Gear up for hunting season with these 5 tips

The excitement is building, you can feel it in the air. Husbands are beginning to get that thousand-yard stare and wives are rolling their eyes and making their own plans. Yep, you got it, hunting season is just around the corner, as if you needed to be told.

Whether it’s deer, turkey, elk, moose, ducks, geese, groundhog, squirrel, government drones or whatever weird stuff they hunt in California, it’s time to start getting ready, and there are certain preparations that are necessary regardless of what you’re planning to bag. Here’s a look at a few essential pre-season readiness tasks.

Get Out And Buy New Gear.

As any hunter knows, acquiring new toys is half the fun of the sport. For some it’s all of it. We all know guys with a garage full of stuff that never seem to head out in the woods. Now this part of the pre-season ritual is somewhat limited by income and by what your spouse will allow. But everyone can afford something, even if it’s just a new orange vest.

So head out and pick up that new-fangled call you’ve been wanting to try, the trendiest lure, that new RealTree pattern whatever, and if the gods are pleased, a new rifle, shotgun or bow. Hey, the season only comes once a year. Yeah, it’s hard to find time to spend in the woods pre-season, hard enough to find time to hunt, but if you’re going to be successful you need to get out and see where they’re at. Or not at, as is usually the case.

1. Review The Regulations.

You know the boys at the DNR have to justify their overpaid jobs so check up on whatever new regulations have been passed this year. If you care. And if you’ve got kids going along, drag them away from the Xbox and have them check out an online hunter safety course. Might have your not-too-bright cousin Joe do the same.

Start Working Out And Getting In Shape.

Yeah right. Just kidding.

2. Get Your Vehicles Ready.

Make sure the Huntmobile is ready to go and in top condition. Same for the 4-wheelers. There’s no anguish like that felt when you get up on opening day to find out the truck won’t start and you have to hitchhike. Or worse, have the wife drive you. You never live something like that down.

3. Sight In Your Weapon.

Now you know for a fact that there’s no way your sights or scope are still zeroed in from the year before. You’re certain to have banged it against something between now and then. It’s Murphy’s Law #275.

4. Get Your Gear Ready To Go.

It’s best to make a checklist. Here’s a suggested one: 1. Weapons 2. Ammo 3. Clothing 4. Tree stand 5. Thermos 6. Flashlight 7. Knife 8. Rope 9. Toilet paper 10. Binoculars 11. Comfy cushion 12. License 13. Handwarmers 14. Candy bars, sandwiches, sodas, water, chips, Slim Jims, Little Debbies, jerky, trail mix, summer sausage, apple, orange, Chex mix, lemon drops, and something for lunch.

5. Buy Your Spouse Something Nice.

Whatever you do don’t forget this absolutely essential step, for the love of God.

Follow these tried and true pre-season tips and you’ll be all set to get up at 3 A.M., freeze your butt off and see absolutely nothing for 99% of the season. But hey, preparation is half the fun, right? Right?

Taken from: Guest Post (article, By Louis Hammersmith), Google (images).