Last Reps and Gear Preps Before The Season Opener

“There is no off-season” is a mentality I’ve carried with me for quite some time now. If it’s not hunting season, it’s prepping season. And right now we’re on the tail end of another prepping season about to walk through the shiny gates of opening day once again. Pre-season crunch time is here. What you do in these last moments is going to have a massive impact on how your hunting season goes. It’s a time to cross the t’s and dot the i’s on all things gear and shooting. Our last reps and gear preps matter and this is a look into what I personally before the buzzer. With any luck, it’ll provide some insight into how you can start your walk into hunting season as smoothly as possible.

Behind the Bow

There is going through the motions of shooting your bow in your backyard and then there is practicing with intent. Right before hunting season like this, I really try to lean on the side of intent rather than routine. Routine is punching the clock, which is valuable in its own right. Intent is getting a promotion after doing so. Ideally, the ultimate goal with your bow, aside from being as accurate as possible, is for it to feel like it’s part of you. Achieve this and that practice with intent will result in a successful routine in the field.

It’s Broadhead Time

An example of practicing with intent is sending broadheads downrange rather than just field tips. Many moons ago I used to be guilty of leaving those pretty broadheads in their pretty packaging until opening day. Nowadays, I wouldn’t dream of doing so. Practicing with your broadheads will not only provide unparalleled confidence but can also bring to light any tuning issues. A broadhead not grouping with field tips is a teller that something isn’t right. In a perfect world, this is something you find out before your hunt, not during. One way leads to some tinkering and the other might lead to thoughts of throwing your bow off a cliff…

Inspection

Another thing I’m doing is honestly just double-checking everything on my bow like making sure screws are tight, inspecting my string, etc. A hiccup in any of those can be a headache at any time of the year, but during hunting season, it could completely stop your hunt. Pay attention to the screws on your cams. These are notorious for coming loose and you can often hear a clank during the shot if they are. Look for any cuts in your string as well. If nothing, give it a good wax before season. I also like to inspect my limbs to make sure no splintering has occurred, as sometimes these things can happen at random. Button it up and make sure you’re ready to rock.

Gear Testing

I mentioned earlier about acquiring new gear before season. Well, it’s important to take the time to test that new gear to not only make sure it works but make sure you know how to use it. Tents are a great example of this, especially if you’re backpack hunting. Learning how to put up your tent in the field after you’ve hiked in several miles isn’t the smartest of choices. And if there is a rainstorm, things can get comical fast…and wet. I will always set up tents in my backyard beforehand and I’ll even go to the extent of spraying them down with a hose to make sure there are no leaks. Tents are just one example of this of course. This logic goes for all gear. Gear is a tool. Familiarize yourself with your tools so they become an extension of your system.

Cut Out Excess Hunting Gear

Throughout a hunting season, it’s easy for excess gear to accumulate in your backpack or truck. Just because said gear has nestled a spot into one of those places, and isn’t bothering you at the moment, doesn’t mean it’s doing you any favors. In fact, it’s probably just in your way and you’ve gotten used to it. There’s no sense in operating in clutter or carrying extra weight in your backpack. So, I like to go through my bags, truck, etc. to make sure I’m starting fresh for the year. Does this tag bucks for me? No, but it helps me be efficient and time is money. Hunting season only comes around one time a year. Make the most of every minute you have.

3 Strikes, You’re Out on Hunting Gear

A lateral move from excess clutter is simply reevaluating your gear. It’s easy to just bring the same stuff with you every single hunting trip. But we evolve and things change. Why shouldn’t our hunting gear do the same? Maybe there is something in your pack that got quite a bit of use years ago, but now never sees the light of day? It’s dead weight in your backpack and not the good kind of dead weight we’re all chasing. A rule that I live by is that if I haven’t used something in 3 hunting trips, I need to reevaluate its presence. That is of course with the exception of no-question items like a First Aid Kit. This practice is especially prudent for backpack hunters. You’ve only got so much space in your backpack for backcountry hunts. Use it wisely.

Final Thoughts

The older I get, time seems to pass by quicker and quicker year after year. Last Fall doesn’t seem like it was that long ago, yet here we are in August on the front end of another hunting season. With that in mind, it’s easy for time to fall between the cracks and let these “last reps and gear preps” fall with it. We owe it to ourselves and to the animals we chase to take advantage of these last moments before the season. Opening day waits for nobody. We wait for opening day.

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