"Bigger Than Anything I’ve Done": Dylan Dowson’s NZ Hunt Prep & Daily Strategies for Long-Term Wins

When OnX’s Western Big Game Marketing Manager Dylan Dowson lined up a bucket-list tahr hunt in New Zealand and a mountain goat hunt in British Columbia, he realized his old strategy of "suffering through" the mountains wasn’t going to cut it anymore. In this episode, Dylan opens up about his evolution as a hunter—from growing up in eastern Montana to managing marketing for one of the biggest names in navigation. He breaks down the exact steps he took to transform his physical fitness and nutrition, the eye-opening reality of tracking calories, how he navigated trade shows and travel without derailing his progress, and what it actually felt like to conquer 3,000-foot vertical climbs in New Zealand without gassing out. Key Takeaways & Highlights The Shift from "Suffering Through" to Peak Prep: Why baseline toughness is fine for local hunts, but bucket-list trips demand a total lifestyle shift. The Nutrition "Aha!" Moment: Dylan’s experience going from knowing nothing about calorie intake to finding a sustainable rhythm that fuelled his body without over-restricting. Navigating the Chaos of Travel: Practical mindsets for staying on track during work trips, holidays, and trade show seasons (without resorting to extreme fasts or burnouts). Proof on the Mountain: What happens when the hard work pays off—gaining thousands of vertical feet on steep New Zealand terrain and coming off the mountain feeling energized, not broken. - - - - -  Check out more resources at Valley to Peak Nutrition.  Apply for coaching at Valley to Peak Nutrition Learn more about OnX