Unlike our ancestors, hunting is becoming more of a hobby for most people and not one of the few means of survival. This translates to seasonal hunting and sessions that are separated by long periods. Your hunting gear is the main reason that you’re able to hunt game; without proper maintenance, your equipment is going to frequently disrupt most hunting sessions. To help you out, we’ll provide you with a guide that should guide you on the best methods that you can use to safely store your hunting gear.
Clothes
Big game hunters understand how critical a scent can be. Scent control is a major part of hunting big animals that can smell an odd scent from a distance. Storing your clothes properly is vital to the success of your hunting sessions. The first step should be washing your clothes by using a scent-free wash; the type of detergent doesn’t matter as long as it leaves no scent at all on the clothes. Some hunters can use baking soda to absorb any innate odors. Before storage, make sure your clothes are turned inside-out to stop them from discoloration, especially camouflage gear. If you’re going to be storing it for a long while, make sure that the location is completely dry and cool to avoid mold growth.
You may not be aware of it, but your hunting clothes can pick up scents from other clothes if you store them in the same location. If you don’t have a completely isolated receptacle, use a plastic bag with a Ziploc or a specially designed scent-free package. There are other areas where your hunting clothes can pick up scents as well. Some seasoned hunters use cedar chips or pine needles to absorb scents by placing them in the bag and storing the clothes in a dry and dark area.
Properly Locking Firearms Away
A lot of hunters use firearms for hunting for almost any type of game, but these deadly weapons must be kept under highly supervised conditions due to how dangerous they can get into the wrong hands. Even a small gun can cause a fatal accident if an unsuspecting child uses it. Your guns should never be stored with any ammunition; ensure that the chamber has no stored ammunition. It should be locked away in a location that’s only accessible by you; if the storage has a key, avoid leaving the key lying around in obvious locations.
Firearms are quite sensitive to humidity and temperature, especially if they are going to be stored for a good while. You may want to invest in a gun locker that allows you to control temperature and humidity. As mentioned on https://tacticalhuntr.com/, you can use ultrasonic cleaners to remove any carbon fouling off the metal; they can be used on barrels and bolts as well. Position your firearms to have the barrels looking vertically upwards; downward or horizontal barrels have a higher probability of getting warped due to their weight’s pressure.
Footwear
It may not seem like it, but your shoes can be seriously affected by the wrong kind of storage method. It’s important to ensure that your boots and shoes are cleaned off to look brand new before you store them anywhere. Aside from removing scents from them, cleaning footwear will protect it from being damaged by debris and dirt if it’s stored for a long while. If you’re going to wash/clean them completely, avoid using scented detergents or soap. Put the footwear inside air-locked bags and store them in a dry area like you’d do with clothes. This will also help you avoid pests that can make a home out of your shoes and boots if you leave them untouched for long periods.
Removing Batteries
If you’re using equipment that requires batteries to operate, you may want to ensure that you remove them all before storing them. Aside from preserving battery life, you’ll be protecting your equipment from staying operational by accident for long durations, which can damage them. While powering the equipment off is better than nothing, it’s still better to store batteries in a cool and dry area to ensure that they aren’t drained the next time you use them again.
It doesn’t matter what type of hunting you do on your time, but as long as you need equipment, you’ll have to make sure you store them properly. The more equipment you have, the more precautions you’ll have to take when you’re storing them for your next hunting season. Proper maintenance and equipment storage should be routine if you want to ensure that your hunting gear stays in tip-top shape.
