In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss about the basics of hunting gear storage. The right hunting gear helps you have an exciting experience. You’ll typically spend a lot on buying guns, clothes, footwear, lures, and scents. Thus, it’d be best to take care of the gear to avoid frequent replacements.
Hunting is primarily seasonal in most parts of the world. Thus, you must store your hunting gear properly when it’s off-season. Doing so preserves your tools in proper condition until the next round, setting you up for successful kills.
As such, it’s best to learn some basics of hunting gear storage. Below are some insights to consider:
Table of Contents
1. Gun Storage
When hunting, you might need to use long-range guns or short rifles. Several factors, such as the size of the prey, government regulations, and shooting range, influence your decision on the correct type of gun. For instance, you can use a short rifle for hunting big game like deer and bear, mainly if you can stalk close to them. However, long-range guns can be excellent for distance hunting, where close shots aren’t possible.
If you own a hunting gun, you’ll need safe storage. For one, if you don’t properly store the guns, you might attract trouble into your household. Especially if you have kids, they can innocently hurt each other with your hunting gun if they access it during playtime sessions. Properly storing your firearm ensures nothing tampers with its functionality.
Ideal gun storage is dry, given that humidity can lead to rusting of the metal parts. Here are some gun storage ideas you’d want to consider:
- Cabinets: They come in handy as they’re lockable and can be installed in secret places. They’re ideal for keeping your weaponry safely stored.
- Wall mounts: These come in handy when storing the gun in a safe and easily accessible location. A wall-mounted gun can be helpful if you want to display antique hunting guns on your wall. You can install a lockable glass screen to prevent everyone from accessing the guns.
- Gun safe: It’s a heavy-duty storage solution. With a gun safe, you inhibit unauthorized access to your gun.
- Safe deposit box: It can come in handy during the off-season as you store your weapon away from home. You can rent a safe box deposit in a nearby bank.
When choosing gun storage, safety is the number one consideration. While at it, it’s best to ensure you store your gun unloaded. This way, you’ll be able to stop some accidents if the weapon falls into the wrong hands.
2. Hunting Clothing Storage
Another safe storage requirement is cleaning your gear before storage. While carrying your prey home, you might soil your clothes and footwear. The smell of blood can remain in your equipment if you don’t wash it thoroughly. Note that most animals have a good sense of smell. They can quickly figure you out if you stink of blood. And spooking your prey with such noticeable odors is the last thing you’d want to do while hunting.
After cleaning your hunting gear, it’s best to store it appropriately. For instance, your hunting clothes require extra care since you’ll not use them for a long time. After cleaning, you should keep the clothes in a scent-free bag. It protects the clothes from terrible odors that could sell you out to your prey. On the same note, you’d also want to avoid using scented detergents. You should also ensure you dry your hunting clothes in the sun to prevent facilitating mildew and mold growth.
3. Hunting Footwear Storage
Your footwear is a vital part of your hunting gear. You need to ensure you properly store it. Similar to your hunting clothes, the shoes can harbor scents. Again, leaving dirt on the fabric can also damage the material. As such, it’d be best to use unscented soap and thoroughly scrub off the dirt or blood spillage.
After cleaning, you need to dry the shoes. You can use plastic containers or scent-proof bags to store your shoes. You should also keep them in a separate closet or cabinet to avoid the spread of odors from other shoes.
Basics Of Hunting Gear Storage: Conclusion
Properly storing your hunting gear preserves it in excellent condition for dozens of hunting seasons to come. Remember, such accessories are usually costly, and you wouldn’t want to replace them at the onset of every hunting season. Also, proper storage prevents the acquisition of weird smells that prey can detect. By following the tips on the basics of hunting gear storage above, you can successfully protect your hunting gear from theft, mold growth, water damage, and other mishaps.
