Archery Season Prep Checklist: 8 Weeks Out
The complete pre-season checklist for bowhunters. From bow setup and tuning to scouting and physical conditioning.
Eight weeks before archery season opens is when preparation begins in earnest. Here's the checklist that separates hunters who fill tags from those who watch empty woods.
Week 8: Bow Maintenance — Pull your bow out of storage. Inspect strings and cables for wear. Shoot 20 arrows and paper tune. If your bow hasn't been serviced in 2+ years, visit an archery shop. New strings make a dramatic difference in consistency and accuracy.
Week 7: Broadhead Testing — Every bow shoots broadheads differently than field points. Spend this week shooting your hunting broadheads at 30, 40, and 50 yards. If they fly inconsistently, adjust your rest or consider different broadheads. Never hunt with broadheads you haven't verified.
Week 6: Physical Conditioning — Whitetail hunters need cardio for treestand climbing and long sits. Elk hunters need serious fitness for high-altitude miles with weight. Start now. A 30-minute walk daily with a loaded pack does more than any gym session.
Week 5: Scouting — Pull trail cameras, refresh scrape locations in your mind, and start thinking about stand placement. Early scouting in known areas can be done without blowing out deer. New areas need aggressive early scouting.
Week 4: Stand Placement — Hang or check stands. Clear shooting lanes. Practice getting in and out silently. Wear hunting clothes to start conditioning them with your scent control routine.
Week 3: Wind and Weather Study — Download a hunting-specific wind app (HuntWise, onX). Study prevailing wind patterns in your hunting area by hour and height. The hunter who understands thermals kills more deer.
Week 2: Practice Drills — Practice from hunting positions: kneeling, seated, with heavy gloves, at dawn and dusk when you'll actually shoot. Shoot from your treestand height. Practice one-shot confidence.
Week 1: Gear Check — Every piece of gear accounted for. Headlamps with fresh batteries. First aid kit. Drag rope. Phone charger. Licenses and tags physically in hand. Nothing worse than arriving at camp without a license.