Now’s the time to prepare for hunting season. These 7 expert tips will have you—and your gear—ready to head afield

#4  BLINDS

You don’t want to waste time or risk disturbing game by building, repairing or erecting blinds once the season is underway. So, visit your permanent blinds during the summer to make any necessary repairs and to trim back overgrown shooting lanes (above). Also identify locations for new blinds or stands, which should be in place well before opening day. Beyond saving you precious hunting time, this also gives game time to get accustomed to your set-ups.

Waterfowlers should also prep their blinds during the summer. If you hunt from portable blinds, such as layouts or panel blinds, dress them with fresh vegetation. If you hunt from shorelines out of permanent blinds, clean them up and add new cover as necessary—this isn’t a chore you want to do when birds are trying to get into your decoys.