Reminisce – I would say nearly every hunter loves to sit around and talk about past seasons. I know we do. This is one of the times that people miss a huge opportunity. Talking about your hunting season with your group, peers, friends, strangers, or whoever else you share stories with is a great opportunity to gather useful information as well as share incredible memories. One of the best ways to get this valuable info is to ask the right questions. What did you see that you didn’t get a shot at? Could you tell if there was a group of animals? Did you see any wolf tracks? (wolves will affect your season drastically) How many animals were taken in that area?
All of those questions can provide you with some powerful ammunition going into your following year.
Shed Hunting – This is definitely something I would like to get out and do more of. You probably don’t even realize how valuable the information you can gather from shed hunting can be. The best information you can get from shed hunting is knowing what animals made it through the previous hunting season. If you can find a fresh shed then you know 2 things. That animal made it through alive and how big that animal was. Finding multiple sheds in the same area can also give you an idea of how many animals are in that area. Obviously animals move around some between seasons and that is where knowing the habits of the animals you are hunting will come in handy.
Stay In Shape – If anyone out there is like me this was something I would start thinking about in June to prepare for the late August hunt. Year after year I would tell myself that I need to start thinking about getting in shape much earlier in the year. Think about what you will be doing during your season and tailor your exercise to those needs. You should also take into consideration things you may have to do in case of an emergency.
Practice – If you are like me this is much easier said than done. Between work, kids, spouse, and whatever else keeps me busy it is nearly impossible to find time to get out and shoot my bow and rifle. Even if I wanted to, the places I normally go to shoot are buried in 2-3 feet of snow for at least a couple months. So what can you do in January thru March to make this doable? I’m glad you asked. This is something that should fall into your exercise plan. Get those draw muscles active in the off season. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is to keep a 25 lb weight under your bed. When you lay down for bed ( a few days a week) you can lay on your side and pull that weight across your chest like you are drawing your bow. Don’t just draw the weight but hold it. Pretend you are waiting for that trophy to get in a shooting lane or stop looking at you and turn slightly away to open up that kill zone. After 3 reps of 5 you are gonna feel it but I guarantee you will notice a difference when you go to pull back your bow for the first time that season.
One thing that drives my wife crazy is me walking around the house with a reed in my mouth, practicing calls in the middle of February. She expects it in July and August but when you hear it year round it gets old. I learned my lesson and gave her a break but I will still pick up my calls and pretend to call in a big bull once or twice a month.
Scouting – This is obviously a “no brainer” to be something important but there have been years that my scouting season was only a couple days before opening day, or so I thought. Looking back I realize that I was already scouting early in the year, but I wasn’t giving it enough attention. This falls back to some of the other things that we have already talked about earlier. When you are talking about the last season you are already thinking about where you want to hunt the following season. You are dreaming about that 375 monster elk or the 240 mule deer that you caught a glimpse of last season. My lack of attention to this step has cost me more skunked seasons than I care to admit. The biggest thing to do with this is to be aware of your thoughts. Mental scouting is just as important as getting out and beating the brush, especially for people like me who rarely get the time to make it out to the woods.
Some key things to focus on during this time can make a huge difference in your hunting success. Did that monster you missed out on last your move onto private land? Is that is why you missed it? Have you thought that now would be a good time to try to figure out who owns the land and if it is even possible for you to get access to that land for next year? Believe it or not a lot of farmers would be happy to let you hunt on their land because the deer can destroy their crops.
This is also a good time to start thinking about where to put up some trail cameras when you get a day or 2 to get out in the woods. If you only get a day here and there to get out then investing in some cameras can really be helpful for you. Nobody can sit next to a tree for 10-14 days at a time and see what animals come by.
Clearing – This goes hand-in-hand with gear inspection. What are you going to need to make sure those trails and shooting lanes are open when the season comes? Staying on top of those trails throughout the year can make it much easier when you need to get out to your spot quietly. This is also something that should be considered only after you have gotten some scouting done. Time is valuable and clearing a path for the bird watcher is nice but isn’t going to fill your tags.
Networking – Networking is something that you are doing throughout the year and don’t really realize it. Most people now are spending time on some sort of social media or drinking coffee at the local cafe. You never know who you may be talking to unless you strike up a conversation. Remember that private land we talked about earlier? This may be a way to find out who owns that land and how to talk to them to get the permission you need. Some of the most valuable people in your network don’t even need to be hunters. Having a friend in the fish and game department can really be huge. Ask them where they are seeing the animals. Most of them will tell you because they enjoy talking about it. You can also be talking to your friends that you know may get up in that area you will be hunting. Between a few people rotating times heading into the woods you can gather much more information.
Gear Inspection / Inventory – My gear list is something that I would wait until just a few weeks before the season to start thinking about. Getting a jump on this now can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars and here is why. You have most likely noticed but never paid attention to the fact that most businesses are having sales or will even clearance out items after the hunting/hiking seasons are over. Knowing what you need during these times can save you big bucks in the normal prep months. Some things to think about are your weapon, pack, game bags, scent, clothing, camping equipment, and other items like that. Feel free to post some items in the comments of things you make sure to check well in advance.
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