Harvesting an elk with my bow, was more than just a hunt. It was a culmination of preparation, hard work, practice, sweat, tears, teamwork, coordination, and overcoming an injury. It also taught me perseverance and humility. I didn’t grow up hunting. I just knew this was something I wanted to do. I bought my first bow in 2010, but only managed to go out a couple of times. I didn’t really have anyone who would take me—that is until I met my husband. Although when I first met him, I just wanted him to be my hunting partner. We spent almost every weekend hunting together during archery season, and I learned quite a bit from him that year, even though I still had yet to harvest an elk. Almost immediately after that first archery season, I started having back issues. I went from doing Cross Fit regularly, running, snowboarding, and everything else that was physically active, to are not able to walk. When you are in your 20’s, used to a life of adventure, and then suddenly are faced with the inability to get out of bed in the morning, it is a very humbling experience. Fortunately for me, I had back surgery 10 months later which was successful. The downside of it was that I was not sure if I would be able to do everything I did prior to the surgery, including archery hunting. I just wasn’t sure about my ability to hunt and pack out an animal if I was successful. The thing about bow hunting is that to increase your chances of a successful hunt, you need to go where most humans are not willing to go. That being said, we hunt in some of the most rugged and dense forests the coastal mountains have to offer. We also go several miles in to make sure we escape civilization. Because of this, I was extremely nervous about my back. Shortly after my surgery, I learned about a North West Ladies Hunting Camp. I attended the camp in 2016 and learned a lot. First off, there are a lot of female hunters out there and there are a lot of really good female hunters. I took classes on all sorts of things and learned a lot about how to increase my odds of success. I spent months talking to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife biologists in the area, I went down the Forestry Department and ODFW and obtained maps, I learned the geography and lay of the land to figure out where the elk may spend their time. I would shoot my bow every day after work. We even went into our spot, ahead of season, and cleared some brush to help us make a quieter entry once the season opened for hunting. All of this preparation paid off. On the morning of the second day of the season, I killed my first elk. He was a 6 point Roosevelt bull—easily weighing more than 1000 lbs. It was just my husband and me, so it took us over 14 hours to pack out the elk. The terrain was so steep, I worried I would fall because of having to carry all that weight in my pack. There were moments I questioned my sanity, moments where my eyes teared with joy, but most of all, I was just thankful. I was thankful for the elk giving us his life so we could have organic meat in the freezer, I was thankful our hard work paid off, and I was thankful my back held up during this trip.
At Nature’s Paint, we are on a mission to provide the best hunting face on the market. For this reason, and more, our paint is always composed of natural ingredients that you can pronounce and are both safe for you and our environment. Our hunting face paint is always easy on, easy off, 100% natural, and environmentally friendly. Go ahead, try it for yourself, and notice the difference.
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Adrenaline rushing through your body, heart pumping, bow at full draw with an elk in your sights... What happens next? Will you make a kill shot and be packing out an elk? Will you miss it completely? Or, will you wound the aminal? Archery hunting will challenge you both mentally and physically. It’s part of what keeps us hunters coming back for more year after year. It’s also why pre-season preparation is just as, if not more, important than getting out into the woods during the season. While throwing your target out in the yard and shooting at is helpful, it’s not the full meal deal. It takes a little more commitment to get fully prepared for the season ahead. Let’s look at a few ways to take your preparation and ultimately your hunting experience to the next level. Fine-tune Your Equipment Tuning your bow can be a tedious process and it can be tempting to settle for “close enough”. But remember, close enough could be the difference between a great shot and a wounded animal come September. Your gear must be dialed in. If you are uncertain, don’t be afraid to visit your local archery shop and work with the pros to make the tweaks necessary to fine-tune your equipment. Many of us hunt an entire season just to get one shot, we’d better be certain that our gear is perfectly set up and tuned to make that shot a great one. Focus on Form There’s a reason basketball players shoot free throws every single practice and it comes down to form and muscle memory. The more times you do something the right way the better you will be. The same holds true for archery hunting. Every shot you take you should be thinking about your form and making the same movements until it becomes a habit. Shooting multiple arrows a day will not only have you feeling comfortable and confident, but it will also help build strength. Build Strength and Endurance
Aminals are smart. It’s a rare occasion that they walkout at 20 yards and stand broadside for you. Rather, their vitals are typically behind a tree or shrub and their head is poking out all while you are drawn back just waiting for them to take one more step. Prepare for long holds now. As you shoot your bow each day practice holding for up to three minutes (if you can). Pretend like its the real deal, pick a spot on your target and pretend like its the vitals. Drawback and hold, hold, hold...until you feel like you can’t any longer and then go ahead and let it rip. Add Variety You never know when you are going to get your opportunity and what you will be doing at that time. You may be crouching, kneeling, mid-step and the list goes on. The more positions you can confidently shoot from the better. So, go ahead and add variety when you practice. Shoot at a variety of angles, shoot from a variety of distances and shoot from a variety of positions to help ensure you are best prepared. Focus on Fitness There will be situations where you have just climbed a hill, are huffing and puffing, and need to drawback, it’s going to happen. Prepare now by throwing on your pack, grabbing your bow, and going for a hike. If you are unable to easily access hiking areas, go for a brisk walk with your pack on, do some air squats or burpees in between shots, do whatever you can to get your heart rate up and strengthen your legs. Make It a Habit Make your season preparation a weekly, if not daily, habit. If you do, you will be a fine-tuned machine when the season starts. Your legs will be strong and able to get you where you need to go. And, when it comes time to take a shot you will do so confidently, knowing that you have put hours of practice in, knowing that your bow is shooting straight and knowing that you have the strength to hold that bow back as long as it takes to get a great shot. At Nature’s Paint, we are on a mission to provide the best hunting face on the market. For this reason, and more, our paint is always composed of natural ingredients that you can pronounce and are both safe for you and our environment. Our hunting face paint is always easy on, easy off, 100% natural, and environmentally friendly. Go ahead, try it for yourself, and notice the difference. |