Two challenges face bowhunters trying to make a good shot late in the season. First, shooting form degrades with a lack of regular practice. Most bowhunters are gung-ho heading into the season, but once they start hunting they spend less time in front of the target. The departure of daylight savings time also limits the opportunities to practice in the backyard after work. As a result, shooting form gradually decays as the season progresses. By the late season, it is in disarray and any shooting faults that plagued you during the early summer will be back again.

Ideally, you should shoot at least three times per week to maintain strength and form, but even if you only get off 15 arrows in your garage before work a few mornings a week, you should be ready for weekend hunts.

The heavy clothing you need to keep warm creates the second shooting challenge. Thick sleeves and bulky clothing around the chest may interfere with the bowstring during the shot. I have a friend who claims he missed a Boone & Crockett whitetail late in November several years back because the string hit his sleeve. (Why are they always Boone & Crockett bucks when they get away?) As the season progressed, he continued to increase the thickness of his outerwear until finally he resembled the Michelin Man. He never bothered to practice in his heavy clothes.

Practice with your hunting clothes on whenever you can and especially when you add layers or change to a set of thicker outerwear. You’ll discover problems before they cause you to miss an important shot.

Heavy clothing is restrictive. It is hard to draw your bow when wearing several layers of clothing and your draw length will tend to collapse a little. I often use a shorter draw length bow on late season trips for just that reason.

During the cold season, draw the bow several times during the day to keep your muscles warmed up and to familiarize yourself with the feel of all that clothing at full draw.

Finally, facemasks will change your anchor point slightly and that will move the peep sight away from your face changing the feel of the shot. Practice with your facemask on as much as possible. You may look like a nutcase shooting in the backyard wearing a ski mask and a thick camo jacket, but you will be ready when the long season finally yields up a shot.