Boot Care & Maintenance

My old man always told me growing up, “You take care of it, and it’ll take of you.” He learned this from his father who I would go as far as saying learned the phrase from his father as well. This advice was usually stated to me in reference to my ball glove. Breaking in and conditioning our ball gloves when I was young was more or less a family event. We’d all take the time before the season to make sure the leather was conditioned perfectly and taken care of so that during the baseball and softball seasons, they’d handle the sun, sweat, and abuse that goes along with the sport. I’ve kept that principle in my head and pretty much apply it to everything in life now, especially when it comes to hunting gear. 

Hunting Season Prep: Are You Ready?

We're in the dog days of summer and the heat is so intense I've started cooking my morning eggs on the sidewalk. For most hunters like myself, summer can seem to drag on. The temperatures are hot and time in the woods is a little less enjoyable. The lengthy summer days have me yearning for Fall when the greenery of the woods will begin to transition to oranges, yellows, and reds. Where the temperatures are cooler and the woods come alive as the critters begin their preparation for the winter days ahead of them. In just under sixty days, it will be October 1st and with that, the big game hunting season will begin here in Oklahoma. It’s everything us hunters have been waiting for. It will be here before we know it!

The off-season is where success is made. This is the time when I prepare for the season ahead. Rather than waiting around, I use this time to make myself a better hunter and woodsman. I keep a general checklist of pre-season preparations that I follow year after year. For more unique hunts, I'll add things that are more specific to that particular hunt. The goal is checking each box and by doing so, I know I’ll be ready and put the odds of success in my favor. Whether I'm chasing mallards in the marshes or waiting for that big buck to cross paths, the success I will have is based on the steps I take to prepare myself for those situations.