5 Tips for Storing Hunting Equipment

The key to a successful hunting season is the prep-work you do during the off-season. Keeping your body in physical shape is important but keeping your equipment in shape can also make or break a hunting season. Here are five tips for storing your hunting equipment during the off-season.

1. Do not store products while they’re still wet.

Storing equipment while it is still wet encourages mold to grow. Any time moisture is contained in a sealed environment with no airflow, mold thrives, and blinds are no exception. Our Stump blinds, like the Stump 3 ‘Vision Series’, are made of a polyethylene material that dries quickly. After washing off your blind or hunting in the rain, you should be able to store your blind soon after.

2. Remove any batteries.

Make sure you remove the batteries from any of your hunting equipment before you store it. You should always remove the batteries from items you don’t plan on using for a while. Removing batteries helps preserve the battery life. Turning the device off helps maintain battery life, but completely removing the batteries and storing them in a cool, dry place is the best way to preserve them.

3. Test everything for quality before you put it away.

Make note if your bow needs new strings now so you don’t forget during the off season. Archery and bowhunting pro-shops can become very busy right before hunting season. The increase in traffic means longer wait times for your repairs. Beat the pre-hunting season rush by tuning your bow and taking it in for any repairs over the summer while the shop has more time to spend with you.

4. Store your equipment in a temperature-controlled environment.

You want to store your bows, sights, and other equipment in a temperature-controlled environment to maintain quality. If left out in the blazing sun over the summer, your bow’s limbs could warp or receive other damage from the elements. Our Stump blinds, however, can be left in the woods if your state allows. The same polyethylene material that causes them to dry quickly also protects them from weather elements. The sun’s UV rays won’t harm your blind and the interior will stay temperature controlled due to the insulation.

5. Check your blind for personal belongings.

Remember to clear out your Stump blind before storing it. Remove any hunting gear or clothing that needs to be washed. You don’t want to accidentally leave well-worn camo in your blind and receive an unpleasant surprise (in the form of an unpleasant smell) when you re-visit your blind in the fall. Wash your clothing in scent-free detergent and store it somewhere where it won’t take on any other scents.

Storing your hunting equipment properly at the end of one hunting season prepares you for the next. Save yourself time in the fall by making note of what needs to be done now. Go through any repairs that need to be done and order any new equipment during the off-season so you can go into hunting season this fall ready to go. When hunting season opens, you’ll be there in your stand with fresh equipment and a fresh perspective.

Are you keeping your gear in the best shape possible? Let us know how you take care of your gear in the comments below!