Physical conditioning

[kad11]

It sounds like you're good to go on fitness. I'd rather be undertrained and healthy vs overtrained and plagued by nagging injuries. I'm still dealing with knee issues that originated from regular heavy pack training I did 5-6 years ago.

 

[nphunter]

Sounds like your in plenty good shape now. I agree to get there early and acclimate to the area, I wouldn't run with that much weight, too likely to cause an injury and ruin the entire trip. Get some good waterproof boots and get them broken in before season for sure. Put your boots on and your weighted pack and find some bleachers or stairs somewhere. Go up and down them skipping steps, every once in a while crawl up the steps and down with the weight on and do some side steps. That will simulate packing out an animal more than running or walking a trail.

 

[Luziana Feller]

We're getting there on Wednesday so hopefully by Saturday we'll be acclimated enough

 

[*zap*]

I hope you have a great hunt, LF. Sounds to me like you will be ready physically. Good luck!

 

[RagnarRok]

As a former grunt who got paid to run with rucks... I’m paying for it now. I’m 34 with two bulged cervical discs and some jacked up lumbar discs... the things I’d have done differently 10 years ago, right? Point is, don’t do dumb sh..er, stuff, just because you’re bored or you want to ramp it up. You’ll hurt yourself. I was in peak athletic performance then, and after a lot of hard work, I’m coming back around, running a ton and getting weights in when I can. The stadium drills mentioned here are pretty legit in the absence of hills, and honestly translated well to the mountains overseas... fwiw. But as always, YMMV


Regards,

Rad

SMIB
RLTW!

 

[bobr1]

If you don't look like this, then you shouldn't even be elk hunting.




But seriously, as a lot of others have mentioned it sounds like your are already in shape and shouldn't have a problem. And also as other have mentioned I don't think it is necessary to go that heavy or that hard. All my joints are messed up from doing stupid shit for uncle sam. My favorite and least favorite workout when I can't ruck due to snow on the mountains or whatever is doing stair stepper intervals with weight for 20 minutes and as previously mentioned don't hold on to the handles.

Good luck on the hunt, should be fun.

 

[Battletoad]

I'm not as knowledgeable as most these other guys but some type of HIIT training incorporated in seems like it has helped me the last couple years. Get those legs used to knowing what it feels like to be starving for oxygen at altitude.

 

[Raghornkiller]

I've shot a bull every year since I started 6 years ago and this is the my workout.Once I shoot one I load up my pack and take one step at a time until I get back.My last bull was 8 miles over a mountain.it only sucks once then its over.Working out is great for people with plenty of time but I see a lot of guys sitting beside a trail with a pack that's just too heavy to hunt elk efficiently.i use a fanny pack and cover 15 plus miles a day and when I get one I get on the two way and someone brings packs while I get the meat bags filled.

 

[Usi05]

Luziana Feller,

Getting off topic but I am also a first time elk hunter from Michigan and your topic on gear list was one of the first I followed when joining this site.

I have since put together my own stuff based on that thread.

Keep working. My goal is to get better at one aspect of my hunt every day. I walk hills with weights 4-5 times a week and shoot my bow numerous times a week after not using one since I was 18 (30 now). I run around the house and office ripping bugles. I’m waiting for a smartass nearby to catch on and bugle back!

I am rooting for you man! Keep putting in the work!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Poser]

I've shot a bull every year since I started 6 years ago and this is the my workout.Once I shoot one I load up my pack and take one step at a time until I get back.My last bull was 8 miles over a mountain.it only sucks once then its over.Working out is great for people with plenty of time but I see a lot of guys sitting beside a trail with a pack that's just too heavy to hunt elk efficiently.i use a fanny pack and cover 15 plus miles a day and when I get one I get on the two way and someone brings packs while I get the meat bags filled.

Who do you call on the radio?
Are they sitting around waiting for you to call?
How do they find you?
How long does it generally take them to find you?
How many people are helping you?
What would you do if you didn’t have any help to call upon to help?

 

[Raghornkiller]

Who do you call on the radio?
Are they sitting around waiting for you to call?
How do they find you?
How long does it generally take them to find you?
How many people are helping you?
What would you do if you didn’t have any help to call upon to help?

We typically have a couple guys within a few miles of each other and the frame packs are at a spike camp or at the bottom of a mountain by the trail.We get our elk out the same day or hang the game bags in the shade and get it in the morning.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Getting there early helps acclimate for sure. I hunted in Colorado last year. I spent the summer in Bristol Bay, guiding. The only time I was anywhere near elevation was in the float plane. I was able to get there early which helped. Actually felt stronger at the end of the trip. With your conditioning acclimating will be key.

 

[ChrisS]

As someone else who is from much nearer to sea level than mountain tops, I've found that the affect from elevation is greater once you're over 10k. That's been my experience. I've climbed mountains fine in MT with a pack loaded for three days that were 8-9k up and in Colorado when I went up to 10-11.5k, I was whooped. I couldn't even sleep at night without waking up and feeling like I was out of breath.

Everyone's experiences are different. But you sound like you're in fine enough shape fitness wise. I would still recommend a couple of longer hikes with a weighted pack, just because (muscles, feet, boots, etc) might feel fine at 4 miles might be downright painful at mile 8 or 10.

 

[gbflyer]

I’ll be happy when I break the 5 minutes straight jogging mark on the treadmill in my sweat pants. You folks are animals!

 

[ndbuck09]

It is my opinion that you really need to do 90-100 pound loads maybe once a week for a short time to get your hips used to that kind of weight. Generally train at say 50 pounds but definitely get some time under the heavier loads to get your body used to it. You'll be a lot better off when you get an elk down if you do this. You won't suffer as much getting the meat out. My good buddy is very fit and strong but is a pilot in the military and doesn't get out packing weight anymore so when he is moving heavy loads of meat, he's hurting pretty good. If you do 2-3 miles once a week for 8-10 weeks with the heavy load, and your in shape like you are, I just don't see that as hurting you in anyway long term.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Sub'd to follow along.

 

[NJDiverDan]

Agree with the above about needing the vertical. Squats with your heavy pack would be better than walking / running 10 miles on the flat. Stadiums or a stair master (with less weight) work well also. I have heard mixed results with elevation masks. I have a buddy here at the gym (we are at 5000') who is using one prepping for a 14'er he is doing this summer. He is a runner and in good shape, but is worried about the altitude.

 

[Poser]

Agree with the above about needing the vertical. Squats with your heavy pack would be better than walking / running 10 miles on the flat. Stadiums or a stair master (with less weight) work well also. I have heard mixed results with elevation masks. I have a buddy here at the gym (we are at 5000') who is using one prepping for a 14'er he is doing this summer. He is a runner and in good shape, but is worried about the altitude.

Hashed out many times on this forum but training masks are an absolute joke with no scientific evidence to support them. All they do is make for a sub par workout/training session.

 

[Poser]

We typically have a couple guys within a few miles of each other and the frame packs are at a spike camp or at the bottom of a mountain by the trail.We get our elk out the same day or hang the game bags in the shade and get it in the morning.

I just can’t imagine this scenario working reliably in the elk country I hunt. The terrain is too difficult to reliably be able to meet up in any kind of timely manner -at a minimum, you’d have to be prepared to bivy overnight waiting for the Calvary. The terrain traps would make most type of two way radio unreliable unless there were scheduled high point radio rendezvous. Maybe you could do it with more powerful communications, but everyone would need a HAMM license to be legal. Two animals down at the same time would also present logistical issues where, at a minimum, a group would have to pack out one animals and then Immediately return for a second animal. 3 animals down would be even more problematic. In that case, a partner counting on suffering through a single trip would be a liability. Glad the system works for you, but most people come to Rokslide looking for advice on handling true Backcountry hunts where relying on 3rd parties isn’t an option. I once lost 20 pounds in 3 days packing an elk out of a hellhole, with the 3rd day consisting of my partner and I packing an entire animal (well over 100# each) in one single trip for 6 miles and then returning for our camp. That packout would have broken the physically unprepared on the first day.

 

[cdowell]

Sounds like your in better shape than 80% of the people hitting the mountains. Stay hydrated and go at a maintainable pace and you will have no problem!