Starting Line-up

[jme]

Days are noticeably shorter. There's a crispness in the morning air. Some leaves are already tinged with color. All signs indicate that deer season is right around the corner. I don't know about you but it's driving me nuts. Friday is Sept 1st - one month before bow opener. For me this also means the 'final cut', to use a football analogy. The last two months I've been charting every arrow. That is, I take a shot and then mark down where it hit. I don't shoot 10-20 shots at a time. My approach is to take a lot of 'first shots' so I only take 2-3 then put the bow down. Twenty minutes later I take another 2-3 shots. This forces me to concentrate - because you only get one shot at a deer. On Friday I'll review my chart to see which arrows consistently hit where aimed and which do not. Those that make the cut are the starting line-up, they go into the quiver. The others make up the practice squad. Having arrows that will go where aimed is a tremendous confidence booster - to me anyway. Call me wierd but it's just an annual ritual I follow. My stands are already airing out underneath a bush in the back yard. All screws/mounts have had Loc-Tite applied prior to Sept 1. Stands will be taken to the (public land) sites the weekend after Sept 1 - hidden/locked at the base of nearby trees.

Any other countdown 'rituals' that you guys have as the season approaches?

More excited than a dog with two tails, John-Ypsi

[bowhunter11]

I always go deer shining the night before the bow opener, I can't sleep so I just drive around and shine, it's become sort of a tradition. I'm already looking forward to it!!:evil: :evil: :evil:

[Backwoods-Savage]

I also take the one-shot approach, but I keep it to one shot and not 2 or 3. I've noticed a drastic difference after I cut it to one shot. Sometimes I'll even sit in a tree stand and shoot only once every half hour or whatever I feel like at the time. In fact, I just moved the stand today and like it better. We live right in the woods so I can practice practically anywhere by the house and it is like I'm out hunting.

I also start, around September 1, shooting with the quiver on the bow and full of arrows. The first few or maybe the first sitting I do notice the slight twist on the bow but am able to compensate very well and don't even notice any after the first time. The added weight actually helps me to hold on target better and if I happen to get a shot while going to or from a stand, I don't have to take the quiver off as I am used to shooting with it on.

[Mich. Buck Wacker]

That sounds cool, I'll have to try the first shot thing. Every year I buy 6 new shafts, I build my own. I just dipped em in white lastnight from the nock to the logo. Tonight I added all my stripes to pesonalize them. Tomorrow I'll start fletching them. I take a lot of pride in building my own arrows. I guess that would be my annual ritual.:)

[jjc155]

I too take the one shot approach and start shooting alot with BH's from July on.

Just finished my 6 hunting arrows tonight.

J-

[jme]

Made the final cut and announced the starting line-up this morning. The ranking was the same when I compiled the stats on both the 20 yard and 25 yard shots. Here's the lineup:
1 - Arrow #5 (this will be on the string opening morning)
2 - Arrow #2 (a VERY close second)
3 - Arrow #7
4 - Arrow #1

I'm confident in any of these arrows and can't wait to put one through a deer. Only 29 more days! John-Ypsi