If you travel with a gun dog, pack a first-aid kit, plenty of dog food and fluids (a case of water works) and veterinarian contact information in the area you’ll hunt.If you travel with a buddy, hash out travel details, pit stop needs, road music, and generally how both of you might best get along for that 12-hour haul over asphalt.
If you travel alone, tell your family exactly where you’ll be, with contact numbers and addresses, plus how long you’ll be there and when you’ll arrive home.
If you travel with airlines, print out hard copies of all itineraries with contact numbers. Sure this information is accessible on your hand-held smart phone, but backup is always a good move.
If you travel by truck, get a tune-up well before your trip to assure everything’s in working order.
If you’re traveling to a new camp, find out who runs the show – the typical “camp boss” – and if the hunt is fully guided, semi-guided (they drop you off and pick you up at locations) or whether you’ll strike out on your own.
If you’re hunting a new state, and even a familiar one, study all of the hunting regulations (twice). Rules and sporting laws change with the autumn wind, and you’ll want to know all specific details related to hunting methods, legal archery tackle, firearms and loads. Don’t expect somebody else to tell you this information. It’s readily available.
If you enjoy eating wild game as an extension of your hunting memories (and you should), do your homework on how that meat needs to be packed, labeled, processed and transported back home. It’s not uncommon to have an airline official these days know less than you do about this matter. Be ready to teach them the regulations – with a smile on your face, of course.
If that Yamaha ATV and Side-by-Side vehicle is an important feature of your backcountry hunting (and it likely is), make sure you have all the gear you need to hunt safely and legally for the area you’re in. By Steve Hickoff
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The all-new 2016 Grizzly features Yamaha’s exclusive, industry-leading On-Command® 4WD System. This three-position system lets you switch between 2WD, limited-slip 4WD and a fully locked differential 4WD all with the simple push of a button. Plus, an override button allows the engine to make maximum rpm in full diff. lock mode. All built Real World Tough™.