With archery hunting seasons starting in late August, there is plenty to consider to be prepared to hunt the entire season. The optimist will have a pocket full of tags, have insight into areas to hunt, and be intimate with the equipment required to succeed.

Licences and seasons
Alberta bowhunters are blessed with exceptional opportunities. There are generous opportunities and knowing the archery seasons based on the Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) will quickly reveal what licences to consider for purchase. Some WMUs require a special licence draw, while others can be hunted with a general licence, purchased over the counter. There are some WMUs with extra archery seasons and licences to consider.

Equipment maintenance or upgrade
Being intimate with your bow, arrows, and broadheads is the best way to ensure you are successful when opportunity knocks. Every bow must be tuned to shoot arrows straight off the rest. Arrows need to be balanced with broadheads and confirmed for accuracy. Wax the string, check any screws and connections to ensure nothing is loose, and check the limbs for cracks or damage.

Practice
The best thing any archer can do is practice, practice, practice. Time spent with your bow and on the range will build muscle memory to help you draw smoothly and quietly. Generating archery muscles is a chance to increase draw weight by building the capacity to draw without struggle.

Shoot for accuracy and consistency. The slogan 'practice small' is an important consideration. Don't aim at a large target or oversized bull's eye. Pick a spot that forces you to finetune your aiming skills. A golf tee pushed into a target is a good example of using an aiming point to practice small.

Practice at the distance you want to consider your maximum when hunting. You are ready to hunt that distance if you can hit the target consistently with precise arrow placement. If you can hit a golf tee at 40 metres, you know you are ready to hunt and shoot at an animal at that distance. If your arrows have a grouping the size of a dinner plate, you need to keep practicing.

Practice in the sun, rain, wind, and any conditions you could encounter when hunting. Put on heavy clothes that may be required and shoot to see if it changes your form and accuracy.

Estimating range
Accuracy comes with knowing the range of a target. The more accurately you estimate the range, the more precise the arrows can be placed. Part of archery is reducing movement. Learning to estimate range means you do not need to use a laser rangefinder before taking a shot. Less movement increases the odds of success, and reducing the dependency on electronics means you are ready at any time.

Make a point of estimating the range before confirming with a rangefinder. The more you practice, the better you will get. Try to get to the closest metre for the best accuracy.

Make it real
Practice real-life hunting scenarios to prepare for unknown challenges. A 3D decoy is a big asset and can help teach hunters where the kill zone is on an animal. Take turns with a friend setting up targets at unknown ranges and strive to place arrows accurately. Place the decoy in tall grass and trees, and you will quickly learn what happens to an arrow that contacts anything that can rob it of energy. Shooting in the trees will teach you how to judge the clearance of tree limbs by knowing the trajectory of your arrow.

If you plan on hunting from a blind or tree stand, practice the same. Learning to shoot at angles from an elevated stand or ensuring bow limb clearance in a blind is better learned in practice rather than when a target animal appears.

Scouting and stands
Spend time in your hunting area to learn about your quarry. Where are the active game trails, feeding and bedding areas, and possible travel routes that join them? Generating intel on the area and animals is the best way to ensure success.

When you get animals figured out, place your stands or blinds well before you intend to hunt them. Big game animals are keenly aware of their surroundings and activities and objects can take time to accept or disregard.

Trail cameras can be an asset to monitor animal movement and know the species and sex of individuals.

Make archery and preparing for the hunt fun; chances are you will be more successful.