. If there weren’t it would get boring. So, I say, “keep on cracking.”
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Want to learn more about backpack hunting? Check out my book Becoming a Backpack Hunter: A Beginner’s Guide to Hunting the Backcountry.
This is the first post in a new series I’ll be doing called “Behind the Bow.” My goal with this series is to take one thing per episode that I have personally overcome or an AHA moment in my bowhunting/archery journey and break it down for you. All of this with the hope to provide you with real-world perspective and experience to help you along your own journey behind the bow. Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel to stay up to date with all future episodes!
It’s like a disease. Target panic is something that infiltrates the minds of bowhunters worldwide. Whether it’s not being able to hold the pin on target, nervously punching the trigger, feeling like you have no choice but to shoot, or aggressively anticipating the shot. This is nasty business and it takes more than a good sleep to overcome it.
What is an archery spring bear hunt without the bow and arrow part right? Shot opportunities in bowhunting don’t grow on trees. Each one is earned and the earning part is gonna be on the healthy side for the backcountry bear hunt I have planned. In light of that, confidence in my setup, and confidence in my shooting needs to be absolutely dialed. I may only get one shot, so I’ll need to make damn sure it counts.
This past January 2024, I spent 14 days bowhunting one of my favorite animals on the planet, the coues deer. It’s a spot and stalk hunt that I look forward to every single year and this past January was no exception to that. The exception was the number of days I stayed in the field though. The hunt was rough with lots of ups and downs. In the end, I was able to come out with a great buck, and now a great film that I’m super proud of.
The film is called Fourteen – An Archery Coues Deer Story. It follows me throughout my January 2024 season from the backcountry to living out of my truck. It explores the deep connection I have to my brother that was made through hunting long ago. And then there is the overall message to NEVER GIVE UP. There are snowstorms, failed stalks, laughs, frustrations, and all. Looking back it was perfect and I really hope you enjoy this film. If you do, please subscribe to the channel and share it with your friends. Thanks!
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.
Back in March of 2020 I released my very first book Becoming a Backpack Hunter: A Beginner’s Guide to Hunting the Backcountry. The positive response was overwhelming and it continues even to this day as I sit here now in 2024. Shortly after writing that book, I started another. I’ve kept this as hush as I could over the years of writing it, but it’s time to get the word out.
A quality layering system for western hunting is absolutely non-negotiable in my eyes, especially when it comes to backpack hunting. This is something that is going to keep you warm when it’s cold, dry when it’s raining, and cool when it’s warm out. Versatility is key and this year Sitka Gear hit the nail on the head for me.
This coming spring I’ll be heading into the Idaho backcountry for a spot and stalk archery spring bear hunt. The past few years I’ve done this hunt with a rifle and been successful doing so. It’s always brutal and I always look forward to it. With this being an archery hunt, the physical demands will be even greater and I’ve been chipping away on backcountry prep little by little to prepare myself.
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.
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