When I was about 10 years old I

really liked baking cookies. My favorites were Snickerdoodles as they were relatively easy to make. Plus, anything rolled in sugar and cinnamon is bound to turn out great! Unless you forget an ingredient. Or, worse yet…you put in the wrong ingredient.

The recipe I used back then called for 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda. Not only did I mis-read the ingredient, but the quantity as well. Trust me when I say that Snickerdoodles aren’t the same with 1 Tablespoon of Baking Powder.

Elk hunting can be very similar. There are many things that go into consistantly finding success as an elk hunter. One year scouting might be the primary reason a hunter finds success. The next year it might be his physical conditioning allowing him to go just a little farther. Another hunter might be successful because he sounds just like an elk. The bottom line is this – to be successful year after year you need to have all your options available. You need to make sure you are putting all the ingredients into the recipe.

It does no good to be in better shape than Cameron Hanes if you spend 7 days hiking through the most rugged, beautiful elk country you’ve ever seen only to find there are no elk there. Or to be able to call in elk every time you put your lips to the grunt tube, only to miss every one of them at 25 yards. The point I’m trying to make is that it’s important to get in shape (in fact it is one of the most important aspects to consider when elk hunting) but it is also important to scout the areas you plan to hunt. It’s important to have the right gear to keep you comfortable, as well as to know how to use an elk call. You need to be proficient with your weapon and you need to know what to do with an elk when everything comes together and you make that perfect shot. Elk hunting is like a big cake…the more pieces of it you have, the better it is.