Backcountry Food Gear Review: Cookie Boy- Super Cookie

Many athletes are familiar with energy bars, and many backcountry hunters follow the philosophy of carrying light-weight, high-protein, high-energy food and snacks on their endeavors. Burning up energy in the backcountry without a way to replenish your body is the quickest way to tire-out and get mentally beat. When every day counts and every ounce of energy may be the difference between bagging a monster buck two canyons away or burning out and taking it easy, it is important to fuel your body with well balanced foods to keep on trucking.

I, like most people, really enjoy eating cookies. It is only natural. When I heard of a cookie on the market that could replace an energy bar I got really excited. When I actually tasted it for the first time I was hooked for life. If I never have to choke down a gritty energy bar again, I will be happy.

The Cookie Boy cookies are soft, delicious, and packed with protein and energy. They are all-natural, contain no preservatives and contain a balance of high-quality proteins, complex carbohydrates, and essential healthy fats that your body needs to perform. The cookie provides you with sustained energy and balances your blood sugar levels, not to mention provides the essential fuel needed to feed working muscles.

The best part about the Super Cookie is the taste. I really enjoy eating them, plus they are extremely filling. When I am out hunting, I like to eat something and not still feel hungry afterwards. The cookie is one of the best all-around energy foods I have found as far as taste, filling, and packed with essential energy.

This past hunting season I took the Super Cookies on every hunt. On my Backcountry hunt in Nevada, my brother Jason and I hiked to the summit to set up camp for the night. We were completely exhausted and too tired to even think of cooking a Mountain House® meal. We busted out some super cookies and actually felt good about eating a cookie for dinner.

I like the cookies on backcountry hunts (or any hunt) because they are more filling than granola bars or energy bars and they make a great snack or lunch substitute between meals. They help keep your energy up all day and the best part is they actually taste amazing. I have tried every flavor and have not found a bad one in the mix; however, toffee and chocolate-chip are hard to beat. They are priced great at $2.50 for a large cookie, which is huge!

For more information visit www.cookieboy.biz if you would like to
purchase some cookies go to http://www.cookieboy.biz/order/agora.cgi?product=supercookies

Wac'em Broadheads- Gear Review

As far as I am concerned the Wac'em Triton broadheads are the best broadheads on the market today. There are a lot of broadhead companies that have tried to emulate what Wac’em has had figured out for years. They make a strong, dependable, hard hitting, razor sharp replaceable blade broadhead that flies just like a field tip.

I have had nothing but positive results both in the field and at the range while using the Wac’em Triton.

At the Range: During the off-season I like to practice with both field tips and broadheads. From my bow there is absolutely no adjustment between the two. The Tritons shoot the same as my field tips even at ranges out to 80 yards. Of course your bow needs to be properly tuned but the broadhead is more than capable of flying consistently. It is extremely nice not to have to worry about adjusting your sight to switch between broadheads and field tips.

In the Field: Field tip accuracy plays a big role in my success in the field. When I let an arrow loose I like to have confidence that it is going to hit where I was aiming. The solid cut-on-impact tip makes the broadhead hit hard and keep doing its job whether you hit bone or not. I have had the arrow make a complete pass through even after hitting both bones in the front shoulder. Good penetration on a marginal shot can be the difference between a quick recovery and possibly not finding the animal.

Porduct Specifications:
•1 1/32" Cut Diameter
•.027" Replaceable Blades
•100% Hardened Stainless Steel
•Cut on Impact Head Sharpens on Any Flat Stone
•Available in 80, 100, and 125 grain

Overall: I give the Wac'em Triton 100 grain broadheads a 5 out of 5 for their accuracy and durability in the field.

find them at http://www.wacemarchery.com/index.php

Same Great Blog New Site- Follow the Hunt

I have a new address for my blog! it is www.followthehunt.com I will still post to this blog but for the latest updates go to www.followthehunt.com
Thanks for reading,
Remi Warren

Nevada Desert Bighorn Sheep Hunt - Hunting a Monster Ram

A River Bottom Wall to Wall with Whitetail

Being a western hunter, spot and stalk is primarily the way I hunt. In all the hunts I have done, I have only taken animals from the ground. I was excited about this Wyoming hunt in particular because I really wanted to harvest a deer out of a tree stand.

I have hunted from tree stands before but to no avail, this is mostly caused by my inability to stay seated for long. The first whitetail I ever took with my bow I was actually sitting in a tree stand that morning but got bored and decided to climb down and stalk in on the deer. However, this hunt was going to be different and I relished the idea of letting the deer come to me for a change.

After packing up my gear I hopped in my truck and headed to Wyoming to hunt whitetails with Jim Gibbs on his Ranch north of Sheridan along the Powder River. When I arrived I could tell right away this was going to be an outstanding hunt because I passed close to 1000 deer feeding in the fields on the way to his house. The last hunters in camp had all seen monster bucks and taken bucks over 140 inches.

Talking with Jim I could tell that there was no lack of deer in the area. The deer herd had not had blue tongue for over 12 years because of the programs they use to control the gnats and mosquitoes in the river bottoms. The buck to doe ratio in the area is close to 1 to 1 and last winter they counted over 1000 whitetails in only a few miles of river bottom. To say the area is unbelievable is an understatement. It really is something you have to see.

Having very limited time to hunt (because I was trying to finish building a new hunting lodge in Montana before the season 3 weeks after the hunt) I decided I would take the first decent buck I could so long as it was bigger than any other whitetail I have take with my bow.

Within 15 minutes of sitting in the stand the deer were headed my way. Jim had their patters on lock down because it was like a caribou migration of whitetail underneath my stand. The deer were moving from the fields in the morning to their bedding area for the day.

At least 100 deer passed under me within bow range during the hour and a half I sat there. I let quite a few bucks walk wanting to see what was out there. I had some really nice bucks come by, but I really wanted to get the kill on video. It would take a buck in the right position with enough time to adjust everything for me to capture the hunt myself.

After watching deer after deer go by I peered around my tree to see a nice 4x4 coming in. He was standing behind the tree at the juncture of two trails, one leading to the side my camera was set up on. My heart was beating and I began to get excited. I decided if he came in on the camera side of the tree I would take the shot.

Sure enough the buck picked the right trail. He walked out and I got the camera on him. He was really close. He was about 15 yards and I was afraid that he would see me so I tried to keep my movement to a minimum. The sun was shining right on the cameras screen so I had trouble telling if he was in the frame or not.

Once I got the camera on the buck he began to lick himself. I used this opportunity to draw back. Just as I got settled in for the shot he began to walk. I moved the camera with my knee still at full draw hoping he was still in the frame.

The moment of truth was coming, the buck was about to move out of my shooting lane. I grunted and the buck stopped in his tracks. I focused in behind the shoulder and let the arrow fly.

The arrow hit the buck square behind the shoulder; the buck took a hop and then went right back to what he was doing. I couldn’t believe it, it looked like a perfect shot yet the deer acted like it had never been touched. The deer had no clue he was hit. I had heard about that before but I have never actually witnessed anything like it.

The deer continued milling around and browsing like nothing had happened. I was sweating bullets, I may have hit a hair high but not enough to not still be a vital shot. The deer continued on for what seemed like an eternity, then all of the sudden he started to lose his feet and dropped right in his tracks, seventy yards from my stand.

I gave him a few minutes before climbing down the tree and checking the buck out. It was a great deer, especially for only hunting one morning. I could not believe the number of deer I had seen that day.

The rest of the day Jim showed me around his property, we saw some killer bucks not to mention half a dozen antelope bucks within bow range of the truck.

The next morning I headed out, having to get back to my building project in Montana as soon as I could (with a couple hour archery antelope pit stop back in Montana of course). All in all I was gone only three days and had one of the best, most laid back trips I had ever taken. It was definitely a hunt I would recommend over and over.

One Hour Loper

While working on the new lodge day and night, we decided to take my dad over to his Antelope area for a quick hunt. My friend Tyler knew of a place to hunt so we loaded up the truck and headed over the pass. Just as we arrived to the area we spotted a great antelope buck. My dad moved in and took the shot. We were able to capture the hunt on video.

It could not have worked out any better, we were gone and back in about an hour with a trophy antelope in the back.

Wyoming Whitetail Helmet Cam

Here is a peak at my Wyoming whitetail hunt filmed through the helmet cam. Full storyand HD Quality video to come.

Antelope Hunt

After drawing a great antelope tag Jason was excited to head out to his antelope area. Planing on heading to Northern Nevada to help Ross Baker with his elk hunt, I did not think I would be going on Jason's antelope hunt. Getting a call from Ross that he had killed his bull the day I was heading out there meant that I would get to chase antelope with Jason.

By the time Jason got off of work, packed up, and was ready to go it was mid-night, but, we drove out anyway getting to the area just as the sun was coming up. We spent the morning scouting and found a big buck to go after on opening day.

The weather was extremely cold and we were fairly unprepared. It rained almost the whole day and the cold temperatures were unexpected for a August rifle hunt. Visibility was limited by the fog so we tried to get some sleep before the morning.

Opening day we were located where we had spotted the big buck from the night before. We located a shooter buck and moved in on him. We crawled close to a half of a mile over the hard rocky ground with very little cover. Unfortunately some wild horses got spooked by three coyotes scaring the antelope out of range.

Three hours and many miles later chasing the group from one side of the range to the other we were in position. we were out in the open laying down waiting for the big buck to work our way.

A half hour later the group had moved into 400 yards. Jason got steady and shot.

"you missed" I informed him.

Jason quickly reloaded and shot again. Another miss!

Disappointed we headed back to the truck for an evening hunt.

That evening we drove to another area in the unit. On the way a great buck jumped up by the truck and stood there broadside. It was definitely a shooter but Jason decided to pass, not wanting the experience of getting his antelope by road hunting he opted to let the buck go to see if he could get him later on foot.

Unfortunately the big buck gave us the slip and Jason began to second guess his decision.

Next day Jason missed yet another antelope which is not like him so he decided to shoot at some paper to make sure his gun was on. good thing he did because the gun was way off some how.

After switching to his backup gun he was ready to take a buck.

The next morning found Jason back where he passed the big buck from the road. Getting short on time he decided to go after one of the bucks he had passed up earlier.

After a 4 mile stalk and a long crawl Jason set up on the buck at 400 yards. He got steady and pulled the trigger, putting the antelope down.

Fall Issue of Real Hunting

Open publication

Trophy Mule Deer - Backcountry Double

Hunting in my home state of Nevada has always been one of my favorite hunts. It is the hunt that I look forward to most out of the year. I like it because it feels like true hunting more than anything else. Don’t get me wrong every trip I take feels like hunting, but being a full time hunting guide can sometimes make some hunting trips feel a lot like work, especially when you are hunting with someone else. That is primarily why I chose to guide away from my home in other states in the first place. To keep the one place where I grew up hunting with family and friends strictly that- the place where I hunt with family & friends. A place that I don’t have to share all of my secrets with others. This is not to say that I will never guide here, or that guiding is not one of my favorite things to do, because in reality there is nothing I enjoy more than sharing my knowledge and being a part of helping someone else experience the hunting trip of their lifetime, it is just saying that it is a special trip for me.

The hunt started out like many before. I arrived a few days before the season, set up our base camp and scouted the area. My brother Jason was going to arrive mid afternoon on the second day of the season so I had a day and a half to hunt on my own. Of course I wanted to fill my tag but not as badly as I wanted him to fill his tag. This was his second season bow hunting and I wanted him to take his first deer with a bow. He put in 15 hard days of hunting the year before but I was only able to hunt five days with him. This year I was going to be able to hunt until he tagged out or called it quits which ever came first.

Opening day found me perched up on one of my favorite vantage points thinking back to previous opening days; especially the one four years earlier when my bow string snapped right before sunup.

The day came and went with minimal excitement and no sightings of a shooter buck. The deer were different this year, they were off their normal patterns, the bucks were smaller and solo or with does, and the big bachelor groups of the past were nowhere to be found.

My brother Jason arrived the next afternoon and brought his luck with him. By the evening we had pulled off three stalks, one taking us to within 30 yards of two 160- 170 class bucks. As bowhunting often goes we were on the wrong side of the tree for a shot before the jig was up and the deer ran off.

The next five days were more of the same lots of glassing, long hot hikes and few deer. One of my favorite places to hunt was well in a wilderness area but we were waiting for my dad to show up before heading in because we knew how much he wanted to pack in with us. Our dad was only a day out so I made the executive decision to pack in early and set up a base camp to meet our dad at.

The plan was to bivouac hunt the backcountry for five or six days then resupply if needed. We loaded our packs for the trip and headed up the mountain by that evening – leaving a little later than we had planned.

With our packs loaded down we headed to where I had planned on camping. As we hiked up the mountain I looked up to my left and spotted a huge four-point and another smaller buck feeding.

“J- get down!” I whispered forcefully from the ground already lying on my side.

“There is a big buck off to our left”

He immediately dropped down and spotted the buck.

“Go get him, I have already had some stalks this trip” Jason whispered

“Are you sure?” I asked, already with my bow out and ready to stalk.

“yeah” he replied “hand me the tripod for the video camera so I can film from here.”

As I stalked up toward the buck I kept praying for the wind to shift. It was not optimal for the stalk but being so sporadic and having strong thermals in the area I continued up toward the deer. When I got about half-way to the deer I looked back toward Jason for some type of hand signal that they had not already run off. He gave me the thumbs up so I took out a helmet cam that our friend Ross Baker let us borrow and continued to stalk in.

I got close to where I last saw the buck feeding when I looked up and spotted a deer behind a tree at 40 yards, his head out of sight and only a small opening in the trees. It turned out to be the big buck so I stalked in to get a shot through the trees.

I got in to 32 yards of the deer where I thought I would have a clearer shot but just as I got ready to shoot, the buck started to walk out of my shooting lane. Every time the buck stopped his vitals were behind a tree. I took a step to readjust hoping to get a clear shot when I accidentally sent a small rock rolling down the steep mountain.

The bucks stopped, looked my way, and then began to leave. Not spooked, just walking, but not stopping.

The big buck moved off to the chute to my left yet, continued down almost toward me. When he disappeared I ran to where I could see over the rise, grunted to stop the bucks, drew back, and shot.

The big buck hunched up and continued walking off on his path. I went over and found my arrow. I held for a quartering away shot but had not accounted for the wind. By the looks of the arrow I had hit him farther back than I would have liked so I decided to give him the night and pick up the trail in the morning.

I worked my way back down to Jason. We gathered up our stuff and continued on to a flat spot to sleep for the night. We found a spot in the dark, pitched the tent in 35-45 mph winds and had a cookie boy cookie for dinner (which is an energy bar cookie).

I knew I would find the buck the next day but there is always that doubt in your head which makes sleep near impossible. Of course the ripping winds never help either.

The next morning found us glassing for my deer across the canyon. I spotted what looked like a downed buck but the wind was too strong to keep the spotting scope steady. I figured it was just a tree so I headed over to where I shot hoping to pick up the blood trail.

When I got to my arrow I put down my pack a started looking for blood. I picked up the trail about 75 yards away, where I last saw the buck. I went back to my pack and decided to glass for a minute first. Right after I sat down I picked out a huge buck 600 yards away. My first thought was that it was the buck that I had shot, still alive. I told Jason about the deer and he moved in with the spotting scope to see if it was my buck.

“Hey Rem, did your buck have a drop tine?” he asked

I knew the buck I shot at had a small extra point so I asked him what he meant by drop tine.

“A five inch drop tine off of is main beam” he replied exitedly “I think I know a drop tine when I see it”

About that time the buck turned and I could tell by the width that this was a different monster buck.

“That’s a different buck J” I said “you have to get on him.”

“I am nervous and shaking already” he said.

Knowing the feeling all too well I told him to just pick a single spot on the deer, focus in, look at nothing else and shoot. The same thing I have to tell myself every stalk to remember that I am not shooting at a big deer just a spot on a big deer.

We planned out a stalk together and he moved in as I spotted from across the canyon.

He moved into position quickly to take advantage of the deer feeding below a small ledge. As he stalked in about 30 yards away, the deer started to move off to Jason’s left as Jason moved to the right. I started to freak-out knowing that unless he moved left it would be over.

By this point I was standing up waving my arms frantically yelling for him to look at me for a hand signal, even though I knew that there was no way he would hear me at that distance. Somehow my message must have gone through because Jason moved off to his left just in time to catch the big buck at 30 yards below him.

Not having time to range him he drew back. I could see both him and the deer in the same frame of my binoculars. Jason held drawn back for what seemed like an eternity. It was probably more like a minute and a half, which is an eternity while at full draw.

The anticipation was terrible as I prayed for him to connect with the buck.

He shot and the buck bolted running at warp speed down the mountain. All I could see was blood pouring out behind the bucks shoulder. The buck disappeared out of my view but I knew he had a monster buck down.

I was more excited and nervous watching him than I was for my own deer because I wanted him to get that buck so bad.

Knowing his deer was down I picked up my blood trail while Jason followed his. About 45 minutes later I walked up on my buck, he was a huge 4x5 in full velvet. It was the greatest feeling knowing that my brother and I had taken two monster bucks in the backcountry together. There is nothing I enjoy more in this world than hunting with my family.

Jason had found his buck just before I packed mine down to where he was. His buck ran further than we had expected and left for a hard trail to follow because he was running so fast. His buck ended up crashing almost 3,000 feet below where he had shot from. His buck had cracked his main beam and broken its nose on the fall but everything was still attached.

By the time we finished quartering his buck our dad and his friend Pat Pinjuv were headed up the trail just in time to help us pack the rest of the deer back to the truck. It worked out perfectly. It was the perfect end to an unforgettable hunt.

As Jason put it, bowhunting is an emotional roller coaster; you are nervous, excited, freaked out, worried, shaking, happy, and focused all at the same time.

As bowhunters we know that roller coaster all too well- it is what keeps us up weeks before the hunt, fuels us during the hunt, and keeps us coming back for more year after year.

Sometimes things just work out better than you could have planned. I always have to stop and thank God for times like these not because we both harvested great bucks but because we have the opportunity to get out into his breathtaking country and pursue our passion.

- Remi Warren

MY ESSENTIAL GEAR: My favorite gear on the trip

Sight: Spot Hogg SDP http://www.spot-hogg.com/

Broadhead: 100 grain Wac’em Triton http://www.wacemarchery.com/

Favorite new pack food: Cookie Boy Cookies http://www.cookieboy.biz/

Helmet cam: GoPro HD hero - http://www.goprocamera.com/

Bow: Matthews LX

Arrow: Carbon Express 6075

Spot Hogg Sight

My clients and many of the people who follow my articles often ask what gear I use. As I start to prepare for yet another season, archery practice becomes more frequent and last minute preparations take place. Hunting as much as I do and often in rough conditions, I need gear that can be put through the ringer and remain reliable.

One of my favorite pieces of gear is my Spot Hogg sight. I shoot their seven pin sight because I like being able to practice at extended ranges.

If their is any question as to which sight is the top dog just look at all the sights in the archery section of your sporting goods store. It is funny how today almost all of them look just like the sight Spot Hogg came out with years ago. They say mimicry is the truest form of flattery which is definitely the case here. I have been shooting this "new style sight" for five years now. The large circular opening makes it easy to acquire your target, the small pins make for extreme precision, the micro-adjustment feature allows you to drive tacks- and the seven pins allow you to target shoot with precision out to greater distances than a standard bow sight.

As for durability the sights' all metal construction make it nearly indestructible. All of Spot Hogg's new sights also come with a fiber optic wrap which allows the pins a greater light gathering ability. If you have an older model Spot Hogg sight the fiber optic wrap can be purchased and put on your older sight.

Over all this product deserves Five out of five stars for being the best multiple pin bow sight on the market today.

- Remi Warren

Awesome Coues Deer Blog

If you read my posts and enjoy this blog here is another great blog to check out. My friend Jon Lesperance is chronicling his quest for a Coues deer at http://couesquest.blogspot.com/

Application Season- Applying For Hunts Out West

Last year a friend of mine asked me how is it that I always seem to draw such great tags. The answer is simple – I apply for them. The theory is this: if you don’t apply you can’t get drawn. My secret to getting great tags is to apply in as many places as I can for as long as I can. Of course there is an element of luck involved, but in most cases it is persistence, having a plan and using a few simple application tricks to get that great tag in your pocket.

Whether you are a trophy hunter looking for an animal-of-a-lifetime, someone who wants to hunt a new species not found near your home, or just a person looking for a good hunting opportunity and a new adventure, applying for hunts in other states may be for you. As most hunters know, some of the best public hunting in the west is found within limited draw areas. Knowing the basics of applying and how to look for areas to apply for is the first step in securing a great tag.

Creating a plan:

When applying to other states, it is important to have a plan and know your goals otherwise the whole process can be overwhelming. The application process is essentially planning for hunts now and in the future. Although the best way to look at it is long term, there are still plenty of great hunts that can be drawn easily.

Before you start to apply for tags you should figure out what your reasons for applying are. Do you want to hunt a premiere trophy area, or do you want more opportunity to hunt? Also, the length of time you are willing to wait to draw a tag will play a factor in your application choice and narrowing down a state to hunt. For example, if you don’t want to wait 10 years or more for an elk tag, then Utah and Nevada are probably not states that should be in your plan. However, if you think you may want to hunt there someday then now is the time to start applying. Knowing what you are looking for is a great way to initially focus your search.

Start by picking the species you want to hunt and then find a state that matches what you are looking for. If you are interested in chasing elk then further narrow it down to the opportunity you want. If you want to kill a record book bull then you may want to apply for Utah or Nevada and plan on hunting there in the next 10-15 years. On the other hand if you want a quality elk hunt and still have a great chance at a big bull then Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico may be more your speed. Although these states still have hard to draw areas, you can find a number of good hunts with better than average bulls and draw them in one to three years. Of course their top trophy units may take 10 or more years to draw.

If sheep hunting is something on your bucket list, I suggest applying in as many states as you can afford and start building points. The more places you have your name in for a once-in-a-lifetime hunt, the better your chances are of actually getting the tag in your lifetime.

It is important to know your budget and apply accordingly. Some states have high application fees while others allow you to purchase and build points for a nominal fee (see Application Chart). Applying in other states can get expensive but it can also be done efficiently. I managed to apply for and build points in quite a few of the western states while putting myself through college, so it can be done. I created a plan of what I wanted to do and am now reaping the benefits.

I like to think of applications as a pay it forward plan. What I do now decides my future hunting success. The key is to stick to it and not get overwhelmed by the seemingly small odds at the beginning. When I first started applying for Utah, it seemed like I would never have a chance to hunt there. Nine years later, I now have enough points to secure an archery tag for elk in a few units.

The Basics:

Since every state is so different, the key is to become familiar with each state’s system. The best way to do this is online. Spend some time on the state’s website, read through the rules and regulations and know how their draw works. It also helps to have hard copies of the regulations sent to you. Hard copies can make it easier to reference a certain area as well as the tag quotas, draw odds, and rules.

Points:

Applying in different states is a numbers game. The more places you apply and the more names you have in the hat the more likely you are to hit the jackpot. Some states use a bonus point system, some use a preference point system, some use a combination of the two, and some states use no points at all.

Bonus points are extra chances you gain for past years of applying. States like Montana use bonus points where every point is one extra name in the hat. Nevada, which also uses bonus points, squares the applicant’s number of points exponentially increasing your draw odds with each additional point.

Preference point systems award tags only to those with the most points. This differs from bonus points in the way that only those with the most points are eligible to draw a tag. All those with fewer points are not considered. States with preference points make it easier to plan a hunt because you will know when you can expect to receive a tag.

Some states like California and Utah have a combination of bonus and preference points, where the majority of the tags are awarded to applicants with the most points, but a portion of the tags are also set aside for a random draw. This guarantees those with the most points a tag while allowing everyone a chance to draw.

New Mexico and Idaho on the other hand have no points system. Everyone is on a level playing field with an equal opportunity to draw. This can be great if you are new to applying, but discouraging if you have been applying your whole life.

How to decide where to apply:

Once you have your plan it is time to research. The best place to start your research is online by visiting each state’s game department website. Almost every state has in-depth statistics online to help hunters. From draw odds to success rates, many states also include information on horn size, age class and even B&C scores.

The key to starting out is to narrow down your search. A look at the state record book can give you ideas on counties to focus on. Also looking at draw odds can help you pick out the areas in high and low demand. Once you get an idea of where to concentrate, reference the areas success rates and harvest statistics.

Knowing your goals helps direct your focus. If you only want a trophy hunt then look to areas with generally poor draw odds and lots of record book entries. If you want an area that is easier to draw, look toward areas with reasonable draw odds combined with high success rates and decent trophy quality.

As a word of caution, it is best to stay away from areas with really low success rates unless you can spend a lot of time in the area. There are a lot of great hunts in easy-to-draw areas, but you are at a disadvantage going in blind. I have done well in the past in easy-to-draw areas with generally low success rates, but they have never been as easy to hunt as the units with traditionally high success.

Believe it or not, unrelated road trips can be a great way to find areas to apply for as well. I have found quite a few great spots to put in for by looking out the car window on a trip. Marking down places that look like great habitat then asking people at near-by gas stations or local sporting good stores about the quality of hunting in the area can help narrow down your search. Rural gas station brag boards can be a great way to find an area that you may not catch by looking at stats alone. Anytime I go somewhere on a long drive I always keep a note pad handy. I write down mile markers, Forest Service access names, and places that look good to research later.

Talking to people on the ground is the best way to get a real feel for units to apply in. Fish and game offices, hunting chat rooms, and local mule deer, bighorn sheep, and elk conservation groups and chapters can be a great place to gain information.

How to get drawn:

Tricks to pulling a tag

The trick to getting drawn is persistence combined with balancing opportunity and trophy quality. This may mean doing things like adjusting your weapon choice, season dates, and unit choice. Remember, the only way to get drawn is apply.

Trick 1: Always Gain Points- When applying for premiere hunts it is important to accumulate as many points as you can. Many states have application options that are cheaper to apply but won’t allow you to gain a point. This will hurt you in the long run. You would be better off building points for one state than applying to a bunch of states year after year and choosing to not accumulate points.

Trick 2: Go Primitive- Another tactic to help you get drawn is to adjust your weapon choice to the most primitive you feel comfortable hunting with. Generally muzzleloader and archery hunts have the best draw odds and often have the most advantageous seasons. By applying for archery hunts I have been able to secure permits in some top units much easier than if I had been trying for a rifle tag.

Last year I drew one of California’s top mule deer units and harvested a great buck. By applying for archery I got the tag in five years (half the time it takes to get a rifle tag). Some places like Arizona offer many of the premier areas for deer over-the-counter for archery hunters, which can also be something to look into. As a rule of thumb, the more primitive your weapon choice is, the more hunting opportunity is available to you.

Trick 3: Change the Date- Some states have units which have split seasons. One season is often during a prime time such as a peak migration or during the rut. The other is either earlier or later than the prime time. These non-prime seasons generally have better draw odds and can still offer a great opportunity. Although you may have to hunt harder, there is still a great chance to harvest a trophy.

A friend of mine drew a Nevada elk tag by applying for the second season hunt and still pulled out a great bull. I believe as long as you are in the field, you have a chance. If you are in a great unit and hunt hard it is likely you can make it happen.

Trick 4: Join Forces- applying in a party with someone who has more points than you can be a great way to get a tag earlier. This depends on where you apply but many states average the points and round to the nearest whole point. If you have one point and your friend has two then that gives you 1.5 points together – rounded up you each will have two points. If you have two points and your buddy has four then your party will have three points. The person with more points may be at a disadvantage in some cases, but splitting the cost of the trip is often incentive enough to sway them to apply with you. Just make sure that if you apply in a party there are enough tags offered in that unit for each member of the party.

If you think applying in other states is something you may want to do then now is the time. Researching areas and applying is half the fun. It is essentially hunting for a hunt.

The following Application Chart will help get you pointed in the right direction. For more tips and specific units on where to apply visit

www.remiwarren.blogspot.com

Remember you can’t get drawn if you don’t apply - Good Luck!

Glacier Glove Gear Review

Hunting day-in and day-out I run into just about every type of weather condition possible, and good gear can make or break the experience you have for the day. Keeping your hands warm is important not only as a factor of your comfort level but can affect your performance as well.

Last year I did a simple study to see how cold hands affected my shooting. I shot groups of arrows on a cold day with warm hands then shot with cold hands. The colder my hands were the larger my groups got.

While duck hunting late season there have been days when my hands got so cold and wet it was impossible to reload my shotgun. I have missed out on some great shooting because I didn’t have a waterproof glove.

For big game hunting I like gloves that are comfortable while I am being active yet warm when I am stationary glassing, calling, ect. For waterfowl hunting, waterproof combined with warmth is important. When wearing hunting gloves I like some sense of dexterity. I like the glove to be thin enough that I can perform tasks like shooting and reloading, without having to take the gloves off.

This last season I found some gloves that I put to the test. In nearly every hunt condition imaginable, they performed. The company is called Glacier Glove. They are best known for their top quality Neoprene gloves but they make gloves for pretty much any activity- from fishing and hunting, to climbing Everest- no joke.

For big game/ upland bird hunting, I used their 722RT High Performance Fleece Glove. For waterfowl hunting/ cold weather fishing, I used their 817RT Waterproof Neoprene Hunting Glove.

722RT High Performance Fleece

GloveSpecs: This glove is made of wind resistant fleece and features a textured silicon palm for added dexterity and grip. The cuff of the glove is made of neoprene which give it a great fit while maiking it comfortable and warm.

Put to the Test: I hunted close ninety days straight with these gloves and never had any problems. They are durable, comfortable and perform well. They don’t get too hot to wear while hiking but still keep you warm when you stop, which is probably why I liked them so much. They are light weight and don’t take up a lot of space. They fit well and are thin enough to shoot either a gun or bow as well as use your hand for most tasks without having to take them off.

Price: $29.99

817RT Waterproof Neoprene Hunting Glove

Specs: These gloves are made of waterproof 2mm neoprene and have a fleece lining for added comfort. The hands also use Touchrite techonology which aids in their dexterity.

Put to the Test: Cold days on the water proved that these gloves were top notch. I used them while duck hunting the river in sub zero temperatures. I had no problem hunting all day as well as picking up birds and placing decoys. They are comfortable and warm, and their fleece lining really makes you forget they are neoprene. They have a great feel and are easy to shoot and reload with. Because they are waterproof they also make great fishing gloves.

Price: $34.99

For more information visit http://www.glacierglove.com/