Planning For A New Year

Now is the time I like to look back and think about the hunting opportunities of last year. I remind myself how fortunate I am to live in a state that has such plentiful game, quota limits and long seasons. In fact, our deer season is one of the longest in the country. Even while most hunters are putting up their gear after an already-long season, bowhunters who live in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett or Rockdale counties are enjoying an extended deer season from Jan 2-31.

As most of us put away hunting gear this month, now is the time to check it all before stowing it away. First, if you use a rifle, clean and oil it. It’s a great habit to clean your firearm after each hunt, but many of us forget. Get help from an adult, get the gun manual out, and make sure the firearm is unloaded. Clean it in a well-ventilated location. Don’t simply wipe the barrel. Clean the bore as well.

Remember, cleaning it now will save you a lot of time and effort later. Nothing is worse than grabbing your rifle to go on a hunt and finding it with a coat of rust and a sticky action.

If you bowhunted, make sure your bow string is well waxed before you put it up, and remove any signs of rust on your bow and quiver. I like to remove my sight and put a small coat of oil on all metal parts. Check your arrows for cracks or dents, and check the vanes for tears or weak areas of glue. Some may need refletching, but put aside any that are beyond repair. Another good suggestion is to replace the cables or the drawstring if you have about three or four seasons on them, even if they are not frayed.

Next, I will check out my hunting clothes, boots and other assorted gear. I like to wash all of the clothes and put them in a plastic container. Toss any old scents, flashlight batteries, broken calls, frayed rope, etc.

Clean your boots, and put some saddle soap or leather conditioner on them. Replace any worn boot strings. Check your pack for rips and tears. I lost gear through a hole in my pack this year and will replace it in time for next season.

Now, check out all of your metal stands. Sometimes folks leave them up year-round, but that leaves them out in all kinds of weather and subject to rust. The trees they are attached to will grow and can twist the stand and stretch the straps that hold it in place. I remove them all, check the straps for tears, and oil any moving part with a spray lubricant that has a tube or nozzle to direct the flow. Doing this now will save a lot of grief next season. The last thing you want when that trophy comes in to range is to have a squeaky stand.

This Month’s Hunter Quiz:

January Hunter Quiz: What is the No. 1 cause of hunter-related injuries?

The winner will be picked at random from all correctly submitted answers, and he or she will win a prize. We’ll print the answer next month. Good luck!

Last month’s question: What are the 2010-11 season dates for hunting opossum in Georgia. How many can you harvest? Also, there was a small-game bonus word in the December word search. Find it.

Answer: The opossum dates are Oct. 15-Feb. 28, and there is no limit. The bonus word in the word search was “woodcock.”

Last month’s winner: Madison Stinchcomb, of Oakwood.