Without questing your body and the condition you keep it in is your most important piece of hunting equipment in the field.  To a bowhunter who spends a lot of time on his feet, I believe second most important piece of equipment would have to be without question your footwear.

I can finally write this article with a smile on my face, finding a near perfect match for what my criteria is for the perfect boot has finally been had.

This quest was fulfilled in 2004 when Danner made the original Pronghorn boot.  The original version was light (a must), waterproof (a must), quiet (a must), flexible (a must) and fit above the ankle (a definite must for me).  I wore these boots to a frazzle, literally.  These original Pronghorns were my companions on every hunt I went on, they had become a part of me.  Our last outing together, an elk hunt in NM in 2006, I had to duct tape the toe to the sole to keep them together.

Many would say, why not buy another pair or find another boot that works for you?  Answer is Danner changed the style and I feel like I have tried every boot made since this style was retired.

I searched everywhere for another pair.  Ebay had it marked as a favorite in my watch for list; I would have paid out the nose to find another pair.

Since then I have found a way to disqualify every boot I have tried on.  The list of reasons is long.

1. Too clunky (kind of like Frankenstein hunting, category of the new Pronghorns).
2. Too stiff (ok for rifle hunters or guys wearing large backpacks, not for run and gun bowhunters like me).
3. Not waterproof (I live in Arizona and still like waterproof)
4. Too heavy (might as well be wearing ankle weights while chasing elk).
5. Low tops (my ankles have to have the support).
6.  Just plain did not fit my feet well (this covers a lot of areas).

For six years I have literally tried on every new boot at Bass Pro or Cabelas every time I am in the store.  I have my brother to thank for the new contender in the quest for the best boot since the original Pronghorn. (Thanks Bro!)

So far the Lowa Zephyr GTX MID is the bomb.  I purchased these from REI (bought a half size larger than I wear in a normal shoe) and could not be happier

The testing has not yet been extensive; however I wore them right out of the box on an elk-scouting trip here in Arizona.  In 2 days I covered over 10 miles and multiple terrain scenarios.  Up shale mountains, through mud, rocky ground to grass covered meadows and they have been AWESOME!  If I could think of a more unique word or a more overall descriptive one I would use it, for now we will use AWESOME!

You would have to know me personally to know what this means to me.  I could care less about camo boots or any particular name brand.  You should never have to think about your footwear while hunting, they should just perform without having to have any recognition.

Big hunts coming up, I will update the gear-list to always represent the best products I have found and used in the field.

And remember:

(This is my opinion and that’s worth every penny you paid for it!)      

The Solid broadhead consistently hit in the area very near my field points as a matter of fact I had to start shooting the broadhead first to keep from cutting the fletchings off my field point arrows. The Wac-em consistently shot 4 or 5 inches left which is actually quite good for a fixed blade broadhead at 50 yards.

               
Noise during flight between the two broadheads seemed to be quite equal. I have not found a fixed blade head that shoots dead silent when shooting around 300 fps, I think that would actually be defying physics. I did notice that when shooting in a breeze both broadheads did plane more than my field points in whichever direction the wind was blowing, again I think to not do so would also be defying physics.
No testing was done on how tough the head is. You can go to Solid-broadheads.com to watch the videos which test the strength of the broadhead. I think he has come up with a winner. This head is definitely superior to any other fixed blade I have tried in flight tests to date, (and that has been a few.) I can’t wait to put one through an elk in mid-September.
 (This is my opinion and that’s worth every penny you paid for it!)

 Ever wonder why you are not the guy or gal who gets to come home with bragging rights more often?  You seem to put in the time you seem to want it more than anyone but time after time you come home and have to answer the dreadful question again.  “Honey did you get something?”

I have a hunting friend who will even call his wife before she calls him just to get the question over with.

Maybe this printed information here can help.  If nothing else I believe it will get you to thinking.

Fortunately for me I found a remedy for not having to make the dreaded phone call too often.  I have my slumps but for the most part I am successful more often than not. Here’s why first then I will tell you how.  I do not have much time so when I hunt I have to make it happen.  That is the why now here is the how.

For me it wasn’t so much what I was doing wrong it was what I was not doing right.  Let me explain.

Did you learn anything the last time you were out hunting and that buck got a whiff of you long before you had a chance to get your bow drawn. I found out real quick I had better learn.

I once was at a distance of 12 yards from a buck in Kansas that ended up later scoring 194” (that is another story a story which needs to be told with me having a box of crying Kleenexes close at hand)when I made a mistake I will never get over.  You see I had a new rest on my bow that I was not familiar with, the unfamiliarity with my equipment cost me a giant.  How did I learn, I try and stick with equipment the works and has proven itself to me personally (not what is the hype for today).  I will not let the same mistake happen to me twice if I can help it.

Let’s look at a few of the possible gremlins.

1. Gremlin -You hunt to close to a road or ride you ATV as far as you can.

Solution-Get in shape you will find your willingness to get you many more opportunities at game.  Yes that’s right get in shape; you can always get in better shape than you are now.  Just ask Lance Armstrong.

2. Gremlin-You get to your stand too late or leave too early.

Solution-Consistently successful hunters are usually willing to do what others won’t.  I once spent the night in a tree stand to make sure I was there at first light and I made no noise getting to the stand.

3. Gremlin-Clothing is it too noisy does it keep you warm?  Noisy uncomfortable gear is the worst.

Solution-I don’t care what the brand is what the camo is; if it doesn’t work wear something else.  This is not fashion square, this is the backcountry, and no one cares what you look like except the game animal.

4. Gremlin-Are you putting in the time?

Solution-All the TV hunting shows the magazine reading does not take the place of time in the field.  I have a friend who is always talking and buying the latest and greatest gear, he can sure talk the talk, the only problem is he is never in the field.  Don’t get me wrong I love the shows and read the magazines, but if I have the option of being out there I will be.

5. Gremlin-Do you have confidence? Can you make the shot?

Solution-Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more.  I shoot my bow at least every other day.  Sometimes I only shoot maybe 8 arrows, some days (like today) I shot my bow over 90 times.  Here is a secret, practice at yardages further than what you would feel comfortable shooting an animal at.  By practicing farther you will find the closer shots are a breeze, and the bonus is you will eventually stretch out your effective range.  When I moved from Oklahoma to Arizona I came out west with an effective range of 50 yards.  My first year hunting the Coues deer I saw the biggest buck I have seen in the last 8 years, he was at 70 yards, too far.  Since that encounter I have practiced at great distances, up to 100 yards+, vowing that if I was ever in that situation again I would make it happen.

6. Gremlin-Mental preparation.  Do you believe you will be successful?

Solution-Don’t overlook this one, as I believe it could be the most devastating gremlin of all.  You absolutely must believe you will be successful each time you go out, if you do not you will become sloppy.  Sloppy hunters are not usually successful hunters.  If you believe you are going to get the shot then you will constantly be aware of where an animal could be.  You then will not skyline yourself, walk with the wind at your back, step on debris that is noisy, etc.  Another words your head is in the game.

7.  Gremlin- Not at one with your equipment.

Solution-My wife thinks I am crazy; I am always going over my gear.  I am cleaning the binos, checking batteries in my rangefinder, checking the arrows for loose or tore fletching.  Every time before and after I shoot my bow, I check it out.  Is there a loose screw, how are the fiber optics, what condition is the string in.  I know my gear inside and out.  I keep spare parts handy, every hunt I am on I make sure I have all necessary backups in case something goes awry.  A few years ago I had purchase a new bow with an innovative string design around the cam, when I went on my hunts not only did I have a spare string, I had photos of how the string was to be installed.  Just in case, always be prepared for Murphy, he has the worst timing.  By the way if you see that guy would you put an arrow in him for me?

This is just a short list of many possible scenarios.  The bottom line is this.  Look back over your own hunting history, think of all the opportunities you have had and something went wrong.  Next make a list of all the shortcomings and find a remedy for them.  You will be happy you did.

I was inspired by an article I read in Eastman’s Bowhunting Journal a few years back on this very topic. Since that day I have kept a written journal of all my hunts, no matter the length of the hunt.

To my surprise I have found the journal is every bit as important as the photos of the hunt if not more important. Let me explain. We all hunt for the experience right? Some of us put more stock in bigger antlers, some of us like the sheer sport and excitement hunting brings into our lives, while others use hunting as a pure form of building inner strength. We may all hunt for different reasons, but the one unifying thing the hunt does for all of us is build memories.

I have often told my wife that the animals I have mounted in my office is not necessarily for the enjoyment of others they are primarily a way to transport me back into the hunt. You see every time I look at any of my trophies a flood of memories rushes back over me. The majority of the memories from the mounts are primarily specific to moments spent with the animal whether before the shot or after the shot.

The photos bring back memories specific to the photos, visual stimulations of the time and place the image was captured. The journal actually lets you relive the entire experience, when reading your journal you feel as if you are transported back to the very place and time.

I have a very good memory and have always felt that I would never forget the moments that have helped to map the course of my life. Whether the 1st steps of my boys or the moment I met my wife, truth is the acts rarely are forgotten; what is forgotten are the details surrounding the moment that makes it come alive again where you can relive it.

Videography is probably the best way to preserve these times; however as any hunter knows this is not usually an option. What is an option is the journal, the way our history has been recorded, pen and paper.

What I have for you in this article is one of my first journals of the hunt. This journal below is in its raw format just as it was written. This is not revised, rewritten for better journalism, it is just as I stated raw, in its basic format. I am giving the journal this way so you can realize you do not have to be a great writer, you don’t have to have eloquent words, just write and describe events as they happen.

My format is simple, when I arrive back at camp and am setting around the fire or laying in my tent I start jotting down the times and events as I remembered them happening throughout the day. If my times are off by a half hour, who cares, in a year you will not even remember if your time account was accurate or not. One lesson I learned the hard way is write every chance you get, don’t skip several days or definitly don’t wait until the hunt is over to try and compose a journal. If you procrastinate in this way I guarantee you will be surprised at the amount of detail you cannot remember. Just think about it, if you cannot remember events as they happened one week later, how much of the experience will be left by father time in the years to come.

Try a journal one time; I believe you will enjoy the documenting much more than you imagine you would. If you are at all like me you will become more diligent with each passing day making sure those memories stay alive. I now have other reasons for the journal, two of those are a 6 year old and 4 year old, that I hope someday will be excited to pick up those journals and live those hunts with dad.
Below is a one of my first journals, this is of an elk hunt in New Mexico with my brother, Paul.

My Journal

September 9

10:00 a.m. Was supposed to leave Tucson, did not actually start driving until 12:20.

3:15 p.m. Pouring rain and had a flat on Paul’s trailer, spare tire was too wide, and so we drove on to Wilcox and purchased 2 tires and a wheel.

9:00 p.m. Made it to Alamogordo, too tired to go further so we stayed at Motel 6.

September 10

5:30 a.m. Awake, 1 hot cup of coffee later we are on our way to heaven.

Took all day to get camp ready. It is in a beautiful spot.

3:00 p.m. Hunting finally, at 5:00 pm heard 2 bulls. Never got a good look at them.

8:00 p.m. Back at camp, Puerto Rican rice for dinner and off to bed.

September 11

5:00 a.m. Late action today elk nearly finished bugling by the time we are in them. Seen 4 cows and 1 spike bull, smelled them before we saw them.

9:00 a.m. Located a herd of wild hogs, they are very vocal, 1 is huge and I stick an arrow in him; cannot find him I will look again tomorrow.

11:15 a.m. Paul and I find the elk, two 4 points and a herd of cows. Shortly thereafter we locate a very large 6×6 and 3 spikes, chased him awhile but the wind never cooperates.

1:00 p.m. We are 2.84 miles from the truck.

6:45 p.m. Elk start bugling-Time is too short it is dark at 7:30

September 12

4:00 a.m. I am awake and ready. I hunt Barnes Canyon, only 1 bugle and I cannot find the bull, he does sound big. It rains again, while it is raining I am able to stalk within 30 yards of 2 mule deer bucks, they are only a forky and a 3×3 – Not big enough.

11:00 a.m. Back at camp everything seems to be holding up okay despite all the rain.

3:00 p.m. Paul and I take the 340 road to Powder Draw cabin. Did not see anything except a lot of traffic. No bugling in Lost Canyon.

Paul hunts the cut through to Barnes Canyon, elk are not vocal, he gets within 20 yards of a 5×5.

September 13

3:30 a.m. Paul and I are up and feeling pretty good about the day. The Advil I took last night seems to be helping my legs.

6:30 a.m. We hear our first bugle. We are at the head of what I will refer to as pig canyon. We go after the elk but they are moving away from us very fast.

9:00 a.m. After going the extra mile and I really mean that, Paul shoots an incredible elk at 49 yards. It happened perfectly, we had just climbed a mountain that went straight up, this after we both were exhausted. At the top we see about 10 cows and 2 bulls a 5×5 and 6×6 – neither were what we were looking for. The elk Paul shot was just over the ridge, the wind was right and the bull stepped right into the opening we were looking at.

10:30 p.m. Two arrows later and we have Paul’s bull down. What a beauty, we are both extremely happy.

1:00 p.m. The work begins, we cleaned and cape Paul’s elk and are finished by 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

6:00 p.m. Back to camp for a much needed shower.

September 14

5:00 a.m. Hunted behind camp, only saw one 5×5 and eight cows. On the way back I saw about 30 pigs. We spend the rest of the morning washing clothes and resting.

2:00 p.m. Just as we entered Powder draw we see the best elk we have seen on the trip. I guess him right around 360 inches, this is probably pretty accurate because we are able to view him through the 15x Swarovski’s. (He was watering at John’s 2003 elk camp.)

4:00 p.m. We meet Tom Jones at Juniper Canyon camp. Unbelievably, he has located the same big bull we had seen 2 hours before. This is the biggest elk he has seen all season.

7:30 p.m. Got to go to bed early, big elk to hunt tomorrow, but first I watch a video of my little boy Ethan.

September 15

2:30 a.m. I am up; I can’t sleep because I am afraid I will sleep too late. No alarm.

5:00 a.m. I am in the area where the big elk is, there are a few bugles but none sound like him.

8:00 a.m. I have a 6×6 and 1 hot cow walk by me at 28 yards, close enough but the bull is too small.

10:00 a.m. Paul picks me up and we go to the town of Cloudcroft to call home.

4:00 p.m. We decide to go back and hunt Miles canyon where Paul killed his bull. There is elk sign everywhere; however the biggest bull was a 5×5. A long hike with no success.

8:00 p.m. Back to camp. I watched some more video of Ethan tonight. I sure miss him and Cathy.

September 16

3:30 a.m. Up and having oatmeal (Cristal’s cookies) and coffee. We head back to John’s 2003 camp area to hunt the big bull again.

8:00 a.m. After following the elk 1 ½ miles, I am finally able to get a good look at him. He is very big, however not the same elk we saw by the waterhole. Thirty minutes later I am 68 yards for him with no shot through the brush. Just as I am about to get a shot, 4 hunters cow calling and bugling spook him and his cows. What unfortunate timing, I now call this area 4 hunters.

4:00 p.m. It is now September 16 the rut is going full on so we decide to hunt the honey hole (the fingers off of Lost canyon).

5:00 p.m. Paul and I are in so many bulls he cannot believe it. Things have changed overnight, out of 12 different bulls the smallest is a 5×5 and there are several 330+ bulls in the area.

7:00 p.m. We are 1.83 miles from the truck and I am 70 yards from a very big bull. Just what I have been looking for, but he never gives me a shot. Frustrating but very challenging.

7:30 p.m. Completely dark and a long walk uphill back to the truck. Two guys from John’s camp pick us up and give us a ride. They had heard one bugle all day and had one bull come to water. Three out of four of the hunters were going back to Georgia with no elk. They were a little discouraged; it sure was nice they gave us a ride.

9:00 p.m. Back at camp Paul and I are too tired to fix dinner, we go straight to bed.

September 17

4:00 a.m. After coffee, Paul and I feel pretty good, we feel like today is the day.

6:00 a.m. We are in Lost canyon one mile from the truck trying to get on the big bull I saw last night. This elk hunting can get pretty tough especially when you are hunting one particular bull.

7:15 a.m. Finally we locate what we feel is the same group of bulls we saw last night. We are about a mile from the area we saw them in last. After locating their direction of travel I move in to cut them off.

8:00 a.m. We are really close to them except we cannot seem to get in front of the elk. Paul and I are going from ridge to ridge as quickly as we can. I can hear what I believe is the bugle of the really big bull be saw last night.

8:25 a.m. I am crouched down behind a tree 40 yards from a screaming bull. Paul is about 20 yards to my right. This bull does not have us pinned down, however he is not moving. My legs and ankle are cramping, but I dare not move, this is very uncomfortable. At one point two cows came over the ridge and Paul had to lay face down so he would not be seen.

8:35 a.m. I can hear the bulls coming our way. The big bull’s distinct bugle is making my heart race. We are hoping the wind does not shift as it so often does, because we still have the screaming bull 40 yards away.

8:40 a.m. The bulls are so close it is like what I describe as the being in the center of the hurricane, there are bugling satellite bulls everywhere trying to get to the one hot cow and her herd bull. Three cows and a 5×5 come over the ridge first, they notice Paul or me, we don’t know which and they take off down the ridge. At one point a cow came within two yards of Paul and the 5×5 came within three steps of me. You talk about being right in the middle of the action.

8:45 a.m. Two more bulls come over the ridge under 40 yards, both bulls are over 330 and right behind them is the bugler I have been wanting to see. The hot cow comes by first and I range her at 32 yards. Right behind here is the bull I saw last night. I draw and release without ever remembering doing so and less than 45 seconds and 10 feet later the bull is down for good. Paul and I look at one another not believing what we have just seen. We were in the middle of action that few people ever experience and I have just taken the biggest bull of my bow hunting life.

9:00 a.m. I am hiking back to the truck 1.53 miles away with both Paul’s pack and mine. I would not leave the elk alone. (I did not want another hunter claiming it). I am able to drive the truck to within .42 miles of the elk by coming in from another direction. The elk is the same distance Paul’s elk was from the truck and the packing was all downhill. Can’t beat that.

3:30 p.m. The elk is all packaged and in the cooler and we are going to be eating steaks tonight.

9:00 p.m. Finished with dinner and I am sure I will be dreaming of seeing my little boy tomorrow. This is the most exciting thought of my entire trip.

This article is my opinion, the opinion of Nathan Lawson you may agree or disagree. I sincerely hope you find the positive in it that will make your time afield more special.

Several years ago, 1995 to be exact, I did just that. I went for it. Here is the condensed version of how “Just do it” unfolded for me.

I have been hunting something of some size ever since I can remember. I love to hunt and boy did I, every chance I had I was hunting. I am from Oklahoma so whitetail deer are plentiful and readily available for any willing hunter: elk are not. My parents were close friends with a couple from Arizona and every fall this couple would go to their favorite elk destination in Colorado. Did I ever want to go? Trouble with this scenario is they used this trip as their vacation and they sure did not want to drag someone else’s teenager along.

After a few years of feeling left out and sorry for myself, I had what I thought was a brilliant idea. You see I had just gotten married to young woman who at this early age of marital bliss thought all my ideas were good ideas. We were going to travel to the western slope of Colorado to hunt elk on our own. I really did not know the first thing about hunting elk; however not to be deterred, I soaked up every tiny piece of elk hunting information I could get my hands on.

The cliff notes of my initiation hunt is as follows: leaking tent, noisy gear, nowhere near adequate physical condition, nearly ruined my new bride’s outlook on hunting big game, spent too much money, did not kill an elk or even see a legal bull, need I say more?
Ok that is the negative side of the events, let’s take a look at the side I prefer to see, the positive.

I have been hunting out of state every year since that original, initiation hunt. No longer do I make the mistakes I used to make either. To put it in a word, I am a learner. Every year I find ways to up the ante and each and every year I find greater fulfillment in my hunts. To think of the path my life might have taken had I not taken that maiden voyage to Colorado; well let’s not think about that path.

There are so many how to articles or how to videos available at your fingertips for any big game animal you would like to pursue. This article is not to explain to you my “how tos”, it is written for the sole purpose of the “why to.”

Life in general is hectic. With technologies ever advancement and claims to make your life simpler, I believe the adverse happens. Having technology at my fingertips, I have never been busier. You say you will take the trip next year when you can plan for it or set aside time for it. I promise you will be busier than ever, something will rear its ugly head to squash your dream trip. Now for the true meaning of the Nike slogan, just do it no matter what, make it happen because it certainly will not happen on its own.

Too many times we work to have the stuff or material things in life and we overlook the living of life.

I heard a quote from Dale Carnegie which said “Today is life-the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto.”

The phenomenon of doing this is you will find that planning that trip the next time will become easier. Part of the intimidation factor will be gone and the excitement will be enhanced due to the learning curve. You will find excitement in wanting to challenge yourself and push yourself to the next level with each passing season.

I am a do it yourself hunter, you may prefer an outfitted adventure, whatever; for the sake of this article it does not matter. The important aspect is you are doing it! Many others will continue to talk about doing it while life passes them by year after year, make sure you are not in that category.

Keep in mind, for once the taking of the animal is not what is important, the trip is what is important. Now anyone who knows me knows this is not my normal attitude, when I hunt I am determined to take the animal I am after. This is the one instance I feel different, the taking of the animal will come with time if you are a learner, if you are lucky it could happen the first trip.

That Colorado elk hunt changed my life and what I learned from that experience has moved over into other aspects of my life. Today Matters. Whether taking walks with my kids, or having dinner with my wife, never put off until tomorrow. In every way live life for today.

This article is my opinion, the opinion of Nathan Lawson you may agree or disagree. I sincerely hope you find the positive in it that will make your time afield more special.