Offseason Training: Time To Start Is Now!

from Northwest Sportsman Magazine - February 2023

5 Top Coyote Calibers; New Turkey Guns, Optics

Becoming A Hunter

By Dave Anderson

Looking back at last year’s hunting season, did you feel physically ﬁt or were you sore and tired every morning? Did your level of physical ﬁtness or stamina stop you from pushing harder and going further than you wanted to?

Are you sick of driving around in a truck looking for game?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, now would be the time to start making changes – changes that will not only help you going into this year’s hunting season, but also help you in life by creating a healthier and happier version of yourself.

The first step is making the commitment to change and putting your health and physical fitness as a priority. This can all be done without a gym membership, although having one is not a bad option, especially for those days when winter weather kicks in. There are several cardio options at the gym, but my favorite piece of equipment would be the stair climber. I also have a small home gym that is equipped with a rowing machine, elliptical and free weights. Since I have access to all this equipment, there really is no excuse to not get some sort of exercise on a daily basis. I am definitely not a fitness expert, but I know what works for me. In addition, if you decide to make the commitment to change but have some health concerns, I would consult a doctor prior to jumping into any type of exercise program.

I DECIDED TO start my oﬀseason training back in December to prepare for the 2023 Idaho archery elk season. I was not in awful shape, but I wasn’t where I wanted to be. Therefore, it was time to focus!

Living in Coeur d’Alene provides my family and I some excellent outdoor opportunities for hikes that are close to the house. When I am not working across the country, on the road or in the air, I get in a weighted hike almost every day. I can wake up early, throw on the backpack and easily get in a 4-mile hike close to home.

In addition to weekly hikes, I also get to share these trips and outdoor adventures with my two boys, Ryland and Barrett. They have been hiking with us on weekends since before they could even walk. They both started in a backpack on my wife Kristina’s back or mine. Once they got to a point where their legs could start keeping up, they have had boots on the ground in the mountains or on the trails. There is nothing better than getting your kids outdoors with you while exploring in the mountains. It is our job as parents and advocates for the outdoors to get our kids outside and share the great resources we are so fortunate to have access to. If you have an area near your home, hiking is one of the best ways to get in and stay in shape, in my opinion.

I HAVE A Mystery Ranch Guide light packframe with a Pintler bag that I use for my weighted hikes, but there are a ton of diﬀerent options. My recommendation on packs is pretty simple: Find one that ﬁts you the best! I have had awesome luck and love my Mystery Ranch packs. They are tough and built to last. I use the same pack for hunting and hiking. Another neat feature with these packs is that you can switch out bags depending on your need, whether it’s for multiple days/nights or just a daypack situation.

For my weighted hikes, I carry kettle bells ranging from 20 pounds to 50 pounds. This all depends on the hike and where I am at physically. I also carry two Nalgene bottles full of water on these hikes.

Hiking sticks are a great thing to have as well. Trekking poles are four-wheel drive for the human body. Once you get used to having poles, it is hard to go back to not having them. I can’t tell you how many times I would’ve landed flat on my back or face first if I hadn’t been using trekking poles. There are a ton of different options out there, but there is a huge difference between a cheap pair and a set that you pay a couple hundred bucks for. The cheaper ones normally don’t perform well under pressure and can break if you try to catch yourself during a fall. I am a fan of Leki trekking poles.

In addition, a good set of hiking shoes, trail runners or lightweight boots for traction is a good idea. I would not recommend tennis shoes on the trail. A rolled ankle or slip can ruin a day. I have had great luck with the Salomon Speedcross 5 trail running shoes during spring/summer hikes. While I was pretty skeptical about using a pair of lightweight trail running shoes for my hikes, I was blown away by the performance of these shoes. They have a very aggressive tread pattern, providing amazing traction, and are light and comfortable. Last year, Kristina used the women’s Salomon Speedcross trail running shoes to hike Central Washington’s Enchantments, in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, which was a 20-mile through hike, and they held up great and provided enough traction and stability. Having a good set of hiking shoes just adds another level of four-wheel drive to the human body.

THE GREAT THING about having a pack is being able to bring along some extra items like rain gear, ﬁrst-aid kit and delicious snacks or lunches for on the trail. Since hiking with my boys, I fully understand the necessity of having snacks. We take more breaks with the boys, so having something they can munch on is perfect for those breaks and rest periods.

On my mountain hikes, I always have my Glock Model 20 in 10mm loaded with 220-grain Buffalo Bore ammunition. I carry it in my Windhill Holster Chest rig, made in La Grande, Oregon. This makes it accessible and easy to carry. It definitely adds more weight to my hikes, but I also would rather have a gun and not need it than need a gun and not have it. Carrying a form of protection is especially important in areas where grizzly bears are encroaching. North Idaho has quite a few and there are several roaming throughout Montana. Make sure that if you carry a handgun, you shoot it and are proficient with it. Just having a gun is a small piece of the equation when it comes down to defending your life and

the ones you love.

MY LAST BIT of advice on getting back into shape boils down to one of my favorite quotes: “You can’t outrun a fork!” Diet is just as important as exercise, so maybe this will be the year that you start to watch what you are putting into your body. Doing so can help us stay healthy and ﬁt.

Generally speaking, easy and convenient does not equal healthy. True, that advice is coming from someone who spends almost half of his year traveling for work, and it is not easy. However, with a little eﬀort it is possible. Finding healthier alternatives is easy once you commit to it.

I am definitely excited to make the changes necessary in order to be more proficient in the mountains when my Idaho archery elk season opens this fall. To me, having improved physical fitness and stamina will make my time in the woods more enjoyable. Hopefully I have influenced a few of you to jump on the offseason training regimen, because now is the best time to make those changes! NS

OREGON

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