Next year

[Kingpuck]

All I can say is that when not at work I have been at the gym. You know your doing it right when breathing hurts the next day. Learned the lesson last year, getting in shape is a must for a hunter. Going to scout hard this year and have been saving up my vacation time to take a good amount of time off to really get into the field. Also looking to pickup a pistol and become very proficient in it ahead of the season.

Biggest lesson I learned this year is that if there is a road to it there won't be good hunting. You should be good and sweaty before you get into your hunting spot. Maps are your friends too. 2013 is going to involve buying a house and a nice big freezer.

[ellensburgpo]

My biggest priority this year will be to get a bear. I've never made it a priority and just treated it more like if it happens it happens. Already laying the ground work to do the high hunt this year. And just like last year I will be attempting to rehab injuries to make all of this possible. Concentrating on my bull tag last year gave me something to be positive about while laid up and this year I will direct that same mentality towards the high hunt. Luckily I was able to get the surgery out of the way yesterday so I should have time to get my body back to where it needs to be. 2012 was my best year of big game hunting ever, but I plan on giving it a run for its money in 2013.

Plus for once my brother in law won't be deployed in the fall so he will get to see that hunting here is just a little different then Alabama. Taking him on his first elk hunt and open country whitetail hunt should be pretty rewarding.