FORRESTBOW - Mental Toughness
Wild Sheep
We are all happy for FOREST drawing that CO tag. So many have given him great ideas around training, losing weight and getting in shape. One thing I have noticed when sheep hunters fail is they lack the mental toughness and many either give up, give in, quit and go home or switch from bow to gun. I can't add much but will chime in with two thoughts. 1. Think about a boxer, he enters the ring, half the crowd is cheering for him and the other half wants to see him get the crap beat out of him. Think about making your team proud and sending the others home sad. So when training or on the hunt and you want to slow down, quit or give up, think about all of us who are in your corner and cheering for you and you don't want to disappoint us. Or if it is more motivating, think about making all those who are negative and want to see you fail, well just push on, kill a big ram and make them sad. There are lots of people in the world who are haters, lots of them voted for Sloe Joe Biden, are protesting at the schools in support for Hamas, want to make Pride Month longer and celebrate men destroying girls in women sports, want access to women's locker rooms and bathrooms. Well you get it, those people are losers and haters and are jealous and never happy for others and are hoping FOREST fails. Send them home sad and crush it. Your success will destroy them.
Think about all your friends and push on to make us proud. We have your back. Once on the ice, an Eskimo was beating a young husky with a club. He was much bigger than me and I challenged him and threatened him and told him to stop, not worried for my safety or the outcome of the fight, because I had Jake Ensign and Big Pizza Man on each shoulder backing me up and I knew I would make them proud.
2. Start with a pack, 45-55 pounds. Do a 3 mile route, it can be flat but hopefully 1.5 miles out and 1.5 miles back. Wear your hiking boots and do that once a week and keep track of those times. Of course keep doing all the other stuff and all your hikes, with this weighted pack. Then add 10 pounds and do your hikes for the next week and then go back and do the 3 mile hike and check your times. Add another 10 pounds until you get to a weight that you are really going slow and might even find it hard to finish the 3 miles.
This training tip, will make you mentally tough, will put weight on your shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and feet and break in your boots and toughen your feet. You will be so proud and amazed at how your body adapts to the added weight. It would be best if you could hike with 70# for 10 hours a day, but most of us don't have that much time. So 110-120# for smaller guys for even 30 -60 minutes will really prepare you for less weight and your making the most of your hunting and hiking.
Good luck, be safe and have fun. No matter what side of the crowd motivates you the best, you will be working so much harder. In fact you might even have some of your bowsite buddies, in spirit, helping you up the mountain.
Straight arrows, your friend Tom.
And you know for sure, that’s not just talk coming from Tom (and family)!!
Take it as gospel and go to work!
Excellent advice from a Master!
Great post, Tom! People get their motivation from different sources, without a doubt! I was lucky enough to grow up in a very loving and supportive household. When I decided I wanted to accomplish something, it was fully supported. I always appreciated that support and it was a big help in me accomplishing plenty of the things I have accomplished in my life and my career. However, when I was told I wasn't going to accomplish a major career/personal goal by someone close to me, THAT was motivating! I took a "I'll show you" attitude and definitely proved that person wrong.
Not sure what motivates you, Forrest, but I like Tom's thoughts about it. Make whatever motivates you work for you and go kill a nice ram! That motivation will help you with preparation on the front end and stick-to-itiveness on the back end. Judging by the other thread you're doing just fine so far. Keep it up and good luck!!!
Great post, Tom!
Great post!
"Mental toughness is the key to winning." My wrestling coach would preach that to us daily and it's always stuck with me.
Great to see you on here tthomas. I don't care if it's only briefly.
What could be more useful and valuable than real-life, dedicated bow-hunting experience, straight from a guy who's "been-there, done-that", over and over again, with an amazingly high degree of success.
Great advice, Tom, and great timing! As I was hiking up the mountain this morning with my ridiculously fit wife, part of me said "You need more weight in the pack", and the smart part of my brain said, "keep finding elk close to roads"... But the pack weight is going up.
As for Forest, JohnMc did it, so we know for sure that you can too!
Thanks Tom! Im 100% duel fuel. I know i got some haters, but i got alot off really good friends that are pulling for me. Alot of those guys are the best archery hunters alive. Guys i know and guys i dont know have been sending messages with information and encouragement. I have always been mentally tuff. I can handle pain well, even like it alitte. I will be ready and a ram will die!
Forest's tag is Archery only, so he doesn't have the option to pick up a rifle.
Lol, that is not the right meme.
I’m pulling for you, Forest. Hope you let the air out of a good one.
He’s a killer. If he doesn’t kill one. It wasn’t the Rams time :>)))
There are a few people on Bowsite that, although I've never met them, just from what they post and from what others post about them, you know they are in the "get it done group".
In regards to "mental toughness" several years ago I went through training and I've always remembered what the instructor said.
"Squeeze your fist as hard as you can - right now you think that's all you've got - now Squeeze it harder.... see, when you think that's your max - you always have just a little more - take one more step - now, take another step - keep going - keep going, NEVER give up!"
Good luck Forest.
One thing I always say is that every blown stalk or shot gets you one closer to making it happen and everything going right for you. Good luck and shoot straight, Forest.
Forest if you use the same plan as you did for your Colorado Mt Goat hunt, success should come your way. In 1997 I was successful with a good archery ram here in Colorado. I scouted a lot prior to the season and found some rams but remember there will be other hunters in the same unit looking at those same sheep so you might want to have a plan B and C. No doubt, hunting a wild critter who spends 100% of it time being wild, and we are only part time hunter, can surely be a challenge. As you did while goat hunting you spend a lot of time setting and watching, and waiting for the right situation/moment to make a move on your selected animal. Wait, wait, wait, bed them down, play the wind, come in from the side or above, ( if windy, remove your bow quiver). If the wind is not in your favor, back out. As with the goat hunt, you will need reasonable cover to get within your effective range. The majority of hunters, even those successful ones will only get one chance, one chance of a life time to kill a Big Horn Sheep with the bow and arrow. Hunt smart, hunt every day, spent 90% of the time on your seat behind your scope, and 10% of the time actually hunting. Hunt of a life time, you bet. My best, Paul PS, look out for lightening storms and get off the mountain if needed!
You got this Forest!!
Best of luck and God Bless!!
I have faith in you to get it done….good luck Forest! Looking forward to the hunt update.
You are guaranteed to have a great adventure and make a major memory. What a blessing.
Great post, Tom. I know Forest will do well!
If you have ever had to try and keep up with Forest in the mountains, you know them sheep don't stand a chance.. Get some boy..
You're doing everything you need to do to be ready for this, and you're going to have one hell of a hunt!
I have no idea who Forest is but if he’s bow hunting sheep I’m cheering for him.
Forrest will do fine, even if he doesn't lose weight. Those guys like him that hunt and live in the mountains already handle it 10x better than us Midwestern hunters. I see quite a few rams laying on the bike trail at Glenwood Canyon when I drive by sometimes.
Look up the video of the ram in glenwood that saw himself in the store front glass.
You got this Forrest ! I’m betting there will be some sheep ribs cooked on the mountain. Can’t wait for the pictures, and recap.
Wish the snow would melt. I want up there pretty bad!
Well said Tom! Great to see you make an appearance on bowsite!!
Hiking mountain trails with a heavy pack is probably the best advice for training. Like stated above. Hike 3-5 miles per day 3-5 days per week with a 40-70 lb pack is about the best you can do to get ready.
Trails with a good mix of uphill and down hill are best.
Lots of knee pain is typically from down hill hiking, and the lack of training hiking down hill with weight.
Good luck
Waiting for the trophy pic!
Good to hear from you, Tom. Best of luck, Forest!
Great advice from a sheep legend. Best of luck Forest!
I got tired just reading ttomas’ second paragraph ! ;-))
Good luck Forest, I know you will have a good time and take a big ram home !
Great advice Tom. If I remember correctly, that husky came home with you didn't she? I'm sure you have given her her best life!
I have no concerns about Forest getting it done. Looking forward to the story!
Super solid advice Tom! Forest, you’ve got this! God bless!
I just got a call from TThomas a couple days ago, He recently retired. Maybe he'll visit Bowsite a little more frequently now that he has some free time....Hope so.
I can still remember training all Spring and Summer for my 2008 sheep hunts. I had three different pack weights....50# was a bag of corn..... 70# was a bag of corn and 20# bag of potatoes......and a 130# which was the 50# bag of corn and an 80# bag of cement. I rotated the three packs and carried my bow every day. I can laugh about it now, but it sure wasn't funny the day that I was carrying the 130# pack and was just about as far from home as my route would take me.....and I got caught in a torrential downpour. I should have weighed that pack when I got home - I swear it felt like 180#. LOL
Jake, what’s the most weight you’ve carried while on a sheep hunt?
Nick, I don't know what my pack weights were for any of the sheep hunts. I do know that I am more of a maximum conditioning individual as opposed to someone who might drill holes in their toothbrush and purchase high-end ultralight gear. I do remember two instances when the training sure made for lifelong memories. I would guess that my heaviest sheep pack was on my Stones Sheep hunt. I tagged the ram in the last hour of daylight on the last day of the hunt, miles from camp on the wrong side of the mountain, and we had several Grizzlies in the area. We had been out of water for hours when we finally got back to camp around 4 AM. I remember calling Bowsite and leaving a message on Pat's phone, getting a couple hours of sleep, and breaking camp in a blizzard. That was the heaviest sheep pack by far, as the camp had been set up for a previous hunter, and we packed out our gear as well as everything else that had been left behind by those before us. It didn't matter....it was about a 10 hour pack out and I was smiling most of the way.....
'Team Foss' always gives such positive advice.
Good luck, Robb
When i shot my goat i brought everything out in one trip. 16 miles with around 125# pack.
Dadgum!!! I’m a big guy and have been rucking with an 80# vest and I can’t imagine a 120# pack!!!!
Down 35#s in 50 days, and have hiked 70 miles with weight in my pack so far in the month of June. This is all been easy. God is good!
Good going Forrest. Those sheep will be in trouble soon.
Any rams seen in your unit?
Nice work Forest keep it up!
Great work Forest, keep at it!
Haven't looked to hard for rams yet. Im heading there now. Still alitte early i think.
Stick with the program Forest. You got this thang !
Go Forest GO!!!!! I can't wait to read your recap and see the pics!!!!
My money is on Forest.......savor every second!
Congratulations on your weight loss and fitness progress!
"Down 35#s in 50 days"
Damn, that is impressive Forest. Keep hammering!
No rams yet but I've found a buch of elk. Saw at least 50 this morning. Cows got the calfs up high 13,000'. Probably keeping them away from bears i guess.
Good luck and I hope you take a camera and document your hunt for us really good, Forest.
Hardest part of all this so far is finding Rams. Im new to sheep. Feel like i don't know where to look.
When I hunted Big Horns, I never saw a sheep first. My guide saw them all before I did. Very hard to see. I didn’t think all that hard to get a shot though so keep looking.
200+ elk 7 mule deer bucks 12 ewe sheep.
Maybe you should have spent more time at the RMBS 'Meet & Greet' to make some contacts.
Congrats on the tag, and good luck !
Forest…if you’re in an area where you have seen a dozen ewes at this time of the year, my advice would be to look about 3-6 miles away from them. The Rams should be a couple drainages away but not close enough to really cross paths yet.
Thanks man! Ill find them.
You definitely have to be there at sunrise and last hour of the day. Bedded rams are hard to spot. After a rain/passing storm is a good time as well.
199# Heading in today. Season starts tomorrow! God is good!
You got this Forest! Somewhere there is a sheep about to get a piggyback ride!!
Good luck from the flatlands!
We’re pulling for you here too.
Best of luck to you Forest!!!
Hope you have a ball Forrest!
Good luck Forest! See you in September!
During my CO big Horn sheep hunt and after I killed, I wrote this article for Western Bowhunter.
I sure would like to read that article, any ideas where I could find it?
Good luck Forrest! Looking forward to hearing an update.
For those that are following that don't know CO S9, it's a tough unit to kill a mature ram with a rifle and even more so with a bow. BIG, BIG, Steep country and not a lot of sheep compared to other CO units. My bet's with Forrest though. I bet he gets it done or at least has a "successful" hunt.
Good luck, Forest. Aim small, miss small. Take a lot of photos so that you can share them with us.
Good luck Forest, you’re ready!!!!
I think we all know Forest doesn’t need luck he makes his own.
I think who needs the luck is the sheep :>))))
Have a great hunt brother!
Be safe and take pics!! Looking forward to your return!
Damn, this is exciting.
We are all with you....
Bowsite at its finest! Best of luck Forest. Paul
Good luck... Hunting season is here. and AMEN, God is good.
No. Seen him 3 out of 4 days. Tuff spot to get close. I will soon.
Be careful. Remember to smell the coffee.
8/14/24. Forest connects. Update and pics to follow.
