With warm weather upon us, archery ranges across the country are preparing to hold outdoor shoots and tournaments. Shooting outside lets archers enjoy beautiful weather while shooting longer distances. Still, let’s remember a few necessities to get the most from our range time.

Sunscreen and Insect Repellent

Whether you’re squeezing in a few backyard shots after dinner or spending all day at the range during a tournament, protect your skin at all times. Biting bugs can cut your time outdoors in half, while too much sun can leave you painfully sunburned for days. Therefore, don’t leave your sunscreen and insect repellent at home. Apply these skin protections before heading outside. You’ll improve your experience and dodge Mother Nature’s attempts to send you packing early.

Water and Snacks

It’s challenging to stay focused and perform your best when distracted by a growling stomach. Bring snacks and water to stay fueled and hydrated all day. Quality water bottles keep liquids cold for hours. Also, protein bars or granola bars will hold you over between meals. After all, high protein levels make you feel full for hours.

Umbrella and Folding Chair

Rain or shine, bring an umbrella and a folding chair. They’ll keep you at the range when others retreat. Folding chairs stuff into compact carrying cases and quickly deploy when you must wait for archers ahead to finish a stage. Besides keeping you dry, an umbrella also provides shade for battling the hot summer sun. Pairing those items provides the ultimate relaxation station when on the archery range for entire August afternoons.

Backpack or Fanny Pack?

Packing all of those items is great, but where will you store everything? A backpack or fanny pack makes all the difference. Besides storing your summertime archery gear, packs carry helpful tools like Allen wrenches, or extra batteries for your rangefinder. Once you develop a consistent, organized system, you’ll find outdoor shooting is as simple as grabbing your pack and bow case, and heading to the range.

Conclusion

Now you know why summertime essentials are as crucial as your bow and arrows. Without them, you risk a long, unsatisfying duel with the elements. To ensure weather doesn’t end your next shoot prematurely, prepare for the wettest, hottest, buggiest day you can imagine. If you can handle the worst, you’ll enjoy outdoor shooting while those around you keep wiping their brows and swatting pesky flies and mosquitoes.