The season didn't start in the woods.
It didn't start climbing into the tree stand.
It didn't start when the alarm clock went off at 4:00 AM.
The season starts long before opening morning.
For some people, hunting is a weekend.
For others, it is a lifelong tradition that starts the day after last season ended.
Sometimes it starts in a barn.
Around a wood stove.
With coffee cups, notebooks, old stories, and lists scattered across the table.
Equipment lists.
Grocery lists.
Ammo lists.
Things to pack.
Things not to forget.
Somewhere between those lists, traditions are passed down.
Somewhere between the coffee and conversations, preparation becomes part of the experience.
Because for many hunters, preparation isn't separate from the season.
Preparation IS part of the season.
