mental preparedness

[powderhogg01]

the season is now just a few days from opening for me. I will be headed into the high parts of co unit 38 in search of a big mule deer I missed multiple chances at last season. last year he was a stout 4x5 perfect symetry with the exception of a nice drop tine on his right side. I have only been within 500 yards of a deer of that caliber a few time, most of them last year on this one buck I named bruno.
Finally after a summer of ridge sits and hours and hours of glassing I have found him again, in a slightly different but generally same area as last season. I feel like the battle is about to begin and was curious what everyone out there does to keep there mental game sharp. Sure we can work out our bodies and get in shape, but archery hunting in particular is an extremely stressful and demanding activity.. what do you do to prep for that during the hunt?

[Charina]

Sleep. Adequate rest is the #1 ingredient to my mental resilience.

[BRazz]

Good post. Being mentally dialed in goes a long way in the broader success of the hunt (not just getting a critter down). I find that I get so caught up in the hunt that sometimes it's been hours since I've had a sip of water. I'm suddenly feeling tired and beat - and it's because I haven't been taking care of myself physically. So that's my focus this year - take the steps to be physically prepared and that will hopefully help my mental state as well. Helps me stay vigilant and motivated even when the odds and the miles seem long.