Before Hunting Season ?

How many months before hunting season do you really start gearing up? I.E. Practicing every day, putting your outfit together etc. etc.

Since our early season starts the last weekend in Aug. I usually really get head up the 1st of July. How 'bout you?

Always ready.. Never to late to be ready to go hunting.

I'll scout pretty hard in Feb & March, take a break then start back up in July. I normally start shooting the bow a couple times a week in June. This year my plan is to go traditional so I'll be shooting all summer hoping to be ready to hunt by Oct 1. My gear stays ready but come Sept. I'll start hanging my stand to practice shooting, which also helps get in shape for climbing trees.

I try not to scout too early as Blacktail are so unpredictable and cannot be patterned. I'll start my scouting in July and hopefully hang my stand somewhere near the 1st of August.

Good luck to you this year going traditional!

Thanks I'll probably need it.

When scouting in the off season I'm not really looking for deer sign. I spend my time looking for possible feed trees & learning the terrain. I spend alot of time studying maps & then make one-day trips to the areas to see if they really look as good as they do on paper.

I found Google Earth to be useful when looking at terrain. Like you, I'll study the map, in this case Google Earth, and then go scout out the area in question. I found some excellent deer trails this way year before last.

I am always scouting for my next harvest, but I will start practicing as soon as the weather is nice enough to cook on the grill. I take shots at the 3D deer while the charcoal is getting hot and then again between "flips"! I have 2 ladder stands that I put out in the beginning of September and I prep the bowhunting clothes around mid-September so everything is ready by October 1st.

Have you ever had anyone try and steal you ladder stands with them out that early on public lands?

I did have 1 ladder stand stolen about 6 years ago. The 2 that I still have go out in the swamps where I never see another hunter. I won't put another ladder stand out in the "picnic woods" that other hunters seem to flock to. I haven't invested in game cameras because I am afraid to put them out just to be stolen by a scumbag. A real shame that so many have entitlement issues...why would anybody want something that they haven't worked for?

watch out, Google and bing are a few years old

About the same here. I do some post season scouting in Feb., March, Late March and April are split between scouting Turkey and whatever deer sign I cross,sometimes I bump into good stuff but I`m getting distracted by turkey by then. Usually have the bow put up,I`m more of a run and gun shotgunner for the big birds.

So then I fish, after our family vacation in late June, I`ll restring the bow if needed and start practicing hard. Usually by mid July thats cut back to once or twice a week,as I`m damaging too many arrows and it`s getting expensive to practice everyday.

So I get out in August and scout again to fine tune and pick specific trees for different winds. It`s August I usually try to cover some new ground too.

As far as getting the gear ready, I permethrin my clothes a few weeks in advance for bugs, but don`t do the scent free prep and gear gathering until the week of the opener. I found that if I do it early, I`m always double checking it the night before anyways.

One thing I really like to do in my practice sessions, is take a day and go stump shooting. It really helps hone up on distances.

I don't start prepping my clothes 'til the week before opening day either. To many things can settle into the works.

Nanook: I know how you feel. I bought a trail cam about 6yrs ago, and it has still never been to the woods. To afraid it's going to get stolen. Guess one day here soon, I'm going to have to take the chance as it is doing me no good just sitting in its box!

FlyFishing in February, Shed and scouting in March april clear lanes and focus on stand locations. August smoke cloths, September hit the woods and hunt. Bow Practice is every day, one shot when I take the dog out first thing in the AM and 1 shot after our run, 2 days a week I shoot a few dozen.

This season isn't over and I am planning for next year. I shoot year round. Before the green up and ticks get heavy I go stumpin a couple times. In the spring and summer I wear out the bag targets. Late summer I start shooting a 3D deer target. The clothes usually get washed after the season then I take em out and smoke em a couple days before the opening. Always scouting either on the web of in boots. I usually hang stands about a month before the opening.

I too shoot year 'round. All of my hunting equip (clothing, packs, knives, various other must haves are stored in sealed bins w/earth scent dryer sheets and ready for season. As for shooting, I practice varmint control in my backyard, if time allows, I bowfish and during the winter, small game hunt for squirrels, rabbits, and other various varmints and predators. I also shoot a bowhunter league to keep me sharp. I'll tell you what, if you bowhunt for just rabbits in the off season, you'll be able to anchor any buck/ doe that comes thru a thicket. Many times you must "weave" an arrow thru a hole in the brush to kill them.

I really need to look into small game hunting here in Oregon! Sure would be a great way to stay honed and get my boy outside more often.