If you’re a hunter like me, then this is your most favorite time of year. This is the time when that primal fire that burns deep inside of us can start to heat up at a feverish pace. As the summer months start to wind down and fade away, we begin to daydream about the fast approaching bow season opener.

You're only as good as your equipment allows you to be, so check it thoroughly.

This is a very exciting time of year for me and many others. This is a time period known in my close circle of friends as “The Countdown to Smackdown”! In the final few weeks stretch, I find myself constantly tinkering with my gear, my bow, and regularly taking short scouting trips to the woods to snoop around for sign. On these outings, I spend my time picking out potential stand sites, specific trees, trimming shooting lanes and setting out trail cameras with the hopes of getting an idea of the size and number of deer the woods has to offer.

At this time of year, things always start to appear regularly in my mailbox from several different outdoor retail stores. Perhaps new camo, new boots, a fresh dozen arrows—you name it. There’s no telling what might show up when a man is in this frame of mind as crunch time approaches. With every new package that shows up at the front door,  I always receive that “look” from my wife when it arrives. I just quickly snatch it up, say nothing, and disappear to my man room to indulge in my bowhunting passion.

The cable to this lockon snapped while the author was sitting in it. Manufacturers suggest treestand cables be replaced every 3 years.

As bowhunters, we can’t help but feel that this is our time—our world—and I love every minute of it. By this time I’ve already pulled out my stands from storage and finished the process of checking for frayed cables, cut straps, and loose bolts. I’ve also taken the time to touch up paint jobs on my stands. I empty out my back pack to dig and sort through all the gear and unrecognizable food products that were leftover from last season. I always have the intention of making it lighter and less cluttered, but it never seems to happen; if anything, it seems to get heavier.

Cutting, wrapping, and fletching arrows, along with tuning broadheads is all part of the preparation process. Shooting the bow, fine-tuning the sights, and working on proper shooting form are some of my major concerns as the countdown to opening day nears. If you’re a true hunter at heart, then you know all too well the great anticipation of the last few weeks before the season begins.