Resolutions And Hunting

So many of us make New Years resolutions, and as many of us by the end of January or shortly after, have already broken them. This chart lists some of the most common resolutions made for just this year. Now with this being said… I would like to point out that even if you aren’t as successful in keeping them fully, or at least to what your expectations were… DON’T GIVE UP The top resolutions of eating healthier, exercising more, and saving more money are great goals, but I think many times we get too focused on the resolution itself and lose site of the end goal. As a hunter, the main goal is to be better than we were in the past year, right!?! At the close of each year and hunting season, we as hunters, often reminisce on our successes and lessons learned. Many of us dream of next year’s opening day the very day hunting season closes. So what better motivation than the upcoming hunting season to help keep us on track for our goals? EAT HEALTHIER Ok, so while this may be one of the not so fun items on our list, it is a GREAT goal. If the word “DIET” is not in your vocabulary, here is a suggestion. By simply cutting down on the amount of sodas, or eating smaller portions, or choosing to make better food choices (like eating a salad over the loaded tots as a side dish) it will make a difference. You will notice that, over time, your weight will be maintained and possibly you’ll start shedding some pounds just by how you eat. You will be making baby steps to eating better, which will make it less work to reach those weight goals by hunting season. I think we focus on the resolution to the point that we think that we can only live off celery and carrot sticks, can’t have any carbs, have to count calories… Well no wonder we don’t keep the resolution. After a while we think, “Gosh it’s so hard”, and one cheat day turns into two and three… Before long we find we have fallen off the wagon... again. Making smaller changes slowly over time will make keeping that resolution a little easier in the end. GET MORE EXERCISE Oh, this one is as dreaded as the eating-healthier resolution, but try to remember when you were out there last hunting season. Did you get winded? Did your body hurt at the end of the day from your hiking? Did you at any point, like I did, say “OMG, I need to get in shape” while climbing that mountain? Why wait until hunting season arrives to begin killing ourselves and trying to condition ourselves for a hunt? We can start now to add more physical activities in our weekly routine--maybe taking the stairs more often or taking a walk in the evenings--building our endurance over time. In doing so, we will find we can go longer and increase exercise which will have us better prepared for the next hunt. SAVE MORE MONEY This should be a given. What hunter doesn’t put cash away to buy the newest or latest and greatest hunting weapons, camo, or gear? I suggest making a bucket list of some of your dream hunts. Research what it would take to go on that dream hunt. Many banks now have a way that we can even set up goals through online banking to help us add our savings resolution into our budget and reach our goal that much faster. ENJOY LIFE While we don’t generally enjoy resolutions, remember to focus on the future and the end results… not the resolution. I believe by doing this, we can make our resolutions a reality. Post a picture of your last hunt on your refrigerator, and each time you look at it, know that this year…that mountain will just be a hill to climb. The better choices of eating healthier and increasing activity is going to help us achieve that goal. Each month as you see your savings grow, realize you are just that much closer to that dream hunt. A month has already slipped by, and if you have already slipped on some of your resolutions, I would challenge you not to give up. Start again if need be and remember to focus on the result not the resolution. Thanks for reading, and as always, happy hunting to you all!