Five Common Mistakes to Avoid This Hunting Season
Although many things can change in the field, these are a few things to avoid that will improve your chances of success.
1.) Avoid spending too much time on your phone. When it is time to hunt, hunt!! This is what you’ve been waiting for so sit back and enjoy it! Not only can your phone wait, there’s a good chance you’ll miss the opportunity you came out looking for. Things happen in a split-second so keep your head on a swivel and pay attention. Most importantly enjoy the moment.
2.) Never short change yourself when it comes to shooting lanes. Lanes are extremely important and this is not an area you want to quit on. Give yourself not only spacious shooting lanes, but also a viewing lane to see animals before its time to make the shot. The worst is seeing a buck through the trees and realizing your lane was too small and then watching all your hard work go down the drain.
3.) Don’t go out without knowing the weather forecast so you can be prepared. We all know the forecast isn’t always spot-on, but it can help you bring the right gear just in case things aren’t what they were forecasted. What you want to avoid is sitting in the pouring rain without rain gear because not only will you be uncomfortable but probably won’t sit as long as you should. Hunting is a game of percentages. You want to put in as much quality time in the field as possible, and being unprepared can quickly shorten that.
4.) Scout as much as your schedule will allow - no excuses. We all have busy schedules but make certain go out of your way to not only scout as much as your schedule will allow, but have everything prepared when the season opens. Go the extra mile and have your chair already in the blind, have cameras out doing some scouting for you if possible and anytime you can sit back and glass the area is a good idea.
5.) Never go out without adequate practice and confidence in your gear. The last is by far the most important. Ensure you’ve put in enough range time so that you know your gear and are confident in making the shot. Things can happen in the field, but going in confident is huge. Also know your limits. You may have the best gear in the world with the perfect ammo combination to reach distances you never thought possible, but be sure you can do your part. Practice and ensure lethal and ethical shots are made. Never push the limits due to the size of the animal. Lastly, ensure the ammo and gun combination is what you need for the species you are hunting. Winchester does an amazing job of making this part easy. DeerSeason XP is the go-to-choice for any deer hunts. They have designed this specifically for deer and it drops them in their tracks. Expedition Big Game is another great choice if you’re on the hunt for something larger and need to ensure good solid knock-down-power on a bigger animal with thick hide.
