How to Start Planning Next Year’s Hunts Before This Season Is Even Over

Welcome to Backbone Unlimited. My name is Matt Hartsky. Today, we’re talking about something that separates a lot of the casual hunters out there from the consistent killers — how I start planning for next year’s hunts before the snow has even melted from this season.

I’ve still got a few tags in my pocket and a handful of small hunts happening later this year, but I’ve already started planning for 2026. I want to share exactly how I approach it — the steps, the mindset, and the structure that keep me moving forward while most hunters are shut down and thinking about spring.

For most people, once tags are filled or the season wraps up, everything goes quiet. Gear gets stored, bows get hung up, and focus shifts to life back at home. But the hunters who consistently tag bulls and bucks year after year start building next season right now. The offseason is where the real advantage is built — in the decisions you make when everyone else stops thinking about hunting.

In this article, I’m going to break down exactly how I start preparing for next year’s hunts: how I reflect on the season that just ended, set goals, choose which states and species I’m focusing on, research draw odds and harvest data, and begin early e-scouting without getting bogged down in maps. Because success in the mountains doesn’t start with your first step on the trail — it starts with how you prepare, plan, and prioritize months before opening morning.

If you’re already thinking about next fall like I am, this is your blueprint to start building that plan the right way.

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Reflecting on the Season and Capturing Lessons

As soon as my last hunt wraps up, before I start cleaning gear or reorganizing packs, I take a few quiet minutes to write down everything fresh in my head.

What went right?
What went wrong?
What would I do differently next time?

This isn’t just journaling — it’s a habit that keeps me honest. Every season teaches lessons, but those lessons fade fast. By spring, most of us only remember the highlights. The details — where you hesitated, where you were slow, where you were out of shape, where you nailed something — evaporate unless you capture them while they’re raw.

I break this reflection into:

• Physical preparation

• Scouting effectiveness

• Travel/logistics

• Shot opportunities

• Mental approach

For example:

• Did I show up in the shape I needed for that elevation?

• Did I give myself enough scouting days before opening morning?

• Did I rush a shot or blow a setup because I wasn’t patient?

The goal isn’t to beat yourself up — it’s to assess and identify what can be improved before next year even starts.

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Setting Hunt Goals and Development Goals

Once I capture those lessons, I start setting goals. I break them into two categories:

1) Hunt Goals

These are the tangible targets:

• Hunt a new state

• Draw a specific tag

• Kill a bull in a new unit

• Hunt a different species

2) Development Goals

These are about self-improvement — sharpening skills and knowledge:

• Improving glassing efficiency

• Learning new terrain types

• Getting better at reading sign

• Becoming more efficient at packing in/out

Both types of goals need to be realistic and measurable.

Then I define what success will look like next season. Not every year needs to be defined by punching a tag. Some seasons are about:

• Scouting new country

• Learning a new unit

• Building points

• Hunting with your kid

• Improving one weak area

Defining success early keeps you motivated when things get tough.

Finally, I outline a rough timeline:

• Winter: Research, reflection, goal setting

• Spring: Training, e-scouting, planning

• Summer: Gear prep, peak conditioning

• Fall: Execution

The point isn’t to make next season easier — it’s to make it intentional. Every successful hunter I know starts their next hunt the moment the last one ends.

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Budgeting and Time Planning for the Year

Next up are two things hunters often ignore until it’s too late:
Budget + time.

I try to treat them as my foundation, because no matter how motivated you are, if you don’t have money or time set aside, the best plan in the world doesn’t mean much.

Budgeting isn’t just the price of a tag. It’s:

• Application fees

• New or upgraded gear

• Travel

• Fuel

• Food

• Lodging

• Lost income (if applicable)

A multi-state western season adds up fast. I want to know that number up front so there are no surprises.

I start by listing the hunts I’m prioritizing and estimating what each will cost in both dollars and days. Some hunts are cheap on paper but expensive in time and travel. Others cost more but are close to home.

Once I have the list, I rank hunts by importance. This helps me decide which tags to apply for, which I’ll build points on, and which I may skip this year to focus elsewhere.

Time planning follows the same logic. Instead of trying to cram hunts into my calendar, I do my best to build my calendar around my hunts. Obviously, family and work come first. But if I know I want to hunt elk for two weeks in September or chase mule deer in October, I block those dates early.

Guys who wait until tags show up to request time off usually end up cutting hunts short or missing prime windows.

I also apply this to training.
If my main hunt is early September, I want to peak physically by mid-August. That means strength training early, shifting to endurance midsummer, and making sure scouting and recovery fit in without burning me out.

I build flexibility into the year. Weather, family, or tag results can change everything. That’s why I always have backup plans — OTC elk units I know well, a bear hunt, or a short-notice scouting mission.

When you get your time and budget lined up early, everything else falls into place.

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Choosing States and Species Strategically

Now comes one of the biggest steps — deciding where and what to hunt.

A lot of hunters pick based on where their buddies are going or where they saw a big bull on social media. But if you want long-term success, choosing states and species has to be intentional — part of a bigger plan balancing short-term opportunity and long-term goals.

I start by asking one simple question:
What do I want out of next season?

Do I want to:

• Hunt a new state?

• Cash in points I’ve been building?

• Hunt every year and focus on opportunity?

• Chase trophy potential?

The answer shapes everything.

I break my planning into:

1. Short-term hunts — Annual opportunity hunts (OTC, easy-draw units)

2. Mid-term hunts — Every 3–5 years (higher quality)

3. Long-term hunts — 10+ year “dream tags”

Short-term hunts keep you in the field every year sharpening skills. Mid-term hunts keep you progressing. Long-term hunts are your payoff down the road.

Understanding each state’s draw system is critical:

• Wyoming → Preference points

• Idaho → No points

• Colorado → Preference + weighted

• Utah → Bonus + preference

• Arizona → Bonus + random

• Nevada → Bonus

Knowing these differences determines where to build long-term investments and where to chase annual opportunity.

Species selection matters, too. If I pull a premium elk tag one year, the next year might be deer-focused or an easier elk hunt to balance recovery, time, and money.

Finally — season timing. You might plan:

• September archery elk

• October mule deer

• November rifle

That variety keeps you challenged without burning out.

Smart hunters don’t chase luck — they build a system.

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Researching Units, Draw Odds, and Data Trends

Once I narrow down my states and species, I dig into the numbers.

This is where people separate themselves — because research is what turns “hoping” into “hunting.”

I start with state agency data:

• Harvest reports

• Draw summaries

• Tag quotas

• Population surveys

I’m looking at:

• Success rates

• Pressure

• Trend lines

Success rate gives a rough picture — but it doesn’t tell the whole story. For example, a unit might have a low success rate because 90% of hunters never leave the road. There may still be great hunting if you’re willing to hike.

Pressure matters, but I define it by access, not just tag numbers. A unit with lots of tags but steep roadless country might hunt much better than a unit with fewer tags but tons of road access.

Trend lines are huge. I go back five or six years and track:

• Harvest success

• Winterkill

• Tag increases/decreases

• Habitat issues

• Fire history

Trend lines tell you where a unit is headed — not just where it was last year.

After gathering data, I cross-check with:

• Satellite imagery

• Terrain features

• Water availability

• Migration patterns

• Burn regrowth

I’m looking for consistent patterns — places where terrain and data agree.

I also pay attention to:

• Season dates

• Elevation timing

• Weather patterns

Sometimes, the difference between a great hunt and a frustrating one is simply a matter of timing.

At the end, I build a short list — usually two or three units per species in each state — to explore more deeply in e-scouting.

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Early E-Scouting the Right Way

Once I’ve got a shortlist, I start learning the country.

E-scouting is powerful — but only if used correctly. Too many hunters stare at maps trying to find “the spot.” What I do instead is build context — understanding how animals move and how I’ll move through the terrain myself.

I start with macro features:

• Elevation

• Drainage direction

• Big terrain breaks

• Road systems

Then I look at transition zones — where different habitat types meet.

Movement happens in:

• Timber / meadow edges

• North-facing bedding areas near south-facing feed

• Sage flats meeting aspen pockets

Next, I study access. Where will most hunters enter? Where can I go to avoid them? Sometimes that means hiking farther. Sometimes it just means approaching from a different angle.

I then analyze:

• Water

• Shade

• Cover layers

Using slope shading and 3D helps identify:

• Benches

• Ridges

• Saddles

I also look at wind. Thermals and prevailing winds determine how you can actually hunt a zone. If it hunts well — meaning you can approach with a consistent wind — it’s worth considering.

I save screenshots, notes, and mark potential:

• Bedding

• Feeding

• Glassing

• Travel

By the end, I have a small group of “Phase 1 interest zones” that I’ll either scout in person or hold as options for next season.

The goal is not to find the one magic ridge — it’s to build a playbook.

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Building a Year-Round Off-Season System

Once I’ve chosen tags and begun e-scouting, now the real work starts — the offseason.

Think of the hunt as the structure. The offseason is the foundation. If the foundation is weak, everything else falls apart.

I break the offseason into three phases:

Phase 1 — Recovery & Reflection (Nov–Jan)

This is a reset period:

• Heal injuries

• Fix weaknesses

• Review the season

• Take notes

I also begin shooting again here — just not full volume.

Phase 2 — Rebuild & Preparation (Feb–Jun)

This is the meat of the off-season:

• Strength blocks

• Endurance

• Rucks

• Mobility

• Shooting in realistic positions

Strength + stamina + efficiency.
This is when big improvement happens.

Phase 3 — Performance & Refinement (Jul–Aug)

Now we get hunt-ready:

• Heavy pack hikes

• Steep terrain

• Scenario shooting

• Gear testing

• Nutrition planning

By September, I don’t want to be getting ready — I want to be ready.

When you treat the offseason as a system instead of a waiting period, your ceiling rises dramatically.

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Consistency, Mindset, and Staying Ahead

If there’s one truth I’ve learned after three decades of this, it’s that consistency beats intensity every single time.

Anyone can grind hard for a few weeks before season, but the hunters who keep momentum year-round are the ones who step into the mountains sharp, dialed, and confident.

Their success isn’t luck — it’s the result of steady work when everyone else stopped.

After season, most hunters fall into two camps:

1. Shut it all down

2. Start preparing again immediately

I try to live in that second camp.

I keep a year-round checklist — nothing fancy — just one running document where I track:

• Rucks

• Shooting sessions

• Books/podcasts

• Gear tests

• Skill development

It keeps me accountable and reminds me what I’ve built when motivation dips — and it will.

I also stay mentally engaged — watching past footage, studying terrain, breaking down mistakes, and learning.

And I surround myself with people who are doing the same. Community matters. It keeps you sharp and makes you better.

Mindset is a muscle — one that you train. The offseason is when you develop the resilience you’ll need when things get brutal on the mountain.

Year-round preparation isn’t about perfection. It’s about reducing surprise. It’s about showing up next season knowing you did everything you could physically, mentally, and strategically to earn your opportunity.

Hunters who commit to that process don’t wonder if next year will be different — they build it to be different.

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Closing Thoughts + TEAM BACKBONE

When the last tag is punched and the season wraps up, a lot of hunters turn the page and wait for next year. But the hunters who consistently find success are already laying the groundwork before the snow melts.

Planning, training, studying, refining — it never really stops. The hunt begins long before you lace up your boots. It begins with the decisions you make now — the goals you set, the states you choose, the way you train, and the mindset you carry into the new year.

If you’re already thinking about next season, you’re exactly where you need to be.

And if you’re serious about taking this kind of preparation deeper, that’s exactly why I built TEAM BACKBONE.

It’s more than just a membership — it’s a way to sharpen your edge with exclusive tools, strategies, and a tribe of hunters who refuse to quit.

Inside TEAM BACKBONE, you’ll get:

• 20% off site-wide on all Backbone Unlimited gear

• A member-only T-shirt shipped monthly

• Full access to the digital content vault — guides, checklists, fitness programming, backcountry strategies, mindset

• A private Facebook group with direct access to me

• Direct call, text, or email access for personalized advice

• Monthly gear giveaways

This is built for the guys who train for the hunt, push themselves in the offseason, and want to be part of a community that makes them better.

If that’s you, TEAM BACKBONE is waiting at BackboneUnlimited.com under the Membership tab.

Thanks for being here.
Until next time, Train Harder, Hunt Smarter, and Never Settle.

— Matt Hartsky