How are your preparations coming along? You ready?!

Dapper

FNG
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Messages
42
I'm pretty much ready to go. As much as an old person can be. I shoot daily in the back yard, exercise about three hours a day (5 miles on rowing machine, 120 flights of stairs on stair climber, walk the dogs 2 miles daily currently with 65 lbs in daypack and ride bike at least 5 miles) Rainy days cancel the outside exercises. I've been retired for a couple of years, so I have the time and have exercised daily since I was in my 50's. But all the exercise doesn't cancel out one thing, I'm old, 67. Its funny, I walk in town and nobody has ever questioned what I carry in the daypack. I'm sure they wonder.
 

fatlander

WKR
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
2,143
I thought I was pretty much ready until my hunting partner had an accident at work last week. He tore his ACL and is going to need surgery. No elk hunting for him and leaves me solo.

Getting the better half to buy into me hunting solo in grizzly country isn’t going to too well. She’s not the controlling type to tell me not to do it but I know the thought of me alone out there doesn’t sit well with her at all. As you all know, the happier you can keep the wife the more time you get to hunt.

I really don’t want to go hunt a new area. I already had e-scouted other units with no g bears, but never have been boots on the ground there. Got about 60 days to ease her worries. At least I’m still able to hunt though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ElkNut1

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
2,427
Location
Idaho
Yes sir, I'm ready! I work out year around & started hauling around a weighted pack as of June 1st, bring it on!

ElkNut
 

Gapmaster

WKR
Joined
Dec 22, 2019
Messages
388
Location
MERICA!!
All gear ready, bow shooting fantastic, started with 35# June 1st. Carrying 50 now every other day. 4 miles with sone good grade changes. Gotta get the hips ready. Gets harder every year. 65 days and counting till we head in. Good luck to all!
 

dingleberns

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 3, 2017
Messages
141
Location
Colorado
I'm all dialed in, lots of camping with the kids this year to gain brownie points for hunting, #winning. 1 of 3 scout trips done, deployed 5 cameras, found a very good six point i'll attempt to track with more cameras, gear is good, switching from a tarp only sleeping system to nemo hornet (mosquitos at me alive scouting) . I make my own meals so I'll need to make more for the hunt however my future scouting trip meals are done (chili and spaghetti).
 
Joined
Jun 25, 2020
Messages
71
Location
Arvada, CO
Went scouting and rounded a bend to come face to face with a black bear. It turned tail as soon as a talked to it. Now the wife says I need to get a pistol for protection. Putting the time in preseason pays off!
 

Gerbdog

WKR
Joined
Jun 8, 2020
Messages
907
Location
CO Springs
Went scouting and rounded a bend to come face to face with a black bear. It turned tail as soon as a talked to it. Now the wife says I need to get a pistol for protection. Putting the time in preseason pays off!
I'll be honest with your name I suspected the story was going somewhere else, are you certain you didn't throw the bear into an arm bar? haha
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
16,174
Location
Colorado Springs
My herniated discs are in full synchronization with each other so constant pain and spasms, my big toe on my right foot has been infected for two weeks now after pulling a hang nail out, and my left wrist that I broke three years ago is giving me fits. So, with my draw archery elk tag, my buddy's ML elk tag, my archery moose tag, and my archery sheep tag.........yep, I'm ready to go........as always.
 

MajorAR

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 25, 2019
Messages
150
I'll prepare when I'm 30 days out. I'm still in summer mode! :)
 

Wapiti23

FNG
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
Messages
62
Location
North Dakota
I’ve been too busy as of late to be anywhere close to ready. Slowing down at work now so maybe I can shed and extra 15 pounds and line up my gear for a scouting trip in a month. Haven’t even had time to tell my relative that lives in the unit we hunt that I was drawn. 😬
 

CJohnson

WKR
Joined
Mar 28, 2019
Messages
337
Location
SC
Ready to roll. Exercising and hiking with the pack a few times per week with as much grade as you can get in the upstate of SC. Biggest decision left to be made is if we are going to rent a van for the drive out or cram into someone's truck.
 
OP
L

Lark Bunting

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
140
Location
Colorado
Love it! Seems there's a good mix of folks that have it all planned out and those that won't even think about it for a few more weeks.

I think the only "gear" I need is a few reeds. I'll get those ordered up in the next week or so.

One thing that is driving my family nuts is my calling. Beings I've worked from home 99% since the quarantine I'd have normally been practicing on my driving time. Now, I just drive everyone crazy bugling away in my office at home. o_O
 
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
903
I am physically ready and all my gear is ready, just not sure when I am going to get to go. COVID is messing with my plans due to uncertainties with the kids school. If they go back on regular schedule, then there are no issues. But if the state does something crazy like A day/B day or remote learning only, then I don't know if I will get to go. My wife has already told me I can go no matter what happens, but I don't like putting that kind of stress on her. If the kids are stuck at home, finding child care for the 10-12 days that I am gone while she works will be really tough.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
16,174
Location
Colorado Springs
Now, I just drive everyone crazy bugling away in my office at home. o_O

On the night of the 4th, all my neighbors kept me awake 1/2 the night with all their fireworks going off constantly.......even though they were banned here. So at about 0400 I was out back bugling like I was tearing it up with another dominant bull. (y)
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Messages
24
Location
Idaho
Focusing on building brownie points with the wife is my top priority! Gonna need em come September 2nd!!
I preach this to all my friends. Gotta build that social equity all summer! It's helps a lot that when my wife and I started dating serious I said "I wont be around much from September through January, if that's gonna be an issue I need to know now" lmao. I still build up those points though, but if she starts to nag, I always go back to that conversation. 😂 😂

That's pretty much all i need work on right now. Haven't stopped shooting, been waddling around on sore legs since Feb, and gear stays ready to roll. I'm ready to go, season can't come quick enough!
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
9,037
Location
Corripe cervisiam
At 62 its always an effort to get in good enough shape for hunting at 11,000'....and as we all know its never enough.

That long bout without the gym due to Covid killed me. I bought a smith machine and in ramping up on squats- now the front of my left knee is having problems. I'm hiking with the fam in Yosemite later this week, we will see how it goes and whether I need to get it scoped.

Shooting wise I'm a little behind, but I don't want to overdo it anyway with a recurve as I have a nagging shoulder.

Sad to say but its all about managing injuries now-a-days. Its hard to do those very long tough workouts of my youth.
 

George Hamrick

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 1, 2020
Messages
221
Location
OHIO
Slowly but surely getting there. Been working out for a little over a month, but just started the exo 4 week plan. I just plan on doing it twice with increased weights. Down to only needing a water bladder and sleeping pad gear wise. Wife is mad at me since I am more organized with this than anything else and it’s two months away.
 

Gapmaster

WKR
Joined
Dec 22, 2019
Messages
388
Location
MERICA!!
My herniated discs are in full synchronization with each other so constant pain and spasms, my big toe on my right foot has been infected for two weeks now after pulling a hang nail out, and my left wrist that I broke three years ago is giving me fits. So, with my draw archery elk tag, my buddy's ML elk tag, my archery moose tag, and my archery sheep tag.........yep, I'm ready to go........as always.
Are you not going to ask for anyone’s “honey holes” on any of those tags? How will you ever succeed??
 

jaypope

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Central NC
It's helps a lot that when my wife and I started dating serious I said "I wont be around much from September through January, if that's gonna be an issue I need to know now" lmao. I'm ready to go, season can't come quick enough!

I used the same approach & it’s served me well. That said next year will be our 25th anniversary so things will most likely be a little different in 2021. Big trip with her to somewhere hot & sandy so no OOS hunting trips for me.
 
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