It has been just over a week since the 2015 Train to Hunt (TTH) National Competition in Sedalia, Colorado. This was officially my second TTH event so I cannot speak entirely as a veteran TTH competitor but I have to say that this event was top notch and unlike any other TTH qualifier thus far. The TTH staff, Kenton, Ryan, the film crew from High Plains Creative and Outback Outdoors, the sponsors, spectators and competitors were all top notch and brought so much to the community aspect of the TTH National Competition. During this year's events I identified the areas of my physical training that I need to improve in order to be better prepared for next year's TTH Challenges, and I have no doubt this will also improve my ability to go farther, hunt longer and better perform under stress while hunting.
There is no question that there is a significant movement within the hunting community towards fitness and the "Hunter Athlete" concept, particularly with bow hunting and even more specifically, western bow hunting. It seems as though there are basically two schools of thought on this concept: one that recognizes the Hunter Athlete movement as a positive and necessary contribution to the hunting community and the other that thinks the time spent pursuing fitness could be better spent in the outdoors scouting, familiarizing oneself with their gear (binoculars, spotting scope, pack etc.) or just simply becoming more familiar with general field craft. I am not suggesting in any way that being physically fit is more important than field craft, general hunting knowledge and familiarity with your gear or spending time in the field. I am of the mindset that all aspects of hunting to include fitness are equally important and should all be pursued to the maximum extent. I also believe that the pursuit of a higher level of physical fitness and the Hunter Athlete concept is extremely valuable. Fitness will not make a bad or inexperienced hunter a good hunter but it will make a good hunter BETTER.
I bring up the debate between the Hunter Athlete supporters and the naysayers specifically because this sort of debate is indicative of a specific mindset. In this case there are those who know and those who are willing to learn. Those who think that they don't need to be in better physical condition already know it all and are unwilling to consider the advantages of a higher state of physical fitness. The people that are willing to consider the advantages of the Hunter Athlete concept and physical fitness are more likely to be willing to learn, whether they are learning the advantages of fitness or other things that will enable them to be better hunters. Whichever of these mindsets is more prevalent will have a significant impact on hunting in general but also on the perception that non-hunters have on the hunting community, and ultimately our future as hunters.
The contributions that TTH and the Hunter Athlete movement have brought to the hunting industry are many. The all-encompassing contribution has been a general advancement in the sport. TTH has: pushed individuals to train harder for hunting, forced companies to develop products (packs, binopacks etc.) to better withstand the abuse during the TTH Challenges (and hunting), brought non-hunters into the sport and it has and is continuing to improve the perception of bow hunting. The improved perception of bow hunting is critical to the continued evolution of our sport. In a modern society that is constantly evolving with technology, social media and innovation it is even more difficult to draw people to things that may not initially appear to be the newest and flashiest trends. TTH is helping to overcome that obstacle by combining the benefits of hunting and fitness and also by showing others that hunters are the true conservationists that respect the animals they pursue, conserve the environment and do everything they can to maintain the highest ethical standards while hunting. I have had multiple non-hunters ask me why I train so hard to hunt and when I explain to them I do it to be a better, more efficient hunter that can make better shots under stress it becomes apparent that their perception changes instantly.
The effect that TTH has had on the hunting industry is important but I believe the most important thing that TTH has done is KEEP OUR HEADS IN THE GAME. I mentioned earlier that some people have the perspective that people should spend more time with their gear and in the outdoors than pursuing fitness. This is simply not possible for everyone whether this is due to geographic, budget, time or other issues. Many of us just don't have the ability to scout on a daily or weekly basis or put our gear to work that frequently. The bottom line is that the best thing any of us can do is to keep our head in the game for the upcoming hunting season, by any means possible. Personally, I do this by training for the hunt. The location where I live doesn't give me the ability to scout frequently, shoot my bow on a daily basis (other than in the garage) or spend a great deal of time outdoors without significant time commitment. Train to Hunt has given me an avenue to train for the upcoming hunting season and keep my head in the game so that I am focused on things that will give me a better chance at success this fall.
-Dan M.
There is no question that there is a significant movement within the hunting community towards fitness and the "Hunter Athlete" concept, particularly with bow hunting and even more specifically, western bow hunting. It seems as though there are basically two schools of thought on this concept: one that recognizes the Hunter Athlete movement as a positive and necessary contribution to the hunting community and the other that thinks the time spent pursuing fitness could be better spent in the outdoors scouting, familiarizing oneself with their gear (binoculars, spotting scope, pack etc.) or just simply becoming more familiar with general field craft. I am not suggesting in any way that being physically fit is more important than field craft, general hunting knowledge and familiarity with your gear or spending time in the field. I am of the mindset that all aspects of hunting to include fitness are equally important and should all be pursued to the maximum extent. I also believe that the pursuit of a higher level of physical fitness and the Hunter Athlete concept is extremely valuable. Fitness will not make a bad or inexperienced hunter a good hunter but it will make a good hunter BETTER.
I bring up the debate between the Hunter Athlete supporters and the naysayers specifically because this sort of debate is indicative of a specific mindset. In this case there are those who know and those who are willing to learn. Those who think that they don't need to be in better physical condition already know it all and are unwilling to consider the advantages of a higher state of physical fitness. The people that are willing to consider the advantages of the Hunter Athlete concept and physical fitness are more likely to be willing to learn, whether they are learning the advantages of fitness or other things that will enable them to be better hunters. Whichever of these mindsets is more prevalent will have a significant impact on hunting in general but also on the perception that non-hunters have on the hunting community, and ultimately our future as hunters.
The contributions that TTH and the Hunter Athlete movement have brought to the hunting industry are many. The all-encompassing contribution has been a general advancement in the sport. TTH has: pushed individuals to train harder for hunting, forced companies to develop products (packs, binopacks etc.) to better withstand the abuse during the TTH Challenges (and hunting), brought non-hunters into the sport and it has and is continuing to improve the perception of bow hunting. The improved perception of bow hunting is critical to the continued evolution of our sport. In a modern society that is constantly evolving with technology, social media and innovation it is even more difficult to draw people to things that may not initially appear to be the newest and flashiest trends. TTH is helping to overcome that obstacle by combining the benefits of hunting and fitness and also by showing others that hunters are the true conservationists that respect the animals they pursue, conserve the environment and do everything they can to maintain the highest ethical standards while hunting. I have had multiple non-hunters ask me why I train so hard to hunt and when I explain to them I do it to be a better, more efficient hunter that can make better shots under stress it becomes apparent that their perception changes instantly.
The effect that TTH has had on the hunting industry is important but I believe the most important thing that TTH has done is KEEP OUR HEADS IN THE GAME. I mentioned earlier that some people have the perspective that people should spend more time with their gear and in the outdoors than pursuing fitness. This is simply not possible for everyone whether this is due to geographic, budget, time or other issues. Many of us just don't have the ability to scout on a daily or weekly basis or put our gear to work that frequently. The bottom line is that the best thing any of us can do is to keep our head in the game for the upcoming hunting season, by any means possible. Personally, I do this by training for the hunt. The location where I live doesn't give me the ability to scout frequently, shoot my bow on a daily basis (other than in the garage) or spend a great deal of time outdoors without significant time commitment. Train to Hunt has given me an avenue to train for the upcoming hunting season and keep my head in the game so that I am focused on things that will give me a better chance at success this fall.
-Dan M.
