With archery season just around the corner — Oct. 1 — it’s important to keep all of your equipment in hunting shape.

Sportsmen/women spend months before opening day getting ready for the big day. We have spent months getting all of our equipment ready for a brief moment in time. Everything from making sure that when you are presented with that perfect shot that there are no squeaks in your stand; blending totally in to your surroundings; checking your bow’s accuracy so you can hit the spot on your target; and confirming your hunting location will not be affected by the wind are a few things to check on.

Some of us start shooting a consistent schedule with our archery equipment around the first part of July. I have found that I start shooting a couple of times a week and as the weeks tick off I move up my practice to three or four times a week, then around Labor Day I try and shoot every day.

One of the questions I get every year is: How long are your practice sessions? Over the years I have learned for me that it’s best when I start shooting in July that I shoot no more than a dozen arrows at a time. As time moves on I cut that down to eight to 10. When I am shooting every day, I prefer to keep my shooting down to four to six at a time.

I have found that shooting two arrows at time to get to my total for each session makes me considerate of each arrow. I have watched shooters shoot several arrows, one after another. What we have seen with this type of practicing is that often the shooters will lose the importance of making sure your first shot is your best shot. This also can lead to mistakes being made and often one can get in bad shooting habits.

Unless you are proficient in maintaining your own bow, it’s a good idea to take your bow to an archery shop to confirm it is tuned. Pros at an archery shop will check cam lean and timing, and confirming factory specs like brace height and axel-to-axel length. This is also a good time to double check your draw weight and confirm that both limb bolts are in the same position. Check your strings and cables, too. If you see little frayed pieces, it’s time to give them some wax. One of the things I have done over the years is take permanent marker on my limb bolts to give a quick visual cue that they are each screwed in or out the same number of turns.

Keeping your bow in hunting shape is something that should not just be done a couple of times per season, but should be done every time you pick it up. Look at the string and watch for any wear. Make sure your sights and arrow rests are solid.

One of the biggest advantages of carbon arrows is that they don’t bend like aluminum arrows. But they can wear and crack. To check an arrow, hold both ends of it and flex it, listening for any cracking noises. Examine the arrow shaft to be sure there are no nicks or loose fibers. Be sure your nock is fully seated and your vanes are all securely attached. Double check that your broadheads are tightened each time you head out for a hunt.

Paper tuning is a great method of tuning your bow for shooting field points; however, you also need to make sure your bow is tuned to your broadheads. This is probably the most important step in preparing your rig for the hunting woods. Your arrows will likely fly differently with broadheads, so it’s essential that you take the time to practice with them.

Even though your bow has been paper tuned, it does not mean your broadheads will impact the target in the same place. It is imperative you shoot your broadheads before you go into the woods.

If your broadheads do hit the same place, then you are ready to go. If they don’t, then you can make small adjustments to your arrow rest to get the broadheads and field tips to impact in the same place. Here is a tip I learned years ago, I know it will sound backwards, but this is the best and easiest way get your broadhead back on target. Depending on where the broadheads impact, move the arrow rest in small increments as per the following, if the broadheads impact to the left of the field tips, move the rest to the right; if the broadheads are hitting right of the field tips, move the rest to the left. For vertical adjustments, when the broadhead hits low compared to the field tips, move the rest up and conversely when broadheads are hitting high compared to the field tips, move the rest down. Always correct the left and right issues first, then correct the up and down issues.

Your equipment can take a bit more abuse in the woods than traveling to and from the indoor range. I always carry an Allen key set with in my hunting backpack so I can tighten my bow’s hardware in the field. Before each hunt, double check that nothing has come loose. In particular, check each of your sight pins, and if you use a drop-away rest, ensure the cord is attached securely.

Make sure that bow quiver is tight. Noise from a loose bow quiver can ruin your hunt when still hunting or drawing from a tree stand. Be sure it is tight on the bow and your arrows are secure each time you head into the field.

One of the mistakes I see folks make every season is they stop practicing once opening day hits. Shooting a bow has much to do with what is called muscle memory. To keep your muscle memory active, it’s a best to keep practicing.

Keeping your archery equipment in hunting shape is only a piece of the hunting puzzle. Keeping physical body is shape will do much to get you in and out of your hunting area and it sure is better for your time on stand if you are not all gassed and sweaty sitting on stand.

As one gets a little long in the tooth, one has tendency to pick apart the small things in life. One of the major things that is not discussed in hunting is the mental part of it. Just thing about it, we walk into a place that we may at best spend a few times a year at, sit feet off the ground, sit on small seat for hours at time. Folks these are things most folks don’t do many times a year.

Hunting takes us all out of our element and with that comes doing things we don’t normally do. Getting your mind ready for the hunt is often overlooked but just as important than all the other adjustments you have made for months.

When the buck of a lifetime or a freezer doe comes into range, our mind better be ready to make the split-second decisions we all must make.

With all that said how the heck can we get our head in the game when it’s gone time. A couple things I have used with success recently are getting myself around deer. Now that may sound crazy to some but can be as easy as just sitting in your truck watching deer in a distant field. Pay attention to how the react to each other, how they walk, what they do as they eat and/or what puts them on alert. Being around game will allow you to be more comfortable around game.

Another way to help with this, I know this will sound silly but once you think about it, hopefully you will try it because it will work. Find your favorite hunting show, turn the volume down and sit down in total quiet and watch. Watch the parts where all that is shown is deer footage. This will help your mind be comfortable about being around deer.

Working on getting yourself comfortable being around game will keep your mind thinking that this isn’t something that we are accustomed too. Being comfortable with your surroundings and what is going on around you at all times will help fight the signs of buck fever.

Keeping your equipment in shape throughout the season is important to a successful season. Hopefully day after day we will keep all the pieces in the hunting puzzle in good shape through the entire season.