Practicing under various weather conditions does more than allow me to practice the fundamentals under adverse conditions. It also allows me to better understand how my gear works when wet, cold, and muddy. If I’m going to have a piece of equipment fail, I’d much rather have that failure occur while at the range instead of out at a competition or while watching that trophy elk dissolve into a misty tree line. The fall and winter hunting season have one thing in common with the spring, and that’s cold and often wet weather. The deer and elk I pursue are out in the elements, and if I want to get to them I have to brave the elements as well. It’s important to me to know that my gear performs well on the range and how to overcome the problems that foul weather presents.