3 tips to help outdoorsmen beat cabin fever in the winter

3 tips to help outdoorsmen beat cabin fever in the winter

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS — The incredible winter blizzards that have hit Utah lately have winter sports enthusiasts excited with the promise of fresh, deep powder. For some avid outdoorsmen and women, though, this much snow tends to set off cabin fever.

Not being able to get out and fly fish, set up trail cams for spring turkey hunts or simply practicing shooting outdoors can make hunters and anglers alike get a bit restless this time of year. So if you're a die-hard angler or hunter who needs a fix to get through the hardest part of winter, follow these tips to help beat off cabin fever.

Build fishing rods

Building fishing rods — of the spin and fly variety — is a great way to get rid of cabin fever for the average angler. Rod building is one of the most satisfying experiences in angling, as few accomplishments match catching a fish on a rod you built yourself.

Fly rod building is arguably more popular now than ever, with dozens of rod builders calling Utah home. Supplies are commonly bought online, but if you want to talk to a local rod building expert, you can visit Fish Tech in Salt Lake City.

You'll want to go cheap on your first rod until you get the hang of the process, and after that splurging on more expensive components and blanks can result in a high-quality rod for a fraction of the price.

Don't slack on archery skills

The archery elk hunt is arguably one of the most difficult in Utah, which is why so many hunters spend all year preparing for it. Hunting big game with bows is tough enough that, if you've decided this is the year you'll finally nail that big bull with your bow, you need to practice now.

The Front Archery is a great archery range located in Bluffdale that provides plenty of opportunities to practice. Take your bow and shoot twice a week to keep your muscles toned and ready and to keep your aim deadeye. Once the snow clears in June and July, you'll need to be ready to start scouting elk, and you don't want to start training to shoot then.

Firearms restoration

It seems like almost everyone has an old gun from grandpa or an uncle. The gun's likely a rifle, used in a past World War or just bought to put food on the table. Regardless, if you're not into archery but still love hunting, gun restoration is a great winter activity.

Just as with rod building, restoring an old gun to pristine working condition is an incredible feeling. Additionally, if you're lucky enough to have old Browning or Remington rifles, there's a chance you're sitting on a valuable firearm. Restoring it adds value to the weapon, making it a great collector's item or an awesome piece of history to hand down to your children.

While the winter is tough on hunters, anglers, and other sportsmen and women, there are more than enough activities to help keep cabin fever at bay. What do you do in order to get through the winter? Let us know in the comments.


![Spencer Durrant](http://img.ksl.com/slc/2583/258385/25838585\.jpg?filter=ksl/65x65)
About the Author: Spencer Durrant \---------------------------------

Spencer is an outdoors columnist and novelist from Utah. His debut novel, Learning to Fly, was an Amazon bestseller. Connect with him on Twitter @Spencer_Durrant or on Facebook.

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