Many outdoor activities involve some type of pain or discomfort. Perhaps a sunburn at the beach, mild frostbite when snow skiing or blisters while hiking. Naturally, these types of pain and discomfort are expected and usually the end result is worth all you had to endure. However, in the sport of bow hunting, archery, one may wonder if it is indeed worth it. Judge for yourself.

Most hunters start hunting with guns, until someone comes along and talks them into trying bow hunting. Many times deer season starts earlier than the more traditional method of using guns. That in itself is a big motivation for many hunters, as they will get more time to hunt!

Another advantage is that it is usually legal to take a doe during archery season. What hunter would not like getting to hunt the woods earlier and possibly take a trophy whitetail deer. They look at it as more time in the woods, more chances to get a deer. Simple really. Or is it?

In areas such as Florida, bow hunting season, for the archery pros, opens in late September, where 85 - 90 degree temperatures and 90% humidity are par for the course. Also in Florida that is the beginning of hurricane season which usually manages to dump additional rain on top of what is the norm. Throw in clouds of mosquitoes and you have an almost perfect description of Webster's definition of a masochist.

Another important consideration is to make sure your gear is in tip top condition and make sure everything is as it should be. With bows, you need to check the string for wear and wax it while checking your nock points, etc.

Be sure to lube all moving parts, dry graphite lube works well for lubricating moving sights. If you use a bow quiver be sure to check its mount, making sure it is tight and won't vibrate or hum, when you shoot.

As an archery or bow hunter, what are you going to say the next time someone asks you if all of this preparation and pain is really worth the effort? Unless you want them questioning your sanity it would probably be a good thing to answer in the affirmative.

No one has to know that the main reason you are saying yes is that you just finished sitting in the freezing rain, fighting frostbite and can't wait for the sweaty bow-hunting season to start once again.