Procrastinator Alert: Bullets, Bows and Boots

It’s June, and the long summer lies ahead before hunting seasons begin. But as you cross the days off your calendar, remember that you have some important work to do before opening day. There are a few things that require your attention now. Waiting until August would mean waiting too long.

Fire Your Weapon

First, you should put a great deal of focus on your weapon over the summer months. Whether you hunt with a rifle or bow, practice is essential. In these last few months before your hunt, it’s time to build confidence in your weapon. There should be no surprises on your hunt.

Two years ago, I was guiding a father and his adult son on a Colorado elk hunt. They booked the hunt with the outfitter a year in advance; they drove to Colorado from the Midwest and purchased their nonresident bull elk licenses. Before ever setting foot in camp, they had already invested a significant amount of their resources into this hunt.

But I was surprised when they casually mentioned that they had sighted in their rifles just days before the hunt. As a guide, I’ve been amazed time and again how often hunters show up with little or no preparation with their weapon. After all they invest in a hunt, that’s the one thing they really need to kill an animal.

On the second day of the hunt, we tied our horses near the top of a timberline ridge before daylight. Before the sun was up, we heard a bugle from a large burn just below us. Quickly, I led the way to the edge of a wide bench overlooking the burn. The younger hunter set up behind a fallen log, which made a perfect rest for his rifle. I gave two soft cow calls and received an immediate response from the bull below. Within seconds, we could see his antlers appearing through the trees.

The bull stepped out and stopped broadside at the edge of the burn below us. I ranged him at 175 yards. My hunter shot and clearly missed. The bull didn’t flinch. When the hunter sat there staring at the bull, I snapped at him to chamber another round. He fired two more times and missed both shots. He quickly reached for his belt and threw another round into his rifle. He fired one more time and missed as the bull walked calmly back into the timber. We spend the rest of the morning checking for blood. But I was sure he never came close to that bull.

Later, we discovered that his scope mounts were loose. He admitted that he had taken his rifle to his local gunsmith just weeks before the hunt to have a new scope installed. After firing a few rounds to sight in the rifle, he put it back in the case and never noticed that the scope was poorly installed. If he had been practicing with his new scope in the months and weeks leading up to his hunt, this issue would have been easily discovered and fixed. Instead, it cost him an opportunity at a bull elk.

Put On Your Boots

Next, if you are planning a western hunt this year, or any hunt where you’ll be putting miles on your boots, get into them now. You don’t want to find out the week before your hunt that something is wrong or causing blisters. If you’re planning to purchase new boots for this year’s hunt, don’t wait. Start the break-in process now and be ready.

This rule should apply to the rest of your gear as well. Boots may be the most important piece to try on early, but start wearing your other clothing and equipment too. When it’s time to hunt, you should have total confidence in your setup.

Procrastinators beware! Summer is here and your hunt will arrive before you know it. Get out your gear and get yourself ready.