Ah summer, a relaxing season full of barbecues, beers and ample time dedicated to archery practice—or what’s what I always tell myself. The reality is that summer in Montana is a short season full of long, hot days that we pack full of as many activities as humanly possible.
Dedicated archery practice time doesn’t actually exist in my life. To combat all the distractions, I keep my shooting gear simple, in reach and ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. Especially while traveling.
The bed of my truck holds a storage solution that contains my tradition archery kit. This light collection of gear travels with me at all times during the summer.
The Gear
Small tackle box:
Extra nocks
Practice broadheads (regular broadheads that I’ve restricted to the practice block)
String wax
Field points
Finger tabs
Spare string
Bino Harness
Practice like you hunt! I keep mine configured just as it is for hunting, with the rangefinder attached.
Archery Target
I prefer the Rhinehart 18-1 target as it takes both field points and broadheads. A bonus feature with this particular target is it’s heavy enough to stand on its own, but light enough to throw. I like to give the target a toss and guess the yardage.
Traditional Longbow
This two-piece bow breaks in half for travel. However, when it rides in the truck it is unstrung and in one piece. Break-down traditional bows should be kept in one piece for long term storage. This is much more critical in a vehicle where it will be subject to fluctuating temperatures.
Truck Storage Solution
I jumped in on the Decked truck bed drawer system a few years back. The Decked system is a commitment, they run about $1,000. It’s also my commitment to the organization of gear, which I desperately need.
My shooting kit, besides the target, all easily fits in one drawer. I keep an emergency sleeping bag in a drawer which doubles as a travel case for my longbow. The bow, unstrung, goes into the sleeping bag, sleeping bag slides into the drawer. Away we go.
The rest of the truck bed can be a mess, but that mess won’t frustrate my ability to target shoot within minutes when the opportunity presents itself.
