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Training for Your Backcountry Hunt
Written by Field Expert Jeremy Hoefs
 If you hunt like me, success during hunting season is directly related to the level of preparation. Preparing for DIY (do-it-yourself) public land hunts doesn't come from properly placed food plots or trail cameras. Instead it comes from intense training, like shooting archery 3D tournaments, running local road/trail races, and strength training. Hunting in the harsh conditions of the backcountry is rough mentally and physically. Year after year elk hunting success is around 10%. How can you be in the 10% who punches their tag? Follow these tips to push the odds in your favor.
Bowhunter's Strength Training
Strength is perhaps the most important factor to success in the backcountry. On the 10th day of a hunt, your body is worn down; you're hungry, thirsty, and tired. If you prepared properly, you can push through the pain and continue working hard to get in position on that bull elk of your dreams.
Strength training sessions should last 30-60 minutes and occur 4-5 times per week. Focus on total body movements like squats, dead-lifts, pull-ups, and push-ups. For example, a typical week would consist of lower body on Monday and Thursday and upper body on Tuesday and Friday. Everyone has 30 extra minutes that they can spare during the course of the day. It all comes down to commitment and how much you want to punch the tag. Hiking up and down the mountains at 10,000 feet is a total body adventure. Your strength workouts should simulate these conditions.
Backcountry Cardio Training
 Getting out of your comfort zone during training will make those long epic hunting trips seem so much easier. The best way that I've found to escape from the comfort zone is to enter local road/trail races. These races can range from a 5K to a 50K. Whatever the distance, the key is pushing your personal limit and running as fast and as hard as you can. A minimum amount of training would include running for 45-60 minutes at least three times per week. I know plenty of bowhunters who routinely replace their lunch breaks with a run.
Everyone lives close to a city that hosts a half-marathon or marathon. Entering these races keeps you motivated, brings out your competitive spirit, and ultimately prepares you for the backcountry. My personal favorites are trail races with terrain that resembles the backcountry.
Details in the Equipment
Now that you have built a solid foundation of strength and cardiovascular endurance, your hunting equipment needs to be finely-tuned. Get to know your local pro-shop dealer and enter as many archery 3D tournaments as you can during the summer. My favorite is running a local 5K or 10K in the morning and then heading to a 3D after the race. Shooting the 3D in a fatigued state is the pinnacle of training for DIY backcountry hunts.
Making sure that your equipment is ready for the harsh mountain conditions will help you finish the long stalk on your P&Y bull. There's nothing worse than working hard to get into position and then your equipment fails. Don't overlook any details when it comes to your equipment.
Like you, my life revolves around hunting. I dream of big bucks and big bulls every day. I convert these dreams into motivation and use the energy in the weight room, on the trail, and at the archery range. Remember to push the limit, get out of your comfort zone, and prepare with no regrets. Follow these tips and you'll be closer at punching that elk tag this September. Train Hard! Hunt Hard! For more fitness information, visit my website at www.jeremyhoefs.com.
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