Top Five Hunting Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
OutdoorHub Reporters 08.19.20
Hunting season is right around the corner – hallelujah! – and us hunters couldn’t be happier about it. But like anything else, there’s a chance you may have some rust you need to shake off after not being in the woods for an extended period of time. Have you shot your bow lately? Taken inventory on your gear? And please tell me you washed your hunting clothes since you wore them last season. If you haven’t started any of these yet, do yourself a favor and learn from this article listing the top five hunting mistakes you don’t want to make.
Don’t forget to practice
Reps. Reps. Reps.
It does not matter what type of hunting you’re going to be doing this fall, you simply MUST practice with your equipment well before the season starts. If you’re bowhunting, you’ll want to strengthen those shoulder and back muscles so you can draw your bow back smoothly, and be able to hold it there if needed. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to make a clean and ethical kill shot, and that takes practice. Get to it!
Scout, scout and scout some more
Trail cameras make scouting easier than ever, while still keeping the spirit of fair chase – despite some folks opinions. Cameras give us the option of seeing deer and deer behavior like we never do in person. Current technology, like cellular trail cameras and solar-powered battery options allow us to scout with minimal human intrusion into the deer habitat.
Dude, you stink
No offense, but we all stink – especially to deer who are masters at sniffing out predators. The big mistake we make is not doing anything about it. There are some parts of our stench we just can’t control. Breath is a big one, but you can help it by brushing your teeth just before you go out. Dead Down Wind makes a scent-killing mint toothpaste specifically for hunting. You should also wash with scent-free soap, and wash your hunting clothes with scent-free detergent. From there, store them in a plastic tote, or one of those handy ozone-generating enclosures. If you can’t opt for that, keep your hunting clothing outside. My uncle used to keep his stuff in the barn, and he killed bucks every year.
Wear a safety harness
It’s easy to think you will never have an accident climbing in and out of your treestand, but do you really want to chance something like that? Make sure you’re being safe this fall, and don’t forget to bring a treestand harness with you every time you make the climb into your stand. Muddy Outdoors offers a number of harnesses ranging from basic, to your more advanced level of safety harnesses.
Don’t forget why you hunt
The biggest mistake we often make is forgetting why we hunt in the first place. I’ve known guys who get so mad at themselves if they don’t get the buck they were after, or worse, get mad if someone else gets the buck they wanted. There has also been a trend of buck shaming going on that needs to stop. Don’t be judgmental of other hunter’s deer. If you wouldn’t shoot it, fine, but don’t bring someone down because he/she did.
Look, we’re all hunters and we should all appreciate the challenge and dedication it takes to do what we do. Hunters are under enough scrutiny these days as it is, and the last thing we need to do is create a riff within our own community.
Above all, remember to have fun and cherish the smaller things of each hunt.
