Are you ready to let the arrows fly?

Heidi Esau

In Manitoba, whitetail bow season is quickly approaching, and with that, the pressure is on to make sure you are prepared. Bow season happens to be my personal favorite. It's still fairly warm out, the hunters are few and far between, and I will keep entertaining my dream of shooting a giant buck in full velvet. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a complete suck when it comes to cold weather, and the rifle season around here seems to become something of a circus with how many people are out. But, let's talk about bow season for today. As it's the first whitetail season of the year, there's a lot to do to be prepared:

1. First and foremost, sight in your bow and shoot as often as you can. The more you shoot, the more comfortable and confident you become. Shoot from different angles and elevations. Shoot standing up and sitting down. Shoot from distances that are further than you would shoot in the field so that a 40-yard shot looks like nothing when you have a deer standing there. Make sure the muscles that you use to hold your bow at full draw are strong because you always end up in that position for longer than you hope! Have long practice sessions if you can, but also have days where you only take 1 shot without a warm-up, to simulate a shot in the field.

2. Check and prepare all your gear. For me, this means washing all the clothing in scent neutralizing detergent. It means double-checking that my Badlands pack is in tip-top shape. It means having plenty of refill cartridges for my Thermacell to combat the mosquitoes. I make sure I have a tree-hanger for my bow in my pack as well as a pull-up line. I check all the straps on my harness system to make sure that I will be safe and replace anything that looks frayed or worn. I trade in my stock nocks on my arrows for illuminated nocks, trade out my field tips for Black Widdow Innovations broadheads, and double check the integrity of the fletchings so my arrows fly true.

3. Get landowner permission. We have the privilege of owning some of our own hunting property, but we like to have permission on a few other pieces as well. Now is a good time to make sure those landowner relations are in good standing and make sure you have the greenlight to be on their property for the upcoming season. Be respectful, don't be pushy, and remember that it is their property to do with as they like. Not every landowner will let you on, and that's ok. Respect the 'No', and move on. If you cannot find private land to hunt, check into the crown land nearest you.

4. If you have treestands up from previous years, it's time to take a visit to each one and do some trimming to make sure you have clear shooting lanes. There is nothing worse than getting out for a much anticipated sit in the bush just to realize that even if your target buck walked by, you'd struggle to make a great shot due to the tree growth that happened over the summer. If you don't have stands up yet, get them up ASAP so the deer are at least used to seeing the stand for a few weeks before you are in it.

5. Finally, get into shape. Hunting is a physical and mental sport, so work on the strength of both. Mentally, you might want to make a decision as to what you will or won't shoot this season. Do you have a target buck that you are going to hold out for? That's great! Is your main goal to fill the freezer with meat for your family? A doe might be the way to go then. Are you trying to manage the herd on a certain property? Then you might want to rule out shooting a young buck and only take a shot on a mature buck or a doe. Physically, you need to be prepared for longs walks into prime hunting spots on what could likely be considered less-than-ideal trails. You don't want to be huffing and puffing your way through the trees. If you don't already spend time on your physical fitness, make that a priority during this final push before season.

I could go on and on, and talk about patterning does and having your fleet of trail cameras busy scouting for you, but if you can check these 5 points off of your list, you'll be well on your way to being ready for your bow season opening date!