September Archery Preparations
By Ryan Walker

Life in the modern era seems to rush by on a daily basis. Every month of the year brings new challenges, opportunities, responsibilities and leisure activities. For people who enjoy outdoor pursuits, September often marks the end of certain summer endeavors, but it signals the beginning of fall adventures. September, in particular, can be a hectic month. Camping enthusiasts try to squeeze in a few more outings before school or work-related commitments halt further excursions. Anglers seek to take advantage of increased feeding periods by northern pike, smallmouth bass and walleye. Hunters take to the fields and forests in pursuit of geese during the early goose season. September 15th is the beginning of small game season. Football fans get into the zone as high school, college and professional teams provide weekends full of excitement. Last minute potlucks and picnics are planned to send summer off with a grand farewell. All of these events can provide great memories for everyone involved. For the archery hunter, they can distract his/her attention away from the fact that the October 1st archery season opener is closing in fast.

Stick and string participants realize September is the month to finalize preparations for the upcoming whitetail deer season. We’ve shot our compounds, traditional bows and crossbows throughout the summer. Chances are good most diehard archers have scouted for deer on numerous occasions. Now is the time to fine tune our practice, prepare hunting stands and ensure our archery gear is good to go.

As previously mentioned, most bow hunters spend an abundant amount of time practicing. We fill targets with more field tip holes then can be counted. Repetition is the key to success; however, no one uses field tips to harvest whitetail deer. The tool necessary for that job is a fixed or mechanical broad head. Near the end of August many archers switch from practicing with field tips to practicing with a dull, used broad head. Not all targets are manufactured to withstand the constant pounding of a broad head; therefore it’s a good idea to purchase a target that is created for shooting broad heads into it. Even some of the technologically advanced compound bows on the market today require adjustments to the sites after switching from field tips to broad heads. That’s why the month of September is spent re-adjusting sites (if needed) and practicing, practicing and then adding a little more practice.

The aforementioned practicing is usually done in the back yard with a safe back drop to prevent arrow loss on the rare clean miss. Practice and fun come in the form of organized 3-D target shoots on weekends throughout the summer. The September practice time intensifies for me because I like to haul the broad head target out to the woods. In fact, I wear my hunting apparel to replicate the actual hunting experience. I will set the target at various distances (measured by a range finder) and scale the steps into my tree stands. Several shots are taken to simulate the actual event to come. Fortunately, I have family and friends who volunteer to stand a safe distance behind me and then retrieve the arrows when my quiver is bare. Nothing prepares a bow hunter like practicing a situation that will arise during the season.

Prior to scampering up into any tree stand, it’s a good idea to examine the structure. This should begin with a visual twice over of the ladder or steps used to get to the stand. When deemed safe, I cautiously climb to examine the base and/or seat of the stand. Any loose chains or straps are tightened, and anything out of the norm is investigated. If everything passes inspection, it wouldn’t hurt to pull or tug on the stand to ensure it is fixed in place and stable.

The next step in prepping your stand is to see if there is any brush, limbs or twigs that could block your vision or deflect an arrow. It’s a good idea to carry snips in your pocket in case you need to trim around a stand. As I age, and hopefully get wiser, I realize there are advanced tools that will cut down on work. A prime example of this is a trim saw or snips mounted on the end of a telescopic pole. No more leaning out in compromising positions to clear obstructions. Simply reach out or up with the pole and after a quick snip or short saw, no more obstacle.

After engaging in real world archery practice and fixing tree stands, we are ready to roll (not literally out of the stand). The final September step in the process to prepare for archery season is to get the gear in order. Scent elimination technology has been proven to aid in masking human odor. The pants, jacket, hat and gloves should be re-activated to ensure their effectiveness. Due to the variety of products on the market, the techniques to re-activate them vary as well. The products will come with directions that are often reiterated on tags attached to the garments. Once re-activated, clothing should be stored in scent free plastic bags or storage tubs. If your camouflage apparel isn’t scent elimination in nature, then you can wash it in a scent elimination detergent. Each time you head out to a field you can spray yourself with one of the many scent elimination sprays on the market.

As you enjoy summer’s last fleeting moments in September, don’t forget to properly prepare for the upcoming archery whitetail deer season. The more prepared outdoorsmen will enjoy success no matter the results of the hunt. Whether it’s final practice rounds with a broad head, securing stands around your favorite location or preparing your hunting wardrobe, you will be ready to enjoy nature come October 1st.