hunting « Hunting Fit

Reasons and Ways to Stay in Shape in the Off-Season

January 2, 2016 — Leave a comment

Stair climbers with weighted backpack for hunt training

The curtain is closed in most of the country for the 2015 hunting season. Going forward, it seems to be nothing but months of waiting, planning and dreaming. It might seem as though there is no reason to start working toward next year, but that is not true. Your health and your fitness level should not suffer during the off-season. In fact, there are plenty of reasons to maintain your fitness level and continue working toward new heights in your overall fitness. If you are like me, you need something to train for because sometimes training for the sake of training can get boring. With this in mind, I have a few ideas of things to train for that will keep you motivated during the early off-season. Whatever you do, do not let your fitness go by the wayside. Continue Reading…

In Cardio, Hunting, Motivational, Training hunting, off-season, Total Archery Challenge, Train to Hunt, Training

“One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.” – Benjamin Disraeli

The Definition of “Luck”

Posted on December 29, 2015 In Hunting hunting, Luck, preparation, success

Hunting From a New Perspective

December 17, 2015 — 1 Comment

I have been hunting for nearly 20 years. I have learned a ton of lessons (most have come by learning the hard way) and I have had a lot of great experiences. When my brother-in-law, Cody, drew a cow elk tag in Arizona and asked me if I would want to go with him, I was both excited and conflicted. On the one hand, I was excited to be able to be a part of Cody’s first elk hunt and hopefully help him get a chance to fill his tag. On the other hand, I was conflicted because I had never gone on a hunt in which I did not hold a tag and I did not know what to expect in terms of how I would feel. Would I be disappointed? Would I be jealous? Would it be fun? Only time would tell. Continue Reading…

In Elk, Hunting elk, guiding, hunting

Planning + Preparation + Proper Gear = Success

November 14, 2015 — Leave a comment

In Archery, Deer, Gear, Hunting Bowhunting, hunting, whitetail

My Hunting Bucket List

November 9, 2015 — 4 Comments

moose

This article is completely self-indulgent. I’ll just get that out of the way up front.

I developed a hunting “bucket list” to give myself some hunting goals to work toward over the next decade or so. It would be impossible to accomplish all of this in one year or even ten years. Instead, this is a list of the hunting accomplishments I hope to have checked off my list by the time I am too old to hunt anymore. If I don’t get to them all, so be it; it isn’t that important. But my hope is that having them written down will motivate me to try and make as many happen as possible. Some of these when added together comprise the Super 10. Of those species that comprise the Super 10, I would like to take all of those with my Xpedition bow. A lofty goal, but that’s the point – set goals that we would be proud to achieve.

Here is my hunting bucket list: Continue Reading…

In Hunting, Motivational Bucket List, goals, hunting

“A peculiar virtue in wildlife ethics is that the hunter ordinarily has no gallery to applaud or disapprove of his conduct. Whatever his acts, they are dictated by his own conscience, rather than by a mob of onlookers. It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of this fact.” – Aldo Leopold

Ethics

Posted on November 5, 2015 In Hunting Ethics, hunting

Waterfowl Workout

November 4, 2015 — Leave a comment

Fitness for waterfowl hunting? Really? Yes, even those who hunt from a blind or a boat need to remember that fitness has a place in all forms of hunting. No matter where you hunt ducks or geese, training for waterfowl hunting can improve you ability to bag a few extras and reduce the risk of injury. Continue Reading…

In Hunting, Training, Waterfowl fitness, hunting, Waterfowl

So You Think It’s Better to Be in a Tree Stand Thinking About God, Huh?

October 31, 2015 — Leave a comment

I have heard it said, “It is better to sit in a tree stand thinking about God than to sit in church thinking about hunting.” While this may sound philosophically deep and meaningful, it is fundamentally flawed and misleading. There is nothing wrong with sitting in a tree stand while thinking about God and there is definitely nothing wrong with going to church; however, there is something concerning about thinking that one is an acceptable replacement for the other. To be completely honest, it really seems like an attempt to justify going hunting instead of going to church. I know that I have been guilty of trying to justify what I want to do instead of doing what I know I should do so it is an attempt that I can understand; however, it does not make it okay. Continue Reading…

In Hunting, Spiritual Health church, God, hunting, prayer, Treestand

“A hunt based only on the trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear

Hunting Has A Greater Purpose

Posted on October 11, 2015 In Hunting Bowhunting, hunting, trophies

How Light is Too Light When it Comes to Your Rifle?

October 1, 2015 — Leave a comment

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Newton’s third law is something that many hunters seem to forget in the name of lightweight rifles. The lightweight craze is in full swing with the popularity of lightweight, “mountain” rifles. The benefit of such rifles is clear: less weight means less energy expended to carry it. Seems like a no-brainer for anyone taking a rifle on a long hunt through the mountains, right?
Continue Reading…

In Hunting hunting, lightweight, rifle