The first portion of physical would be conditioning. Know the terrain you are hunting and get used to it. Walking on a treadmill will not prepare you for climbing 3,000 feet in elevation chasing elk. You have to actually get out and put the miles on your boots that you plan to mimic during hunting season.

When setting your physical goals, be sure to make it realistic. If you start your training off by trying to hike 10 miles on your first day, this will most likely deter you from achieving your goal. Each goal is a stepping-stone and should increase each time one is achieved. For example, start your hike off with no weight and light gear, making it 3 miles without pushing yourself to exhaustion.

Once you’ve completed your first goal two or three times, take it up a notch by adding distance. For example, when you reach your anticipated hunting season distance goal, you should exceed that distance by a mile or two – this will prepare you for the unexpected days that surpass your own expectations of daily miles. I typically put in 14-18 miles a day during archery elk season. My training starts at 3 miles in spring and I get to my 14 mile mark around early summer. Once early summer hits, I then introduce weight into my hiking. This will prepare you for hauling around your gear and packing your harvest out of the woods.

During the course of your conditioning you will be simultaneously increasing your mental stamina. You should find confidence in knowing you have been putting in the miles and doing it with the weight you plan for. Knowing you can do it is half the challenge, which you are now preparing for.

Mentally you must focus on many things while practicing shooting. Not flinching, breathing, not gripping the bow too tight, making sure the bow is level, steadying your bow, etc. I try to go through a quick checklist prior to sending each arrow down range.

    1. Is my bow level?
    2. Is my anchor point correct?
    3. Is my hand gripping the bow too tight?
    4. Am I breathing steady?
    5. Is the correct pin on the target location?

Then I release. Each arrow takes me roughly 15 seconds to shoot once I am in full draw. This mental checklist helps me prepare for the opportunity during season when I have a big bull in front of me and my adrenaline is pumping. Calming down and going through each point will help lead to a clean and successful shot.