Off-Season Hunting To-Do-List for Okayest Hunters

Deer Season Starts Now: Offseason Activities for Better Fall Success

As spring turkey seasons wind down, we all find ourselves asking, “What do I do now?” That’s a valid question to ask as we enter the dreaded offseason. 

The offseason doesn’t have to be dreadful, though. While we can’t legally hunt animals during this time, you can definitely contribute to your hunting goals. While it may not appear that way at first, I would argue that the offseason is where success is often built. They say “luck is where opportunity and preparation meet,” right? Well, the offseason is where preparation happens. If you are looking to be productive this offseason, here is a list of activities that would benefit you: 

Clean and Store Gear

If you want you hunting gear to perform well next season, I encourage you to clean it and store it. This includes guns, clothes, equipment, or basically anything that can deteriorate without attention. I like to start with cleaning, oiling, and safely storing my firearms. I also store my unused ammo in a dry, temperature-controlled area. Then I wash all of my hunting clothes and return them to their spot in the closet. Finally, I empty my turkey vest and backpacks and store all of my gear in totes. Not only does this ensure my gear is well taken care of, it allows me to find it easily at the start of next hunting season. 

Summer Scouting

There is a lot that can be learned about the deer you hunt by summer scouting. Usually, I’m not diving into the woods to hang cameras until late July or early August, but I am scouting all summer. I start with digital map scouting almost daily, oftentimes while watching television or relaxing. I also like to drive the soybean fields near my hunting areas to look for deer. While the deer I find won’t likely be in the same area come November, there is a good chance they will be close at the season opener. Summer scouting is all about staying in the game and building knowledge for the upcoming fall. 

Property Maintenance 

If you own, lease, or have permission to hunt a private property there will be plenty of offseason chores for you to do. Just using my own permission property as an example, we have to mow access trails and parking areas, place mineral blocks, and spray weeds. This will be followed up later in the summer with planting food plots and placing trail cameras. While not all properties will require this, I would bet there is some level of summer maintenance that needs to be performed, and if there isn’t, find something that you can improve!

Summer Archery Practice

Considering I missed the very first deer I shot at last fall, this is where I will spend a large portion of my focus this summer. I’ve written about this in the past and have plans to write more about this in the future, but buck fever affects everyone. A regimented and specific summer archery practice program is valuable for everyone. This summer I plan to work on form, increasing my ethical distance, and hardening my nerves. Look for more on this topic from me later in the summer. 

Go Fishing

Not everything on the offseason to-do list has to be hard work! Fishing is a high priority for me during the summer. It’s a great way to have fun with family and friends and put meat in the freezer. But I also believe that fishing has carry-over to hunting. Fishing requires the same critical thinking and vigor that applies to hunting. Is this the sole reason why I fish? Absolutely not, but I like to take joy in the fact that it could help my hunting!

Like I said earlier, the offseason doesn’t have to be a drag. There is a lot to do to pass the time and to keep you connected to the woods. Start the weedeater, shoot your bow, and wet a line or two. This is how you check the boxes of your okayest offseason to-do list. 

Will Bowen, Okayest Hunter Contributor