“It’s truly an expedition. I’d even say it’s the purest hunt on earth.” This wasn’t the first time Trey Sperring and I had talked about hunting blue sheep in Nepal. It wasn’t even the second. The first was during our mutual friend and client, John Mark Prewitt’s, California Big Horn hunt in November 2024. Since then, we’ve texted about it, mentioned it on phone calls, and even discussed it during episode 74 of the Packmule Podcast. It is a conversational thread running through our friendship. 

Most folks aren’t good at reflecting. Holding the mirror up to yourself and to what’s happened in the recent past is hard work — and it can be damn uncomfortable. But it’s necessary for growth and progress. If you read those first few sentences and thought, “Hell, that’s me.” And you also had the thought that you would like to get better at moving yourself forward, just know that it makes sense that you aren’t great at reflecting. You likely weren’t ever taught how to do it, or if you were, you weren’t given a good system for taking what you’ve learned and molding it into a productive plan for moving yourself forward.

As we wind down one year to begin another, we frequently ask clients, friends and ourselves what we want out of the coming year.  An answer I frequently hear is “I just want to maintain”.  My standard answer is, “Maintain what?”. Common answers include things like strength and body weight. Despite my desire to take a big bounce and fly right off that diving board, I usually reign in my own tendencies and encourage people to get a clearer picture of a few things, including what they consider the acceptable floor as well as their loftiest goals.  

Hunting seasons are wrapping up, but it’s not quite time for offseason training. We’re stuck smack dab in the middle, that time during the end of the year that either lays the foundation for a great offseason or leaves you stuck because you didn’t utilize the post-season to rebuild your fitness. If you’re not sure what to do, it’s not your fault. There’s a lot of convoluted information out there, and, honestly, you’re not a human performance coach. So, I’ll help you out with the advice you need to know how to train after hunting season.

“Hell, I missed him.” “Are you sure?” “Yeah, I saw the dirt fly where the bullet hit the ground.” “It might have been a pass through.” “I don’t think so, man. I’m pretty sure I whiffed.” “Well, let’s walk down there and check.” I carried Ruth, my dog down the stairs that led up to the box blind while JM carried our rifles. Then I loaded her up in the truck before we walked the 230 or so yards to where the hog was standing when I shot at him. It could turn into a real rodeo with a wounded hog lying in the mesquite. Managing Ruth, who’s a pet and not trained to hunt, while shooting at a charging boar seemed like a terrible idea.

If you use your sniffer and your imagination, you can smell the turkey roasting in the oven. Sniff a little more and you’ll smell the pies baking, too. It’s the Holidays — one of the best times of the year. And it’s also a time of year when many hunters lose fitness. We’ll discuss the reasons why, what to do about them, and develop a holiday hunting fitness plan you can stick to, so you can make progress this holiday season instead of making excuses why you “couldn’t” train.