Pre-season is where easy tags are earned — not by killing time on social media, but by boring preparation. Run this list once, then keep a short personal version on your phone.
Paperwork & access
- License, tags, hunter ed proof — current year
- Landowner permission / leases / public maps updated
- Read this year’s regs for your units (how to use seasons & regs)
- Know sunrise/sunset sources you trust for legal shooting light
Gear that must work opening morning
- Weapon zero / pattern / broadhead check — done before the night before
- Day-hunt pack restocked (gloves, batteries, tags pouch)
- Headlamp, rain shell, first aid — actually in the pack
- Boots broken in; quiet layers ready (layering)
- Knife sharp; game bags clean (processing kit)
Scouting & stands
- Refresh pins: parking, approaches, stand options by wind (scouting, placement)
- Cameras placed or batteries swapped without weekly stomping (trail cams)
- Clear only the lanes you need — leave the rest wild
- Have a Plan B and C for wrong wind
Home / truck setup
- Cooler, ice plan, processing space
- Change of clothes so scent/mud stays out of the cab
- Emergency contacts and a where-I-am note for someone at home
Species extras
- Deer: drag rope, blaze as required, stand safety gear inspected
- Squirrel: lighter kit; know mast trees you actually saw working
- Duck: decoys sorted, waders leak-checked, call lanyard, regs for zones/splits confirmed
If it is not done a week out, it becomes opening-eve chaos — and chaos educates deer.
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