2020: Fill the Family Freezer

[Kmarkwardt]

I'm a relatively new hunter.

Grew up in Southern California surfing, diving, skateboarding and fishing.

Moved to Idaho 8 years ago at the age of 27. I knew I'd keep fishing and exploring the outdoors, but I really never intended to start hunting.

I'm not really sure what triggered it, but I imagine it was the sense of adventure and the sense of responsibility of harvesting my own meat. I own a gym and have always been interested in fitness. My wife and I started eating Paleo about 10 years ago. I think the ability to take it one step further really pushed me into what has been the most challenging endeavor that I have embarked up on in my entire life.

I've got 5 or 6 seasons of hunting under my belt. Due to the relative ease of drawing a second, antlerless whitetail deer tag, I've harvested 2 deer a year since beginning. 6 bucks, the rest does. I somehow managed to luck into shooting a spike elk my second year of hunting as well.

Every year, I've gone more and more down this rabbit hole. Unfortunately, my success rate outside of whitetail hasn't reflected that.

I live in a unit that has a lot of opportunity to hunt different species, but not great success rates on elk or mule deer, so I'm trying to give myself some grace on that. We do, however, have a very solid bear population, which I really didn't start hunting until last year.

2019 was the year of missed opportunities. Missed two elk with a bow (screwed up the first one by rushing the shot, then hit a branch on the second), missed a bear with a rifle. Shot my normal whitetail buck and a doe.

The frustrations of 2019 have only fueled me to be even better in 2020.

My goals are to fill one tag of each of: black bear, deer and elk. My lofty goals are to shoot two of each. My even loftier goal is to be able to not have to buy any meat for our family in the future. We have a healthy family of 3 that consumes a decent amount of meat, so that might be out of reach. Fish will of course count towards that, and we eat a lot of eggs, so round it all out and I think it's within reach with a lot of luck and a lot of intention.

To achieve these goals, I'm going to try and be pretty systematic. Reading the blog post on the front page about "What it Takes to Be a Successful Hunter" has me thinking along lines of categories and trying to make sure I check all the boxes I can in the offseason, preseason and in-season to fill my tags.

Those categories and related goals (updated throughout the year) are:

Physical Capabilities

• Hike 5 miles a week in the “offseason”
• Hike 10 miles a week in the “preseason”
• Hike 20 miles a week in the month leading up
• Continue to workout 4-5 days a week all year
• Fix ankle as best as possible
• Get treadmill for winter

Mental Toughness (Hunt When You Don’t Want to Hunt)

• …?
• Meditate daily and learn how to control my mind better

Access

• Snow tires/chains for ATV
• Scout other archery unit with buddy

Weapons/Shooting

• Shoot to 600 yards (verify yardages)
• Long range shooting course
• Shoot 12-15 boxes of ammo/year
• Shot IQ Program?
• Shoot/Log 500 arrows
• 3 3D course shoots
• Dry fire, Dry fire, Dry fire
• Purchase long range gun and become proficient with it???
• Shoot 2-300 rounds of .22 in the winter

Equipment
• Trekking poles

Calling

• Chris Kresser’s calling program in winter

Adaptability and Mobility

• Compile 3 accessible areas, put together hunt plans for each
• Scout 1 day a week in august

Long Term Mindset

• Put together hunt plans to be able to focus on doing the little things

Time
• Ensure business is running smoothly without me, enabling me the amount of time to get away
• Put in time with family so I can get away
• Plan hunts and be clear with family and work on time commitments

Tags
• Put in for moose tag
• Purchase 2nd tags for deer/elk/bear


I'll try and keep updating this as I go, but I think putting this out here a year in advance will be fun to reflect on.

 

[Crowmangler]

Forgive me if I'm off topic but it relates to "filling the freezer"
If you don't already do this I would recommend planting a vegetable garden. You can freeze and can the veggies. It's a great thing to do together with the whole family. Harvest time can be just as rewarding as processing an animal when you see the shelf & freezer full of the fruits of your labor.
Nothing better than home made soup made from your own green beans, potatoes, carrots, corn & stewed tomatoes. (with chunks of elk or venison thrown in of course).
Good luck!

 

[Kmarkwardt]

Not off topic to me! Appreciate the contribution.

So you’re totally right.

One of the wonderful things about my wife is that she loves everything about food. She loves wild game and it’s preparation as much or more than I do for the same reasons I do.

For those exact same reasons, she’s been growing a garden every summer. The meals that we can say, “no one else had a hand in this food” are the most rewarding, enjoyable meals I can think of.

 

[Idaho CTD]

Most likely there won't be any non-resident elk tags left over after Aug 1st this year which will be the first time since they started that in the mid 2000's. I'm going to attend some meetings to see if we can get that pushed up to June or July 1st but I'm already planning for the worst by applying to other states. I've killed 2+ elk for a lot of years in a row. I actually had 4 elk tags a few years ago (1 was a depredation tag) and didn't get to hunt one tag because of my wife's moose tag but I did kill 3 elk. You might be able to draw a extra tag but the odds for that aren't great. I had one last year but that is the only one I've drawn in the last 5+ years.

You really need to focus on understanding what elk like and where they like to be. It's a huge help to know where they migrate to and from as well. If you hunt where they migrate to you reduce the amount of real estate you have to find them in to about 25%. Some people get elk and some can hunt years and never figure them out. That is why they say 10% of the hunters kill 90% of the animals. It helps huge if you can find someone that consistently kills elk to mentor you. Even if it's a few pointers here and there. I would also try to draw a tag in a good unit with a high success rate. They typically have less competition and more elk. That makes it easier to try and figure out their habits and what they like. Here is the most important part about elk hunting.......You have to be willing to put the effort in to going where the elk are no matter how difficult it may be. Don't let your mind talk you into not being able to do something. I hate packing out most of the elk I kill, and some have have taken days, but it doesn't take long to forget about the pain and exhaustion. 1 elk will go a long ways towards feeding a family of 3 for a year so I would focus on elk hunting the most.

 

[DavePwns]

I'm a relatively new hunter.

Grew up in Southern California surfing, diving, skateboarding and fishing.

Moved to Idaho 8 years ago at the age of 27. I knew I'd keep fishing and exploring the outdoors, but I really never intended to start hunting.

I'm not really sure what triggered it, but I imagine it was the sense of adventure and the sense of responsibility of harvesting my own meat. I own a gym and have always been interested in fitness. My wife and I started eating Paleo about 10 years ago. I think the ability to take it one step further really pushed me into what has been the most challenging endeavor that I have embarked up on in my entire life.

I've got 5 or 6 seasons of hunting under my belt. Due to the relative ease of drawing a second, antlerless whitetail deer tag, I've harvested 2 deer a year since beginning. 6 bucks, the rest does. I somehow managed to luck into shooting a spike elk my second year of hunting as well.

Every year, I've gone more and more down this rabbit hole. Unfortunately, my success rate outside of whitetail hasn't reflected that.

I live in a unit that has a lot of opportunity to hunt different species, but not great success rates on elk or mule deer, so I'm trying to give myself some grace on that. We do, however, have a very solid bear population, which I really didn't start hunting until last year.

2019 was the year of missed opportunities. Missed two elk with a bow (screwed up the first one by rushing the shot, then hit a branch on the second), missed a bear with a rifle. Shot my normal whitetail buck and a doe.

The frustrations of 2019 have only fueled me to be even better in 2020.

My goals are to fill one tag of each of: black bear, deer and elk. My lofty goals are to shoot two of each. My even loftier goal is to be able to not have to buy any meat for our family in the future. We have a healthy family of 3 that consumes a decent amount of meat, so that might be out of reach. Fish will of course count towards that, and we eat a lot of eggs, so round it all out and I think it's within reach with a lot of luck and a lot of intention.

To achieve these goals, I'm going to try and be pretty systematic. Reading the blog post on the front page about "What it Takes to Be a Successful Hunter" has me thinking along lines of categories and trying to make sure I check all the boxes I can in the offseason, preseason and in-season to fill my tags.

Those categories and related goals (updated throughout the year) are:

Physical Capabilities

• Hike 5 miles a week in the “offseason”
• Hike 10 miles a week in the “preseason”
• Hike 20 miles a week in the month leading up
• Continue to workout 4-5 days a week all year
• Fix ankle as best as possible
• Get treadmill for winter

Mental Toughness (Hunt When You Don’t Want to Hunt)

• …?
• Meditate daily and learn how to control my mind better

Access

• Snow tires/chains for ATV
• Scout other archery unit with buddy

Weapons/Shooting

• Shoot to 600 yards (verify yardages)
• Long range shooting course
• Shoot 12-15 boxes of ammo/year
• Shot IQ Program?
• Shoot/Log 500 arrows
• 3 3D course shoots
• Dry fire, Dry fire, Dry fire
• Purchase long range gun and become proficient with it???
• Shoot 2-300 rounds of .22 in the winter

Equipment
• Trekking poles

Calling

• Chris Kresser’s calling program in winter

Adaptability and Mobility

• Compile 3 accessible areas, put together hunt plans for each
• Scout 1 day a week in august

Long Term Mindset

• Put together hunt plans to be able to focus on doing the little things

Time
• Ensure business is running smoothly without me, enabling me the amount of time to get away
• Put in time with family so I can get away
• Plan hunts and be clear with family and work on time commitments

Tags
• Put in for moose tag
• Purchase 2nd tags for deer/elk/bear


I'll try and keep updating this as I go, but I think putting this out here a year in advance will be fun to reflect on.

This is awesome, I am fired up for this off seasons prep reading this. Nothing makes you a better hunter than close encounters and tag soup.

 

[Kmarkwardt]

Most likely there won't be any non-resident elk tags left over after Aug 1st this year which will be the first time since they started that in the mid 2000's. I'm going to attend some meetings to see if we can get that pushed up to June or July 1st but I'm already planning for the worst by applying to other states. I've killed 2+ elk for a lot of years in a row. I actually had 4 elk tags a few years ago (1 was a depredation tag) and didn't get to hunt one tag because of my wife's moose tag but I did kill 3 elk. You might be able to draw a extra tag but the odds for that aren't great. I had one last year but that is the only one I've drawn in the last 5+ years.

You really need to focus on understanding what elk like and where they like to be. It's a huge help to know where they migrate to and from as well. If you hunt where they migrate to you reduce the amount of real estate you have to find them in to about 25%. Some people get elk and some can hunt years and never figure them out. That is why they say 10% of the hunters kill 90% of the animals. It helps huge if you can find someone that consistently kills elk to mentor you. Even if it's a few pointers here and there. I would also try to draw a tag in a good unit with a high success rate. They typically have less competition and more elk. That makes it easier to try and figure out their habits and what they like. Here is the most important part about elk hunting.......You have to be willing to put the effort in to going where the elk are no matter how difficult it may be. Don't let your mind talk you into not being able to do something. I hate packing out most of the elk I kill, and some have have taken days, but it doesn't take long to forget about the pain and exhaustion. 1 elk will go a long ways towards feeding a family of 3 for a year so I would focus on elk hunting the most.

Yeah, that is some of the stuff I'm trying to sort through now.

Living in the unit I have predominantly hunted has had me thinking that home field advantage will always win out. However, after 3 seasons of hunting that same unit and never having drawn on, shot at or killed an elk with a bow, then going to another OTC unit and having 2 chances and calling in a bull for my buddy to kill over the course of 5 days, it really has me rethinking my strategies.

At this point, I'm considering buying my non-resident tag for my unit, where I'll have a few days of archery and a couple weeks of rifle hunting. Then doing my resident tag for another unit that I know has a bit better success rate.

I've always felt that people blaming a unit for crappy hunting to be a bit of a weak-minded approach, but the more people I talk to that live here only to hunt somewhere else really has me reconsidering.

I also have the opportunity to draw a moose tag for the unit I hunt. If the goal is to fill the freezer, a moose will go a tremendously long way.

That, however, would mean I wouldn't be able to put in for any of the higher success rates elk units.

I'm a little torn on that. From what I can tell, moose tags will be a thing of the past in the coming years, so part of me wants to seize the opportunity. The other part of me is literally obsessed with killing a damn elk (or two), so maybe I should put my eggs in that basket.

I'm not entirely sure what the plan would be. In a crazy, but really fun stroke of luck, to draw a moose tag, have an archery and a rifle elk tag in the same unit as well as a bear tag would make for a lot of fun in the fall!

 

[Kmarkwardt]

This is awesome, I am fired up for this off seasons prep reading this. Nothing makes you a better hunter than close encounters and tag soup.

So true.

Especially when you miss opportunities.

I've never felt more frustration, sadness and regret after those encounters with bulls and the bear, which happened a few weeks later.

For a little while I thought about quitting all together. I thought that the anguish wasn't worth the trouble.

Then my stubbornness kicked in and I realized all the good about the situations. I got closer than I ever had before. That means I can do it.

In my line of work, I see a lot of people quit right before they reach their goals. They put in all the work, then they quit at the first major disappointment. They can't handle the let down. So instead of regrouping, taking a few days to recover and take another look at it, they just hang it up and walk away.

I don't want to be one of those people. I don't want all that I've learned over the last few years to be wasted away. I also recognize my arrogance in thinking that I somehow "deserve" an elk after this long in waiting and working.

So, f*ck it, let's work harder!

This upcoming season I'll be better. I know that nothing is guaranteed, but I'll be better. In 10 years I'll be even better. By then I'll be able to pass it on to my son, who is now 5. I'll be able to share this with him and eventually live vicariously through his success.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

You have a lot of tough and lofty goals for yourself,sounds like you'll
be really busy most of the time.Is there any time for family.Lost mine out
"Playing" all he time.Could't see the forest through the trees.

 

[Michael54]

Tomorrow is our last day of rifle deer season here in pa. I have one tag left. One thing ive noticed this year is my shots are alot poorer than they were 2 years ago. The difference, i was shooting 300+ yards 3 days a week at least a box of shells per day religiously for a mule deer hunt in wyoming. I shot my mulie at 357 yards and it seemed like a chip shot. Since that hunt i havent shot a box of ammo total out of my 7mm mag. This year i told my wife im shooting until i have nothing but brass left in my ammo closet. I now have gongs hanging at 100 yards, 300 yards, and 500 yards that i can shoot at from my deck off of the bedroom.

 

[Kmarkwardt]

Can’t believe I bought a treadmill for home, but this thing is awesome.

Inclines up to 40% and links with iFit, where you can essentially virtual hike around the world. I’d have told you this was dumb a few years ago, but I’m all in now.

Did 3 :45 min “hikes” this week. No pack. Barefoot. That’ll be the plan until spring. I’ll add a pack around March or April before spring bear opens.

That’ll be inconjunction with my normal 3-4x a week strength and conditioning as well as my everyday 20 min of yoga.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I would keep it a secret.Maybe say I wore out another pair of boots hiking
the Az, desert this month.Hiking barefoot in my own home?Please tell us you
weren't Neked! Ha!,Ha!

 

[Str8shooter]

My wife and I have been eating only wild game for about 6 years now. I get a deer and antelope (most) every year, an elk every other year and pheasants/ducks as much as possible. While knowledge, gear, being in shape and taking time to stay in the woods are all important, if I was to narrow it down to one major thing that has helped me fill the freezer every year it might be the 5 years I bow hunted which forced me to learn to spot and stalk, then I went back to the gun....

 

[Michael54]

My wife and I have been eating only wild game for about 6 years now. I get a deer and antelope (most) every year, an elk every other year and pheasants/ducks as much as possible. While knowledge, gear, being in shape and taking time to stay in the woods are all important, if I was to narrow it down to one major thing that has helped me fill the freezer every year it might be the 5 years I bow hunted which forced me to learn to spot and stalk, then I went back to the gun....

Id be interested in a few of your favorite pheasant recipes...

 

[Str8shooter]

Got 2 favorites, overnight brine, smoked over mesquite/hickory, can eat it cold, or serve it up hot, leftover in noodles...whatever the hell you put that in is good, follow hank shaws methods... 2nd is a plucked or breasted bird, dry rub with garlic onion powder black pepper, brown in pan, add as much garlic and chopped onion as you want, add heavy cream and simmer for 2 hrs or more, shred it with a fork, back in the sauce, add some white whine, parm or anyother fancy ass aged cheese, oregano or sage....and simmer again for another 10 min...drop that on some rice, egg noodles, roasted potatoes etc.

 

[Kmarkwardt]

Probably time to update this thing. I’m just not the kind of guy to daily post his workouts.

Im going to go line by line here and keep myself accountable according to each area:


Physical Capabilities

• Hike 5 miles a week in the “offseason”
  - altered this a bit. Since I started this post I have been running 2-3 miles 3x a week on an incline using the iFit treadmill. I’ll go back to hiking on the treadmill and then outside as season gets closer. This is doing the job of keeping my aerobic capacity up as well as keeping my legs moving.
• Continue to workout 4-5 days a week all year
• - done. 3 strength/short conditioning days and 3 running days with yoga every day
• Fix ankle as best as possible
• this seems to be better. I’m trail running while here in Mexico and having no issues. That said, I am starting an 8 week Prehab program put out by The Prehab Guys. Initial assessment shows a major strength imbalance from right to left as well as a minor balance imbalance from right to left
• Get treadmill for winter
• Done

Mental Toughness (Hunt When You Don’t Want to Hunt)

• …?
• Meditate daily and learn how to control my mind better
• Done. I seriously suck at this but I’m trying. Using headspace, I was doing their daily meditation for 10 min a day. But now I’m going backwards to 5 min so I can focus on a good session.
• Also started getting out of bed 15 min earlier just because. This is strangely difficult, but I think it checks that box of getting in the habit of doing things I don’t want to do.

Access

• Snow tires/chains for ATV
• Scout other archery unit with buddy
• Haven’t tackled either of these. I should be putting in more time on google earth and onX for the unit away from home.

Weapons/Shooting

• Shoot to 600 yards (verify yardages)
  - not done yet. Winter closes all of our ranges and access to this distances
• Long range shooting course
• This is lined up for March or April
• Shoot 12-15 boxes of ammo/year
• Winter closures...
• Shot IQ Program?
• Not sure about this one
• Shoot/Log 500 arrows
  - our local archery club shut down and therefore closed the indoor range. However, I should be able to log some Time in my gym where I can shoot to 20 yards.
  
  - I actually just need a new target, but I’m being cheap and haven’t bought one
• 3 3D course shoots
• Winter
• Dry fire, Dry fire, Dry fire
• Nope, not yet. Definitely should be, but am currently not. Shooting .22 has been my biggest thing that I can say I’ve been doing for rifle shooting
• Purchase long range gun and become proficient with it???
• I think I’ve got this planned out. Got the scope for myself for Christmas, now just need to buy the rifle
• Shoot 2-300 rounds of .22 in the winter
• I think I’m close to this. I’ve shot 200 at least. Perhaps more. This has been a fantastic use of time. .22 at 20 yards aiming at a dime size target will expose every little error

Equipment
• Trekking poles
- not gotten. Will in spring.

Calling

• Chris Kresser’s calling program in winter
• Not done. Will focus on turkey as soon as I’m back from Mexico.

Adaptability and Mobility

• Compile 3 accessible areas, put together hunt plans for each
• Scout 1 day a week in august
• Not done. Need to be spending more time on google earth and onX

Long Term Mindset

• Put together hunt plans to be able to focus on doing the little things
• Ditto from above

Time
• Ensure business is running smoothly without me, enabling me the amount of time to get away
- Currently in Mexico for a month. If the business can handle me away for a month, it should be able to handle hunting season

• Put in time with family so I can get away
- currently planning Family trips and time as well as hunting trips and time so expectations are clear

• Plan hunts and be clear with family and work on time commitments
- ditto

Tags
• Put in for moose tag
- undecided on moose tag. I desperately want to kill an elk. I’m wondering if the moose tag will distract me
• Purchase 2nd tags for deer/elk/bear
- not done yet. Doesn’t look like my units are close to selling out for elk yet.

 

[Kmarkwardt]

Update on 4/21/20

Physical Capabilities

• Hike 5 miles a week in the “offseason”
  • currently doing this. Roughly 2-3 miles 3 days a week. Mostly on flat ground, mostly with a 45# pack.
• Continue to workout 4-5 days a week all year
  • strength training has taken a back seat lately, but I started that back up yesterday. Just the basics with a barbell.
• Fix ankle as best as possible
  • I've sucked at this, assuming time off would make it better. That is not the case. Seems to be even worse actually. I think this will have to be repaired at some point unfortunately.
• Get treadmill for winter
  • Still there!

Mental Toughness (Hunt When You Don’t Want to Hunt)

• …?
• Meditate daily and learn how to control my mind better
  • Still meditating daily
  • Reading a lot on stoicism, journaling daily, etc.
  • This seems a little woo-woo, but I really do think it helps just raise mental fortitude and willingness to do things that suck.

Access

• Snow tires/chains for ATV
• Scout other archery unit with buddy
  • No progress here

Weapons/Shooting
Shoot to 600 yards (verify yardages)

- shot to 300 the other day to verify yardages. Hit 3/5 clay pigeons. Not amazing, but this is actually the farthest I've ever shot at a range.

Long range shooting course

• Need to get this on the schedule

• Shoot 12-15 boxes of ammo/year
  • shot two boxes so far, not including .22, of which I shot 200-300 rounds this winter

• Shot IQ Program?
  • eh, we'll see

• Shoot/Log 500 arrows
  • probably have shot 40-50 or so thus far
  • got new target
  • starting to build arrows and do this stuff myself

• 3 3D course shoots
  • none open, probably most canceled this year

• Dry fire, Dry fire, Dry fire
  • I have been dry firing 10-20 "shot"s a day for the last few weeks. Picked up a drill/test from a member in the Firearms forum on here. Been practicing that scenario for these shots.

• Purchase long range gun and become proficient with it???
  • just got my Tikka T3x in stainless chambered in .300wsm. Scope will be a Viper HST 4-16x. Need to put it together and shoot it. Won't be my spring bear gun, but should be ready for fall.

• Shoot 2-300 rounds of .22 in the winter
  • shot a lot this winter. Could have shot more, but still happy with my dedication there

Equipment
• Trekking poles
- not yet

Calling

• Chris Kresser’s calling program in winter
• did turkey calling module, but nothing else. will start elk stuff after spring bear.

Adaptability and Mobility

• Compile 3 accessible areas, put together hunt plans for each
• Scout 1 day a week in august
• Not done. Need to be spending more time on google earth and onX

Long Term Mindset

• Put together hunt plans to be able to focus on doing the little things
• Ditto from above

Time
• Ensure business is running smoothly without me, enabling me the amount of time to get away
- COVID has changed the landscape of this big time, but I think I'll still pull it off.

• Put in time with family so I can get away
- same as above but opposite. I think we're all ready for some time apart

• Plan hunts and be clear with family and work on time commitments
- ditto

Tags
• Put in for moose tag
- plan on putting in for moose at the end of this month.

• Purchase 2nd tags for deer/elk/bear
- if I don't draw moose, I'll buy 2nd tag for elk. If I shoot a bear this spring, I'll buy a second tag for this fall.


Tag Progress:

Turkey: 1 Filled
Bear:
Elk:
Deer:

 

[BRTreedogs]

Keep at it.
Good luck with spring bear.

 

[Kmarkwardt]

Update on 6/11/20

Physical Capabilities

• Hike 5 miles a week in the “offseason”
  • switched to doing 500 weighted (40#) step ups every monday in May. Added 100 in June. Will add 100 each month until september. Feels a little more practical for the steep terrain I hunt.
• Continue to workout 4-5 days a week all year
  • currently strength training 4 days a week doing Wendler 5/3/1 and mountain biking 2x week
• Fix ankle as best as possible
  • on week 6 of The Prehab Guys ankle routine. Feeling better for sure, but still a problem. May need to upgrade my insoles at least. Or perhaps get a new pair of Kenetrek Eversteps as I've seemed to have worn out my old ones.
• Get treadmill for winter
  • Still there!

Mental Toughness (Hunt When You Don’t Want to Hunt)

• I've been getting up 15 minutes earlier everyday (4:45am)
• Taking cold showers every morning (started with :15 seconds and am up to 3 minutes)
• These things may seem small and unrelated to hunting, but in my mind it's all about just doing the thing you don't want to in that moment.

Access

• Snow tires/chains for ATV
  • Not yet. Made it through Spring bear (barely). Hopefully for fall I'll have new tires.
• Scout other archery unit with buddy
  • No progress here
• I am now working through Mark Livesay's E-Scouting course. It has been awesome so far.
• I got a fat tire bike which should provide great access and options for access in spots

Weapons/Shooting
Shoot to 600 yards (verify yardages)

- I've definitely been shooting a lot more this year.

- I got a Tikka Stainless .300 WSM and put a Vortex Viper HSLR scope on it. Should make for a great bear/elk gun. Haven't shot further than 100 yards, but she's zeroed and ready for more rounds in summer. Already shoots great.

- I've been practicing more with my 6.5 creed as well. That thing is a tack driver now that I've got more time behind it.

- Chornoed both guns and both ammos I'm using which will make for yardages/drops estimations way better

Long range shooting course

• haven't registered for anything yet.

• Shoot 12-15 boxes of ammo/year
  • I'm probably up to 6 or 7 by now.

• Shot IQ Program?
  • Doing John Dudley's School of Nock instead. This has been awesome so far.

• Shoot/Log 500 arrows
  • logged at least 200 or more so far
  • Need to get new, stiffer and shorter arrows. Will order and build in July
  • in a good habit of shooting every day in the backyard, even if it's only to 15 yards

• 3 3D course shoots
  • none open, probably most canceled this year
  • same, but will shoot locally at a 3d range this summer with friends

• Dry fire, Dry fire, Dry fire
  • I have been dry firing 10-20 "shot"s a day for the last few weeks. Picked up a drill/test from a member in the Firearms forum on here. Been practicing that scenario for these shots.
  • haven't been dry firing as much as I should as I ended up on an archery hunt for spring. Will return to rifle practice ASAP
  • signed up for the Snipers Hide educational forum and ran through a ton of those videos from which I learned a whole lot

• Shoot 2-300 rounds of .22 in the winter
  • shot a lot this winter. Could have shot more, but still happy with my dedication there

Equipment
• Trekking poles
- not yet

Calling

• Chris Kresser’s calling program in winter
• did turkey calling module, but nothing else. will start elk stuff after spring bear.
• haven't started anything yet

Adaptability and Mobility

• Compile 3 accessible areas, put together hunt plans for each
• Scout 1 day a week in august
• Not done. Need to be spending more time on google earth and onX
• see above in regards to Mark Livesay course

Long Term Mindset

• Put together hunt plans to be able to focus on doing the little things
• Ditto from above

Time
• Ensure business is running smoothly without me, enabling me the amount of time to get away
- COVID has changed the landscape of this big time, but I think I'll still pull it off.
- same

• Put in time with family so I can get away
- same as above but opposite. I think we're all ready for some time apart

• Plan hunts and be clear with family and work on time commitments
- ditto

Tags
• Put in for moose tag
- plan on putting in for moose at the end of this month.
- did not draw moose

• Purchase 2nd tags for deer/elk/bear
- if I don't draw moose, I'll buy 2nd tag for elk. If I shoot a bear this spring, I'll buy a second tag for this fall.
- not sure I'll have the time for a second tag for anything (other than bear) with COVID stuff rescheduling events into the fall unfortunately. I'll just have to focus on the tags I have I think.


Tag Progress:

Big Spring Update!

Shot first bear with a bow on Sunday! Super stoked about that. 30 yard shot, 3ish year old bear. Off to a good start!

Turkey: 1 Filled
Bear:
Elk:
Deer:

 

[Kmarkwardt]

 

[BRTreedogs]

Awesome man.
Good follow thru.
Thanks for the update.