Thread: Preparing mentally

Seen all the other threads on what to take hunting etc. Do any of you have a ritual or something that youll do before a hunt to mentally prepare for it?

If I can, I take a moment to be still, before I walk into the forest.

I try and remind myself it is my happy place, so the pain of getting to the area, long drive, etc will pay off regardless of shooting an animal. I force myself to.stop and appreciate the environment. Taking my son hunting has helped discover so many cool things I would normally walk past in pursuit of game. I agree with the above take a moment or two to have a reset before hunting.

Usually the drive in is enough to get me in the right headspace.

I still have a problem with getting over-excited beforehand - family + work commitments mean I don't get out as often as I'd like, so I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve and often struggle to sleep the night before. A couple of times I've given up trying to get to sleep at 2 or 3 am, jumped in the car and started walking in in the dark.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else gets this and what they do to avoid it!

My main mental work-on is after seeing game / before taking a shot. Reminding myself that we're not starving and it's not the end of the world if I leave it, there are likely to be other opportunities on the trip or in the near future, making a clean shot is paramount and I have to be able to recover it!

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

If I can, I take a moment to be still, before I walk into the forest.

I like this, and the older I get the more I reckon it matters. Might give it a go next time.

preparing mentally = figuring out what I have forgotten

Originally Posted by mopheadrob

I still have a problem with getting over-excited beforehand - family + work commitments mean I don't get out as often as I'd like, so I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve and often struggle to sleep the night before. A couple of times I've given up trying to get to sleep at 2 or 3 am, jumped in the car and started walking in in the dark.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else gets this and what they do to avoid it!

I suffered terribly from this as a kid when going either fallow hunting or pike fishing with my grandpa. Same when I moved to S Africa and went on my first bushveld hunts. Very hard to get to sleep when its 10 or 11pm and you're gonna be getting up in life 5 hours.

My mental preparation today is a recent thing. I have to convince myself it won't take long to get over the annoyance of discovering someone else has had the same idea as me, when hunting on public land. Have to give myself a proper talking to. Getting back into public land hunting down South has been full of ups and downs in this respect, and it would be easy to use it as an excuse not to go. And we all know that's not a good thing, so....

Youre going hunting, not to war.

Originally Posted by STC

Youre going hunting, not to war.

Too right.just enjoy.

I still get excited as a kitten.

Yup, I still get excited, been 51 years of getting excited. And I dont hurry to leave the vehicle or the drop off point, take my time, let it all soak in and then quietly head for the hills. And it doesnt really matter if I put one on the deck, can do that in the spotlight close to home if its just meat Im after.

In my mind the preparation is done beforehand, time at the gym or other activities you do to to keep fit so you hunt well.
Having your hunting gear and pack sorted, food, clothes and other kit.
Vehicle serviced and working reliably etc.
Get this sorted and there's not much to keep you awake the night before.
Perhaps the Mrs or GF wants a few minutes before the alarm calls you.

Without getting religious I take a quiet moment just before I set off and say to myself I guess like a prayer or kind of karakia, I dont pray to god. Just asking to return safely and thanking for the oportunity.

The anticipatory excitement can be an issue - I almost don't like having hunting trips planned too far into the future as it's hard to wait sometimes. When younger, I used to pack at the last minute as a way of keeping busy in the lead up to heading off - now days I seem to enjoy the process of being a bit more methodical, and making sure I don't forget anything critical.

Currently I'm re-waterproofing a jacket and making pemmican for a hopeful outing next weekend - these sorts of tasks I find rewarding as mental and practical prep.

Those of you that get excited, Would you describe yourselves as extravert or introvert?

For me I just kind of feel I have to hunt and go when I can, no real change in mental attitude. Except for overseas hunts. I have to resign myself to airports and long airplane travel. Both of which I dont enjoy.