This song and storyline was written by my wife, Esther, and filmed by me.
What does this have to do with Zen-hunting? The concept for this video was inspired by man’s constant struggle between balancing modern life and his inextinguishable desire to return to Nature.
When you achieve this balance, that is Zen. We are not really hunting for animals, we are hunting for ourselves.
What the heck is this a picture of???
This is Mount Ben Lomond with a grid overlay. Maybe I just have too much time on my hands, or maybe I’m actually hunting smarter these days.
Last October, my brother Brent had a once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat tag for Ben Lomond. Once you’re on top of the mountain, it’s almost impossible to see down the steep sides. Therefore, the best way to hunt is to have a spotter (me) park at the base of the mountain looking up, while the hunter (Brent) is on top receiving directions to the goats via cell phone.
Although effective, this method requires a lot of explaining and guesswork in communicating directions. So, one day while sitting below Ben Lomond, it occurred to me that if we both had a picture of the mountain overlaid with a grid, then it would be much easier to communicate where the goats were. Being a somewhat photo-tech-savvy-individual, I did a multi-photo pan of the mountain, from north to south. Then, in Photoshop I overlaid a grid and put numbers and letters along the sides.
So basically all I have to do is spot a goat, call Brent, and say, “G-13.”
It’s like goat battleship!
Although very effective in theory, we never had a chance to use this grid-method. Brent ended up shooting his goat on a day I couldn’t be there. Fortunately for me and my brother-in-law Josh, we are looking to draw the same goat tag either this year or next, and I have the feeling this map will come in handy.
Incidentally, Brent shot his goat in section I-11.
P.S. If you would like a digital copy of the Ben Lomond Grid Map, let me know and I’ll send it to you.
I keep these four words in mind all year long. When I’m applying for a tag, for instance, I might be tempted to apply for an area that had good hunting in years past, but is waning now. I might be tempted to hunt an area close to home and practically kill myself looking for a good buck, when I know I could have gone to a farther-away unit and been almost guaranteed a bigger buck. Sometimes it’s the third day of a slow hunt and I’m tempted to sleep in and recuperate, and then hunt the rest of the day. But I know more than anything that my best odds of intercepting a deer is very early in the morning.
You get the idea.
All of this was born out of the hunt for the infamous Drop-tine buck in 2010. For a while, I wondered how this magnificent, one-in-a-million, double-droptine buck managed to elude hunters for eight years while living less than half a mile from the busiest dirt road. By the third year of hunting the Drop-tine Buck, I realized that 90% of the hunters either didn’t get off their ATV weren’t willing to hike very far from it.
More importantly, I learned that amazing bucks sometimes live a short distance off the side of the road. You just need to know where to look for them. This requires you to learn a little about deer behavior and diet. It also requires that you hunt smarter, but not necessarily harder. While some hunters are repelling up a cliff in search of the ever-elusive big-buck, I might be wandering within shouting distance of the highway and stirring up even bigger bucks!
With ever-increasing obligations these days, time is in short supply for most of us. We need to learn how to become more efficient predators, and not with new gear but new information. I often warn people about the pitfall of gear. The gear won’t save you. Focus on the improving your skills first! Spend more time scouting and less time buying stuff.
Right now, we’re sitting in the middle of the off-season. What a perfect time to invest in our priceless, upcoming hunts by learning, studying, and scouting. More than any other time in history, there’s a wealth of information being published about modern game animals and hunting techniques. Below, I’ve listed the absolute best books that have helped me maximize my time in the field. Remember, information is power.
Blood in the Tracks
Mule Deer Quest
Public Land Mulies
Mule Deer: A Handbook for Utah Hunters and Landowners
…and don’t forget my eBook (shameless plug), Zen Hunting
Next post,
I learned a long time ago that a person can have amazing success with inferior gear and a tight budget. That being said, some basic quality gear is still necessary. And by “quality” I don’t mean the top shelf, newest, high-tech bow or gizmo; rather just something that’ll hold up in the woods and get your arrow on target.
In nearly two decades of bowhunting, I’ve tried lots of gear. Some has held up better than others, and just about everything has been upgraded or replaced…and on a budget no less. I might not be able to tell you what new fancy products are hitting the market this very minute, but I can tell you from experience what works and what doesn’t, and which items are most important and which you can skimp on.
Following this post you’ll see a new tab at the top of the page entitled “My Gear.” Click on it to see a list of my current gear and my very opinionated opinion on each item.
Remember folks, if you don’t first learn to hunt well, the gear won’t save you. Save your money where you can and use it to buy more time afield. Time, more than piece of gear, will lead to that giant buck.
My beginning archery students often ask me how they can start hunting big game. Some have the misconception that all you need to do is learn how to shoot, and then the killing begins! When I explain that there’s a legal process required to start hunting, they are sometimes discouraged. But don’t despair; it’s actually quite easy to start hunting!
In all western states you are required to take a relatively short hunter’s safety course (usually a 10 hour course spanning two weeks), and then a written test. The overall hunter’s education course is really a common sense course on how not to shoot yourself or your companion afield. I can’t stress how easy this course is! But you’ll still learn lots of important tidbits regarding game management, weapon types, shot placement, hunting ethics, etc.
Some states, like Washington, even offer an online course. Other states, such as Utah, require an additional shooting test involving a low-caliber .22 rifle at close range. The shooting test is also quite easy. If you don’t have a .22 rifle, don’t fret; they’re cheap, or you can always borrow one from a friend or classmate.
After completing the hunter’s education course, you’ll receive a numbered certification (called a blue card in Utah) which allows you to hunt for the rest of your life your state, and most others as well.
Below is a list of all the western state’s wildlife resources websites and hunter education course. This is the important first step to start hunting big game:
Arizona: https://www.azgfd.com/education/hunter-education-2/hunter-education-classes
California: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunter-Education
Colorado: https://cpw.state.co.us/hunting/education-outreach
Idaho: https://idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/education
Montana: http://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter/default.html
Nevada: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/outdoor-education/
New Mexico: https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/education/hunter-education/
Oregon: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/education/hunter/
Utah: https://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/hunter-education.html
Washington: https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements/education/basic
Wyoming: https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education/hunter
Once you’ve secured a hunter’s safety certification, it’s time to hunt! Again, every state has its own rules and regulations regarding wildlife management and hunting, including the permit application and licensing process.
Some states, like Utah, Idaho, and Arizona, require that you purchase a license before you can apply for a big game hunting tag. Other states, like Colorado, don’t have license, just a permit which is really a combined license and tag.
The application process generally begins in early spring, or even as early as January. You’ll find these application dates on your state’s wildlife website. The application process can be a little complicated your first time around, but you’ll get the hang of it. Most state’s websites are very helpful and will basically guide you through the process.
As for actually drawing a permit, here’s sort of how it works: In states with lots of game and few humans (i.e. Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming), a general season deer, antelope, or elk might be available for purchase “over-the-counter.” But for the most part, big game tags are in high demand and require that you “apply” for a tag online.
In some states it could take up to 20 years to draw a great once-in-a-lifetime tag (like moose or sheep), but only a couple years to draw a good deer or elk tag. It all depends on the species, the quality of the hunt, and the weapon desired. Archery tags, for example, are easier to draw because they have lower harvest rates, and therefore more tags available.
Most states have a “points” system. This means that for each year you apply for a permit and don’t draw, you’ll receive a point. Once you’ve accumulated enough points, you’ll be guaranteed to draw the tag. A few states, like Idaho, don’t have a point system, so basically you have the same odds as everyone else each year.
Your next question will probably be, “Where should I hunt?” This is a complicated question to answer. There are many things to consider before applying for a hunt, such as:
What species do I want to hunt?
How many days do I have to hunt?
How far am I willing to travel?
What is my hunting budget?
How many years will it take to draw the hunt I desire?
What kind of quality am I looking for? Would I be happy with a small buck or do I want a trophy?
The good news is that information regarding population dynamics and hunter success rates can be found on your state’s wildlife website. Most states put a lot of time and money into gathering information about their various game species, as well as hunter success and permit draw odds. In Utah, for instance, they publish an annual harvest report of every big game species in the state as well as draw odds and success statistics. This information can be invaluable for determining the best places to hunt. With a little study, you can easily figure out where the best hunting is and then apply for that tag.
One last thing: Just because you have a tag doesn’t guarantee you’ll kill anything—it only guarantees you’ll be hunting this fall. In the meantime, it’s time to get outside and scout your unit, especially if you haven’t hunted there before. Scouting is a topic for another day, but for now just remember one thing: don’t wait until the hunt begins to start locating game. Find the animals during the off-season first, then formulate a strategy for opening day.
That’s it folks. If you have any questions about this process, just ask me and I’ll point you in the right direction. Also, feel free to call your local game warden or wildlife agency. Our licensing fees pay their wages and they are almost always willing to help you with any hunting questions. Sometimes they’ll even point you to the best areas to hunt!
I found this awesome quote by Francis Parkman (American historian and outdoor writer, 1823 – 1893). This quote occurs at the end of Parkman’s book, The Conspiracy of Pontiac, and pretty much sums up my whole philosophy on nature, bowhunting, and the outdoor lifestyle:
“. . . To him who has once tasted the reckless independence, the haughty self-reliance, the sense of irresponsible freedom, which the forest life engenders, civilization thenceforth seems flat and stale. Its pleasures are insipid, its pursuits wearisome, its conventionalities, duties, and mutual dependence alike tedious and disgusting. The entrapped wanderer grows fierce and restless, and pants for breathing-room. His path, it is true, was choked with difficulties, but his body and soul were hardened to meet them; it was beset with dangers, but these were the very spice of his life, gladdening his heart with exulting self-confidence, and sending the blood through his veins with a livelier current. The wilderness, rough, harsh, and inexorable, has charms more potent in their seductive influence than all the lures of luxury and sloth. And often he on whom it has cast its magic finds no heart to dissolve the spell, and remains a wanderer and an Ishmaelite to the hour of his death.”
The arctic weather lately reminds me of a couple days I spent on the Wasatch extended hunt last November. This particular trip corresponded with the two coldest days of the month. Nighttime temps reached zero degrees just outside the thin walls of my little two-man tent. I was also four miles from civilization and alone.
Although I’d spent some cold nights afield before this trip, I had some serious challenges this time.
To save on weight I only brought enough food for two or three nights, which included three boiled eggs. Before I got to my secret camp tree, the eggs were frozen solid, cracked, and inedible. On my way to camp I filtered a bunch water, and afterwards my water filter froze up and became inoperable. I fought the whole time to keep my water jugs from freezing solid inside the tent. My half-full fuel canister surprisingly froze and stopped working, so I couldn’t eat my freeze-dried meals until I thaw it out. My little bottle of scent spray froze solid, and my bow also froze after getting snowed into camp.
To keep from freezing to death, I slept in my down coat and stuffed several hand warmers into my sleeping bag. Within two days I’d eaten all my food just to stay warm and had to cut the trip short. As if that wasn’t bad enough, I didn’t find any deer either.
The problem with freezing temps is the sheer energy needed to survive, which leaves less energy to hunt. Believe me, morale was low on this trip. Below I’ve listed several cold weather challenges and possible fixes:
Hand and body warmers are a life saver! Incidentally I only use the Hot Hands brand. They last longer and are way hotter than other brands. Just a word of caution: keep them away from bare skin. My feet got so cold in the night that I stuffed a hand warmer down each sock. I woke up in the middle of the night with painful burns on the tops of my feet. Otherwise they worked great.
When sleeping or sitting still for long periods of time, an external heat source is often necessary, and body warmers work great. The best type is the sticky body warmers. Just peel and stick anywhere. They are most effective near your core and main arteries. The best place is halfway between your armpit and heart (left side of the body).
The cold takes a lot out of you, both physically and mentally. It’s a lot easier to throw in the towel when you’re forced to spend so much energy just to survive. But you have to ask yourself, where else would you rather be? The cold is just part of the extended hunt experience. Either you’re up to the challenge or you’re just a fair-weather hunter. Decide what your goal is and stick to it. A little cold weather is nowhere near as miserable as eating an unused tag!
Although the freezing temps and starvation forced me off the mountain early, I returned a week later. And even though I got snowed in pretty good, I really loved being back in my little mountain home. Survival and success in arctic conditions really comes down to preparedness and mental toughness. If you’re prepared for the cold then there’s nothing to worry about except bagging a giant buck.
Now that the holidays are over I can sit back, relax, and chew on some good ol’ fashioned, homemade jerky. That’s right folks, I’ve been making my own jerky for almost fifteen years now. It didn’t start out so well, but through lots of trial and error–and a literal ton of wild meat–I believe I’ve perfected the art of making wild game jerky sticks.
For that last several years, I’ve been giving the stuff away to family and friends at Christmas. Since it’s illegal to sell wild game meat, it does me no good to just sit on the recipe. So, for all you hunters out there with way too much meat and time on your hands, here’s my famous, perfected recipe:
Materials Needed:
Happy New Year and Happy New Deer to all my hunting buddies and loyal readeers of this blog!
I was downstairs enjoying my Museum of Natural History (aka Trophy Room) when I realized that my number one New Year’s resolution is the same as last year: To shoot a 200″+ mule deer with my bow.
For a number of reasons 2014 was the hardest hunting season of my life. The hunt(s) just didn’t work out well for me. Towards the end of the year I decided that any mature 4×4 would be a worthy enough goal. After all, I always said the hardest thing a person could do is to shoot a mature mule deer with a bow, both successfully and consistently.
But today I changed my mind. I spent a bunch of time today crunching numbers and poring over hunting notes while trying to figure out which unit(s) to apply for. Through this process, I had to decide if I was going for QUALITY or QUANTITY. Most units that have good quantity lack quality and vise-versa. In the end, my decision was based on quality. After all, I’m only going to shoot ONE deer, so what good is quantity?
Anyhoo, I hope y’all have set your New Deer’s resolution and hunting goals this year. If you need any help deciding on where to apply for I’d be glad to give some advice. Good luck in 2015!