What are you doing to get ready for Archery?

[Frsdturkeyhunter44]

I have always been interested in what other people do to get themselves ready for archery season. For myself, I try to stay in shape for the entire year for the most part, when when the summer hits is when I really start to get myself in shape to be hauling a treestand around the woods. This year was the first year that I shot in an indoor archery league, it has really helped kickstart me for the summer. I have two foodplots to put in this summer and one more to make. So, what is everyone else doing to get ready for archery season?

[BuckNBeard Hunter]

Other than food plots, all I do is hold the couch down in my living room. The deer will be in the same place as last year.

[adamz]

Since I don't own any significant property, I avail myself to friends who do for maintenance and sign posting and that kinda stuff. I have some great spots already picked out for opening day(s) and then when the rut kicks in, it'll be back to the regular hangouts.
As far as shooting, I put out a 3D target, am putting up the tree stand and will shoot the thing all over my back yard at various distances. I go to 3D shoots at the local conservation club, too, for Mike's famous layouts of crazy shots to make.
At the advice of a good friend who knows stuff, I'm getting some 2" Rage broadheads for this year. I'll test 'em out and may get more yardage out of the different tip.
So , that's it for me.
Z

[palmettoswamp]

Other than food plots, all I do is hold the couch down in my living room. The deer will be in the same place as last year. 10-4

Its too hot down here to do any pre-season scouting, so I dont. Usually raining and too hot to really shoot a lot of arrows b4 the season, so I dont. Just make a mental note of some spots that I stumbled upon during gobbler season that I saw deer on a daily basis. I'm all about holding down the couch and sucking up some cold a/c during summer and fishing. Might try some bowfishing this summer.

[TrophyTracker]

Paul, besides the ASA, are there many 3D shoots up that way?

[tbone]

Ill be woking on my old worn out tractor, have to pull my disc all apart this year and work on the blades that are all dinged up, replace a couple of busted greasecerts. keep the grass out of clover by spraying constantly, and hopefully expand my plot by about another acre or so, lots of trees to cut out, stumps to dig out and rocks to get out. pull a couple of stands down for some routine maintanence, gonna try to get a enclosed tower blind built for my kids to hunt out of. Water pumps broke at the cabin and the roof is leaking.

but at the end of the day, ill stand out behind the cabin and fling a dozen or two arrows, kind of relaxing after a hard days work.

[noxbigbuck2008]

Scout and shoot!! Love getting my equipment together:D:p

[TrophyTracker]

Cool deal, thanks man. Good luck with the new bow, I know that it is an exciting feeling getting ready to wring out a new bows potential:)

[FlHunter23]

I usually wait til its a month before D-day then ill start shooting my bow everymorning after i get off of work. Gonna need to have a new string put on this year. As far as treestands and scouting Ill prolly get out there the weekend or two before opening day. hopefully my treestands will be right where i left them. I may move a couple of them but for the most part they will stay where there at. I even have a climber chained up out there still from last year. Somebody stole my pins last year and i didnt feel like hauling it back. I got 6 stands total out there plus my climber. If i have at least 3 left ill be in good shape.

Sorry i havent been on lately. having a hard time getting the internet set up at my new place. Its looking like i might be stuck getting dial up over there. Big bummer.

[palmettoswamp]

Sam,

I need to get with you....got a spot I was seeing deer everning morning in JC during gobbler season.

[FlHunter23]

Been a while, just now reading this. What side you see them on? I got all my stands on the kettle island side way in the back and dont intend to move them very far. Gonna be going out pretty soon to do some scouting and check on things if i can get away. The old lady is gonna be popping within the next 3 weeks. gonna have another anckle biter running around.

[palmettoswamp]

I will shoot you a PM tommorrow Sam. Congrats on the soon to be born baby!!:)...Nice to see you back on here.

[FlHunter23]

Thanx, good looking out. you send off for your quotas?

[palmettoswamp]

Yeah.....Did not get pulled for the gator permit. Still awaiting the draw results for archery, hog, muzzle, and general gun. Good luck and let me know what you pull. PM headed your way on Jumper Creek

[FlHunter23]

I didnt put in for the gator permit. I put in for jumper on the muzz and general gun, and still for hog at pan. I dont have a muzz though. last year i just used my bow. not sure if this is allowed, but it says archery/muzz so i guess. I had a nice rack buck come just out of bow range during archery. I hope he is still running around this year. If not i had a button buck and a small spike running around the area also. Gonna try to get my game camera out there pretty soon so i can get an idea of whats running around. You should come on out there with me. plenty of stands if their still there. Seen lots of deer and hogs and some turkey. Its a little bit of a walk though.

[palmettoswamp]

I will have to take you up on that offer to go hang from some trees in JC during archery season. Let me know when you are going out there for some pre-season scouting and I will meet up with you to show you that little honey hole deer spot. I sent you a PM. Wont be long until the arrows start raining down!!

[TrophyTracker]

Tim,

I'd like to take a stroll down to this spot you spoke of during turkey season with you, just to get a visual. I think there may end up being a possible wood-duck spot in the vicinity, but I don't want to crowd the actual deer spot.

[palmettoswamp]

No problem Chad..Maybe we all three can get together out there for a day of scouting. I still got my Trek Mountain Bike. My schedule is pretty flexible. You guys just drop me a PM or phone call.

I plan to put some effort into duck hunting this fall

[TrophyTracker]

No problem Chad..Maybe we all three can get together out there for a day of scouting. I still got my Trek Mountain Bike. My schedule is pretty flexible. You guys just drop me a PM or phone call.

I plan to put some effort into duck hunting this fall


Sounds good.

Yeah, me too. I don't think I put enough into ducks last season..:cool::D

[proturkeyhntr]

We're building an archery range at my friends place. I'm looking forward to slinging some arrows with my buddies. Although the Florida heat is worst right now than I can remember in many years. It's August heat in June!

Scott

[palmettoswamp]

Sounds like you are gonna have a good place to shoot Scott. Is the range going to have 3-d targets? Have you had any experience w/ 3-d targets and which brand holds up the best?

I was working this evening and at 10:30pm it was 88 degrees!!:eek:

[proturkeyhntr]

Honestly Tim, I do not have much experience with them. We are going to push back stops up with Jarrod's John Deere and then use whatever targets are availabe. We have a couple of layered foam targets, and an "el cheapo" full body deer target. We may pitch in and buy a couple more to add to the mix. I have heard good reports from the glendale buck? At any rate we're probably going to set it up next month, the day we plant our dove field.

scott

[TrophyTracker]

Tim,

If you are in the market for a 3D target, check out the McKenzie line of targets. I have two of them in my yard right now. The Aim Rite series is an affordable set of targets that if not left to the elements will last you YEARS. Bass Pro has a bear,turkey, and deer under the Redhead name, that is made by McKenzie. The Glendel buck as Scott said, is a very solid choice,as is the Delta series. I just personally prefer targets with as few parts and pieces as possible, as it is easier to move the target around for realistic practice.

[TrophyTracker]

Tim,

This is my choice for a target. I have a couple of them that I shoot on rotation. I favor McKenzie over some of the others, mainly Delta, because there is no plastic locking piece for the legs in the lower shoulder, to damage my broadheads when shooting from a treestand at weird angles. The targets slide together and can be stored easily.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_62602_450003003_450000000_450003000_450-3-3

[TrophyTracker]

They do a pretty good job with B/H's. The most important thing is to hit it in the layered portion to prolong the life of the target. The replacement vitals can be found for about $30. I have an old Aim-rite buck that I use that had the vitals shot completely out, that I refill with that spray foam in a can infused with little chunks of an old butchred up target that I mix myself and then spray with tan spraypaint. This is the one I use when I really want to practice punishing a buck:D

I know it sounds ghetto, but try it yourself, and you will realize a 3D target has more lives than a cat..

[TrophyTracker]

That's just something I had to throw in there for legal reasons:D Kind of like "Kids don't try this at home" or "Professional driver on a closed course" that way some impressionable,accuracy challenged, kat doesn't read the post and then go out and hack one up in the spine, brisket,paunch area,with BH's and then say "But Chad told me it was ok!" lol

[TrophyTracker]

I don't know how much the replacement vitals for between the eyes costs...:p

[FlHunter23]

Anyone down to Give Jumper a visit this weekend or the next? Been getting bored sitting around the house on the weekends.

[TrophyTracker]

I'll be at The Big Buck Expo all weekend in Lakeland. You should come down and check it out if you get a chance!

[palmettoswamp]

Sam & Chad,

I will be ready to ride out to Jumper Creek later this month. I'm tied down at work until the last week of this month. Looking forward to archery season.

Hows that Big Buck Expo? I have never been...Does it cost $$$ to get in the door? Do they give away free snuff?

[FlHunter23]

Chad, have you sold that bow yet? Im trying to get some money together so i can take a look at it. Things are kinda tight at the moment. Ive never been to a buck expo either. Wheres it at in lakeland? Im probably gonna head out to jumper this weekend and put a game camera up to see whats running around the area and check things out.

[TrophyTracker]

Tim, there's three tents of free snuff! Longhorn, Skoal, and TimberWolf are there in full force. It does cost money to get in ,but you are entered in all kinds of crazy drawings and have a chance to win a ton of stuff. go to their website and check out the info, especially about the "Superticket"


Sam,

I still have the bow. Sell some organs if you have to, that is a deal and a half. Have your buddys chip in and you all can share it till you can buy them out:p

[FlHunter23]

Checked out jumper creek yesterday morning. Walked up on a group of pigs and seen 1 hen off the trail. The pigs are hanging out in the palmettos and been feeding around a couple of my stands. The water is up considerably. Wont be any walking around in the cypress swamp this year if we keep getting some good rain. I hope we get flooded. Wish i could have got one of my stands out before the rain. Prolly wont see that stand for a while. Didnt see much deer sign. once the acorns come in and drop everything is pretty much all over the place so its still pretty early to be down there. Might wanna bring two thermocells this year, the mosquitos are the size of small brids down there.

Might be a good year for wood ducks with all the water???

Must have read the last post wrong, i couldnt get any of my buddys to sell their organs for me though.

[palmettoswamp]

Summertime in JC is like walking thru the Amazon Jungle. Good to hear that the water is up everywhere, we will see if the rains continue into late August and September. Drop me a line fellas when you want to take a trip out there to check things out. Looks like the hogs are running wild @ JC as always. I did not get pulled for any WMA Quota permits for this fall, so I'm all about JC for archery season and duck hunting!! How crowded is JC for the first week of archery? Love to shoot a gobbler in JC during archery:cool:

[FlHunter23]

Pretty crowded man. Last year i barely got a spot to park on the bear island side and the guy behind me turned around and went over to shell island. Alot of them stay up front though. After the first week or two there was only 4 or 5 cars down there on the weekend. I got pulled for first 9 days down there 3rd year running. Didnt get the muzz permit this year though. Lots of hens down there, my buddy got busted several times last year.

[TrophyTracker]

I'm planning on mashing some wood ducks up in that place,dudes. The water level should be just right if we keep getting this weather pattern. I hope everyone is practicing with their running deer target! If the woody's are flying, then the steel will be flying, and I fear so will the deer. I know where you guys will be, so I plan on being far away. I will get the first crack at them in Sep. during the early 3day season, and that will set the tone for my future plans.

[FlHunter23]

bring your 100 % waterproof rh's the trails got a lot of standing water. im do for a new pair but will make do for another year.

[palmettoswamp]

Been practicing my "Runnin Chad" target:D