So I have a few minutes this morning to write down a few thoughts on this and I am sure a lot of guys will chime in. The other thread has a ton of info but my guess is that it won't hurt to have this in more than one place.
Boots- This is one area you will want to make sure that you buy the best you can afford with proper fit. Try on a bunch, treat the ones you buy. Boots can make or break your hunt.
Archery- Practice makes perfect. I will suck up my pride and admit that I missed a good bull this year with my bow and I practiced regularly. The shot was very much inside my effective range but misses happen. Even to the guys that have steel in their vanes like Brian Barney. I may have him comment on this thread...
Get In Shape- Elevation is a butt kicker, even for those of us who live here. Once you have your pack load it full of all of your gear and then start walking. Yes, I am a meat head and do all sorts of lifting, etc. Nothing replaces miles, once you get 6-8 miles back your lifting won't matter that much, but your endurance will. The ability to recover is what matters and nothing does that better than burning boot leather.
Glass- Archery hunting the West is about intercepting animals. This means you use glass to find them, pattern them, and set up the stalk. Glassing with optics that you can see well at long distances makes all the difference.
Planning- Build a solid plan on where you are going to hunt. Scout ahead of time. Mike's books are the best resource I have found for animal behavior and partnered with the MRS you can build a plan to backpack hunt regularly.
