Hunting fitness

[tecumseh]

I'm fixing too start getting ready for the 2013 hunting season. I do 25 min on a stairmaster and another 60 min on an elliptical 4 days a week plus strength training with the weights. It's a lot of work but it's all worth it when I hit the trailhead for the long hike in and the next 7 days to follow.

 

[Kodiak]

As old hunters "age", we tend to not be as good a shape as we used to be. Our meds. we take every day has something to do with overall muscle health and endurance. I walk a mile every morning and afternoon, when allowed by weather. Mostly over various grades and types of soil. For myself, at age 76, I can no longer sleep at 10,000' elevs., so high altitude camps are out. Elk hunts are a memory of the past, no complaints there. I had 26 bulls on the ground. Mulies are now hunted in much lower places, and I still enjoy the hunts.
Not wanting to give it up, the antelope of the west still get my attention about every fall. I mostly hunt private places and the hunting is good.
Looking back over it all, I'm glad I have hunted when and where I could and I wish this for all hunters that visit this site. Hunt when you're still young, for there will be a day when you have more $ than you do health.

Now, where are my hiking boots,

Old Jim

 

[longrangehunter]

Looking back over it all, I'm glad I have hunted when and where I could and I wish this for all hunters that visit this site. Hunt when you're still young, for there will be a day when you have more $ than you do health.

Now, where are my hiking boots,

Old Jim

I think that speaks volumes for most of us, and those that haven't hunted enough while still young and full of energy take notice. Now is the time, never put off something that might never get done later in life.

I hunted almost everyday in some years during the hunting season. And tried to draw tags in every Western State. I spent a month and a half in Alaska two years in a row, that was when diesel fuel was cheap! I later went to work in Africa in '04 and '05 as a camp manager, video photographer and assistant PH. I am so lucky to have done all that when I did. Although I left there sick.

I am now almost 50, I am still in great shape, and healthy (I have weighted between 159-168 my entire life). A good portion of my life I lived above 6,000 feet in elevation, and another part at 9,000 feet. I hiked a lot for training and exercise. But as the years have gone bye I seem to not care to hunt as much, there seems to be more chores to do then go out and hunt. This was the only year in my entire life I didn't buy a hunting license! Why, too busy building a house and the lack of interest I suppose?

So don't let an opportunity slip away that might not come around again. You never know how your life might change, and/or turn out?

 

[Guy Miner]

Wow! What a workout!

Snow was still falling lightly this morning when I started skiing. Had been falling for hours and had blanketed the ski trails with quite a bit of fresh stuff. Temps hovered around 27 degrees. Off I went, into mostly unbroken snow. Even with my skis on I was constantly sinking well above my ankles, and sometimes to mid calf. Hadn't skied in conditions like that in quite a while. Usually this is a packed, groomed trail, but I beat the groomer this morning! It was GREAT!

Had to work really hard. Normally I ski this 8km course in about 45 minutes or so - today nearly doubled that time at almost an hour and a half! Very slow going uphill, and not a lot of speed on the downhill stretches. This particular course doesn't have a lot of flat sections, when I ski it, I'm either climbing or descending. Lots of fun, and today was a lot of work. Loved it. Tired now though. Had a good lunch. Will rest up a bit and head to the range. Sure makes for a good day off!

Guy

 

[sask boy]

Well I hit the gym again today did my cardio and weight circuit was there for just over 90 minutes. Tomorrow I am going back and doing cardio only which should be between 30 & 45 minutes.
I am very lucky as my insurance plan pays for over half of my fees including supervised training because I am now part of the Cardiac Rehab program
A unlimited pass is 600.00 per year and I get 375.00 back from the insurance and then get to claim rest on income tax.
Just have to make it a habit :wink:

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Guy Miner]

Keep it up - once it becomes a habit you will not be able to keep yourself from the workout. It will become a highlight of the day.

Guy

 

[jmad_81]

I did a diet this summer and dropped from 215 to 193. Now I'm back to 210. Sitting on a combine for months, then going to the office foe the winter hasn't done me any favors. Plus I ahve not been eating like I should. I was working out before christmas at the local high school early in the mornings for a while. But they wouldn't give me a key, and half the time the janator forgot to unlock the door.

So I'm taking the dive into P90x at home next week. I've tried it before, it works great and is very challenging. The hardest part is working out in your living room. I have to do it very early in the morning before the kids get up, or its not going to happen.

 

[Elkman]

!
What a workout!
Snow was still falling lightly this morning when I started skiing. Had been falling for hours and had blanketed the ski trails with quite a bit of fresh stuff. Temps hovered around 27 degrees. Off I went, into mostly unbroken snow. Even with my skis on I was constantly sinking well above my ankles, and sometimes to mid calf. Hadn't skied in conditions like that in quite a while. Usually this is a packed, groomed trail, but I beat the groomer this morning! It was GREAT!
Had to work really hard. Normally I ski this 8km course in about 45 minutes or so - today nearly doubled that time at almost an hour and a half! Very slow going uphill, and not a lot of speed on the downhill stretches. This particular course doesn't have a lot of flat sections, when I ski it, I'm either climbing or descending. Lots of fun, and today was a lot of work. Loved it. Tired now though. Had a good lunch. Will rest up a bit and head to the range. Sure makes for a good day off!
Guy

It was not hard to get a sense of your enjoyment and accomplishment. Sounds like a great morning and a great day. !!!!

 

[35 Whelen]

:lol: Great thread. I had an interesting time with an old friend last fall on this subject. He is 64 years old and I am 55, he is an old logger from SE Alaska and has been quite fit all of his life. I on the other hand, I have been a commercial pilot, and was never in as good of shape, as he was though our younger years. We launched on a goat hunt last fall not far from the mouth of the Stikine River up off the side of a glacier with a light fly camp after a billy. I asked him how good he felt he could go at his age and his reply was "Not as good as a goat, but as good as you" I laughed about it at the time and we flew in and launched into some of the slipperyest steepest terrian I have ever hunted . At times you would be right beside the tops of trees nearly two hundred feet tall and you could almost reach over and touch the tops of them.................. anyway we had to climb about 6 hrs up to get above the treeline in some of the most unstable ground you could imagine and I would go as far as I possibly could on each lift and everytime he was right there as we would set the packs down.................... I never did get away from him in six hours and I have him by almost ten years in age. But he is most certainly made outta good stock and shoe leather and I have no doubt that when I am 64 I will not be able to go up that hill like he did.......................... so regardless of the diets or the exercise machines alot of it is in your heart and your head................. most of us can do a heck of a lot more than we think we can . And it never hurts to push as far as you can weather your talking about climbing a hill or most anything else in life! :lol: