Chris Maroldy
Deer season will soon be upon us. Here’s a little list of do’s and don’ts I’ve learned over the years.
Make sure everything’s working before you get in the woods. There’s nothing worse when you’re trying to sit still than being eaten up by mosquitoes because your Thermacell took a dive when you put it up after turkey season.
This idea obviously goes for everything that uses a battery. Rangefinder, hand-held GPS if you use one, flashlight, headlamp, etc. And how about that phone. It’s for emergency use only if you ask me—not for chit-chat, social media and video games—but that’s just me. A bad or low battery would be a bummer if you get in trouble, especially nowadays when nobody seems to know how to get out of trouble without calling for help.
Not that you can always call for help.
You get the point. don’t let a stupid battery ruin your day.
Finally, do realize that some gear you might poo-poo will improve your experience. You don’t have to turn yourself into a gear nut if you don’t want to, but some nice stuff will make your life nicer. At least that’s what I tell my banker.
Besides the obvious like your bow, gun and knife, I’m thinking about things like binoculars and clothing.
A surprising number of eastern hunters feel they don’t need binoculars. The woods are too thick and the distances short, they say. I say binoculars can still help in these situations, if you know how to use them to pick apart cover or scout from afar rather than tromping deep into your woods to have a look-see. And if you hunt fields or cutovers in the east, you don’t know what those guys are talking about anyway.
Your clothes can make or break a hunt. You don’t have to look like a TV hunter, but the fabrics and design of hunting clothes are so much better than they used to be that you would be shocked at the difference if you haven’t invested in this gear area in recent times. That said, some of the prices are ridiculous. Be a smart shopper, but spend a little coin on clothing that will make you more comfortable.
It won’t necessarily make you a better hunter, but it will make you a hunter who gets out more often and stays out longer, and that is sometimes half the battle.