Elk Hunting Skill & Craft: Confidence, Gear Prep, Glassing, and Team Communication

Trent and Matt continue their multi-part "skill and craft" hunting series, reflecting on woodsmanship, learning through failure, and the hard work of elk hunting. They discuss how confidence affects shooting, including experiences with target panic and a dangerous bow failure that created lasting doubt, emphasizing practice and equipment checks before season and after travel due to elevation changes. They outline a practical glassing method: quickly check close cover and perimeters, scan distant areas, then systematically work back through a unit, and stress the importance of quickly landmarking and communicating an animal's location to partners. They frame elk hunting as a team sport where shared "comms" and defined roles (like shooter/spotter) improve success, and they describe stalking and calling strategy: pin locations, consider wind/time, wait for bedding, avoid obstacles that cause hang-ups, and reposition rather than forcing a stalled bull. They close with plans for future guests and broader topics beyond hunting.