Anyone solo backcountry hunting over the age of 60?

[WyoShooter]

I'll be 74 this September. It only gets worst.

Well, there ya go. Something to look forward to...

 

[manitou1]

Well, there ya go. Something to look forward to...

Builds character...

 

[WyoShooter]

Builds character...

Just right!

 

[WoodnotRust]

I'm 65, recently retired and now living in elk country. I'd prefer to have a hunting partner, but I don't know anyone and decided it was too important for me to use that as an excuse not-to-go. A couple of weeks ago I scouted a new burn area. Basecamp was at 10,900' about 11 miles from the nearest trailhead. I was away for 4 nights, saw lots of elk, and learned there was NO POSSIBLE WAY I could pack an elk out solo from that area.

I'm not sure how far in the other older hunters are packing in/out solo, but I'm thinking my personal limit is 2-3 miles at this elevation without the aide of pack animals. Maybe my problem is 35 years working in an office, lots of snickers and no trainer. Getting in real shape will be tough, but I'm returning next week to scout the other side of the basin so the battle against age rages on.

Pics below are from late May, northern New Mexico. Cow elk at 40 yds with iPhone...

 

[gonhunting247]

I'm only 57, but still hunting solo about half the time. I'm sure things can change fast, but right now I sure plan on keeping at it for quite a few more.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Turned 60 last week. Will be going in alone again this year. I carry a lot of safety gear (InReach, med kit, etc). I have found it very good for my brain, getting away from things alone. I have been much more successful on my own than previously.

 

[glass eye]

My wife doesn't like the idea of me going alone so now she joins me.
I told her Kodiak is home to large brown bears but that didn't discourage her.

 

[BCSojourner]

Will be 71 this year. Still do some solo but have a few 'senior gentlemen of the backcountry' that have joined me over the years on some very memorable archery hunts, and a couple generations of llamas which still make it possible. Always, always have a very comfortable basecamp which makes it a lot more enjoyable as well. If it was all about having to kill an elk, I would have quite years ago.

 

[TheGDog]

54yo this year, but lotsa previous tears and traumas from WeightTraining Dirtbikes/MTB's/RoadBikes/BMX. I know my days are numbered, due to the long list of injuries. But I won't stop to the bitter end. This year gonna try to get my boy on his first. Think he's finally mature enough to not be whiny doing those ascents that kill me later.

It's not the age.. it's the mileage coupled with your level of care and mindful upkeep. Somebody for example who didn't participate in these kinds of sports where get-offs almost always have a cost to them... as long as they're mindful to not overly indulge themselves diet wise, and don't let your weight get too out of line... keeping a mind towards your future and needing to be protecting of your joints and bones and not ripping joints and tendons by trying unneeded sketchy isht... giving yourself needed breaks sometimes during longer hike-ins / hike-outs to pace your inflammation, give you body (and that advil) some chance to catch back up here and there. And you should be good to go for a long while coming.

But seriously? As early as possible avoid workout motions that subject your joints to shock. Wise words to live by.

 

[michaelc10]

I'll be 60 in a few days ,still go with friends and go solo when they can't make it. Got to admit . It's definitely getting hard on the pack outs , last year just so happened my friends were with me to help pack my elk out, but I still felt it, starting to kick my butt !

 

[WoodnotRust]

Happy birthday

I'll be 60 in a few day days

 

[rodney747]

Every persons year when IT happens is different. For me at 60 it was business as usual. At 65 things were starting to change as far as endurance. After my second shot of the Maderna Covid vaccine at 67 whether coincidence or not I basically lost 90% in 3 months. Happy Birthday and accept changes when your body tells you to!

 

[squirrel]

Mostly mental, if you want a reason to go/stay home you will find one. If you refuse to quit you will keep going. This is true whether 30 or 60, now 80 and above I think you eventually just wear out the physical body, which is why they invented ground blinds in corn fields.

Sad but true some people hit 80 when they are 60, sometimes by genetics sometimes by life choices sometimes by bad luck. I have watched 30 year olds fold like a cheap suit when 4 miles down a closed logging road, and there was zero wrong from their neck down.

Couple years ago I was blessed with a 60th birthday present of an archery goat tag in the roughest area of CO. About 22 miles from the truck and didn't even have my dog with me to help pack. But I was sure glad it was a goat and not a bull elk.

 

[RO1459]

I'm 75 and this will be my 43rd year. All he guys I started with are either dead or no longer hunt. I have been hunting solo for the past eight years and will do so again this year during the third season in Colorado. My goal is to make it to 80. I do have an outfitter that will come out and get the elk, but I have it ready for hem when they get there. I do use an Inreach and recommend everyone do so as well.

Good hunting everyone.

 

[Pony Soldier]

As I continue to age and hunt I am amazed at the number of ageing people that don't walk if they don't have to. They don't mow the lawn. They say they are old and avoid physical activities.

Yes I am getting older but trying to achieve physical preparedness in a gym while riding everywhere isn't going to hack it. It's ugly but you have to really work at maintaining physical conditioning to stay in this game. Get use to the aches and pains - they don't and won't go away.

 

[hflier]

I think the road to death is to lose leg strength. I think after that your done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheGDog]

As I continue to age and hunt I am amazed at the number of ageing people that don't walk if they don't have to. They don't mow the lawn. They say they are old and avoid physical activities.

Yes I am getting older but trying to achieve physical preparedness in a gym while riding everywhere isn't going to hack it. It's ugly but you have to really work at maintaining physical conditioning to stay in this game. Get use to the aches and pains - they don't and won't go away.

You ain't lyin' man. I take needles (steroid epidurals) into my spine to try to help me keep mobile enough for this pasttime.

What trips me out, in terms of the inactivity you mention, are what I call "Park Sharks".

A "Park Shark" is somebody who, let's say they're going to a shopping mall... a "Park" Shark" will spend ridiculous amounts of time, even puttering behind people walking outta the place with keys in hand (lurking behind them like a shark).. trying to see if they can snag a parking spot that's closer.

And I'm over here like "Dude, you got legs, USE 'EM!" Besides, when you park farther out there's less chance of inconsiderate mofos opening their doors with wild abandon and scratching your isht.

 

[rodney747]

You ain't lyin' man. I take needles (steroid epidurals) into my spine to try to help me keep mobile enough for this pasttime.

What trips me out, in terms of the inactivity you mention, are what I call "Park Sharks".

A "Park Shark" is somebody who, let's say they're going to a shopping mall... a "Park" Shark" will spend ridiculous amounts of time, even puttering behind people walking outta the place with keys in hand (lurking behind them like a shark).. trying to see if they can snag a parking spot that's closer.

And I'm over here like "Dude, you got legs, USE 'EM!" Besides, when you park farther out there's less chance of inconsiderate mofos opening their doors with wild abandon and scratching your isht.

How often are the steroid epidurals and is it a really big relief? Involved in agriculture so I stay active with cattle and hay but some days are really painful. Doctors talk about bone on bone in different parts of my body and am hoping to try something.

 

[TheGDog]

How often are the steroid epidurals and is it a really big relief? Involved in agriculture so I stay active with cattle and hay but some days are really painful. Doctors talk about bone on bone in different parts of my body and am hoping to try something.

Um... it's hard to say how much they're helpful. I say that for these reasons. I have the 3mm to 6mm disc bulging, and that's not going away. Also, my job unfortunately requires me to have high desk time, and that exacerbates it significantly.

HEre's the thing... if I don't do them... then I'll be more inclined to down a crap-ton of Advils... BUT.. after recently learning I have a Hiatal hernia where stomach meets esophagus, and that's caused Barret's Esophagus. I've seen the pics from the endoscopy and during that episode that made me seek Emergency care... it was very red and raw in there, and my Pain Mgmt Doc (the one that gives me the injections) she harps on how bad the high levels of Advil I was taking is for you.

I look at it like this, it's highly likely once things finally advance enough that surgery to do a fusion or micro discectomy becomes necessary, I'll probably have to kiss most mountain hunting goodbye. Also.. if I let this Barret's Esophagus issue get outta hand, that irritation can lead to Esophageal Cancer over time. So I view getting the injections as helping me to avoid taking as much OTC NSAIDS.

So... I'm trying to pick choices that buy me the most amount of time. For the moment. And with these tricky issues, for me, it seems like the best choice ATM. So it can lower my dependence on NSAIDS. (I also take Celebrex everyday, it's Rx'd and is supposed to be a lot easier on your stomach than most others, if I remember right what the pharmacist said.

Just for backstory... when I was a kid, I caught Rheumatic Fever (aka Scarlet Fever) in which the virus hides in places in such a way that it makes your bodies immune system attack and hurt itself, trying to get over the virus. Resulting in Joint issues, and sometimes Heart Valve Damage. Luckily I didn't have Heart Valve Damage. Luckily I weight-trained heavily up til about 45yo, then things started ripping and tearing on me from pushing it, so had to take it back several notches. I loved riding dirtbikes, and them comes with crashes and one trip over the handlebars back in '95 is what caused the underlying damage I have. Luckily at the time I was training like a beast, otherwise I'm certain I'd have broken a lot of things back there. Just the sound of my spine smacking hardpack I thought for sure my back was gonna be broken. It wasn't... BUT... everything from tailbone to all of butt... in 30minutes turned black yellow green purple, you get the picture. Also one vert kicker jump kicked me sideways in a very striaght up and down jump. Was a new bike I was making payments on at the time and didn't wanna land all sideways like that and mess it up... so stuck out my leg. I DID right myself that way on the landing, but it jammed my leg into the socket. So the lower back and the hip jam thing are what precipitated this issue, mostly. Also a couple times of DeadLifts, rounding my back a lil aggravating that area too.

If you're not tooo bad right now? If the pharmacies that have it in your area, I'd recommend first giving a try to taking an Rx for Ketoprofen. That stuff as I say "Allowed me to keep being Superman" in terms of MtnBiking and Offroad DirtBikes for quite awhile. Of all of them I think that one was the best in terms of at least alleviating. But, they will want you to take a Blood Liver workup every so often because some people, a small percentage of population, will develop liver toxicity from it, and have to try something else. Also not all pharmacies will carry it, so that could put a hamper on being able to use it. I'm assuming just because other offerings are probably being marketed harder or something.

I have to bring Advil and Tylenol #3's with me everytime I go into Alpine/Steep terrain. From what I gather, my periformis nerve trunk line is likely becoming pinched at both the vertebral facet joints, and also at the spot where it turns in at the pelvis. At the end of my more brutal Hikeouts, I can feel pretty hobble on that ones sides lower back and hip. These days I try to just stay ahead of the inflammation with the injections and then like now only taking like 2 Advils at a time if I feel it's need so I can stay below the rev-limiter of this Barret's Esophagus problem I also have. So I don't get the acid reflux, since my stomach's sphincter valve up on the top doesn't seal up/close up as micely as it should.

I know you probably wanted some kind yes/no answer... but ya really gotta kinda judge for yourself which of the stages you're at.

I'll say this, make sure you have good insurance if you're gonna do the shots. Even with PPO I still get a bit of a bill from those injection procedures.

 

[rodney747]

.Everything from work to play in our young days is definitely showing up now that we're aging and meds used to take away some of the pain has side effects causing more problems. Vicious cycle with not a very good outcome! Memories about the good old days or rather the good young days may be the best way to cope!