Friends, I can’t help but get excited as summer draws to a close. While I do enjoy long, warm days, the changing leaves and early cool breezes remind me that hunting season is just around the corner.
Let's Talk History
Hunting played a pivotal role in my upbringing. Despite my youthful appearance, I am an old trapper. As such, I’ve spent more time than most hunting game throughout the wildest parts of this great nation. While much of my time involves setting and tending trap lines, I do frequently take up my rifle or bow and search out larger animals.
I remember the first time my father — the Old, Old Trapper — took me on a hunt. Together, we pursued a massive mule deer across miles of mountain forests until, finally, he could take his shot. It took every ounce of my little trapper strength to help him harvest and pack out the buck that day. But I knew that deer’s sacrifice, and my hard work, would sustain my family for weeks to come. That experience has shaped my approach to hunting ever since.
A Hunting Practice
In my mind, hunting is more practice than pastime. Much like yoga or the martial arts, hunters should carefully mind every step, every breath, and every movement as they pursue their game. Hunting is a serious business that few people will ever perfect. Instead, the best hunters enter the woods with a deep respect for everything they don’t know and seek out their own improvement first and foremost. Results will follow naturally from there.
Bring The Right Gear
Of course, preparation is the key to every good hunt. Understanding the land and the game before you begin is critical to success. Humans can never hope to match a bull elk’s power or the speed and swiftness of a white-tailed deer. Instead, we must rely on our intuition, cunning, and experience to come out on top.
To do that, hunters must be careful to keep their own energy up in the midst of a rigorous hunt. If you’ve tracked that deer for what seems like mile after endless mile, carrying all your heavy gear on your back, your hands must be steady, and your breath clear when the opportunity to take the shot finally arrives.
That’s why I always bring plenty of beef jerky on every hunt. Each bite is packed with loads of lean protein, which provides the long-lasting energy you’ll need to stay in the hunt. What’s more, this calorie-dense snack won’t take up extra space in your hunting pack. Pack beef jerky, and you’ll always have access to the energy you need to succeed this hunting season..
