Prepping for Fall Hunts

It’s July, which means summer is in full swing. It also means fall hunting season is right around the corner.

Every year brings new adventures. New tags to fill. Friends and family to help. And whether it’s the coveted tag of a lifetime or the same old deer tag you draw every year, preparation is one of the biggest keys to a successful fall.

When I prepare for hunting season, I like to think about it in three important buckets: physical health, mental health, and relational health.

Let's start with the physical side.

I've found that most people naturally gravitate toward either lifting weights or doing cardio. But after years on the mountain, I've learned one simple truth: the mountain demands both. Endurance and strength.

You never know what a day in the backcountry is going to bring, and there are few worse feelings than spotting the bull of a lifetime only to catch yourself thinking, It's just too far over there.

If you've got a full plate with work, family, and everything else life throws at you, one of the simplest and most effective ways to prepare is to own your mornings and alternate strength days with cardio days.

The stair stepper is your best friend. Hills. Inclines. Declines. A weighted vest. Squats. Deadlifts.

Try to replicate the movements you'll use most often in the field.

Remember: don't train randomly. Train on purpose, with purpose.

Now let's talk about the mental side.

It's probably one of the most overlooked parts of hunt preparation, yet it may be the most important.

The animals we're after don't live in comfortable places.

I've also lost count of how many times we've harvested an animal right before dark, only to spend the entire night packing meat off the mountain. One time we did it without a headlamp because someone forgot to check for dead batteries beforehand. (Another reminder that preparation matters.)

Mental preparation doesn't have to be complicated.

Spend time with yourself.

Connect to things that are bigger than you.

Practice positive self-talk.

Learn to control your breathing.

Become comfortable being uncomfortable.

Those simple habits become incredibly valuable when fatigue, frustration, weather, or unexpected setbacks show up in the field.

Finally, there's relational health.

The older I get, the more I realize how important this one is—and how easy it is to neglect.

Long hunting trips aren't always easy on the people we leave behind.

They don't know the country we're heading into. They worry about our safety. Meanwhile, life keeps moving without us. Kids still need rides to games. Gardens still need tending. Responsibilities don't pause just because hunting season starts.

Everyone's situation looks a little different.

That's why it's important to fill the cups of the people you love before fall arrives. Prepare yourself for the strain that can naturally come with time away.

Your spouse, your kids, your friends, and your coworkers don't necessarily care that you're exhausted after a week on the mountain.

And that's okay.

Remember, you're choosing to do this.

Hunting is part of who you are—not everything you are.

If you prioritize preparation in each of these areas, you'll be better equipped to conquer the mountain when the moment comes.

And more importantly, you'll be better prepared to show up well in every other area of your life, too.