We have put together some YouTube videos on how to prepare for your hunt. Archery hunting takes more preparation than any other hunts we offer. Not only should you be in “sheep” shape, you need to practice shooting your bow continually prior to your hunt. The best archery hunters I know shoot one arrow every day and they do it from different angles. In the field, you very seldom get a second shot so the first one is the one that counts. The game is usually on steep terrain. The more you can simulate the situation, the better your odds of making a good shot in the field.
Bow hunting equipment is fragile. Archery equipment never ceases to amaze me in its ability to fall apart while in the field. Carry some tools with you all the time. Allen wrenches are a must and you should check and tighten your bow constantly. Bring a good shoulder sling to carry your bow while riding the horse. An arrow tube is what most hunters prefer during the early morning horseback ride in the dark. We put this tube on a pack mule. his protects both the hunter and the horse. One time we got to the place where we were to start hunting at daylight and my hunter had lost all his arrows out of his quiver during the ride in the dark. We hunted the rest of the day for arrows instead of elk. Drop-a-way arrow rests are common, but they have more moving parts than a whisker biscuit and lead to more problems. Long stabilizers may help your shooting at targets but get in the way while you are riding a horse. Make sure your stabilizer and front sight do not stick out further than the limbs of your bow or it will be riding on your hip and bumping the saddle while riding a horse. I have found more than one stabilizer on the trail where it came unscrewed while riding. When you ride a 1500-pound horse with your bow and you rub into a tree, the horse and tree will not give. Many hunters have learned this lesson the hard way. When it comes to bow hunting equipment, less is more. The simpler the bow, the less to go wrong.