4 January “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Me” or “Preseason Hunt Planning Part 1!” January 4, 2020By Monica Oliver Announcements, General Information Black Bear Hunts, Drop Camps, Elk Hunts, Happy New Year, Idaho Hunts, Merry Christmas, Mule Deer Hunts, Public Land, Wilderness Area, Youth Hunts 0 Even though this sounds directed to me and possibly self-serving, it is anything but that. If it were about me, I would be posing on this rig taking a big smiling selfie to tell the world how wonderful I am. Well, I assure you, there ain’t nothin’ sexy about a 54 year old chubby guy climbing up on his new elliptical trying to shed a few of those post hunting, pre- and post-Holiday calories, so all you get to see is an empty elliptical as a symbol of potential for memories to be made. Just like our public lands stand as a symbol to that same ideal. It is honestly directed towards all of us who find ourselves somewhat vertically challenged and girth blessed with each New Year’s Day that passes and wonder if we are alone in this journey from “healthy” holiday sofa surfer to healthy mountain man/explorer looking to scale that peak ahead to look for a trophy animal on the other side. My Christmas gift to me was this new (to me) elliptical (of course it was used; I don’t know if this new relationship will last) and my obvious New Year’s resolution is to actually use it to get myself in shape for Idaho’s 2020 hunting seasons that lie ahead in only 9 short months. Now c’mon, am I the only one who has this goal…every year? Right? I doubt it. I am simply writing this to encourage any and all of you that enjoyed what the holidays had to offer, over and over again, to recognize that the sooner you start on that journey of health (for hunting purposes, of course) the sooner you will feel like you will be able to climb that mountain, cross to that next ridge or dive down in that deep timbered draw in search of what you believe to be a trophy elk, deer or some other mountain creature, knowing all along that regardless of the outcome, our memories seem to hover around “that time I climbed 3 different canyons” to get to where you are today. The stories we as guides get to hear each year seem to revolve far more often around some epic adventure than the harvest of some animal. The effort put into harvesting that animal seems to be the real topic of discussion, rather than the animal itself. So, as your winter ahead evolves into hunt planning for your next adventure, maybe try to weave in a little pre-hunt workout. It will make your quest for your desired animal that much more attainable! Good luck in your New Year’s resolutions, know that you are not alone, and best of luck in all your hunts that lie ahead. May you have cooperative weather, great camaraderie in your camp mates and most of all, remember to take a kid hunting if you can! Happy New Year!George Related Posts An Idaho Elk Hunt to Remember This is a “short” story about a hunter/client/friend of ours who is part of a group of guys we affectionately call the “Cali boys”. His name is Bill Bunch and someone in his group has hunted with us consistently for 11 straight seasons. He is one of those guys that in my opinion is a true sportsman. Let me explain. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! From the gang here at Wild Idaho Outfitters, nestled snuggly under the peaks of the Southeastern edge of the Salmon River Mountains, one of the gateways to the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness area, we want to take a moment and wish all who read this a very Happy and Joyful Holiday Season! HAPPY NEW YEAR What a terrific sight for the final day of 2014. As sun sets over the Pahsimeroi Mountains, part of the Lost River Range here in Central Idaho, 2014 only has a few hours left and the horses are enjoying the last rays of sunlight on a day that the high only reached to zero. It is a beautiful ending to an amazing year here at Wild Idaho Outfitters and we are very grateful for this past year and are already looking forward to some exciting new adventures to take place in 2015. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! From the “catch and hold” gang along with the guide and packing crew at Wild Idaho Outfitters and Castle Creek Outfitters, we would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We genuinely hope that as you gather around with family and friends during this Holiday season, that you will have time to reflect on many or all of your past public land excursions while possibly dreaming and planning towards your next outdoor adventure on public land. 10 Reasons Why Idaho is THE Best Place to Hunt in the West in 2014 1. Tags…Idaho has tags 2. Game…Idaho has always, and is doing even more so now, producing good QUALITY elk, deer and bear, and now we can even hunt wolves. Why Hunt Idaho? Short answer. Because you can! Yup, that is the answer, because you can. As a sportsman/hunter first and an outfitter second, I cherish my opportunities to hunt out west and based on what I have discovered in my travels, reading the news and talking to hunters from all over the globe about hunting in “their” states, once again Idaho simply rises to the top as THE best place for an opportunity to hunt…bar none! Comment (0) Comments are closed.