Equipment Prep for Hunting Season

While getting ready for hunting season, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with preparations and overlook your bow and the equipment that helps with a successful hunt. Here we will share some tips on how to be better prepared for the upcoming hunting season.

Assess your equipment and order needed parts

Make sure you look over your hunting bow before shooting it, especially if it’s been sitting idle for a while, like in a garage or closet. Wear can often look like frayed strands, but some bigger indicators would be serving that is worn down or splitting. Any of these indicators could mean it’s time to order some new strings. Ordering strings a few months before opening day can help to avoid a lot of stress. People tend to wait too long and end up being frustrated with how long it takes to get their strings. String turnaround times increase exponentially the closer you get to opening day.

Install new bowstrings

If you are uncomfortable installing your strings yourself at home, please visit your local bow shop or contact an experienced bow tech when you get your new set of strings. Shoot your bow through paper and check your tune about every 6 months or so. Make sure your draw length hasn’t changed, and that your peep is still in the correct position, then make any changes that may be necessary. Try a nose or kisser button to help with accuracy. You may need some assistance with this for proper placement. Check your sight marks after you re-tune your bow, at multiple distances. You’d be surprised how often your marks will change with time even if you haven’t changed anything on your equipment.

Bowstring maintenance

Waxing your bowstring occasionally is beneficial to keep your string healthy against the outside elements.

For information on how to properly wax your string watch this YouTube video. Prefer to read? Check out this blog post.

Field preparedness

Practice in your hunting clothes to know how best to layer your clothes to avoid any clearance issues and to feel confident shooting in them. If you’re hunting in a tree stand, make sure to put on your safety harness. Putting your harness on after your first layer is safest if you happen to fall. If you are hunting out of a tree stand, make sure you are comfortable and safe going up to your stand and going down to the ground.

Pro tip: Always use a lifeline.

Have and practice with a spare release aid because accidents can happen at any time. You could drop your release out of the tree stand or something could go wrong with your primary release. You need to be just as confident in your back up release as your primary when looking to shoot your target buck or fill your freezer.

Make sure to practice regularly leading up to hunting season. Often, people wait until it’s too late to practice and get ready for their hunting season. This causes missed opportunities in the field. If you aren’t well practiced going into hunting season, you can potentially cause shoulder and back injuries that will keep you from your hunting goals. 

Hunting pack

Have your pack ready so that you don’t have as much last-minute prep before going into the woods. 

Pro tips: If you’re planning to hunt in colder climates, look to purchase hand warmers during the spring and summer seasons. No matter where you’re planning to hunt, look for camo during off seasons. This will help with cost.

Below I’ve listed some things that I always have in my hunting pack: 

•Microfiber towel and extra water bottle for your hands after cleaning your animal 

•Your tags, license, and zip ties 

•A gutting knife and gloves, if needed 

•Snacks in a quiet, reusable storage bag 

•A bow hanger and a few extra gear holders 

•A bow hoist rope to get your equipment up in the tree stand 

Each person is different and may have different methods on how they like to hunt. These items will change based on if you’re hunting in a tree stand, saddle, or on the ground, but for the most part these are going to be necessary items for your hunt.

Want more ideas for what to put in your hunting pack? Check out this blog post. 

Safety

Accidents happen and being prepared for them is the best way to avoid injury. Safety in a tree stand or while saddle hunting is paramount. Connect your safety harness to a safety rope while going up and down the tree. Your safety harness should fit snug to your body to have the prusik knot catch as soon as possible. As mentioned earlier, I recommend wearing your safety harness outside your first layer of clothing to help keep the fit snug to your body. 

Once you are up in the stand you can stay connected to the safety line or add a lineman’s rope to be connected to. You should always be connected to the tree if your feet are off the ground. Also, be very intentional about where you are placing your feet and hands and in connecting your harness to the ropes, to avoid an injury. Being confident in your set-up and prepared for your hunt are the most important elements to achieve a successful hunt.

Mackenzie is a two-time Olympian who is still active in the archery world. She is an avid outdoors woman who loves to hunt and be active outside. She has been active in the archery world for over 16 years and loves the sport as a whole. Mackenzie is also a 60X Custom Strings employee.

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