Motivation: The key to most hunters’ in-the-field success is the ability to push with a full effort all the way through the hunt. Have you ever noticed how often a focused and dedicated effort pays off with a kill toward the end of the hunt? By hunting consistently hard and having a student-of-the-game mind-set, you’ll be gaining an edge on your quarry by the hour. I’ve found that toward the end of an elk hunt in the mountains, if I am still giving as full an effort as when I laced up my boots on the first morning of the hunt’s first day, the noose is invariably tightening on a big bull. But the advantages of fitness aren’t limited to improving hunting odds out West. I believe physical conditioning and the work required to get into fighting shape breeds mental confidence, even if you’re sitting on your tail in a treestand. The biggest mistake, for both a hunt and a fitness regimen, is to ignore preparation and go out from day one with both guns a‑blazin’; after a few days, you’ll be mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted, and ready to quit. This plan is designed to build slowly throughout the next three months, so by this fall you’ll be at your hunting prime.