Before the big buck walks in
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You know that feeling.
You've been thinking about Oct. 1 for months. You've walked the woods, studied the trails, maybe even dreamed about that big bruiser of a buck stepping into range.
Well, boys and girls, it's getting close.
Big game archery season in Western New York opens Oct. 1, and there's still time to do the most important thing you can do before heading into the woods: practice.
Whatever your favorite archery equipment may be -- compound, recurve, longbow or crossbow -- now is the time to make sure it and the person operating it are ready to go.
Check those arrows and bolts for straightness. Check the fletchings. Inspect your strings and cables. Make sure your sights are adjusted. Listen for those little noises that you don’t notice at the range but will swear were never there when you’re sitting quietly in a tree stand.
Click. Creak. Rattle. Groan.
Fix them now.
Get to the range and shoot. Shoot from the distances you expect to encounter in the woods. Most folks practice at 10, 20 and 30 yards, and maybe 40. Practice from the positions you'll actually use. If you hunt from a tree stand or saddle, practice safely from an elevated position and make sure you know exactly what your equipment will do when you’re in the field.
Remember too, when hunting from an elevated position, wear a properly fitted full-body harness with a fall-arrest system. A successful hunt isn’t worth taking a chance with a fall. It happens every year from the guys that say, "I don't need that."
While you’re practicing, spend some time walking in the woods, too.
Look for deer trails. Check bedding and feeding areas. Look at the terrain. Is there a low spot beside a tree that might be perfect? Is there a good tree for a stand or saddle?
Think ahead.
What will those woods look like in two weeks on Oct. 1?
The leaves may still be thick, or they may be starting to disappear. The leaves started changing color a few weeks back. A shooting lane that looks perfect today could look very different a few weeks from now.
Most importantly, practice until you know your equipment and your shooting ability.
There is no worse feeling than making a poor shot and knowing you weren’t prepared. The goal isn’t simply to get a deer in range. It’s to be confident that, when the opportunity comes, you’re capable of making a responsible shot.
Besides, practice is fun.
Visit your local conservation club. Throw a few arrows. Talk with other hunters. Ask questions. Share stories. You might learn something -- and you'll probably make a few new friends.
Then, when you finally settle into the woods on opening morning, everything will be ready.
Maybe that big buck will walk in.
Maybe he won’t.
That’s hunting.
Honestly, that’s part of what makes it so much fun.
Gotta love the outdoors.
CALENDAR
Sept. 17: 3-D Archery, 20 targets Bear Lake Rod & Gun Club, 4 p.m. start, $10 fee, open to public, 4391 Stockton-Cassadaga Road, Stockton; 716-397-9717.
Sept. 17: 3-D Archery & Spaghetti Dinner, 4-7 p.m., members $5, nonmembers $8, dinner $8; West Falls Conservation, 55 Bridge St., West Falls; Info: 716-652-4650.
Sept. 17: Adult Learn-to-Shoot-Archery, 6 p.m. start, West Falls Conservation Society, 55 Bridge St., West Falls. $5 fee/week, equipment provided (bows/arrows/targets). Register with Mike Cummins, 716-655-5030.
Sept. 19: NYS Bowhunter Ed Course, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Bear Lake Rod & Gun Club, 4391 Cassadaga-Stockton Road, Stockton, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., call 585-226-5463.
Sept. 19: Ray Adamczyk Memorial Walleye Tournament, Lake Erie, Bart's Cove, Dunkirk; Info: Ron Morcio, 716-984-3360.
Sept. 19: NYSDEC Trapper Ed Course, Dayton Fire Hall, 9512 U.S. 62, Gowanda, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., taught by: David L. Allen, register: https://decals.events.east.licensing.app/em/events/479, call 585-226-5463.
Sept. 20: Sunday 50s Trap Shoot, Celoron Rod & Gun Club, 210 Livingston Ave,, Celoron, registration 9-10 a.m.; Info: Jerry Martin: 814-688-9209.