Most bowhunters hunt in every type of weather. We hunt when the sun is shining, when it rains, when it is windy, and when it is snowing. Yet, most of us practice shooting when it is sunny and calm. John Schaffer believes we should practice in all weather so we can become better bowhunters in all weather.  “I often practice when it is windy outside so I will know how to aim and how to deal with the wind if it is windy when I am hunting.  Very rarely is the weather perfect when I bow hunt…. especially when the rut kicks in,” Schaffer explained.

Along with practicing in bad weather, it is important to practice with your hunting clothes on.  If you wear gloves and a face mask when bowhunting, practice with that gear on.  If you bow hunt from a treestand, practice from a treestand.  More bowhunters are hunting from pop-up ground blinds.  If you fall into that category, practice from a pop-up ground blind.  Shooting out a small window from a chair is much different from hunting from a treestand.

We rarely hunt in a T-shirt and shorts when the sun is shining and the bluebirds are singing. We shouldn’t practice in shorts and a T-shirt all the time. Add a little bit of realism to your practice by getting your gear on and practicing in bad weather.