I prep for October about August. I break out the bow, check it over really good. I check strings, cables, cams, limbs etc. And I'll break out my 3D targets. I have deer, turkey, coyote, and hog 3D's. I'll shoot about 30-40 arrows on the first day. Or until I get tired. Rarely shoot farther than 50 yards to start. And I'll take a break for a few days allowing my muscles to heal (and usually my ego). See, I also blowfish quite a bit. But I shoot a recurve bowfishing. It's similar muscle memory. But not the same. Within 2 weeks I'll easily be flinging 50-75 a day. Still no farther than 50 yards. Come September, I start at 40 and go to 75 yards. If I shoot less than 40 yards I start breaking nocks and tearing veins because I shoot for groups only. Although I set my targets up for broadside, quartering to, and quartering away. I'll move the targets and shoot from different locations. Shoot mornings, and evenings. I think shooting in poor lighting really helps when season rolls around.
As for gear, I don't have a whole lot to get ready. I hunt pigs through the year so most of my hunting clothes are dual purpose. My climbing stand, a Summit Razor, is stored separate from the seat in the barn. The seat and back rest I keep in my closet (no mice). All the clothes get a good wash in ScentAway. Hunting pigs in Oklahoma, I use a LOT of Deep Woods OFF. So I want to wash as much of that away as I can. My grunt call is on a lanyard in my closet. So nothing to lose there. Broad heads are kept on hunting arrows I know fly true. Actually all my arrows fly true because I tune them.
I scout while I pig hunt throughout the year. So I really don't have to do anything there. If I find a good place while I'm out, I mark it on my phone's GPS.
Come the night of Sept 30th, I gather all my stuff, lay my clothes out, and go to bed.
This year, it's a pipe dream though. Nursing school, clinicals, and two jobs will take almost all my time. The good news is I have hunted where I hunt so much that I can pretty much just walk in, climb up, and I've got a good chance at harvesting. But if I don't, it still beats the hell out of sitting in a classroom or going to clinicals being babysat. So yeah, if I get the opportunity, I'm definitely going.
As for rifle season, well, I pig hunt. So I don't really need to practice that.