Few things trump a backcountry wilderness adventure but make no mistake, these far-off-the-beaten path hunts have been over-romanticized and can be flat miserable if you’re not prepared.

When you draw a coveted tag you’ve waited a lifetime for, the preparation starts the day you pull the tag.

One of the best ways to break the routine, sharpen your bow shooting skills, and prepare for a freezer-filling fall is to pen the dotted line and enter a few (as many as you can) 3-D shoots. 

I’m a bit of a backpack fanatic and I’ve tested piles of them over the years. One of the things I’ve learned is there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each adventure — from the whitetail woods of the Midwest to the elk-rich Rockies — requires a particular pack.

When I show up to a public-land hunt area, even if the location seems to be void of other hunters, I treat the dirt and the birds on it like they’ve been hounded to death. I’ve used what I learned to harvest pressured public-land birds with my stick-and-string. Here’s what you need to know.

I love a good ground blind set for springtime toms. A semi-brushed-in hub-style blind paired with some realistic turkey fakes will create some solid in-your-face action. However, being cloaked in ninja gear huddled in a blind’s back corner while you work a bird with seductive hen talk isn’t the only way to skewer a spring longbeard.

Whether you took the winter off, are looking to boost your spring/summer practice sessions, or are a brand new shooter, these three drills will help you be at your very best when fall arrives.

Elk are great movers, and during the rut, bulls will cover massive amounts of terrain in search of love. Be ready to traverse terrain and make a quick shot if you want to head home with horns for the wall and backstraps for the grill.

When it comes to hunting gear, there are certain items you can skimp on — look for a deal — take the low-end route. Optics aren’t one of these items. Few gear pieces will make or break your success, especially when hunting the west, like quality optics.