Closing in on the season...get prepared now.

For some guys, September brings the start of the deer season. Right now is the time to get really familiar with your bow and it's capabilities. You don't want to be 1 week out or even worse 1 week into the season before you realize you need to change out something on your bow/arrows.

How are you shooting? Do your arrows provide enough penetration? Is your bow in tune with your arrows? Is your set-up reproducible if something breaks down, meaning you can head down to the store and pick up new broadheads in a flash, get a new sight mailed to you overnight, or pick up a new release/tab/glove within a day? If not, game plan. You don't want to be tinkering with stuff as the season unfolds unless their is an absolute emergency situation you must overcome. Maybe I am paranoid or maybe I just realize I am a father of three young kids with limited time to get things done so I stay ahead of the game instead of rallying to catch up. I don't want to lose a a precious afternoon of hunting because I am unprepared.

If you are good with your equipment, then this is the time to step out of your comfort zone and shoot from a little farther, hold your draw for a little longer, shoot through tighter zones, and generally explore your capabilities as an archer. Expose your weaknesses and then correct them to become deadly. You want to do this so you do not second guess yourself in the deer woods. As we all know, second guessing ourselves means lack of confidence, and low confidence at the moment of truth means a potentially missed opportunity or a bad hit on a deer.

Good luck guys/gals.

 

good reminder brett!

 

It's funny Brett. Just yesterday I started my summer shooting practice for the season. I know it's pathetic but my shoulder is a little sore today. Definitely out of shape with the muscles used to pull back the bow.

After trying to swap out my rest yesterday and finding out that it won't work, I re-tuned my old rest. Got it dialed in.

At this point, the bow is ready....... but I am not.


I want to get out and do some elevated shooting this year. Something I have neglected way too much in past years.

 

Nice thread brother! Definately the way I am also! Thing is, I'm already excited about the season and it doesn't start until October here!

 

I always feel better when I prepare a full month ahead of schedule. I want to have 4-5 practice arrows and 4-5 hunting arrows rigged exactly the same. I also want all of my arrow components on hand just in case things break down. Also, for me since I shoot the recurve, I want a new (after being shot about 100 times) bowstring ready to go just in case. I also have a specific brace height I use so that I can restore my recurve to the exact same specs just in case.

 

I don't practice much, if at all, anymore, but I'll tell you this much - I'm already balls deep in trying to find every big buck within a five mile radius of my hunting area.

I've been stockpiling camera batteries all winter long, and my mineral sites are already jacked-up with phosphorous, salt and calcium. Here in about a month, I'm going to unleash an army of 18 trail cameras, and catch a few of the local big boys off-guard.

Good thread, Brett. You're right - deer season never ends.

 

Quik, I have to practice being I am new to the trad hunting thing. I have to improve my technique as evidenced by my three misses last year. I am lucky I killed a deer last year given I had only been shooting that recurve less than 9 months. This year I will have less time to hunt than ever before, so I have to be prepared to make it count.

 

I shoot 2 or 3 days a week right now, about 12 to 20 arrows ea. I am shooting the 06 XT still. nothing new

 

Old school hunter with 18 trail cameras?

 

Great post, I am the same as many others on here, deer season never ends and I don't mind that one bit. Every weekend I am doing something deer related and I enjoy it so much. It is like my de-stressor from a long work week. I just purchased six new arrows too, and will be broadhead tuning and getting ready for my August black bear hunt in the next couple weeks.

 

I've barely even gotten started with fishing season, let alone get things ready for hunting season.

 

I am looking to fish more this summer than I have in recent years. I used to be a fishing machine.

 

I have a truckload of work to be done on my new house before the season. It's a strange feeling to forget about hunting/food plots/stand locations during this time of year. I think it will give me a greater appreciation of what time I used to have to devote to prep work.

 

I love shooting my bow. I don't shoot too much from Dec-Feb. It's too cold and hunting is a ways away. I get out as soon as I can in March...really want to get a turkey next year with my bow. You can do everything right and if you don't make a good shot, all is for naught. OR, you can do most things wrong and still make a good shot. Being a good shot is THE KEY. Practice, practice, practice. It scares me when hunters tell me they don't shoot much. Poor shot placement leads to sad stories, like Kydeer and Schultzy....finding their shooter bucks dead in the spring. The more time we put in to shooting, using 3D and shooting elevated, the better off we all are.

Thanks for the reminder Virginia

 

Simply too much on my plate right now. Once summer vacation hits in a few weeks, I'll have more time to juggle home projects and some hunting prep.

 

Its scouting, tweaking stand sets...trail cams and mineral site prep for me right now. Soon as I get my mother put to rest this coming weekend, I will shift gears and start running my cameras all summer. Mock scrapes will be going in too. Forehead gland scent on the licking branches right now until Sept then urine enters the equation. I love June through August.. Prep! Chit Fran has more trail cams than I do. WTH! The more evidence and info you can get on big bucks without letting them know your onto them ...the better imo. As far as shooting goes, I will start shooting a lot this summer and be dialed in for season. I might even get to squeeze a bear hunt in this June.. See how next month plays out.

When you have big woods to hunt like I do, you can always find another place to hunt or scout if your willing. Endless country out here pretty much.

 

That is a very good post and here is 11 arrows I shot the other day at 30 yards. I got a new bow and have been shooting a lot to get used to it. I will be shooting it until the beginning of the season when I mean business and hope to put at least 7 deer down. Shoot year round with 3-D shoots and back yard.

 

My trick in the summer is going to the archery range for lunch. Pack your bow/case, peanut butter sandwich, and try to do that twice a week during the summer. Let's be honest its better than Mcky Dees with the guy you hate at work anyway! mwhahahah.

 

I haven't started shooting yet, but I've started getting my gear ready. I ordered a new string, rest and a dozen arrows last night. Once the new string is on, I'll be shooting a couple nights a week this summer. I picked up a fourth trail camera last month, I'll put them out once the wheat is harvested.