Getting gear ready for hunting season

[Ikeepitcold]

What are some of the thing you guys do to get your gear ready for the hunting season?

For me I will unload and clean out my packs. Usually there isn't much gear left in them but I will turn them inside out and clean out all the sticks and junk left in the bottom. I rotate out the batteries, TP, check out cig lighters make sure they work, check my rope to make sure I have enough length left from cutting it to tie down my pack out animal. Replace all my batteries in my range finders, head lamps, flash lights, clean out water filter sys and check operation, clean all my optics (I use them through out the year so they along with my guns are good to go). Pull out the tent and bivy, sleeping bags to make sure no critters have made homes in them.

What else?

 

[BKC]

I pull out all my riding saddles and pack saddles and set them out in the hot sun and give them all a good liberal coating of leather soap. I also make sure all the buckles and rivets are in good shape. Lastly as I put away the saddles, I put a stick from stirrup to stirrup, so the stirrups are turned out. I let them hang this way for awhile and it helps train the leather. This makes it easy to get in and out of the saddle and you don't have to twist your kneee and ankles while in the saddle. All my other gear usually can be prepared the weekend before my hunts.

 

[JasonGNV]

I use most of my gear year round, so replacing what I break is a never ending task. I don't shoot gun/bow near as much as I should so that becomes a consistent 3x a week a couple months before. Basically stocking up on freeze dried goods and such for the cross state backpack hunts. This year with all the tags I'm getting I'm gonna need a lot. Haha

 

[packmule]

I try to keep the rifles sighted in and packs can be gone through in an hour or so. For our regional hunting style, I'll have to tote 180 50# sacks of corn up a ladder along with about 100 50# sacks of protein...then spend a day cleaning out and de-wasping stands, then mow, disc, plant & drag 30 food plots (which doesn't seem bad, but 2 equal a stretch 50yds wide and 4 miles long), then switching out batteries and recharging them for all the feeders....then there's always the possibility of needing to fix creek crossings that have washed out (1 to do so far) and getting the fields baled and hay moved one last time as to not interfere with the opening of season. A lot crammed into that first-mid part of Oct. The corn toting will start first weekend of July and happen monthly until end of Feb.

 

[25contender]

As far as my pack items. I take everything out of the pack when season is over and go through everything. Taking out what I didn't like or didn't use. It seems that over the past few years what I carry in my pack is always in a state of being revamped. With all great the lightweight stuff on the market today I have been able to shave off lots of weight. This year is no different. Hoping to shave off another 5lbs.
I shoot my bow all year round so it is always ready to go. I will be replacing the string set in the next few months. Got a new old er truck for hunting this year so getting it ready before September.

 

[mcseal2]

I pull out all my riding saddles and pack saddles and set them out in the hot sun and give them all a good liberal coating of leather soap. I also make sure all the buckles and rivets are in good shape. Lastly as I put away the saddles, I put a stick from stirrup to stirrup, so the stirrups are turned out. I let them hang this way for awhile and it helps train the leather. This makes it easy to get in and out of the saddle and you don't have to twist your kneee and ankles while in the saddle. All my other gear usually can be prepared the weekend before my hunts.

I work on a ranch and do that with a newer saddle also. I hang a 2.5 gallon spray jug full of water from each side of the stick I put through the stirrups also to help them turn quicker. The weight helps stretch the stirrup leathers a little as it hangs. If it doesn't stretch at least a little before you start riding the saddle sometimes the holes the buckles aren't in stretch unevenly so the stirrups don't fit other riders. I've had saddles that I end up riding 2 holes higher on the stirrup leathers than I start with as they stretch over time.

 

[BKC]

I work on a ranch and do that with a newer saddle also. I hang a 2.5 gallon spray jug full of water from each side of the stick I put through the stirrups also to help them turn quicker. The weight helps stretch the stirrup leathers a little as it hangs. If it doesn't stretch at least a little before you start riding the saddle sometimes the holes the buckles aren't in stretch unevenly so the stirrups don't fit other riders. I've had saddles that I end up riding 2 holes higher on the stirrup leathers than I start with as they stretch over time.

Thats a good idea, I never thought of doing that.

 

[ScottR]

I am kind of obsessive, I pack about three times to make sure that I have it all. Pretty ridiculous actually.

Eastmans' Staff- Digital Media Coordinator

 

[bowhiker]

Still waiting for the season to end. Still after those turkeys. After that it's emptying the pack, surveying the survival kit, making a wish list of new items. I should also add showing some love to my bow and pouring over maps.

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[mcseal2]

For gear I am probably overboard on what I do, but I feel it pays. After hunting season I clean and put away all the gear I don't use for predator hunting or other shooting in some big totes so it is ready and in one place. The stuff I use I keep out until it gets hot in the summer and then store it. I also update my Excel files for each type of hunt, I have a postage scale and keep weights on items and lists of what to pack. It keeps me from forgetting items and also lets me evaluate each item on how much I use it VS weight. The lists constantly evolve. Anything that needs repair or work I get sent off right after season. For example last year I broke a buckle on my J34 shutting it in the truck door, it is fixed. Some internal coating came off on my Zeiss binos, they will be back tomorrow. Repairs take time and a week or month before season isn't the time to start the process. I order lens cloths, Havalon blades, anything I think I might be short on while I'm thinking about it also.

I am really particular on my rifles. I handload and keep notes on each rifle also. Some barrels shoot best fouled with 5-20 shots, some are just fine clean. My pet rifle (264WM) isn't picky at all, one of the reasons it is my favorite. I try to have my practice done and my rifle where it performs the best a week or so before leaving for a hunt. Then I like to go shoot my gong 3 or 4 times at 400-600yds, just one shot each time from each rifle I'm taking from a cold barrel that last week. Making consecutive first round hits on different days really helps my confidence and lets me know my equipment and myself are as good as we can get. I don't go looking for long range shots and have taken the majority of my game inside 250yds, but I like the capability to reach under good conditions and it builds my confidence for the shorter shots. Shots don't have to be long to be tough either.

I always replace the batteries in my rangefinder, wind meter, headlamp, GPS, etc. before fall hunts and again before whitetail season at home. It isn't necessary but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I put the batteries I remove in household stuff where failure isn't a big deal. I have lightweight remotes with their lithium batteries! Uncommon sizes get put in a little metal can in the hunting tote for emergencies.

Having my stuff stored in "ready to go" shape makes it easier to utilize what free time I get practicing my shooting during the off season or hunting during season. I like to be race ready when the day arrives.

 

[Musket Man]

I try to keep all my gear in 1 place so hopefully I will see what ever I am forgetting when I am packing. Seems like I always forget something. 2 years ago I had a canvas tent and no tent steaks (you be surprised what you can do with rocks, chains, tools, spare tire, pipe you found, and an ax! LOL). Aslong as I have my gun and binos I can always improvise on the rest somehow!

 

[OregonJim]

Right now mostly inventory, and looking for deals on consumables (broad heads, cartridges, scent elimination spray, freeze dried food, flagging tape, thermacell refills, etc). Checking the operation of headlamps, flashlights, epirb, etc.

Spent last weekend getting together maps for the states/regions.
I have got in the habit of pulling batteries from all my GPS, Radios, Range finders, etc after the season so that is already done.

This is about the point that I take stock of the freezers, consolidate, defrost, and turn the oldest stuff in to pepper sticks.
Since I'm defrosting freezers it's a great time to disinfect and clean all my ice chests.

As soon as Spring bear and turkey are done, I'll wash all my hunting clothes and store them back in rubbermaid tubs.

 

[OregonJim]

I try to keep all my gear in 1 place so hopefully I will see what ever I am forgetting when I am packing. Seems like I always forget something. 2 years ago I had a canvas tent and no tent steaks (you be surprised what you can do with rocks, chains, tools, spare tire, pipe you found, and an ax! LOL). Aslong as I have my gun and binos I can always improvise on the rest somehow!

Been there....once had to set a tent up with just rope!!!!
I could start a thread just on things I've forgotten.
Had some show stoppers like Bullets & License.
Actually shot an elk in wet slippers once.

 

[Musket Man]

Been there....once had to set a tent up with just rope!!!!
I could start a thread just on things I've forgotten.
Had some show stoppers like Bullets & License.
Actually shot an elk in wet slippers once.

Maybe Im doing better then I thought! LOL

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I learned from my Dad. He kept a list of almost everything he needed for big trips. I have a master list of what I usually take like ice chests, tent, sleeping bag, etc. I also make another list for a particular trip like guns, ammo, binos, etc, depending on where I'm going and what I' doing (birdhunting, fishing, big game, etc). I also make a to do list for preparation like waterproof boots, sightin rifle, etc.

This may sound tedious, but that's my nature. I am a planner and my work training and experience is the reason. When I took on a project involving literally 100's (maybe even 1,000's) of tasks and supervising 100's of engineers, tasks and assignments have to be broken down and progress & problems kept track of. Its just my nature. Have I forgotten to bring things, YES! But it is usually something minor. I keep everything in a folder on my computer now....love it.

 

[Againstthewind]

I am a list maker, too. I have got some work to do to fine tune my lists, though. I think that is one of the first things they try and beat into your head in engineering school. Probably guys like you CC knew how important it was to have some organization and made the professors try to teach hard headed kids. I am not organized by nature, so it can be a little bit of an inner struggle sometimes.

I have had the same kinds of experiences forgetting things, it can be kindof funny. Mine usually involve food somehow. As much as I love to eat you would think I would remember a pot or something to cook in when I only bothered to pack food that needs cooked.