The most difficult obstacle for any basic hunter is time. As I sit in football camp, missing my family and trying to keep up with work, hunting is low on my priority list. Since it’s the middle of August, however, staying disciplined with my preparation is key. That starts with knowing what I need to do so I don’t get to October and realize I forgot to buy new straps for my stand or cards for my cameras. Here’s my pre-season checklist I’ll be running through over the next few weeks.
Stands
I run just about every different stand you can think of. Over the years, whether through availability or just refining my hunting style, I have accumulated ladder stands, climbers, hang-ons, and now my go-to setup of sticks and a saddle. I also am diving into a new setup this year, which I’ll dive more into in the coming weeks.
With any type of stand that is required to strap to a tree, I make sure I inspect every single strap for wear and tear. Some hang on stands are left up year-round. I make sure those straps are loosened and re-tightened every year. A growing tree will not snap your strap; the tree will, in fact, engulf your straps and even the stand if you do not readjust your stand every year. I am not exaggerating when I say I have had to cut metal pieces off of a stand because the tree had begun to claim the support or bracket. Tree growth is an amazingly powerful phenomenon.
When it comes to my saddle, I want to make sure I climb it a handful of times, checking all of my ropes and climbing sticks. It’s also good to practice shooting my bow out of a saddle at full height. I love the mobility and flexibility that my saddle provides, but I will say that shooting a crossbow out of a saddle creates a whole new dynamic. Since your limbs expand on the shot, you have to make sure you keep your limbs far enough away from the tree.
Gear
Just like the stands and saddle, I want to make sure all of my gear is in working order. Get the binoculars out for a few glassing sessions. Make sure the range finder has fresh batteries. Get all of the hunting clothes washed and stored in a scent-free manner. Do I have all of my licenses, permissions, flashlights, boots, knives, knee pads, and even a book for those rare all-day sits. Get them ready now, because I will definitely forget something by first day.
Shooting
I definitely begin to ramp up my shooting frequency at this time. By now, I’ve dialed in my bow and it’s all about the quick reps. Go out in the backyard and take three quick shots and random distances. Raining outside? Good – let’s see how the arrow flies. Early morning or last light conditions? Perfect, I need to see how my scope looks. Did I remember to add batteries to my lighted scope? Did I wax my string? This is not the time to clean up mistakes – this is the time to practice real-life scenarios to make sure I never get my shot wrong.
Cameras
I am admittedly not someone who runs many, if any, cameras during the summer. I am a big proponent of recent intel, and I need to know where the hot sign is this year before I place my cameras. That’s why now is the time to stock up on batteries and memory cards. I’m trying out some new rechargeable lithium batteries this year (I got tired of going through a brick of batteries every two months), so I want to make sure I’m ready with those. Do I need new straps, chains or locks? Since so many of my cameras will go up on public land, I lock those suckers down. I’ve still had a couple stolen, but way less than I otherwise would have.
No matter how much time I think I have, whenever I get a free five minutes of time I can usually knock out one thing off of my list. Don’t try to take out the entire list in a weekend – just be disciplined to take it out a little at a time and you’ll be ready for October.