Set yourself up for success with four phases

You must build up to a hunt or season in four phases, if you want to set yourself up for success.

  • EXPERIMENT
  • PRACTICE
  • PLAN
  • HUNT

And you should ask yourself seven questions to ensure you complete each phase correctly.

Take my word for it, skipping a phase or a question is a bad idea. Don't bring new and untested gear on a hunt. The consequences are subtle and easy to dismiss, but it can screw things up. Been there, done that...

The 7 questions

PHASE 1 - EXPERIMENT

  • Q1: What's the situation?
    • Animal
    • Area
    • Weather
  • Q2: How will you hunt?
    • Move
    • Find
    • Get in range
    • Set up
    • Shoot
    • Follow up
  • Q3: What gear do you need?
  • Q4: How will you carry it (your gear)?


PHASE 2 - PRACTICE

  • Q5: How will you use your gear?


PHASE 3 - PLAN

  • Q6: What do you need to get out and back and to operate in the field?
    • Logistics & admin
    • Outdoorsmanship
    • Command, coordination & comms.


PHASE 4 - HUNT

  • Q7: How do you put it all in motion?
    • Prepare
    • Insert
    • Hunt
    • Extract
    • Process