Get Your Bow in Hunting Shape Before Archery Season

Hunting season is only a few weeks away! Take these steps now to ensure your rig is season-ready.

Secure the tools you need to tinker. Even if you take your bow to a pro shop for the big jobs, you should always have a few basic tools on hand to tweak settings and tighten components — whether it’s at the shooting range or in the field. A Hex Key Set belongs in every bowhunter’s toolbox for quick adjustments, while a Bone-A-Fide Archery Tuning Kit allows for waxing a fuzzy bowstring, replacing a damaged D-loop on the go, or tying a new peep sight. If you travel with your bow, consider adding the Quick Detach System so you can easily remove your stabilizer to fit inside a bow case.

Inspect your rig: Hundreds of practice reps and long off-seasons in suboptimal conditions could potentially leave your bowstring in rough shape and the limbs warped or otherwise damaged. Inspect strings, cams, limbs, and all components for fraying, chipping, or excessive wear. You may be able to get by with some tightening or waxing. But if you find serious issues, take your bow into a local archery shop so a pro can evaluate it and make the necessary repairs.

Make sure your accessories are dialed in. Your sight and other accessories can get bumped or shifted over time, so you should ensure they’re still dialed in and securely tightened for the ultimate accuracy. If you’ve increased your draw weight or made any other adjustments to your overall setup, you may need to sight your bow in again.

Check your arrows and broadheads. Whether you sent hundreds of shots downrange or simply toted your full quiver into rough country, you should carefully inspect each arrow. Make sure they’ve all maintained their straightness and don’t show any signs of splintering. If you’re considering switching to a heavier or micro-diameter shaft, make that swap as soon as possible so you have plenty of time to practice with your new arrows. Also take a look at your broadheads — make sure blades are sharp and secure. If they’re not, spruce them up or consider upgrading to new broadheads.