Sitka Gear Turkey Tool Belt

Preparation/Tips for Upcoming Archery and Rifle Seasons.

JMG

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Jul 1, 2011
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894
Location
MONTANA
With Archery and Rifle season(s) coming; What tips for preparing for the upcoming seasons do you have for others?

Boot care/treatment.

With the hot weather ...

I will clean up my boots, remove the laces, apply leather treatment to the boot (generously), set boots outside on the south facing side of my house and let the treatment soak into the leather during the direct sun and heat of the day. After several hours, wipe off excess treatment, re-lace the boots ... and now ... your ready for the upcoming archery season. I'll treat the leather again, prior to rifle season.

Any other good "tips"?
 
Cardio, cardio, cardio. Should be something worked on all year, but even a couple weeks of light running can improve your vO2 max by up to 10%, which could be the difference between making it up that mountain and getting a harvest or having to tuck tail and turn back empty-handed.
 
I go through my pack a dozen times to make sure I have all that I need. Extra socks, gloves, field dress kit, headlights, etc. I’m very forgetful.

I’ll dry fire a rifle a few times too with some normal breathing exercises.
 
Lace up your boots, load your pack with everything you take on a day hunt and climb. Again and again. It sucks but when the hunt begins, you'll be less likely to crap out early.
 
Perspective.

Remember that, no matter what the conditions good or bad, you chose this. Embrace everything The Hunt gives you. Everything.

You are there. Wherever there is, you are there. Stop, breathe, listen…see.

Just. Be. Be that, in that moment.

Now go hunt.
 
The last couple weeks I've been trying to dial in shooting steep down hills. The local 3d course which is absolutely awesome only has flat to uphill shooting. I bought a new 3d target 2 weeks ago after a bear decided to eat my last one. I've been lugging that thing all around our property and man it's easy to get used to what you know(uphill shooting in my case).. todays shooting consisted of line of sight 36 yards shot at 27 and then I moved it back to line of site 47 shot for 38. Got some work to do...as a bonus climbing that hill 60 times lol
The shorter shot
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Some oak brush shooting
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Still pretty early for me but I need to treat my leather boots. I do a lot of equipment clean up and maintenance post season so not much to do other than putting new batteries in electronics( i take old ones out at the end of season). I toss any clothing that needs attention in a tub and address thru out the summer.

At season end I also create a buy list for gear that needs replaced. I stagger purchases through the off season while watching for sales on things on the list.

Rifles will get checked out and check for zero in Late Sept or early October at least 60 days prior. I have got plenty of deer rifles I enjoy using so if one gives me fits I would just use one of my other favorites.

Biggest job is getting 9 hrs away a few times to camp and my warehouse in Alabama to get SXS, atv and cabin systems running and camp set up after being gone for 7/8 months.

After 45 years of making mistakes I finally got hunting season ramp up down pretty good. I added a cabin at camp last year so a bit of learning curve there but hopefully not to crazy.
 
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