Check your bow limbs for cracks. If you start hearing strange noises while drawing, find out where they're coming from. If the bow needs some serious work, and you don't have the equipment or expertise to do it yourself, take it to an archery pro shop -- but don't wait until the last minute, when every other bowhunter will have brought in a bow that needs to be worked on yesterday.

ARROW & BROADHEAD
Most of us favor certain broadheads for the confidence that they give us, and as long as they're scary-sharp, those are the ones you should go with. I prefer carbon arrows these days, as I don't have to worry about them getting bent. I recommend the use of plastic vanes, which present no clearance issues and so are superior to feather fletching, especially if you're using a drop-away rest. Impervious to weather and quiet both in the brush and in flight, vanes just make sense.

SAFETY
If you're not using a safety harness, you need to reconsider. Like a car seatbelt, a harness is something that you have to get used to wearing, but once you do, you won't feel right without it. Wear it underneath your outer layer or over the top, and you'll have free range of motion.

Have an LED headlamp to wear to and from your stand in the dark: You'll be able to see where you're going, other hunters will know you're a human, and it won't spook deer. And make sure that you have plenty of pull rope, so you're not struggling up a tree with bow in hand.

MISCELLANEOUS GEAR
Check all your tree stands to make sure that the seats, straps, ratchets and cinching devices are in good shape. Look over your climbing sticks, tree steps, ladder stands and climber cables. It takes just a few minutes to look for cracks or worn parts.

Decoys can add lots of fun to your hunting, regardless of your quarry. I put glass eyes in my deer decoys, and attach a piece of white plastic bag to the tail, which adds movement in the breeze. I put fleece on the hook end of my bow hanger so that it's quiet, and sometimes stand on a small kitchen rug to reduce foot noise on a metal stand. (The rug keeps my feet warmer, too.)

Get a portable broadhead target and throw it in your vehicle. Occasionally take a few shots with a practice arrow. It'll build your confidence, or tell you that something's wrong with your setup, enabling you to correct it before it costs you an animal.

Details: They'll make you or break you. Pay attention to them well before the season, and you'll be ready for that shot of a lifetime.