As usual it has been awhile since my last offering. I believe it was back in the beginning of August when I purchased my new Alpha Max 32. I am here to report that the Alpha Max 32 is one kick ass bow! I have been shooting almost every day for the past month or 2. In that time I have completely changed my shooting form, using more back tension, shooting with both eyes open (I used to close my left eye) and I have switched to a thumb style release as opposed to an index finger style release. It has taken some getting used to, but after all of these changes I believe that I am shooting better than I ever have. My long range accuracy, 50 to 80 yards, is still not to my satisfaction, but at 40 yards and in, I am splitting arrows!
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I am hoping that all of this practice pays off in a big way this year. As I have discussed in other entries, I am going back to Kansas again this year for a rut hunt at the beginning of November. I am now very confident in my ability to shoot an animal out to 40 yards which can only help to increase my chances for success. I am not completely satisfied yet, and am still practicing to try and extend my comfort/ confidence level out to 50 or 60 yards, but I do not know if that will be accomplished in the month and a half that I have remaining until the Kansas trip.
I have also been much more active this off season than I ever have in the past. Back at the beginning of May I decided that my health and my appearance body wise was pathetic. I made the commitment to get off my ass and get to work getting in shape. Since May I have been eating right, I have almost quit drinking beer (although do still occasionally enjoy a few on the weekends) and I have been working out on a very regular basis. I try to get some sort of work out in at least 5 days a week, and of those 5 days I usually try to get 2 work outs in on 3 of those days. My workouts have consisted of core weight training, bike riding (actually spin classes), jogging, intense walking and swimming.
This lifestyle change has really paid off as I have lost 40 pounds and dropped 2 waste sizes since May. I really feel good, probably as good as I have felt since I was in high school playing sports year around. Now instead of finding excuses not to exercise, I really get down on myself and beat myself up mentally if I skip a work out or if I do not push myself hard enough in a workout.
The time when I started working out coincided with me reading Cameron Hanes “Back Country Bow Hunting” book, and he and his book really inspired me to take my hunting, and more importantly my health to a new level. I have always enjoyed competition and participating in sports. 16 years ago when I graduated high school, it left a void in my life. I did not really have any avenues for competition other than the occasional intramural sports in college and beer league softball games. Hunting is something that I have always done, but never really treated it as a sport or something that you can get better at by preparing yourself physically and mentally. Cameron’s book made me see hunting in a different light and he has really made me compete with myself in order to become better at the only sport that I am a participating in now, bow hunting. Though my hunting is not what most people would classify as physically demanding (mostly tree stand whitetail hunting) maybe the fact that I am in better shape mentally and physically will help me sit in the tree for an hour longer than in the past. Maybe the hard work of the past months will allow me to sit more still than I have been able to in the past. And maybe, with a little luck involved I will be prepared mentally if and when the buck of a lifetime steps out in front of me.
If you are not familiar with Cameron Hanes, check out his website at www.cameronhanes.com or go to www.athleteshunt.underarmour.com and check out Cameron’s blog. In addition to being a bad ass hunter, he is an unbelievable endurance athlete and great outdoor writer.
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