SUMMER TO-DO LIST FOR HUNTERS

June 7th, 2023 

By: Brennen Nading (@nadingbr)

Spring has come and gone, the turkey seasons have closed, and Summer is officially upon us. As hunters, we have the next 3 months to make sure we are ready for opening day. I know it’s not fun when the temperatures are scolding hot and the bugs are thick, but giving yourself a simple “Summer To-Do List” could benefit you big time when it comes to being prepared when fall sneaks up on us. Here are a handful of things that I plan to check off the list this summer.

SHOOT MORE

It’s easier to fall out of rhythm than it is to build a rhythm.  Whether it’s in the morning before heading off to work, or in the evening after the dinner dishes are finished...it’s important that you make the time to shoot your bow.  Some days you might only have time for a quick group, other days you might be able to send 50,60,70 arrows down range.  Get a routine going, and stick with it. You can do every other whitetail chore in the books this summer, but if you’re not ready to make the shot this fall, what is the point?

E-SCOUT

If you’re anything like me, you can never have too many places to hunt. The nice thing about e-scouting is the simple fact that you can do it anytime, anywhere...and during the dog days of summer, you can do it in the air conditioning. OnX Hunt is undoubtedly the most used app on my phone, and it’s not just being used during hunting seasons..in fact, I probably use it the most during the summer. OnX allows me to deep-dive into land across the country, find public parcels, and gain private landowner information. Once I have a landowners name, I can now make a play on getting ahold of them and asking for permission. Yes, I get turned away more often than not...but I have gained access this way more times than you might think.

STUDY PAST TRAIL CAMERA PHOTOS

Another summer project that I enjoy doing in the comfort of air conditioning.  I have been storing and organizing trail camera photos on my computer since 2010.  I had used trail cameras before that, but those were back in the 35mm days where all the pictures were printed off at the 1 hour photo at your local Walmart.  Having them all stored on my computer, this is the time of the year when I like to study them.  I generally name specific bucks just for the purpose of studying them.  This allows me to have multiple years of intel to use as reference when I am trying to find any sort of patterns from year to year.  More times than not, if you look at enough photos of a specific deer, you are going to pick up on their tendencies and possibly be able to break down date ranges where they are mostly likely to daylight in a certain area.  Another simple summer task that can pay off big time in the fall.

ORGANIZE YOUR GEAR

Nothing worse than procrastinating until the last minute and then scrambling to find your hunting gear when season arrives. Organization goes a long way, and this can apply to everything from your hunting clothes, to trail cameras, boots, stands, sticks, steps, safety harnesses, calls, sprays, etc. You name it, if it’s something you’re going to be using this fall, it’s worth spending some time this summer organizing it.  Doing so, you’re going to find out the condition of everything, and allow yourself enough time to replace anything that needs to be replaced.

SIGHT IN FIREARMS

One of my biggest pet peeves, and I am definitely guilty of this myself, are the people that sight in their guns the weekend before the season. We literally have the next 3 months to knock this item off the “to-do list.”  I don’t know about you, but sighting a gun in some morning or evening when the temperatures are in the 70s sounds a lot more appealing than going out to crack rounds off when the temperatures are below freezing later this fall. I don’t rifle hunt much anymore since making the move to Iowa, but I definitely plan to spend some time on the range this summer with my muzzleloader so it’s one less thing I have to worry about once season hits.

3 months seems like a long time, but it will be gone before we know it.  In between the family barbecues, lake life, and golfing, let's try to knock a few more “hunting” items off the list this summer so we are more prepared come fall.  Have a safe summer everyone!