Going in Heavy, Coming Out Light(er)

[dangerousD]

How many pounds have you guys left on the mountain after a hunt? This year I'm down about 10-15 lbs overall. I'm 6 ft tall and usually hover around 170-175 or more when doing more lifting and less cardio. but trained a bit harder this year than last and went up the mountain at 168 ish and came home from my first hunt in Utah at 158 ish or 10 lbs lighter. Roughly the same as last year in terms of pounds lost. It was a 10 day hunt basically. My second hunt in Oregon this year was the same number of days but I didn't lose any more weight, luckily. Maybe a pound or two. Now it's time to pack it back on! I've always been the "skinny" kid that wants to gain weight. Now I need to grow back into my pants and enjoy some less strenuous whitetail hunting! Although that 6 pack that has been hiding all these years is somewhat close to making an appearance if I stay lean!

 

[mt100gr.]

I am 6'2" and am always between 200 and 205 lbs. Whether I lift more and do less cardio or pound the cardio and cut back on the weights...I usually weight about the same +/- 5 lbs.

I just got back from a pretty tough 8 day trip and tipped the scales at 192.5. I think I weighed that much in 8th grade....

Adjusted my food for my next trip a little. I leave in 2 days.

 

[RockChucker30]

I lost maybe 3 lbs on my trip this year. I attribute that mostly to eating paleo/primal most of the year. I went in pretty lean and didn't lose much.

I ate mostly jerky, almond/dried cherry trail mix, pemmican, Epic and Lara bars, and a homemade quinoa, black bean, and tuna dehydrated meal. Total cals were around 2500 per day.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

6 lbs over 6 days on the mountain. I had no appetite and was only able to get down 1200-1500 calories per day.

 

[fillthefreezer]

hard to say exactly as we were on the road for a few days after. putting down 5k/cal but on our 10day trip i was down 4lbs my first morning weigh in. im 6ft, left at 172.

 

[justinspicher]

Went to Montana at 175, fifteen days later I came home at 168.

 

[fredmb]

I dropped about 6 pounds. That's a lot considering it was from 155 lbs to 149 lbs. Working on gaining that back.

 

[5MilesBack]

I went in lean at 6'6" 210 and came out 19lbs leaner when it was all said and done after 18 days of hunting. I didn't hunt 18 days straight, mostly 4-5 day stretches with a 2-day break at home to resupply and calorie load my body again. Lost most of that the last week I hunted. Hunted HARD.....actually chasing down herds and cutting them off to be in position. Completely soaked 3 sets of merino and camo clothes and hats that week with sweat. But gosh that's a lot of fun.....especially when you've got 8 different bulls all bugling at the same time within 1/2 mile of you.

 

[Zbowman1]

I live in the mountains and got the flu on Saturday and lost 6 pounds in one day. Dose that count

 

[Ross]

161 to 156 in 11 days of elk chasing in nidaho on 5'7" old man frame with two more months to go loving this time of year

 

[Mofarmboy]

I'm 5-11 170 lost 8 lbs in 7 days while in coloradoi had very little appetite and the 30-40 miles of loaded hiking didn't help!!!

 

[HellsCanyon]

Was down 8 lbs from 172 to 164 after 7 days in the back country. In 2012 I dropped from 170 down to 153 lbs after a month of chasing muleys in Hells Canyon.... 6' here as well and always have some abs showing (IE: I'm really skinny)!

Mike

 

[Shrek]

Mike , I know you have been making an effort to get more calories in you. Is it helping your hunting energy level ?

 

[Arbutusbucks]

I was down 9lbs... 173 to 164 over 8 days in ID. I was worried I'd bring too much food but prob could have used a bigger candy bar each day. Got back in gym on Tuesday I was struggling.

 

[3dxdjg]

Down 10 lbs on a 18 day Colorado hunt.

 

[dangerousD]

It's interesting hearing of everyone's weight loss. Seems pretty par for the course to come back a fair bit lighter. I can't say I was ever really hungry since I was eating often and trying to keep calories going in but it's never enough to overcome the burn rate. It's a heckuva diet plan I suppose but doesn't sound like any of us need that.

 

[fillthefreezer]

i bet most the folks who could really stand to drop the lb's, gain weight hanging out in camp, frying sausage

 

[HellsCanyon]

Mike , I know you have been making an effort to get more calories in you. Is it helping your hunting energy level ?

Definitely is. I was packing about 4k calories a day on the most recent elk hunt and I never felt burnt out. And we hunted with camp on our backs most of the trip. I came out with food leftover. Still dropped weight though. I think it's more protein based loss instead of caloric based. Still had the energy, just not the protein to support maintaining muscle mass.

I notice the same thing when not hunting. If I don't eat at least 75% of my weight in protein grams a day I'll drop weight.

Mike

 

[5MilesBack]

Mike , I know you have been making an effort to get more calories in you. Is it helping your hunting energy level ?

Different Mike, but like HC Mike I also don't get much for calories while hunting......usually well under 2000 each day. But I never once felt "out of energy" or even remotely close to unable to hunt because of that. If anything, I feel absolutely outstanding up there. It's when I come home that I can't find the energy levels........this week I have been "dragging" hard........as I do most of the year until September rolls around. Up at 11k feet it's as if I have a shot of adrenaline and full energy every day. Back home I just want to sleep all day and night.

The doctors have been trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with me for the past three years. They can't figure out how or why I feel so much better at high altitude, especially with extreme exertion up there every day (especially with asthma). My blood work is always "off" and they can't figure out why.

 

[Rodknocker]

I went in at 163 and lost 5lbs in 9 days... I tried to eat about 2500cal per day and felt great this season.