Preparing for hunting season

[Paul]

Well with hunting season fast approaching I was wondering if guys wanted to share some tips on what they do to prepare. I know some tips are quite obvious, but what do you generally do to get ready for the season?

I generally carry 6 or 7 knives in my hunting pack, I like to spend an evening with my sharpening kit fine tuning all my knives to a razor sharp edge so they are ready to go. If a knife gets dull while skinning it's easier to reach for a fresh knife rather then having to touch up on the fly.

[BlueNorther]

Don't really have much to prepare, I try and have all that done after the previous season is over. Today I just purchased a dozen arrows and a half dozen broadheads. I will gather all my hunting clothes up and wash and store them as scent free as I can in the next week.

My wife is joining me this year for her first big game hunt, I'm really excited about that. It's fun getting her outfitted with her own kit. We just got in from buying her some new boots, she's clumping around the house in them right now .

[walleyes]

Big thing for me is just going through all my gear, mainly my camping gear. As some of you know I pack a pretty heavy camp with all kinds of goodies so its a lot to make sure its all ready to go and in proper working order. Usulay make some sort of new toy every year so thats always fun. Then its sighting in the guns this is usualy good for a couple trips to the range. And like Paul I hit the Buck knives with the stone and get the razor edge on.. Just a note Paul,, pack a Buck you only need one not six to stay sharp lol..

[Paul]

I have a real affinity to carrying more knives than I need Terry. I do have a Buck, couple of Gerbers, a Kershaw. My favorite knife though is my Puma, hell of a quality knife for the money

[Tuc]

My preparation this year will be simple. No tents to put up so no gear list to check through. I can pretty much hunt out my back door. I will fire a few shots out of my rifle to make sure the scope is still on and thats about it.

[wildmeat]

im like you paul.. i like to keep 4 good knives on me as well as my boning kit... i like to sharpen them in camp at night... other than that i cant think of anything else that everybody else doesnt already do... scouting done and rifles sighted in as of last week, next weekend ill go hang 2 stands and check out the trail cams, camper is loaded and ready to go already... only thing a guys gotta do now is stop off on the way and grab food...and a bottle of scotch 4 dozen farm fresh eggs and 4 jars of fresh cream from my mother for the old fella who lets me hunt his land which borders the crown land i hunt... getting itchy just thinking about it.... great thread

[Weste]

I agree with you Paul.  Cant have too many knives.  As for preparing, I do the regular stuff, bows, arrows, broadheads, wash clothes in scentkiller etc.  As I like to hunt early season with the bow I can get out after work most days so I will make up a gear box that I have treated with scent killer and will load all of my gear in so I can make a quick getaway after work including all my essentials.  I always keep all my gear in the same place so I am confident that I can come home and make a 3 minute stop and be on my way for a little hunting.  It definitely helps me get in the field faster and confident that I have the proper gear with me.  Nothing ruins a hunt quicker than getting to the field and realizing that I forgot an essential piece of equipment.