Pre-season preparation for deer hunting is crucial for a deer season. It involves inspecting gear, testing calls, and flashlights, physical conditioning, scouting, shooting practice, and focusing on scent elimination!
In this article, we'll discuss pre-season preparation for deer hunting to help you be well-informed about the steps to take to be prepared for your hunting trips.
Gear Inspection and Safety Checklist
When preparing for deer hunting season, it’s important to inspect your gear thoroughly. Make sure to prioritize the safety of your equipment and prevent any potential breakdowns early on. Ensuring that all your hunting gear is functional will set you up for success in the field.
Equipment Inspection Importance
Regular equipment inspection is crucial for guaranteeing a safe and successful hunting season. Here is a checklist to help you prepare your gear effectively:
- Check Treestands and Blinds: Confirm stability and structural integrity. Remember if this is how you typically hunt for your game. You would really rather not have the foundation be in turmoil all because there was some error you forgot to account for from the last time you used either of these.
- Inspect Climbing Sticks: Validate all connections and safety features.
- Test Calls and Flashlights: Verify they’re in working order for communication and visibility. This is also insanely important, especially the flashlight. The amount of danger you could be in if you don’t check the flashlight is countless or even just the amount of opportunity too if you don’t have a proper flashlight. Coming from either not being able to properly see on your way back to camp or missing out on a prime deer because you plain couldn’t see it. This is tip top priority.
- Early Inspection Prevents Breakdowns: Addressing issues beforehand reduces the risk of malfunctions during hunting season.
Weapon inspection
It’s also extremely important to not just inspect your safety gear but your weapon’s capability before getting on the field.
For Bows
Limbs and Riser: Check the limbs and riser for any visible cracks, splinters, or delamination. Even minor damage can compromise the structural integrity of your bow and affect its performance.
String Condition: Inspect the bowstring for any signs of fraying, serving separation, or worn-out loops. Regular application of string wax will lengthen the lives of both the string and cables. Pay close attention to the center serving area, as excessive wear here can lead to premature string failure.
Cam System: Inspect your cam system for any signs of damage or misalignment. Ensure the cams rotate smoothly and synchronously.
Hardware: Check all hardware, including screws, bolts, and fasteners, to ensure they are tight and secure. Loose hardware can lead to vibration, noise, and accuracy issues during shooting.
Grip: Evaluate the grip of your bow for comfort and functionality. Look for any cracks, rough spots, or excessive wear that could affect your shooting form and consistency.
For Rifles
No gun maintenance session should take five minutes.
Instead, expect to spend at least a half-hour thoroughly taking apart, examining and cleaning your weapon each time.
Take your time and do things correctly, and your maintenance will result in a more consistent and safer weapon to wield.
- Start by removing your magazine and ensuring your gun is unloaded.
- Use a dry brush to clean the chamber and barrel of your weapon. This gets rid of carbon and metal shavings from the bore.
- Use a cleaning pad dipped in a special cleaning solvent to clean the barrel and push it out the other side. Most firearm cleaning kits come with a rod specifically for this purpose.
- Do this over and over until the patch comes out clean.
- Clean the exterior of your barrel, action, and other pieces using lubricant and other cleaning pads.
- Your action should be cleaned using a nylon utility brush and some kind of action cleaner solvent.
- Don’t forget to clean your magazines. Empty and disassemble them fully before cleaning them, then reassemble them according to the manufacturer’s manual.
- Reassemble your firearm entirely and perform a test check before loading it with ammunition.
That’s it for today! Have a great rest of your day!
