It took me 16 days to tag a Dall sheep in Alaska last year. If it weren’t for my yoga practice, I don’t think I could have stayed mentally strong or returned home injury free. I’m 49 years old, so my yoga doesn’t look like sitting cross-legged under a tree and my goal is not to do a photo-worthy backbend. I practice a combination of meditation, yoga poses, balance poses, controlled breathing and mindfulness. My practice benefits me mentally and emotionally as much as it does physically.
We all hunt for different reasons but nobody hunts to come home emptyhanded or with a trophy of a sprained ankle. You want your body and mind dialed in when your hunt date arrives. If your boot gets caught behind a rock and you end up in the downhill splits, you want your hamstrings flexible and your core strong. If your partner says “breathe,” you must be able to calm down, focus and make a clean shot. An injury can cut your hunt short and impatience can lead to mistakes you may regret later. To continue reading Backountry Journal…