What Kind of Fishing Line to Use – Solving the Line Puzzle

Posted on April 16, 2013 by HavalonKnives

By Darl Black

Simplify your fishing line decision….
monofilament, fluorocarbon or braid?

spools being mounted on line winding machine 448x299

Empty spools being mounted on a commercial
line-winding machine.

You’ve likely heard the expression “during simpler times,” referring to an earlier period when life was less complicated and we had fewer choices. Well, fishing line choice certainly was simpler in the 1960s and 1970s when nylon monofilament was the only type of line seriously considered by anglers. Today, in addition to nylon monofilament, two entirely new line materials have come into play: fluorocarbon and braided/fused superline.

Dale Black*, president of Black Knight Industries of Oil City, Pennsylvania, is an entrepreneur in today’s fishing line market. Black Knight Industries owns Gamma Fishing Line, offering all three products: copolymer monofilament, fluorocarbon and braid (i.e. superline). Having knowledge about all three types of line, Dale’s expertise will help you figure out today’s line puzzle.

Unlocking the Puzzle

nylon filamament recommended for topwater baits 448x299

For most topwater baits, nylon monofilament line
is recommended.

“These unique line products enable anglers to address lure presentations better than ever before,” says Black. “Although all are fishing line, each product is made from different material with particular properties. Anglers need to understand the pros and cons of each material in order to make an informed decision.”

The original monofilament everyone is familiar with, is an extruded nylon product. Dale is quick to point out that today’s copolymer line is simply a “kissing cousin” to nylon monofilament. Copolymer line is a formulation of multiple resins to create a new and improved nylon line, with a slicker finish, slightly more abrasion resistance, and a little less memory.

fast sinking fluourocarbon preferred for bottom pumping baits 299x448

For bottom bumping baits, fast-sinking fluorocarbon is preferred by most anglers.

While technically a single strand line, fluorocarbon is made from polyvinylidene fluoride rather than nylon resins. Developed during the 1970s in Japan, fluorocarbon did not rise to prominence as a fishing line in the US until the 1990s.

Superlines are made of gel spun Dyneema® or Spectra® fibers, either braided or fused together creating a line that is far different from nylon-copolymer or fluorocarbon.

Black stresses no single type of line is satisfactory for all lure and live bait presentations. Here is his description of the pros and cons of the three types of line:

Superline – “The popularity of superline rests with very low stretch (about 3%), extremely supple for long casts, no memory, durability, sensitivity and an incredibly high break strength for its diameter. A superline testing 20 pounds has a diameter similar to that of 6 or 8 pound monofilament,” details Black. “The drawbacks are: highly visible in clear water, difficulty with wind knots and backlashes, and impossible to slingshot-loose from snags due to lack of elasticity in the line. Until recently, all superlines would float; however some manufacturers are now weaving the braid around a dense material thereby making it sink. The desirability of sinking or floating depends on the intended presentation.”

superline perfect for frog lures 299x448

Superline (braid) is the perfect line for fishing floating frog lures in vegetation.

Fluorocarbon – “Fluorocarbon, on the other hand, is very dense so it sinks quickly and is virtually invisible in water because its refractive index is close to that of water,” continues Black. “Fluorocarbon is more sensitive than nylon resin lines, but less sensitive than superlines. Many first time users of fluorocarbon encounter line management problems because fluorocarbon is stiffer than monofilament – if a spinning reel spool is filled too close to the lip, fluorocarbon will jump off creating line tangles.”

Nylon monofilament and copolymer – “Nylon monofilament and copolymer lines have the greatest amount of stretch and the least amount of sensitivity. But nylon line is regarded as “angler friendly” compared to the handling properties of fluorocarbon and superline. Nylon based lines sink slowly compared to quick-sink fluorocarbon. The elasticity of nylon monofilament and copolymer lines can be viewed as negative or positive depending on the intended use. If you are employing a crankbait, you may desire that delay in a hookset with nylon line, to allow a fish to take the bait better.”

Ya Got to Know When To Use ‘Em

“In certain presentations there is a clear choice as to which fishing line to use. In other situations, it may not be as clear,” says Black. “To compensate for the high visibility of a superline, the trend is to tie a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader of three to six feet on the end of the superline,  and attaching the bait to the leader.”

To make your choice easy, here’s a handy reference chart linking types of presentation with the type of line that will be effective:

Presentation Suggested Line
Most Topwater Baits Monofilament/copolymer, or fine diameter superline with leader.
Weedless Frog Baits Superlines float and slice through vegetation when fish is hooked; vegetation camouflages the highly visible superline. No leader.
Buzzbaits Superlines enable long cast with no-stretch power when setting hooks; no leader used.
Flipping/pitching Flexibility in choice; some anglers like copolymer or fluorocarbon when flipping wood cover, but prefer a superline without leader for fishing strictly vegetation.
Drop-shot, jigs, worms For lure presentations which involve bottom-bumping, slack-line presentations, fluorocarbon is the hands down favorite because the line sinks quickly and is sensitive. But there is a trend to using a sinking superline with fluorocarbon leader in many of these presentations; getting unsnagged is a problem due to lack of stretch in superlines.
Dead-drift soft plastic Superline with monofilament or fluorocarbon leader.
Crankbaits/spinnerbaits Because successful hook-ups with constant tension motion baits require some delay in the hookset, the stretch of monofilament/copolymer is a big advantage.
Suspending jerkbait Copolymer, or superline with leader.
Live bait Personal choice based on the cover or depth you are fishing, keeping in mind that a fluorocarbon leader is invisible under water.

*The author, Darl Black, is not related to Dale Black of Black Knight Industries, and has nothing to gain from mentioning him in this article.

***

Darl Black

About Darl Black

A lifelong freshwater angler and veteran writer and photographer, Darl tackles a wide variety of fishing related stories for print publications and websites. Of all fishing, angling for smallmouth bass is his favorite pastime. He may be reached for assignment at darlblack@windstream.net.

For more great fishing articles by Darl Black,
click here.

And read what other anglers have to say about the Baracuta fillet knife…


8,620 total views, no views today

Posted in Darl Black, Fresh & Saltwater Fishing, Guest Writers, Hunting & Fishing Equipment, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on What Kind of Fishing Line to Use – Solving the Line Puzzle

How To Cook A Wild, Wild Turkey

Posted on April 10, 2013 by HavalonKnives

7 Secrets To Great Tasting Wild Turkey

By John Jameson

cooking wild turkey

Spring brings turkey hunting season and grilling season. Yumba!

A common complaint I hear about eating wild turkey is that the bird comes out dry. There’s nothing wrong with the bird or the cooking method. Your wild turkey is not the same as a store-bought turkey. They’ve been soaked in juices and injected with plumping preservatives to keep them juicy. Wild turkeys are very lean.

A tender bird is ensured through proper preparation, no matter what method of cooking—deep-fried, grilled, roasted, sautéed etc.—is employed. Here are my seven secrets (plus one bonus tip) to great tasting wild turkey every time:

  1. Timely field dressing is important. That means don’t wait more than an hour or so to remove the meat or gut and pluck the bird. Unless you live less than an hour from where you’re hunting, you should field dress your bird while out on the hunt. This eliminates acid build up inside your kill, which leads to a gamey flavor.  I’ve been on hunts where we had to wait longer than this to harvest our meat and it still turned out okay.  However, I don’t recommend that you wait.
  2. Pack a few gallon size freezer bags and some paper towels just in case you need to do your work in the field. If you’re only taking the breast meat and thighs, you can use the gutless field dressing method. It doesn’t hurt to have an ice chest with a little ice in it to cool your meat down on the way home.
  3. Deep-frying wild turkey is my favorite method for truly juicy turkey meat. However, I never cook the whole bird anymore. Wild turkey wings and legs are tough and strongly flavored. I prefer to only harvest the breast meat and thighs of the birds I kill. I also like turkey heart and liver fried but always separated from the meat. (For a short video of Steven Rinella cooking turkey heart and liver, click here.)
  4. If you’re frying only turkey breasts and thighs, use a deep pot filled with enough oil to cover and heat to medium high. Dredge the turkey in flour, then milk, then back in flour. Season the meat with salt, pepper and some Cajun spice and fry until cooked to at least 165 F. Yumba!
  5. An alternative to deep-frying is to marinate turkey in a mixture of fresh olive oil, rosemary and garlic overnight. Then bake in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165-degrees Fahrenheit, or simply frying in a pan with some olive oil. When roasting, be sure to check your turkey breasts every 10 minutes and baste the breasts.
  6. I have also used an oven roasting bag for marinated turkey breasts that turned out great. I roast boneless meat in the bag at 350 F for 1 ½ hours. Include some melted butter and olive oil in the bag and prepare to be wishing you had a lot more turkey to cook.
  7. Another alternative is to grill breasts and thighs that were marinated overnight in a 12oz can of Dr. Pepper with coarsely grated black peppercorn, 1/4 cup of soy sauce and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. You can substitute lime juice for lemon juice or teriyaki sauce for soy sauce, without negatively affecting your bird or the flavor of your meal. The addition of shaved almonds can also substantially enhance the flavor of your turkey breasts.
English: Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bonus Tip: My worst kept secret of all is that I like to sip a little Wild Turkey on the rocks while my bird is cooking. After all, many of the birds I take come from Kentucky.  It seems only fitting to do so. Just be careful not to cook yourself, like I tend to. “Do Not Do As I Do, Just Do As I Say!”

What’s your favorite way
to cook wild turkey?


5,284 total views, no views today

Posted in How To, Recipes & Cooking, Spring Turkey Hunting, Turkey Hunting, Turkey Recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Pre-Season Spring Turkey Scouting: To Scout, or Not

Posted on April 2, 2013 by HavalonKnives

by Steve Sorensen

Is scouting really necessary?
The pros and cons of scouting for spring gobblers
– plus five top scouting tips!

steve-sorensen-with-gobbler-1989-336x336

The author learned, many years ago, that sometimes your best scouting is done on foot, over the next hill. (Steve Sorensen photo)

Scouting for spring gobblers definitely has lots of upsides. Hunters who locate two or three dozen gobblers before opening day often score early – and more than once. They enjoy the season more as they witness the weather breaking from winter to early spring. They see more, hear more, and experience what hunters who aren’t out there long before the season begins don’t.

But is there a downside to scouting? Can hunters be at a disadvantage by scouting for pre-season gobblers? Can you be lazy, and still expect to score?

It’s probably not a question of being lazy, because the truth is springtime is a busy time and most of us have many commitments. It’s not always easy to get out there and do our proper pre-season scouting.

If candles had three ends, you’d be burning all three. You have a responsible job and you can’t get time off. You have a family you are devoted to, which means honey-do tasks that have been hanging fire all winter. You might be coaching youth baseball or softball, and you can’t avoid the annual yard and garage clean up. Scouting for turkeys can be like one more part-time job, and it will wear you out long before you can start toting your shotgun. If you could only send those flaps on the side of your head into the turkey woods at 5:00 AM, so the rest of your body could take care of all your other responsibilities.

scout perimeter of posted land

Don’t be afraid to scout the perimeter of posted land. You have to call them in anyway, so the gobblers you discover on posted property are just as available as any others you find. (Steve Sorensen photo)

Maybe you want to be out there. Maybe you should be out there. But maybe you can’t be out there because all those other wants and shoulds and musts rank a little higher. Don’t feel badly. Don’t feel that other hunters are out there getting the jump on you.

Here are three types of scouting serious hunters do, with the pro and con view of both. The “pros” will give you reasons to scout if you have the time; the “cons” should offer a little comfort to hunters with little time for scouting.

METHOD The PRO Reasons The CON Reasons
Early scouting Pre-season scouting increases your odds of scoring early in the season, and the earlier you begin the more gobblers you can locate. The more gobblers you’ve located, the more game plans you can create. And when the season comes, diligent pre-season scouting always leaves plenty of options. It’s a long season, and you don’t want to wear yourself out. What if sleep deprivation makes you a zombie at work? What if it makes you as cranky as the head witch in a broom factory, and you become a monster to your spouse? It’s not worth it. Besides, pre-season scouting begins losing value after opening day.
Road Scouting Driving the back roads lets you stop at likely looking spots, and get as many turkeys to shock-gobble as possible. Make your list, and keep it in your back pocket. With 30, 40, or 50 gobblers located, you’ll always have a spot you can head for, and it won’t take long to get to one. When you locate gobblers from the roads in heavily hunted areas, you’re hearing the same gobblers a dozen or more other hunters are hearing. You almost guarantee yourself competition. If you limit yourself to road scouting, you’ll miss the gobblers that are over the next hill.
On-Foot Scouting Scouting on foot lets you get away from the crowds. You’ll discover gobblers that are over the next hill that other hunters will never hear, so it will lead you to uneducated gobblers. Plus, you’ll notice so much more when scouting on foot – feathers, tracks, scratchings, droppings – all are clues about where turkeys are and what they’re doing. On-foot scouting takes more time, so you won’t be able to cover as much ground. You can waste time with a run of bad luck when you’re unable to find any place that holds turkeys. And, turkeys will often move. When hens head for good nesting cover, gobblers will follow, so those places where you found all the gobbler sign can go cold.

Obviously, you need to hunt where turkeys are if you’re going to be successful. That’s why some scouting is a must if you don’t know where turkeys are hanging out. So, do some scouting. But don’t do unproductive scouting. And don’t over-do it. Too much scouting can turn your season into an intolerable marathon. Turkey hunting is supposed to be fun.

scout and hunt with a buddy

Many hunters consider spring gobbler hunting a sport for a solo hunter, but when you hook up with a buddy and compare scouting notes, you both increase your odds of success. (Steve Sorensen photo)

Five tips:

  1. One of the best ways to do your pre-season scouting is to lock up permission to access land early, in prime places. It’s not as exhausting as racing around looking for gobbling toms, it doesn’t burn a lot of gasoline in your hunting buggy, and you can gather information from landowners, saving you lots of time. Plus, once you secure permission, there’s a chance landowners will turn others down.
  2. Opening day is very competitive – and that can’t be good for making turkeys feel at ease. So scout specifically for opening day. Know where you can go to get away from the crowds.
  3. Scout with a trusted buddy. That will give you many more options, let you know more about what places are getting heavy pressure, and when successful, you both share a great memory.
  4. Don’t ignore posted land, even if you don’t have permission to hunt it. It’s no harder to call them across a property boundary than it is to call them anywhere else. They don’t know the boundary is there.
  5. Keep a list of places where you find turkeys year after year. Make a quick stop there just to be sure they’re there – then go on to new places.

***

hunter outdoor writer steve sorensen

About Steve Sorensen

Outdoor writer and speaker Steve Sorensen writes an award-winning newspaper column called “The Everyday Hunter®,” and is the editor of the Havalon Sportsman’s Post. He also publishes articles in Deer & Deer Hunting, North American Whitetail, and many other top magazines across the USA. Invite Steve to speak at your next sportsman’s event, and follow him at www.EverydayHunter.com.

 

For more turkey articles, click here.

And click here to read what other hunters say….


5,231 total views, no views today

Posted in Guest Writers, How To, Spring Turkey Hunting, Steve Sorensen, Turkey Hunting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Pre-Season Spring Turkey Scouting: To Scout, or Not

Choosing a Black Bear Guide – 8 Foolproof Tips

Posted on March 26, 2013 by HavalonKnives

by Bill Vaznis

Let’s face the facts: Ursus americanus is North America’s Number Two big-game animal. Indeed, based on license sales there are more black bear hunters than elk, moose, sheep, antelope, mountain goat, mountain lion, mule deer and caribou hunters COMBINED!

Before you book your next bear hunt ask these key questions

But that doesn’t mean booking a trophy bear hunt is easy. Not by a long shot. If you want a quality experience, take your time and do your homework. Here some important topics for questions you’ll want to ask outfitters, booking agents and guides.

outfitter and wildlife officer with dead bear

An outfitter ought to have a good relationship with the wildlife enforcement officers – they collect lots of information on the bear population.

1. Costs
Don’t let surprises creep into the bottom line. Ask whether he charges extra for transportation to and from the airport, or to and from your bait site. Does he charge extra for skinning, butchering and hide preparation? Is there a taxidermist in camp? What are his fees? What about a cooler for meat storage? Is that included in the total package? Are meals provided or do you take care of your own? Are other animals available, such as deer during a fall bear hunt? Are there extra charges for that?

As a rule of thumb, you get what you pay for. Outfitters with big bears in their territory charge a premium price. And conversely, those who can’t tell boar spoor from that of a sow will charge you very little… and very little is exactly what you’ll end up with after a week in the bush.

bill vaznis on a truck with a dead bear

It pays to know something about tracking a wounded bear, so read up before your hunt.

2. Number of Hunters in Camp
An outfitter who runs 15, 20 or more hunters a week cannot give you the individual attention you need when you want a bruin for the book. Conversely, an outfitter who keeps it small might charge more, but should be able to go the extra mile for you.

3. Bear Sightings
What happens if you don’t get a shot opportunity? Some outfitters offer a return hunt at a reduced price. What is the policy if a bear is wounded and lost? In some states and provinces that constitutes a filled tag and your hunt is over. In other places outfitters go by the same rule.

4. Successful Hunts
What is the sex ratio of bears tagged? Mature boars range far and wide in the spring looking for mates, and are generally the first to be shot over a bait pile, so a preponderance of sows and small boars often indicates an area has been overhunted. The state’s or province’s big game departments generally have harvest statistics on hand. Ask how long the outfitter has been hunting the area? Does he rotate his hunting grounds?

check the sights on your bow or firearm.

Sights often get bumped during transportation, so every camp ought to have a place to do an accuracy check on your bow or firearm.

5. Photographs of Past Hunts
Photos of monster bears on the outfitter’s web site help sell hunts. Ask about those bears and when they were tagged. If most photos are a few years old, you should see a red flag.

Also, be sure the bear was taken on his watch! I did some digging at an outdoor show and learned that many of the photographs displayed did not come from the outfitter’s camp. In fact, the stuffed bruiser standing erect in his booth was borrowed from another outfitter.

ask your outfitter about your atv

Ask outfitters about their ATV policy. Some want you to leave your ATV at home. Does that mean his hunting area is small, and you’re likely to get near other hunters’ bait sites? Others want you to bring one. Does that mean you’ll be on your own, and have to find your own way around?

6. Ask For References
References from hunters who went home empty handed are as important as references from successful hunters. Would either group hunt with the outfitter again? Why? Why not?

What other references should you ask for?

Ask for references about guides: Guides are usually employees. Ask references if guides were knowledgeable? Could they sex a set of bear tracks accurately? Did they try to make your hunt enjoyable, or did they sometimes shirk their duties? I had one guide routinely drive his ATV up to my stand during legal shooting hours… until I had a man-to-man talk with the teenage know-it-all. Did they play it safe when transporting you in and out of the bush? I had one guide who must have been an aspiring Indy 500 driver. I freely offered some fatherly advice.

little girl with stuffed mounted bear

Does your guide know the tricks of the skinning and hide preparation trade? If not, does the camp have access to a good taxidermist? That’s an important question if you want a mount you’ll be satisfied with years from now, and can pass down to loved ones.

Ask for references about camp life: Was food prepared or was every meal a scavenger hunt? Was there a target range for you to sight in your weapon of choice? Was alcohol permitted in camp? If so, did the outfitter monitor consumption? Were the hunters there to hunt… or drink? Were the sleeping quarters adequate? A couple of years ago I woke up to smoke and flames! The wood stove had no sand in the firebox and the heat caught the tent platform afire.

7. Ask About Down Time
If you get your bear early, what else can you do? Can you leave camp early? At what cost? Can you bring your own ATV so you can do a little sightseeing? Is quality fishing available?

8. Gear Suggestions
If the outfitter recommends you pack long underwear, head nets, safety vest, flashlight or your own back-up firearm, do so. If he tells you to pass up early afternoon shots for a chance at a monster bear, do so. After all, you’re paying him for his advice – if you don’t take it that might be why you go home bearless!

***

About Bill Vaznis

bill-vaznis-head-shot-120x160A lifetime of hunting and outdoor writing has put Bill’s byline in every major outdoor magazine in North America. He has published over 1,000 articles and columns plus thousands of photographs on bowhunting, big-game hunting and freshwater fishing. Today he owns and edits a rapidly growing digital magazine for bear hunters named Bear Hunters Online. He has also published three how-to hunting books: Successful Black Bear Hunting, 500 Deer Hunting Tips and Still-Hunting Trophy Whitetails. He lives on a farm in upstate New York with Grizz, a 30-pound woodchuck with a voracious appetite for the neighbors’ gardens.

shop piranta bolt
 

To read more articles by Bill Vaznis, click here…

And read what other hunter’s say about their
Havalon knives.

 
 
 
 

5,056 total views, no views today

Posted in Bear Hunting, Big Game Hunting, Bill Vaznis, Guest Writers, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Train for Your Hunt…Or Don’t:
The Number One Mistake Elk Hunter’s Make

Posted on March 19, 2013 by HavalonKnives

by Bob Robb

How to ruin your chances in March for
the elk you want to bag in September.

every-elk-hunters-dream-448x336

Every elk hunter’s dream. Will you be physically able to do what it takes to put yourself in this picture?

Decades ago, an old mentor explained why most out-of-state elk hunters never saw a bull, much less got a shot at one. “The mountains don’t care that you’ve gotten older, had an injury, or are too busy with work and the family to train for the hunt,” he said. “They’re still steep and rough, and the elk can prance about like ballerinas at higher elevations. Unless you prepare, you don’t stand a chance.” Sage advice, even today.

This is why, six to eight months before opening day, you must start training for your elk hunt. You can’t put it off because physical fitness is not something that occurs overnight, or by osmosis. It’s a slow-but-steady progression that you must participate in several times a week to achieve measurable results.

If you’re serious about elk hunting, begin your training program now. If you’re not, the mountains will beat you. Here are six ways to fail long before the hunt.

glassing-out-west-448x299

Elk country is big and steep and tough. The key to success is being able to cover as much ground as you can while trying
to locate a bull to hunt.

1. If you don’t have a medical exam, you might begin your physical training only to find out you’re in over your head. You can’t afford a training injury, and you need to know if getting in shape is doable in the time you have. Once your doctor gives the OK, you’re ready to start.

2. If you don’t change your evil ways, your training will be worth little. It’s time to address that improper diet, poor discipline, and your other bad habits (you know what they are). At your medical exam be honest with your doctor. Consider him part of your team. Seek his diet and exercise suggestions, and ask him if your target weight is realistic. Yes – diet and exercise are hard, but if they can do it on “The Biggest Loser” TV show, why can’t you?

3. If you don’t start out walking, you’ll stop far short of your goal. You literally have to walk before you run. Commit to taking a brisk walk every day. Put in 30 minutes to begin with, and work your way up to an hour. Weather’s the problem? Head for the mall or walk on a treadmill. To get started, check out my article A Basic Fitness Program for Hunters.

bull-scored-361-points-on-pope-and-young-407x278

This past year I, after 10 years of applying, finally drew a coveted Arizona archery elk tag. Thankfully, I did the physical training work for months before the season began. The bull scored a Pope & Young Club score of 361 points.

4. If you don’t do aerobic exercise, you might be strong but not fit. Some guys think aerobics is just for women. Don’t be one of those guys. Use aerobic exercises to get your heart pumping at your target heart rate, or THR. I’ve written more about THR and “training zones” in Toughen Up! Six Steps to Elk Hunting Fitness. Choose a combination of aerobic activities that interest you enough so you’ll stick with it over time. Jogging, swimming, bicycling, walking, jumping rope, and fast walking are good examples. The aerobics classes so popular these days are an excellent way to both improve your overall aerobic capacity and tone your muscles.

5. If you don’t get stronger, you’ll feel fatigued by mid-day. Build some muscle through weight training or calisthenics like push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and stretching. When using weights, concentrate on the main muscle groups – legs, back, shoulders, arms, chest, and stomach. However, keep in mind that the most important muscle in your body is your heart – it is best strengthened through the aerobic activities mentioned above.

elk-hunting-most-physically-demanding-in-lower-48-349x336

Fair chase elk hunting is physically the most demanding big game hunt in the lower 48. The time to start getting your body ready is now.

6. If you don’t get specific, the hunt will be torture. Once you reach your general fitness goals, you need to focus on training your body specifically for the mountains. Exercise physiologists call it “specificity training” – designed to improve the performance of a specific task. A mountain hunter is basically a mountain hiker who carries a daypack weighing 10-15 pounds. Therefore, incorporate exercises that simulate this activity. On your walks, start wearing a loaded day pack. Avoid flat ground. Make stadium steps and hills part of your route. For more about specificity training read Toughen Up! Six Steps to Elk Hunting Fitness.

If you need help, don’t be embarrassed to ask for it. The truth is that not asking for help is more likely to cause embarrassment. Receiving professional advice and guidance to achieve a fitness goal is as easy as joining a local health club, YMCA, or signing up for a class at the local college or other accredited institution specializing in physical fitness. Most have a staff of trained professionals who can help design an exercise program to meet your specific goals. They’ll help keep you motivated, too.

You have other things to do – scouting through aerial photos and topo maps, researching Internet sites for information about the area, deciding what gear you’ll need, and more. But if you don’t get your body ready, none of that will matter.

Last year, after 10 years of applying, I finally drew a coveted Arizona archery elk tag. Thankfully, I did the physical training work for months before the season began. One day, according to the GPS my friend Jon Vance carried, we hiked 16 miles chasing bulls. In four days the total was 47 miles. I was prepared to go like this for the entire two-week season, but thankfully Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt, smiled on day four when I arrowed a bull scoring 361 Pope & Young points.

Take it from me – not starting your training for elk season now is a bad mistake, and bad things will happen. But if you do start now, Artemis is more likely to smile on you, too, and make all those hours on the track, in the gym, and in your hiking boots worth it.

***

About Bob Robb

bob-robb-head-shotFor over two decades, Bob’s articles and photographs have appear in most major outdoor magazines. Currently he is editor of Whitetail Journal and Predator Xtreme magazines. Bob was founding editor of Petersen’s Bowhunting magazines, and the author of many books, including The Field & Stream Bowhunting Handbook, and The Ultimate Guide to Elk Hunting. Bob sees the value of super-sharp, lightweight Havalon knives.

To read more artilces by Bob Robb, click here.

Click here for the best elk skinning knife…..and read what other’s say about their Havalon knives.

3,858 total views, no views today

Posted in Big Game Hunting, Bob Robb, Elk Hunting, Guest Writers, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Train for Your Hunt…Or Don’t:
The Number One Mistake Elk Hunter’s Make