A guided hunt is an awesome experience. It often means seeing a new area for the first time, and sometimes hunting a new species for the first time. One of the most common questions we receive from our guided hunters is what they are responsible to bring. 
We send a checklist to each of our hunters before their trip. The needs of a hunter on an antelope hunt from town are of course much different than hunting elk or mule deer from a remote mountain camp. 
While packing lists can vary considerably, there are some general things to think about on any guided hunting trip in the west. Here are a few tips to consider:

Don’t Overload Your Daypack
Ask most hunting guides, and they’ll tell you that hunters’ daypacks are always heaviest on the first morning of the hunt. Excited and sometimes not sure what to bring, hunters tend to over pack the first day. But after carrying a heavy backpack through rough western country, those items quickly get paired down. A few days into the hunt, most hunters are carrying only the essentials. 
On a big game hunt, shouldering a heavy backpack can take a toll. Be very careful about how much you intend to carry in your daypack.



 Listen to Your Guide’s Advice 
Every guided hunt is different. But in most situations, the guide will be carrying essential items, like field dressing equipment. If your guide has those things covered, there may be no reason to carry duplicates – especially bulky items like game bags. Most importantly, pay attention to your guide’s advice. If he says you don’t need it, don’t put it in your pack. 




Invest in Lightweight Hunting Gear
If your gear is heavy to begin with, you’ll have trouble keeping the weight down on your daypack. Items like rain gear can be one of the biggest culprits. Rain gear can spend a lot of time in your pack, but you don’t want to be caught without it. 
Wherever possible, invest in lightweight hunting gear. There is a higher price for gear that is both highly functional and also light weight. But on a tough, multi-day western hunt, it can be well worth the investment.

Admittedly, selecting
the right hunting outfitter is not an easy process. With hundreds of thousands
of outfitters around the world, there are numerous aspects to take into
consideration. First, what species are you interested in hunting? Once you have
that figured out, which state do you want to hunt in? Are you looking for an
area where tags are easy to draw? Furthermore, are you looking for a trophy or
simply want to fill your freezer? You’ll also want to consider the length of
the hunt and whether or not you prefer a horseback hunt. As you can see, there
are a plethora of factors to take into consideration.

Once you
narrow down your preferences — or at least have a fairly solid idea of your
likings — you take to the Internet. Between interactive websites, great trophy
photos, and testimonials that make you feel like you were on the hunt yourself,
it’s difficult to choose. So, here is what we suggest:

Part 2: Physical Conditioning -
When it comes to preparing for a Wyoming antelope hunt, or any western, big game hunt, our guides have two clear recommendations: shooting practice and physical conditioning. In a previous article, we covered shooting. This time, we’ll take a look at some of our guides’ top tips when in comes to getting in shape for the big hunt.

First, why is conditioning important? Because when it comes to open country antelope hunting, you can be the best spotter, the best field judge, a great marksman and have the best gear. But if you can’t get to where the animals are quickly enough for an ethical shot, none of it matters.

Being able to move across large distances through varying terrain can be very important. Can a guy who is out of shape do it? Sure, we can usually make it happen. But will the experience be more enjoyable if that same guy is in better shape? Absolutely! Simply put, the better shape you’re in, the more enjoyable the experience will be.

When it comes to getting in shape, time can be your best friend or your worst enemy.  If you’re trying to cram workouts in the weeks leading up to your hunt, you will have a difficult time, and the experience will be more painful. However, if hunters make an effort to stay in decent shape year round, you won’t have to put yourself through that painful crunch just before the season. Starting well in advance and giving yourself time will help tremendously.

Start by setting goals for yourself that are realistic and attainable. Don’t burn yourself out in the first few weeks. If necessary, get some help at your local gym to come up with a well-rounded exercise plan. A good plan should include a combination of weight lifting and cardiovascular exercises. In your weight lifting, focus primarily on leg strength, as that will be your best asset on a tough hunt.

In addition to exercising at the gym, get out in the field as much as possible. Put on your hunting pack and climb a nearby hill or even stadium stairs. As the season approaches, try these workouts in the actual clothing that you’ll be using on your hunt. If there are any comfort issues, you want to know it well ahead of time.

Find an exercise that you enjoy – whether that’s running, biking, swimming or hiking. Mix it up, and try to keep your workouts from becoming monotonous. Employing a variety of exercises will help work different muscle groups, and it will help you from becoming bored with the routine.

Finally, in the couple of weeks prior to your hunt, work to maintain your level of strength without pushing it too hard. Concentrate on workouts in the gym where you’re less likely to twist an ankle. The last thing you want is an injury just before the hunt. Weight lifting machines to keep up your leg strength and easy jogging can be ideal.

Have confidence in your ability to stalk or quickly move into position for a shot. Being in good physical condition can be the difference between a good hunt and a great hunt.

Keep your eye out for our next article on preparing for a Wyoming Antelope Hunt: Gear and Packing Tips. In the meantime, check out huntwyo.com for more information on antelope hunts, elk hunts, mule deer hunts and more with SNS Outfitters & Guides!

A few months ago, we featured a post about the Wyoming Hunter Defense Fund (WHDF), a new initiative to help protect sportsmen's to access hunting opportunities in Wyoming, educate the public about the benefits of hunting tourism, and to conserve wildlife habitat across the state. SNS Outfitter and Guides has been dedicated to this effort and our hunters have made generous donations to support WHDF.

We would like to let you know that WHDF has a new website at www.wyominghunterdefensefund.com. Please help spread the word about this effort to help make sure that we continue to have great hunting opportunities in Wyoming for many years to come.

Non-resident sportsmen contribute about $200 million each year to Wyoming’s economy, a number that dwarfs the ski industry and spreads to all parts of the state. And because less than 12% of Wyoming residents hunt big game, we rely heavily on non-residents for wildlife funding. Out of state hunters and fishermen represent a vital part of our state’s economy and recreation opportunities.

Despite these obvious benefits, a Wyoming House Bill was introduced earlier this year that would cut non-resident hunting license numbers in half. This would dry up Wildlife funding and damage hunting opportunities in Wyoming. It would suck $100 million from our local economy each year.

SNS is committed to making sure that HB 112 does not become law. It starts with educating others about the benefits of hunting tourism in Wyoming. We can also make sure that sportsmen have a clear voice representing them. That’s exactly why the Wyoming Hunter Defense Fund (WHDF) was started. WHDF is currently working hard to educate Wyoming’s residents and business community of the financial contributions made by sportsmen to state’s economy, while working to conserve and protect wildlife habitats.

To help support the Wyoming Hunter Defense Fund, every hunter who books with SNS makes a small donation. The funds raised by WHDF will help influence legislative issues, conduct research, communicate, and work to make sure that hunting opportunities continue to be available in Wyoming.

Again, be sure to visit the new website at www.wyominghunterdefensefund.com or keep up with these efforts on Facebook.

One of the most exciting things about hunting in Wyoming is the widely varying range of opportunities. From the plains to the peaks, this is a state that offers everything. Some of our favorite hunts each year are the mule deer and antelope Combo hunts.

These combo hunts offer everything you could want in a classic, western hunt. There’s nothing like being able to spot and stalk trophy Wyoming mule deer and then go after North America’s fastest animal and one of its most beautiful, the pronghorn antelope.

We conduct these mule deer and antelope combo hunts on nearly 200,000 private acres of incredible big game habitat. This is a unique opportunity to pursue two iconic western trophies.

These hunts take place from early October to late October, depending on the location. The terrain on these ranches varies from plains to rolling hills, to steep canyons, and pine-covered foothills. Perhaps the only things better than pursuing these great big game animals is the incredible Wyoming scenery and the fun hunting camp experience.

We offer three different camps for these combo hunts. On our website or in our brochure, you can refer to Hunt 2, Hunt 5 or Hunt 10 for details. Whether you prefer to hunt from camp or from town, we can help plan a hunt that’s perfect for you or your group. For more information, give us a call at 307-266-4229.

We hope to see you here at SNS Outfitter and Guides soon on this incredible western combo hunt!