Midwest Iowa Outdoors® & Outside Iowa®
With Thomas Allen
(September 26th, 2011)
As of Monday, September 26th, the countdown to sunrise on October 1st currently stands at 4 Days, 11 Hours, 34 Minutes, and 55 Seconds… But, again, who’s counting? It’s hard to believe that the time we live for each fall is actually just about here. Hopefully this week’s article will get you even more fired up, or perhaps motivate you to finish off that list of preparations before you head out for the first sit on Saturday.
There is still time for any last minute preparations, so don’t set any final adjustments aside because you think it might be too late. It can really be a stress heading into opening weekend with a list of to-do’s that got neglected, I know!
Take some time to practice with your broadheads, even if you have already sighted them in, make sure your hunting clothes are washed, scent free and properly stored. Load your pack up with the necessary items like a knife, tag/license, TP (take my word on this one), calls, pruners/saw, extra release, and anything else you can foresee needing. A wise old whitetail’r once told me that it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Taking as little as possible but being covered in most situations you will encounter is the secret.
I have said in the past that having all your sets hung and lanes cleared well before the season is ideal, but we all know it doesn’t always work that way. Perhaps you just received permission on a new piece of ground or located a giant that needs a new set put in place. This is the time to get that done, but do it with caution and care. You could be hunting this animal in a few short days so paying close attention to your scent control and wind direction when actually setting the stand is critical.
I mentioned shooting your bow, and I mean it. It is strongly suggested to shoot a couple arrows before every hunt; in fact, I keep a small broadhead target in my truck for that very purpose. You can’t practice too much!
As the hunting season progresses the mess in the hunting room or garage tends to grow in size. I committed to being more organized a few years ago and it has saved me vast amounts of time. I suggest devising a system that is simple and keeps your gear off the floor and more organized. I like to hang my backpack and bow up on a big plastic coated hook in the garage, I have an additional hook for the bag that holds my hunting clothes, and I keep a tote for miscellaneous gear. Organization breeds fluency.
I also take these last few days and update my camera locations to hot scrapes or busy trails dumping into primary destination food sources. This is the beginning of the most exciting time of year to run cameras! Keep your replacement SD cards in your pack. Place the cameras near or in route to your stands and only check them when you are hunting near them.
The confidence that comes with mental preparedness is the most valuable asset to a whitetail hunter. Knowing all your gear is working adequately, your bow is perfectly sighted in, stands placed accurately, and having played over and over how you will keep your cool as the buck of your dreams saunters into your lane. Nothing in this game is guaranteed – except the challenge of matching wits with nature’s craftiest. When you lock that pin on his chest all the work you have put in thus far is on the line. With a prepared mind at ease, all you have to do is push, pull, and squeeze.
Good luck and don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments.
Live it Up!
(Thomas resides with his wife and two children in Guthrie Center, Iowa. He is a professional outdoor writer, photographer, videographer, and outdoor talk radio show host; for more information visit www.outdoorpursuitsradio.com. If you have questions or comments feel free to email Thomas at tha481@gmail.com)
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