Bow hunting is a precision sport. The bow hunter and his or her equipment must be in peak condition when the season begins. So, it’s important to work on your equipment – both mental and physical- before the season begins.

To make sure you are ready for the bow hunting season here’s a list of bow hunting tips from Daniel Legault of Browning Canada:

• Proper preseason maintenance of your equipment is vital. Before shooting practice begins, make sure all cables; strings and accessories are in tip-top shape. Don’t wait until opening day to replace worn cables, frayed strings or squeaky arrow rests.
• Try to simulate actual hunting scenarios during preseason practice. If possible, spend some time at your local 3-D range. If you don’t have 3-D facilities available, practice shooting from standing, kneeling and elevated positions.
• Accurate range estimation is critical to bowhunting success. Test your skill by guessing distances to landmarks in and around your yard or local shooting club, then pace it off to see if your estimates are close.
• Remember, field points and broadheads rarely shoot the same from any given bow. Be sure to sight in the broadheads you plan to hunt with.
• Make sure your broadheads are razor sharp. From a pack of six heads, two should be used for practice and the remainder should remain unused until you’re actually hunting.
• Most successful bowhunters spend time prescouting a hunting area prior to opening day. By identifying such features as scrapes and rubs or bedding and feeding areas, your chances of a successful hunt will dramatically increase.
• If you choose to hunt with a crossbow, check that all accessories, such as scopes and quivers, are snug and secure on the bow. A rattle from a loose scope can send your trophy running for cover.
• Responsible bowhunters who hunt from treestands always ensure that they wear a safety harness, in addition to using a strong cord to raise and lower their bow from the stand. Never climb into your stand with your bow and arrows in hand.
• Human scent control is very important to the bowhunter. Preseason washing of hunting clothes with water and baking soda, as well as careful use of odor control or masking products, will help you see more deer.
• Practice, practice, practice. Shoot in the clothes you will hunt in. Opening day is not the time to discover that your bowstring “hangs up” on your hunting jacket.

Reprinted courtesy of the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters