getting in shape for 2018 brooks Range Caribou hunt

[mapdan]

Have a question to the group. Planning a fly in caribou hunt north of Brooks Range in late August with my brother who lives in Alaska. Been up there for moose and a black bear and love the country and people. I am getting in shape to deal with this hunt. Now before you laugh me out of the group. I will turn 60 this fall which is no big deal but two years ago I was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer and beat that damn disease and want to prove that I can still handle a backpack hunt. I lost 50 lbs during my treatment but am doing very good. I am very active and am walking everyday with my pack. Any suggestions for this old boy to get in shape the best way. And dont say stay home as I am hard headed and I will make this happen!! Thanks for any input guys.

 

[VernAK]

Keep on!
Feel out your limits.......don't overload your pack and screw up your back.

Caribou are wanderers so don't try to keep up.....try to get ahead of a group.

I took my last Dall's Sheep at 69.....90 days out of the heart hospital.

 

[robAK]

You’ll do fine. Take some trekking poles, that tundra can really wear out your knees and ankles. Good luck and keep us posted

 

[Reload]

Congrats on beating cancer for starters! Says a lot about your character and determination. With that said I'm certain facing challenges you've already overcome will make your Alaska adventure that much sweeter. As Vern said, pace yourself and don't overdo it. No sense in having a setback in training to recover. Considering the terrain and difficulty on sure-footing on the tundra, don't neglect ankle strength. Those tundra hike can certainly test ones ankles and without strong ones, they can hinder your adventure. Good luck to you!

 

[carter33]

Are you doing a backpack hunt or basecamp hunt?

I am also doing a north slope fly in for caribou in late August. I plan to hunt from basecamp with the general idea of hunting roughly 3 miles out from basecamp. The reason for this is generally outfitters will drop you either in or ahead of the herd so long movements aren't necessary. I see the hardest portion of this hunt physically being if I take a caribou 3 miles out having to pack meat back to basecamp through muskeg as well as possible stream/river crossings. Definitely a challenge but not as challenging as a true backpack hunt. For this I would advise keeping up just a bit of cardio and doing some high rep leg training (squats/deads) as well as a few hikes with 20-40lbs. That and having a good attitude should see you through.

I noticed you are from chamberlain, I grew up in South Dakota and spent a lot of time fishing out of chamberlain, in fact I even got married in chamberlain. My father is flying up from South Dakota for our caribou hunt as well. Best of luck.

 

[mapdan]

Thanks for all the help guys. We getting dropped off and setting a basecamp. I will be ready. I am getting some trek poles as I have read these are very handy to have. Fishing has been great in Chamberlain. Small world isnt it.

 

[KJH]

Fill a empty room with 2-3 feet of volleyballs wall to wall. Add a few inches of water. Turn out the lights and walk around with a load... That will get you ready for that tundra! I'll carry a heavy load of meat anytime, and generally enjoy doing it, but that tundra way north is humbling to me.

It is a small world. All of my family is from right around Chamberlain. My mom lived there for years. I dated a gal there in the 90's. I fish that stretch of river a few times each summer. Yep, small world.

 

[super]

Congratulations beating cancer...my wife is currently on chemo. I’ve found jogging very productive, dieting will go a long way in keeping you in shape...stay away from sodas and excess calories

 

[mapdan]

Good luck to your wife. be at her side!! I basically walk quite a bit. As I had throat cancer eating is a big issue and gaining weight so I eat high calorie, High energy food. I will be able to enjoy this hunt and have a great time. Great advice on this forum. Glad I found it. Thanks everyone.

 

[VernAK]

Enjoy yourself in some unique country.......just do what you can do and all will be fine!

Good luck to you!

Any pheasants left around Chamberlain?

 

[klxracer92]

Fantastic on keeping up the fight!!! I would add some calisthenics, good core exercises and some stretching. Best of luck to you sir!!!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Congrats on the cancer thing.

I’ll echo what others have said, hike a lot with the pack and use trekking poles. Doing a bit of strength training wouldn’t hurt either, nothing major, even a body weight routine would be ok.

 

[Nick Muche]

You'll be just fine... the only time you should have more than 20lbs in your pack is after you shoot something. Best of luck on your hunt, take your time, enjoy it and don't over do it.

 

[mapdan]

Thanks for all the advice Guys. Just want to keep doing what I like to do. Have hunted all my life and to us hunters it is a way of life not a weekend adventure to brag about. I hope everyone drew tags they wanted and get a chance to get out and hunt this fall. Take it from a guy they told If I didn't do treatments I would die in 6 to 8 months. Life is short. Do the things you want to do when you can. I am doing great now and planning a good caribou hunt. Didn't draw any elk tags but planning a mule deer and antelope hunt. Good luck to all you guys out there.

 

[mproberts]

Congrats on beating cancer. My brother who is in his late 20's is fighting it now for the second time, so I see firsthand it can be a b**ch! Like Nick said you will be fine, my only advice is to do some short hikes (1-2 miles) slowly building up your pack weight to what you determine your max to be so you know what you are comfortably capable of carrying when you have to do it on the tundra. Also no sense pushing close to your comfortable pack limit on the tundra if you don't have, I've heard it's hard terrain for hiking with heavy weight.

 

[OXN939]

I'll be hunting the same area at the same time. Congrats on beating cancer, and good on you for not letting the recovery process keep you out of the game. Rowing and swimming are both great zero impact ways to build up your cardiovascular capacity- definitely not something I'd want to be without, if the moose hunt I did in September of last year was any indication of how this one will be. Good luck this fall.

 

[AKBorn]

Congrats on kicking cancer's ass! As a lifelong hunter you'll do fine; the only advice I might offer is to get your brother to talk you through the best way to navigate the tussocks, so that your knees and ankles don't get too stressed. Trekking poles are a huge help on the tundra.


Have a memorable hunt with your brother, and please share your story when you return.

 

[mapdan]

Thanks for all the info guys. Well I leave South Dakota for the north country soon. Plans have changed instead of the Brooks Range we are hunting the 40 mile herd. My brother has said the north slope tundra is a young mans game anymore so we opted for the 40 mile herd. Will still be an adventure. Numbers sound good for the 40 mile herd. First time caribou for me. Will let everyone know how it went. Thanks again. V
ery good group here with good info.

 

[VernAK]

Be sure to get latest update on 40 Mile Herd as one zone has had emergency closure
and the herd is really moving around.

 

[mapdan]

Be sure to get latest update on 40 Mile Herd as one zone has had emergency closure
and the herd is really moving around.

Thanks. I heard Zone 1 was closed. Heading in from Taylor Highway in Zone 3 at this time. We also have a friend ready to drop us off in Zone 2 for another plan. So we should be covered. I have been hearing of good success this year so far.