Final Countdown
For all you Michiganders hunting your home state the season opens in less than two weeks, are you ready? I don’t think anyone is truly ready when the season begins but maybe me sharing my list of things I am doing in the final weeks will help you prepare. Here’s my to-do list before the season opener:
Practice, practice, practice. Make sure you are practicing your weapon of choice as much as possible leading up to the opener. All the other preparation you do cannot make up for not being ready when its crunch time.
- Wash my hunting clothes and ensure they are scent free before the season opens. My regimen for cleaning is rather intensive but at a minimum you should wash your clothes in scent free detergent to remove foreign odor from last year and then air dry in the sun.
- Check trail cameras one last time. I like to do this about two weeks before the season opens to remove all scent from hunting area leading up to the opener.
- Spend time with my family. My wife and I are planning a little get away to Traverse City this weekend to ensure we get some quality time together.
- Check all of my equipment. I am ensuring my hang-n hunt stand is ready to go, binoculars are functioning, range finder has batteries, and my trusty harness is functioning properly
- Air all of my equipment out. I need to set some of my equipment outside for a few days or weeks prior to season to ensure there are no foreign odors on it.
- Hang my last few stands….nope not me. It happens to the best of us but I make sure it is a priority to have all my spots prepped and ready to go no later than the middle of August.
- I am frantically downloading all my old and new trail cameras pictures into HuntPerfect, https://www.huntperfect.io/. I am hoping this will give me the edge needed to put my #1 hit list buck on the ground this year. I have four years of history with him, which includes passing him as a three and a half year old. Check out the buck I call iPass.
2014 – 3.5 Year Old
2017 – 6.5 Year Old
I am one of those “Whitetail Addicts”, so don’t worry if you aren’t 100% ready. Most of us rarely are. Remember to have fun when you hunt and take someone new along with you to experience the great outdoors! Good luck!
-Scott