Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Getting ready for next hunting season

What do you need to do to get ready for next season? I have a bunch of loading to do, scopes to mount, sighting in the rifles with new scopes. I would like to build another hog catching pen. Catching those bastards is fun!!

Ramp up the cardio and strength training for a backpack hunt.

Just got 40 minutes in on the stationary bike. That and lifting more this year hopefully, barring injury. Nice thing at my age, all my rifles are ready to roll and other than looney stuff, require no work. Dog is finished and doing what I want. This could be a boring 7 months.

I bought more Merino Wool and practiced my 12 ounce curls.

I bet those curls get a little easier after each rep

There are only two sessons:
Hunting season
Prep for hunting season.

Hunt year round.

I'm gonna take it a little slow this year. Last fall, I had both knees replaced. I got 61 years out of the old ones; hope the new ones give me 20+ more years.

It’s a wonder I don’t need new knees. I played football for 8 yrs,we played both ways, track for 7 years, I’ve finished 6 marathons, too many 5 and 10k runs to count. I walk 6 to 10 miles a week now. I’m tired!😎. I’ve nevered weighed over 190, so I guess that may have helped.

Good diet, exercise, some reloading/shooting.

Maps, google earth, logistics, talking to old timers, gear sorting/planning.


I want to use a sit-on-top kayak to hunt black bear, moose, and wolves in rocky pass between kuiu and kupreanoff next year. A little planning involved in that.

Mom had hers done15 years ago at 80. She bitched at he doctor when he told her they were good for at least 20 years. She said “you think I want to go through this again when I’m 100?” A few more years and we may find out if doc gets hi butt kicked.

I need some of that myself

Last year I dropped 25 pounds, which made the elk hills a lot easier. This year I plan to do a repeat and get under 200.

As far as rifles, mine are ready to go with current loads - although I do plan to try the 150g LRAB in my .280 Rem. Hope to get Daughter #1's new-to-her .270 Win to the range to test 145g ELD-X this weekend. (Developed a 150g LRAB load for it already.)

Need to change the spark plugs in my 2005 F150 - apparently not an easy task.

More range time for practice, practice, practice, out to 600 yards. Need to get Daughter #1 and SILs there more a well.

May hunt a different area this year, at request of SIL. That would mean a familiarization trip.

A used Savage 111 7mm RM showed up in my safe a week ago. I have a non-magnum bolt head on backorder for it, which will give me additional options for rebarreling it. Leading candidates for the rebarrel are 6.5PRC, 6.5-06AI, 26 Nosler, .280AI. If I can get it ready before hunting season, it would likely get used this fall.

I need to get new tires for my ranger too.

New tires for my truck and lose my spare tire. Load the trailer. ✅

Some thing I have been doing for years. At least a month ahead of time start a list of what's going with you on the hunt. I start with tag/license & ammo. Over the years I have refined it. Little things like matches , band aids, toilet paper etc. When I'm at hunting camp it can be a long way/ walk then drive to get some essential I forgot. If your rifle is sighted in with a special specific load factory off the shelf ammo can shoot way off. For sure don't forget the jerky.

Finally got a utility trailer for my use as my mobile blind. Now I can move it around as needed.......as soon as I get it built.

Apply for out of state tags... also trying to work up some new loads and would like to upgrade a few rifle scopes, as well as upgrading to heavier arrows

Draw a license! Other than that, nothing to do. Same rifle, scope, load, zero, and own all gear needed to hunt! memtb

I've got to either buy a new muzzleloader or work on my old one. Mostly just needs new sling swivels, but I wouldn't mind a lighter weight one.
I haven't shot my bow in a couple years so, leaning towards nothing in archery season. Nothing wrong with the bow last I looked, but I sure need a tune up if I'm gonna use it again.

For rifle work, nothing NEEDS to be done, but still tweaking loads for the .260, just never landed on a load that I love. I feel like there's more accuracy left on the table and that I've been rushed every time I did some loading and went with an ok load, rather than finding that one great load.

And then there's the pack goats. We need to work on some trail manners (specifically no walking in front of me), creek crossings, camp manners, and pack tolerance. Will hopefully do at least two overnights before hunting season in a unit I'll actually hunt this year, which bring up, what the hell am I hunting this year? They will all be yearlings this spring and this coming fall should weigh 180 plus plus for most of them and would like to do a backcountry deer sized critter hunt or two, plus a front country muzzleloader elk hunt so they won't have to take in my camping gear. I may settle on a bear hunt because I have the points for a good one, with or without camping to worry about with them. I don't have enough points for the deer hunt I want in Colorado, I do have enough for a really good one in Wyoming, but unsure on committing to that this year. 0 points again in Nevada, so no guaranteed draw, middle of the road in Utah, so unsure what to do. May take a stab at New Mexico muzzleloader season. Wifey points not helpful here either this year, same with father in law as he just moved down from Alaska. Really struggling with this decision and need to put us on a fun hunt this year, hopefully killing something, not just armed camping trip.