Flatlander Fitness

[midwestcowboy]

I've got a good buddy who snagged a nonresident Bull tag this year out West. He and I grew up together in the Midwest and have stayed in touch since I moved about a decade ago. He grew up white tail hunting with his dad and has been successful hunting "the farm".
I've been trying to convey the level of difficulty and the physical fitness needed in order to move around these mountains to have an opportunity at being successful. He's been out here to visit me a handful of times but never to hunt. It's not like he's oblivious, he knows these mountains are steep.

However, I'm not sure I'm getting through to him and it's getting LATE in the game. Any advice on how to light a fire under his ass / create a sense of urgency so he doesn't bonk on day 2?

 

[Beendare]

Is there a stadium somewhere he can run the stairs?

Calc the equivalent to a couple thousand feet in elevation gain and go run them with him....then when he is panting, ask him how that would be with 1/3rd the oxygen.

 

[Customweld]

I believe there is a saying about a horse and water and something about drinking. He may not care as much as you do.

 

[TaperPin]

Two sets of one legged calf raises both done to exhaustion will often be a wake up call the next day as they walk funny if getting in shape has been on the back burner.

Also simply stepping onto and off of a 20” box for 10 minutes will be a challenge.

Wearing a 70 lb pack for half a day on flat land, or even around the house will show up hips and shoulders not used to the weight.

 

[alexnelon]

Some lessons can only be taught by failure.

Most people are blind to their own shortcomings and will take offense to any criticism so if after you tell him once that he’s too fat and lazy to get it done, you’d be a jerk to keep harping on it and you have to just let him find out for himself.

 

[midwestcowboy]

I believe there is a saying about a horse and water and something about drinking. He may not care as much as you do.

Yep, agree with ya. That's about where I'm at. I live and breathe this shit so it's hard for me to not expect the same from anyone else but I'm gonna need to just sit back and let things play out...

 

[IdahoElk]

Better start doing cardio ASAP or he'll gas out on day 3

 

[midwestcowboy]

I'd offered to send him my elevation training mask to simulate 8k-10k feet. I'd told him to wear a heavy pack and ruck around the neighborhood or up the local HS stadium stairs. Hit the stair-stepper. Maybe he's been doing it and I'm unaware. We'll sure find out come September.

I'll be bringing my shotgun for grouse in the event he bonks.

 

[SouthernEngineer]

Make sure he takes a full day to acclimate to the altitude.

 

[midwestcowboy]

Make sure he takes a full day to acclimate to the altitude.

Definitely. I'm having him come out 2 days early to food prep and run through his pack & gear, check the rifle zero, etc. gives him some time to acclimate before getting into the thick of it.

 

[Customweld]

Yep, agree with ya. That's about where I'm at. I live and breathe this shit so it's hard for me to not expect the same from anyone else but I'm gonna need to just sit back and let things play out...

I used to hunt with a guy that had a very nonchalant attitude when it came to hunting. He was generally prepared, but just to the bare minimum. I'd give him a hard time about not having his stuff together. Come to find out, he just didn't care. It was a foreign idea to me, that not everyone has the same passion for hunting as a lot of us do.
That guy is my brother. He doesn't hunt with me much anymore, but we still hang out all the time. Just have different interests.

 

[midwestcowboy]

I used to hunt with a guy that had a very nonchalant attitude when it came to hunting. He was generally prepared, but just to the bare minimum. I'd give him a hard time about not having his stuff together. Come to find out, he just didn't care. It was a foreign idea to me, that not everyone has the same passion for hunting as a lot of us do.
That guy is my brother. He doesn't hunt with me much anymore, but we still hang out all the time. Just have different interests.

It's really helpful to hear you say this. Appreciate the perspective @Customweld

Known him since elementary, he's a forever friend - but maybe just not a hunting buddy. We'll see how this season goes. I'll report back in Oct after season.

 

[WoolyBugger]

I’ve hunted with a guy that didn’t do a single workout, other than working a manual labor job, and was keeping pace with me or better as I was coming off a summer of ultramarathon training. He just had the drive to kill an elk and had the track record to prove it. I’ve also hunted with guys that haven’t worked out all year and don’t really care too much if they fill a tag, those are the frustrating ones.

 

[FlyGuy]

The rucking, IMO, is the most important thing for him to do at this point. If he hasn’t been regularly training, then he probably won’t miraculously get in shape in just a few weeks.

So it’s going to suck, but it will suck less if he at least rucks 1-4 times a week.

I put a lot of energy into fitness (CrossFit 6 days per week & Jiu Jitsu 3) and have a good base level of fitness. But a few years ago I neglected to ruck train before a 13 day pack in elk hunt in WY. Rucking is my least favorite. It feels like I’m just not really doing anything but walking. So I chose to do “harder” training instead. What I didn’t realize is that your body needs some time to adjust to the strain of a heavy pack. Anyone ever ridden a mountain bike for a good long ride after not doing it for several months? Then, you can’t ride again for at least a week because your sit bones hurt so badly you couldn’t imagine climbing back on. But, after 2-3 rides you no longer notice it. I learned It’s just like that with a heavy pack. That year I was miserable for the first 4-5 days. My body hurt so bad from the pressure of the straps. But, I couldn’t take a few days off, I had to just mount up every day and gut it out. Never again. Now, for several weeks before a hunt, I ruck with a heavy pack on Sundays as an active recovery tool and to let my body adjust to the discomfort.

 

[zrodwyo]

I wouldn’t worry about it unless the guy is overweight or something. It’s not THAT hard.

Ideally you are just moving to glassing knobs and not wandering around all day.

Dudes who physically train for hunting are probably in the minority when it comes to people who filled their tags each year.

 

[hudson19]

Wear a heavy backpack and walk up as many stairs as you can as fast as you can. You never climb a mountain faster than when you are chasing bugling elk!

 

[jzeblaz]

I've got a good buddy who snagged a nonresident Bull tag this year out West. He and I grew up together in the Midwest and have stayed in touch since I moved about a decade ago. He grew up white tail hunting with his dad and has been successful hunting "the farm".
I've been trying to convey the level of difficulty and the physical fitness needed in order to move around these mountains to have an opportunity at being successful. He's been out here to visit me a handful of times but never to hunt. It's not like he's oblivious, he knows these mountains are steep.

However, I'm not sure I'm getting through to him and it's getting LATE in the game. Any advice on how to light a fire under his ass / create a sense of urgency so he doesn't bonk on day 2?

Have him out for a scouting weekend in his zone. That should get him fired up, or...maybe he just isn't that type of guy.

 

[YellCoAR]

Even a older guy like me understands if you want to have an enjoyable hunt. You better put considerable time and effort into a Western mountain hunt. I started the day I found out I drew the tag. The first stage was walking around the block which is 3/4 a mile. I am now up to 2 miles a day and one day a week head to the mountains for a four mile hike with backpack around 45 pounds. I can't prep for the altitude, but I bet it will not be 100 degrees like it is here now. I think the mental aspect of pushing yourself is important. For me in the past it has been very important to not give up and just keep hunting. Also walking in your gear on the same kind of terrain conditions you body and as important your feet.
If worst comes to worst make him the camp cook and fill his tag for him.

 

[bz_711]

Archery or Rifle?
If Archery I'd be more concerned that he's practicing enough and 100% confident at 40-50yds.
Then mentally being ready for a week long grind. Most can grind thru 5-6 days of mountain hunting if they are mentally ready for it.
Some guys just don't get excited enough for this type of hunt to get in shape, most go once and either get addicted and change their ways, or never try again.

I hope he gets the full elk fever...it's the best!
Good Luck!

 

[rogerdoger]

Start a training competition with him. Could be as simple as loading the pack up with 50#'s and seeing how many step ups you get in 15 minutes, or how long you can do 12-15 step ups every minute on the minute. If you are outperforming him it may enough to get his ass in gear.