Want to hear Roksliders perspective on age and backpack hunting

[unm1136]

I am sure Aron will chime in, but Patrick Smith of Kifaru Fame spends months in the field, and according a Field and Stream article he wrote dated 05/2011 (actually it was one of his comments after the article in response to a reader) Patrick was 64 at the time and spends 150 days a year in the field. According to a 2009 interview in Soldier of Fortune Magazine Patrick was sill hunting elk solo. I bookmarked both of those articles.

I have been "too busy" the last 20 years working on family and career. My last bow hunt was 25 years ago. I just turned 40, and I plan to make up for lost time by spending 30 days in the field hunting and fishing and camping with my kids for as long as they will come with me, or the next 30 years, whichever comes last.

Trying to get the spare tire down, but I am working out 1-2 hours a day, strength and cardio, and will start with turkey season packing in 2 miles for 2 nights. In a couple of years I will be buying OTC tags in Colorado for 7-10 day trips.

pat

 

[robby denning]

When I met Patrick at the SHOT show, he was in great shape for a guy 20 years younger. I think his backpack years are still many to come. Hopefully yours too.

 

[crumy]

One thing too with all us guys in 40 and above. I don't consider myself or my hunting partner 52 old. It is just now we have reached a place where we have the money time and understanding family to do this. That was one if the things that slowed me down. My job. Always working. Now I have the time money and understanding wife. I like you guys am trying to get my body to march what my mind thinks it can do. Running. Biking. Lifting. And packing a bag when it comes

 

[craitchky]

I'll jump in here also. I didnt start hunting until I as 41, no one in my family or close circle of friends hunted, fished yes, but no hunting. My wife's brother-in-law talked me into it, he had gun hunted from the time he was 30. I told him I had no intrest in gun hunting, and that if I was going to do it, I would only do bow. Did I mention that I had only shot a bow 3 times prior in my life? I bought a Hoyt PowerTec, practiced for an entire year, and ventured out on the season opener full of hope. Never saw a deer while in stand that first season, shot 3 the next season, 5 the season after that, and been pretty steady since then.
My wife and I were always into camping, and moved to backpacking about 10 years ago. One year at RMNP, during the Elk rut, I decided that we would do a Elk hunt, well 4 years we ventured out into a CO OTC unit, and despite not seeing 1 elk, was hooked for life.
I am now 50, have had 1 knee surgery, 1 shoulder surgery, 1 carpal tunnel surgery, 1 heart scare, and the many ailments that 32 years of concrete work will bring you.
I plan on doing this until it becomes unsafe for me to be out there. I work out before work 4 days a week, cardio and strength, ride 20 miles on my bike in the evenings when the weather breaks here, and walk six miles on hilly terrain around the lake where my cabin is with 50# in my backpack on the weekends.
My wife now now hunts also, and joins me on all of my hunting adventures. No elk yet, but we are learning a lot, almost sealed the deal twice last season.
I, we, love it out in the back country and will do it as long as we can!

 

[Jay Kyle]

.. So, I'm on a major physical overhaul to get my shape, strength, and endurance to that level. The good news is, I've already dropped 95 lbs since the end of May 2012, by actively training several days a week. I have few more extra lbs to burn off, but it already feels like I have springs on my feet. Setting a goal, preparing for hunting elk for 10 days in the backcountry has been a really great motivator. I'm 52.. Its not been easy, but I set a goal, made a fitness plan allowing myself a year to get in tune physically...

95 lbs @ 52 ?!? You're my hero!

I've got 60 lbs that need to come off. My wife has been badgering me for years to loose weight, but I had no incentive until I started hunting more on foot (i.e. leave the Rhino at home). Now I'm starting my diet and excited about it!

I've done the strength training thing and loved it but it flares up old sports injuries so really need to go easy on it.

 

[Shrek]

I've lost 46 lbs over the last two years and have another 45 lbs to go. I don't know what type of " diet " you are starting but it needs to be a lifestyle change. I haven't worked at it too hard to get weight off either. I just cut out all the empty sugar and swapped the time I take in calories. I eat a huge breakfast and lunch and just a snack for dinner instead of the old reverse of a big dinner. No soda , little bread , and no pasta. Lots of green stuff and game meat. I eat as much or more as I used to and never let myself get hungry and the fat keeps dropping slowly. If I eat something with a lot of sugar anymore it makes me feel terrible. The next 45 lbs will be much harder for me but the motivation of hunting keeps me going.

 

[Jay Kyle]

I've lost 46 lbs over the last two years and have another 45 lbs to go. I don't know what type of " diet " you are starting but it needs to be a lifestyle change. I haven't worked at it too hard to get weight off either. I just cut out all the empty sugar and swapped the time I take in calories. I eat a huge breakfast and lunch and just a snack for dinner instead of the old reverse of a big dinner. No soda , little bread , and no pasta. Lots of green stuff and game meat. I eat as much or more as I used to and never let myself get hungry and the fat keeps dropping slowly. If I eat something with a lot of sugar anymore it makes me feel terrible. The next 45 lbs will be much harder for me but the motivation of hunting keeps me going.

Awesome! Sounds like a low-carb style, which is where I'm headed as well. I just picked up the New Atkins book, some changes from the old Atkins way. I'm still working my way through it. I see other diets out there that follow a similar approach. It seems like the low-carb approach is picking up.

But that motivation to hunt you speak of... I still remember my first time I brought down an elk and brought it home. I had such a deep feeling of fulfilment like I've never felt before, that I've done my primal duty of providing for my family. That's what drives me.

 

[unm1136]

One thing too with all us guys in 40 and above. I don't consider myself or my hunting partner 52 old. It is just now we have reached a place where we have the money time and understanding family to do this. That was one if the things that slowed me down. My job. Always working. Now I have the time money and understanding wife. I like you guys am trying to get my body to march what my mind thinks it can do. Running. Biking. Lifting. And packing a bag when it comes

In college when my friends wanted to go out and party, the running joke was that I always either had money or time, but having both coincide never happened.

I've lost 46 lbs over the last two years and have another 45 lbs to go. I don't know what type of " diet " you are starting but it needs to be a lifestyle change. I haven't worked at it too hard to get weight off either. I just cut out all the empty sugar and swapped the time I take in calories. I eat a huge breakfast and lunch and just a snack for dinner instead of the old reverse of a big dinner. No soda , little bread , and no pasta. Lots of green stuff and game meat. I eat as much or more as I used to and never let myself get hungry and the fat keeps dropping slowly. If I eat something with a lot of sugar anymore it makes me feel terrible. The next 45 lbs will be much harder for me but the motivation of hunting keeps me going.

I am trying to drop 35-40 pounds this year. That will put me back to where I was in College/High School when I was a skinny thing. I will be happy with 25-30, which is where I need to be to get my BMI to 15-18 or so. Thirty pounds down will put me where I was 10 years ago when I took this largely sedentary job, with very poor food choices available. All in all, I am not too far gone. The problem is my weaknesses: Sausage/antipasti, cheese, beer, and good small batch/single malt spirits.

pat

 

[bz_711]

Keep up the good work fellas!

I'm 35 and in the No time/no money phase of life with 4 young kids and coaching all their sports, etc...but my wife let me get away for a first out of state hunt in 2010, OTC in CO for elk...I've never know addiction like this Even though all I'm looking at is a 6 day hunt in the mountains each year - it has motivated me like nothing else to workout regularly and stay in shape. Luckily my wife took up running last year to lose baby weight after 4 kids and asked me to do some runs with her...we loved it - and completed our first half and full marathon last year. But mostly happy for this lifestyle change and our kids eating better and now including our kids on 5K runs, etc. Ultimate goal is a family overnight backpack in mountains as soon as the little ones can pack their own sleeping bag

Unfortunately Non-res tags are expensive in most cases...but being frugal, and sharing travel costs with a party of 3-4...there's still ways to "get west" for not much more than cost of tag, split gas, and eat out of a cooler...I'm hooked! Backpacking will be even lower costs (well - not factoring in a the best gear)

Sure nice to have a passion/hobby that also ties in nicely with being fit/healthy...good luck in your goals this year to everyone!

 

[JPD350]

I turned 50 in Dec and have many miles in the NM mountains and deserts, physically I feel about 75% of what I was when I was 30 mostly due to the many years of construction, the good part of it is that 30 years of construction and hunting has kept me in better shape then many of the people that I know. At this point I have no particular conditioning routine I just try to stay as active as possible and do many different physical activities like bicycling, stretching, weights, hiking, swimming and any other activity that sounds good, basically just an active way of life. As for keeping body fat down I just try to maintain a healthy mix of foods combined with activity, for me it seems to be a good combination for maintaining consistent weight and muscle.

At age 50 I may have some physical ailments but feel mentally tougher and smarter than I have ever been and am looking forward to being at the top of my game and at the top of the mountain in the years to come.

 

[Redneck Jihad]

Since u cannot turn back the clock...let er rip...get in shape and hit the mountains. You can rest when ur dead. I have been solo backpack elk hunting for 18 years, I'm 52 now. I am in better mountain shape now than I was at 32, my first elk hunt...I train year around and really amp up the cardio around june, rest of the year I lift weights and do lots of leg work, squats and lunges with 60lb dumbells. On mon/wed/fri I do 300 pushups, 300 situps, 100 chinups, and 300 dips. I know there is a day coming when I wont be able to hunt the rockies, scares the hell outa me...so go for it before u cant...but then I plan on dying while elk hunting with a pack on my back and my bow in my hand...NOT in some damn bed. Pushups,chinups and dips work every major muscle group on your body. Good luck...

 

[Jon Boy]

Another thing I will say is a lot of it is mental. If you keep telling yourself your old and cant do it, it will never happen. I hunt with a guy whose 25 (5 years my senior) and hes always complaining about how sore he is and when your his age you just dont recover like when your 20 and blah blah. I hunt with a guy whose 50 and smokes marb reds by the cartons and smokes my ass up the mountain all day long because quit and whining isnt in his vocabulary. You can imagine who I hunt with more often now.