The 2020 hunting season is coming to a close in most of the mountain west , and what a chaotic season it was ! Between the intense fires , hot weather , COVID-19 , and the election , there were more daily distractions than I ever thought possible . One by one the trade shows were canceled , prolonging the sense of relief from the anxiety that grips our nation .
I think we can all agree that getting outside , especially on hunting trips , saved our sanity and provided a brief respite from the 24-hour news cycle . Fortunately , in my home state of Arizona , I still have two more months of archery deer , javelina , and quail hunting to enjoy . Though I wish the trade shows were on the schedule , for the first time in my adult life I will be able to hunt without the stress of travel sandwiched on both ends .
In this issue , we focus on getting back to the basics . While articles titled “ Next Level Tactics ” or “ Advanced Tips for Success ” may sound sexy , we will all fail as hunters if we don ’ t focus on the basics .
Tana Grenda nailed this with her Three W ’ s of Hunting Success , describing taking a brown bear , Dall sheep , Alaska-Yukon moose , and caribou in Alaska .
One of my bucket list species is Columbian blacktail deer . I have been on a few hunts but have yet to put my tag on one . Todd Harney has taken more than his share of these beautiful deer from his home state of California , so I asked him to share his thoughts and techniques .
While I have killed two black bears from British Columbia , I have yet to take one in the Southwest . Josh Kirchner is pretty much obsessed with desert bear hunting and has managed to be consistently successful . So , in a self-serving manner , I asked him to share his secrets along with tips on caring for and preparing bear meat .
If you are into pack horses or looking to get started , then nothing is more basic than finding the right horse or mule . George Bettas has been evaluating pack stock for decades and shares his wisdom on the topic .
I have known Remi Warren for more than 15 years and have watched him evolve as a hunter . But I have always been impressed with his ability to be successful in any environment . After reading his article , I can see that through his focus on the basics and willingness to try anything , he has maintained skills that are easily lost . These basic skills are what can turn an unproductive day in the field into a heavy pack out .
I will stop telling you about every article and let you get busy reading them yourself . As you might guess I am pretty excited about this issue . With all the craziness around us , I truly believe that focusing on the basics will keep us grounded and even more prepared for next season .
Chris Denham , Publisher
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