What the Wild Teaches Us: Life Lessons from Hunting Adventures
John Barklow has spent his life training in hard places. Navy diver. Instructor for SEAL teams. Alaska winters. Now he brings that same mindset to the hunting world. I sat down with him and came away with simple, powerful rules that anyone can use to stay safe, sharp, and effective outdoors.
Why Impose Hardship on Purpose?
John says life is too easy. If we want to stay capable, we must create small hardships on purpose. Cold plunges, skipping the warm shower, choosing the hard workout when you don't feel like it. These are simple acts that build resilience.
He uses an easy rule: don't negotiate with yourself. If you commit to doing the hard thing, do it every day until it becomes a habit. The point isn't suffering for its own sake. It's to sharpen decision-making, increase mental toughness, and build the kind of self-reliance that keeps you useful to family and team.
Hunting as Training, Not Just Sport
Hunting strips life down to basics: you are cold, tired, hungry, and alert. That's a perfect training ground. John believes hunting reconnects us with how humans evolved and gives us real skills: tracking, patience, movement discipline, and the ability to carry a heavy load when needed.
He also argues hunting builds gratitude for food. When you harvest an animal, you take ownership. Waste becomes unacceptable. That mindset carries into all parts of life.
Survival Systems: Basic Principles
John breaks survival down to how the human body loses heat and moisture. Once you understand that, the right choices get simple. Three core ideas:
- Clothing is your first line of defense. Trap body heat, block wind, and manage moisture.
- Fuel your engine. Eat and drink regularly. Your metabolism keeps you warm.
- Insulate from the ground. Don't sleep or sit directly on cold earth—use a pad, pack, or natural insulation.
Three Non-Negotiable Items for Any Hunt
John keeps a short list of gear that will keep you out of trouble:
- Puffy Jacket: A lofted insulated jacket traps body heat. It is often a lifesaver.
- Rain Gear: More than rain protection: it stops wind and helps you keep heat when you need it most.
- Possible's Pouch: A small, carry-on kit with tools for common problems. It is not a fantasy survival kit; it is a practical toolbox.
What Goes Inside the Possibles Pouch?
John keeps the pouch light and mission-focused. He recommends seven capabilities, not a long checklist:
- Shelter: small space blanket, cord, emergency tarp
- Water: purification tabs, small bottle
- Food: energy bar or brick to keep calories up
- Fire: reliable fire starters and striker
- Medical: items suited to what you can use
- Signaling: whistle, mirror, or panel
- Repairs: duct tape, needle and thread, spare cord
Keep the pouch small and reachable. If you lose your pack, the pouch goes with you and keeps a bad night from becoming a dangerous one.
Packing Weight and Real-Life Demands
Those who hunt backcountry need to be honest about weight. John aims to keep a week-long elk pack around 45 pounds before adding weapon and clothing. In real hunts, your total carried load often hits 60 pounds or more. Train with that reality in mind.
Also, understand that when you kill an animal, you will shuttle meat out in loads. Make sure your conditioning and gear let you do that safely.
Think in Systems, Not Single Items
Clothing and gear work best when they form a system. John recommends up to eight layers for general extremes: base layer, active insulation, wind layer, puffy, and rain top and bottom, among them. You'll normally wear only four or five at once, but the system gives you options for any condition.
Brands and tech matter, but fit and function matter more. Build your kit around how you move and where you hunt.
Leadership and Legacy
John still leads by example today. His company, Knowledge for Storms, continues to set the standard for young hunters. He says the best reward is doing something bigger than yourself and passing skills forward. Those lessons come from hard places, and they are worth keeping alive.
FAQ
Q: What is a Possible's Pouch?
A: A small, personal kit you carry on your body. It contains practical tools for shelter, water, food, fire, basic medical care, signaling, and small repairs. Designed to turn a dangerous night into an uncomfortable story.
Q: How do I start imposing helpful hardships?
A: Start small. Cold showers, one extra set at the gym, skipping a warm dinner when you planned a fast. Pick something you can measure and keep the consequence real, like John's warm-shower-until-I-kill-an-elk rule.
Q: What gear should I never leave without?
A: A good puffy jacket, reliable rain gear, and a possibles pouch. Those three items solve the most common problems in cold and wet environments.
Q: How heavy should my backcountry pack be?
A: Aim for 45 pounds for a week-long hunt before adding weapon and clothing. Expect the total carried weight to reach 60 pounds or more. Train with realistic loads.
Final Thoughts
If you want to get tougher, fitter, and more useful to the people you love, take action today. Join my Free Bodybuilding Masterclass and learn a simple system that gets you shredded while keeping strength and health. Keep training smart, pack light and right, and bring that puffy jacket. See you out there.
Stay Savage,
Robert Sikes
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Robert Sikes
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