Exo Journal

I drew for a New Mexico archery elk tag in March 2015. It was my first elk tag. I worked my tail off in the gym, at the range, and in my garage bow shop, determined to hike into the mountains a predator. It took over 5 months of preparation and a full workweek of high-country hiking, with several tough lessons learned on the job to accomplish the goal...

If you want to effectively train for backcountry hunting in mountainous terrain, you need to train specifically for the demands of that pursuit. You are not a runner training for a marathon. You are not a powerlifter training to raise your lift total. You are not a Crossfitter training for a score. You are not a bodybuilder training to sculpt an aesthetic physique. You are a hunter, and you should be training to hunt more effectively.

I have spent six years hunting elk on public land. I have learned new lessons on every trip, brought home new experiences each time, and thankfully, I also tagged-out 4 of those years. I am far from an expert, but as a regular do-it-yourself guy, I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned that could benefit other folks, like you, that are learning to hunt elk on public land.

Confidence is something that is developed over time, by experience. Attempting new things often feels difficult and awkward. But with some experience, these new pursuits become comfortable, and we become confident. You don’t have to think about walking any more, you just do it. Having a conversation with someone is commonplace, and you rarely need to think about finding the right word to convey your thoughts and then strategically try to pronounce that word correctly. Talking just happens. It wasn’t always that way though. It takes time to develop competence and confidence in all skills, including hunting.