Every year at the end of August I get excited because the hunting season is around the corner. The opening date is August 20th for some small game but I am waiting for September 15th, the official opening date for wild boar season. This period is a great opportunity to recap my gear and better prepare for the upcoming hunts.
The first thing that I have to do is to renew my hunting license. I always apply early for the renewal, so I can get the license as soon as possible. My local hunting club has over 800 active hunters and is only one of the hunting clubs in the area. After that, the inspection of guns, and knives follows. I make sure that my shotguns are cleaned and ready to be used. I will take them to a local shooting club to practice and try new shotgun shells. I also replenish any amount of shells that are missing from the stash. I check that my knives are sharp and don’t have rust on them. I mostly use carbon steel blades and after the hunting period, I store them with a nice coat of Ballistol oil. Periodically, I check them just to be sure they are in perfect order. The knives that I use are Lt Wright Handcrafted Knives models, the Maverick Colt and Maverick Scout.
Next is the check of my hunting bag. I use a shoulder bag/haversack for my hunting trips. The bag that I carry is a Frost River Grand Marais mailbag. It is a very well-made waxed canvas bag. I inspect the bag for any holes or small tears and if it needs cleaning and re-waxing. I also check the contents of the bag and make sure that the first aid kit is full and replace any missing or expired items. Our safety is very important. If you have a dog, you should have a first aid kit for your dog too.
Most of the other items in my bag remain the same; water bottle, cups, cordage, compass, drum-liners, shemagh and bandana, head-lamp with extra batteries, fire kit, and maintenance/repair kit. This season though, I replaced an 800ml stainless steel bottle with a 32oz stainless steel bottle. It is better to carry more water. Also, I need to buy a new monocular or compact binoculars, because the previous monocular I owned, has a broken lens.
Next up, garment and boots have their turn. I have two pairs of trousers for hunting purposes, and two pullovers for the same reason. The jacket I usually wear is a combat smock or if it gets too cold an Asbell wool jacket. Wool gloves and watch caps are also used in cold weather. Lastly, my orange hunting vest has its turn. I hang it outside, to get some air, and get rid of the smell from the closet, as the rest of my clothes too.
The last thing that I check is my hunting journal. I make sure that it has enough blank pages. I like to keep notes and details about every hunt, successful or not. I keep notes of the weather conditions, the location of the hunt, the team’s performance, the dog’s behavior, and of course the wild game. So, I have memories from every hunt.
To all my fellow hunters have a great and safe season this year.