As the title says, we have 3.5 months until elk opener...How many times last year did you sit down after a getting your butt kicked by the mountains and wish that you had hit the gym harder/ran farther/worked on getting better food (fuel) into your body instead of all those pizza's?
Still plenty of time to get started or pick up where you left off. I know I know, one foot in front of the other can get a guy through any hunt...but how enjoyable is that? Own the mountains, or the hills behind your house or wherever it is that is your hunting grounds.
Enhanced physical condition=enhanced mental condition. Im a firm believer in strong body strong mind.
So....what are you doing to better yourself in preparation for season?
Keeping up with my cardio regimen that I started 2 years ago, along with weight training and pack workouts. I lost 40 pounds for last years elk hunt and I can't begin to describe how much it helped and made my trip so much more fun. Good luck to everyone hunting the country!
Gabe
Congrats Gabe keep it up! As hunters I don't think we have ever truly arrived, even the highest levels of athletes. Think about it, the elk/deer/bear/sheep you are chasing doesn't own a lazyboy recliner, or a couch, a nice bed and hasn't ever tasted a mcdonads cheeseburger.
Every day the animals we pursue are out there getting stronger, smarter and more adept at avoiding confrontations with us! The more we can do to just avoid falling further behind only helps.
I am down 45# from the end of last elk season, have been hitting the gym pretty good and running (I hate running) and also been doing a few scouting trips/bear hunts breaking in boots, trying out my new sleeping bag etc.
Leg and cardiovascular workouts are very important, but I also hit upperbody 2-3 times a week as I believe in whole body training. Now if I could just get rid of the soda pop and dairy products that would help immensely!
I'm trying to shoot everyday, even if it's just 5 good arrows w/broadheads.
My new TallTines is by far the best bow I have ever shot, the arrows are flying beautifully with either my VPA 3 blade heads or the new Cutthroat single bevel heads I have.
Pretty awesome to watch a perfectly tuned arrow arc through the air, I can't wait to see that flight with a big bull waiting on the other end!
lots. pretty much training across the board, and improving on my diet.
personally I had an awakening recently. our annual blood draw and wellness test at work did not go as hoped. my cholesterol was up slightly (not to a bad stage but still), and while I lost weight this year my body fat pct. went up 6%!! apparently I lost a good bit of muscle. looking back, in my workouts I admit they were almost all of the running/hiking variety as I fell in love with trail running. I haven't been working upper body at all. and to make things worse, in preparing for runs I was taking in too many carbs. just figured I could eat worse quality if I kept my calorie count intact. all of that added up to a very bad year health wise for me.
im on it.
I want to add to my above post, when I first read that prognosis I was like "must be an error", but im not so sure. I do realize gaining 6% in body fat is a HUGE increase, but looking back since I changed my lifestyle to be healthy four or five years ago ive felt physically on top of the world.
a few months back that sorta went away. couldn't even tell you why, but I just wasn't and haven't been feeling it. the scale was still showing progress, but a look in the mirror wasn't substantiating that at all. so I think it is probably accurate.
this news is now a couple weeks old. ive I believe fixed these problems and honestly feel better than I have in a while. onward and upward.
The Wild Diet and Exercise program, it goes along with what my body has been telling me for a few years now.
Working on my pack list and getting together a few new items. My son and I are going for 1-3 days in. Out just at lunch if we can for more fuel and shower.
Building a couple more selfbows to get ready for the hunt. Working hard on my shooting, I need more consistancy which probably goes along with a good anchor.
Cleaner diet...kind of a Wild Diet meets Paleo and cardio 3 days a week via biking. I am also rolling at Jiujitsu school 3 days a week for at least an hour a go.
I am hunting goats in BC. I need to drop weight, up my VO2 max and suffer some now so I won't suffer as much then. Good luck everyone!
Nothing :( :rolleyes:
I started running a few weeks ago, working my way up to 3 miles. I am going slow using a GPS watch as a trainer. Also started doing a Kettlebell workout for strength of the whole body. I'll start hiking with weight here soon.
Its harder mentally but I remember that mountain kicking my butt a few years back.. oxygen lack of oxygen...
Never too late to start! I believe this saying holds true with fitness as well-the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago....The next best time is today!
I'm building a 320# draw bow so I can stand in the bottom of the valley and shoot those big timberline bulls. Going to use 180 grain arrows to extend the range. Plus, they will be 50% EFOC.
I'm swinging the kettlebell, sprinting, and doing a variety of high-intensity workouts with plenty of squats, pullups, pushups, deadlifts and turkish get-ups. Shooting regularly, of course.
Got my gear list dialed in and my entire pack, before food and water, is just a hair under 15#.
I'm ready... but I can't go this year. Still, pays to be ready for next season!
Pete
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"ATHLEAN XERO" program for me. I'll be going up high in the north this year and next for a couple weeks at a time. need to get my fat but into "athletic" shape for our mountain ranges.
Working overtime to buy elk hunting toys! Got my new Dryad LBX limbs in today, going to get a Kifaru pack when rmsgear get them in. Already bought water purifier, stove and new sleeping bags and pads for me and the wife. If and when it quits raining down here and snowing up in the mountain's we will go hiking at altitude.
wishing I could go :(
What am I doing? Wishing I could hunt Elk.
Recovering from knee surgery, just finished up with physical therapy and am starting weight training and cardio workouts. Been shooting my bow a lot too.
I get up at 4:30 am to work out on the elliptical machine while watching Elk hunting videos (no sound on the TV as to not wake the wife) that really gets me going on the maching. Then after work I shoot, shoot, shoot.
I lift weights 3 days a week, shoot about 4 days a week but am also waiting for my new Sasquatch ilf to arrive at the end of the month, then the real tuning begins. Other than that, I'm waiting for the rain to quit so I can get up on the mountain and do some scouting and hiking.
QuoteOriginally posted by Wannabe1:
Nothing :( :rolleyes:
I have been working long hours eating lots of food and shooting once a week if I"m lucky anymore! I am going to have to work hard to keep from huffin and puffin up the hills this year.
I'm in the wishing I could go category, too.
Just woodchucks for me, til deer season opens.
Bob
Working out at least 3 days a week. Started in January this year, which is early for me..Trying to work more on the "Core Area".
Got bad knees so I can't run, bad back so I can't lift. I move a lot while working and shoot almost everyday. My elk last year had an arrow in him by 8:00 in the morning opening day, only about 5 miles as the crow flies from my house.
Raising the cardio bar a bit more this year as I like to hunt where most wouldn't consider, this pays off yearly! Also fine tuning the calling, it's as important as anything I do in prep of the season if not more so. I believe many fall short in this aspect of the game thus costing them precious encounters, I don't like when that happens knowing I could have controlled things better! (grin)
ElkNut1
I'm rounding up enough young men to go with me & training them to shoot well first of all. I need these kids to haul my elk out, & hopefully haul their own out too.... I teach em... They pack em...
Drink lots of coffee, smoke cigarettes, and do a lot of shooting. By the time i get 5 tons of hay in the loft, and 10 cords of wood stacked in the shed, i'll be ready for some nice leisurely elk hunting.....
Btw.... once you learn to call those elk to you, you don't need to chase them up & down mountains any more.
No body has ever drown in sweat
I am sorry to say I am taking this year off but next year I will be after them again. Widow
Yes now is the time to get ready. Food intake is 75 percent of the weight loss formula, with physical activity the other 25 percent. Both are important in the quest. Shedding pounds before you go is a big one especially if a pack is involved. Getting around to find Elk is a must. A lot of walking/hiking with a gradual load to your pack weight helps a lot. Shooting with equipment/elk clothing pays off when one is spotted. Elk season is good motivation to get in shape!! Have fun at it..........
Tried my heavy bow and light arrows out. Guess I'll have to hit the gym after all. Shooting from 8,500' the set up was only accurate up to 10,750'. Unfortunately, I need to get to 11,500'!
Treadmill, here I come.
QuoteOriginally posted by drewsbow:
wishing I could go :(
Im in Andrews boat!
I hate working out in a gym (I get bored) and can't run on pavement because of my knees. so I joined my local gym for what they call "The Pit". They put a barrier around a tennis court and filled it with sand and all different obstacles from rope climbs, tractor tires, wheelbarrows, ect... MMA style workouts that works the whole body. The workouts change everyday so I don't get bored! Big plus for me! I don't really care what I weigh cause I know the weight will come off on its own I'm just looking forward to feeling better, going after caribou next year.
Ps... I dang near threw up this morning!! Lol
A friend was working out a knee and leg injury and found it hard to walk on any surface. He found a local pool that has a ring on one side where they pump water around the circle to create an artificial current. He went there and walked against the current for 20 or 30 minutes a day in water that was about mid chest deep. Did wonders for him.
Just about 3 months to go, with spring bear and pronghorn thrown in.
Made a commitment to myself to do something physical each day. Plan is to run in the mornings then lift after work and shoot.
Saw 2 black bears this evening, going after them in the morning
I am not doing near enough. Time to change that.
Drew a bighorn tag so I'm working on getting in "Sheep Shape, If I can kill a ram without using all my vacation time I should be in shape to elk hunt week 1!
Congrats on the sheep tag, consider me jealous!
switched to light beer.
no really, i am moving to north idaho in october,hoping to go on my first elk hunt.
ive lost about 25# just watching my diet but i really dont exercise and havent done anything special.
i have a feeling i am in for a rude awakening from what you all are saying.
Never too late to start bud! I suggest hitting hills with a weighted pack, some of these mountains are real quad busters!
Won't be targeting Elk, but I do dream about the mountains!! However, I do make some pretty decent hikes here in the whitetail woods.
I'm doing Olympic lifting routine Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri, and a weighted pack workout on Sat. The Oly lifts have done wonders for my flexibility and overall strength.
Pushin the old lawn mower (no motor) around the last couple of days, and I just put in the application for an Elk B tag in couple areas outside of my usual stomping grounds. off to a slow start!