How old is too old?

[justinspicher]

I started hunting a few years back with a great mentor for me who was about 15 years older than me. Our first hunt was a backcountry elk hunt in Montana. I learned more on that hunt than I think I ever learned on any other hunt. I like to go, get from point A to point B, but after I was shown how to slow down and how to enjoy the hunt, I sure had a much better time. I spent two solid years hunting with him, two elk hunts in Montana and a lot of whitetail hunting in Kansas. I've got almost 200 miles in training hikes with him. He's still going strong and I hope I am still chugging out the miles and enjoying hunting as much as he does in the next ten years and beyond.

 

[tttoadman]

My brother turned 50 and will be 49 this year. He stays in better shape than I do. We are built a little different. He has to try to gain weight, while I need to keep it off. We are very blessed with a metabolism that allows me to think about losing weight and I will be lighter the next day. A bit harder these days than a few years ago. We generally over-do it, but who doesn't. I have an in-reach, and spike camping to reduce all those extra miles is a big deal for us. Aleve and muscle relaxers at night is the key to success. We went a few years working to hard and not hunting. I wish we would not have missed those good years to be in the woods. I also tell everybody to just plan on me getting eaten by wolves in ID. I would be fine with that, just not quite yet.

 

[dreamingbig]

I am 38 yrs old this year. I am committed to doing what I can to be in the mountains hunting for the next 40 years God willing! So with that my daily diet and exercise is meant to support this goal 52 weeks a year. You can't cheat time but I am firm believer you can take steps to age better. Invest in yourself now! My kids are 7 and 3 (twin boys) so hopefully I will have them with me a decade from now.


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[Mark]

I didn't even think about how long I've been hunting. I started when I was 9 as a tag-along. Started carrying a gun at 12. Both of my boys started out as tag-alongs when they were 4-5. By 9 they were shooting ducks, chukar and turkeys. At 12 they were killing deer.

 

[TWGator]

Great thread! Great to feel young on the internet at 45. I think the last year or so I realized that you can't just wait till August and get in shape anymore. My attitude this year has been to be a little better this week than last, it doesn't always work out that way but hopefully that attitude will keep me going strong for decades to come.

 

[smoke]

I'm 57 and still at it. When I was young and had kids, I stayed so busy I really didn't have time to get in shape. Now it is much easier to hike around steep country than it was when I was 35. My advice is to keep your weight in check and work year around to stay fit. You don't have to spend a lot of time or money to do that - I work out about 3 to 3.5 hours a week in my basement and local hills.

 

[woodmoose]

as my grandson would say (in his best "super hero" voice),,,,,NO NO NEVER!!

I'm 55,,,,don't move like I did "back when" but still hit it,,,,,,know if guys in their 70s still at it,,,,,as others said, the body will let you know

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Well i'm 57 with multiple injuries from my younger days...you don't travel 300,000+ miles riding motorcycles (owned six, destroyed five, sold one) without sustaining some damage but my current workout is comparable to yours and nothing keeps me outta the backcountry...just carry a DeLorme Explorer and try not to fall down too hard. Gravity is your biggest threat in the field. Beyond that...age is not a number, it's a state of being. One way to stay young is to keep doing things guys your age don't do anymore. <g> All my hunts are done with guys younger than I am.

 

[archer wapiti]

You guys are an inspiring bunch, but seem to be more of the exception than the norm today. This fall will be the last hunt of my 30's. I've always believed that getting old isn't about waiting around to die, but getting out there while you can, and maintaining health in the meantime to keep doing what you love. I've had the privilege of making friends with a handful of folks who were still going strong in their 80s. None of them hunters, but all active in mind and body.
In 2013 I was 5 miles into the Gila Wilderness and ran into a guy in his late 60's/early 70's spiked out on the end of a ridge, sleeping under a blue tarp in the wettest conditions I've ever experienced down there. Last year, I ran into him again. He'd had a packer drop a camp for him that year, but still getting out there and doing it, and talking about next year. He's who I want to be when I'm that age.

 

[C Bow]

Age is a number. Whats in your HEART? You do not have to run over the mountain and maybe kill one walk over the mountain and kill them all. 61 and can not wait to get to Montana this year to hunt Sheep in the Unlimited areas. Please quit thinking about it and get up and go get it. Never give up NEVER. Good Luck and God Bless

 

[Blockcaver]

I will be 65 this fall. Going to the NWT for archery Dall sheep and a couple of northern BC diy bowhunts for moose, caribou and grizzly. I shot my archery stone sheep on a backpack diy hunt last August. I go slower than when I was younger but I still go. I try to hunt every month of the year and get a lot of time and variety in. I'm at about 30 days in 2017 with hopes of another 50 days or more.

I visited with a physiotherapist in 2016 to work through a knee issue. Through a simple exercise my knee is better than it has been in 7 years. Keep at it and good luck hunting as a "geezer".

 

[Fixitman]

About a year ago the sportsmen for Colorado podcast was Talking about the draw results for sheep and goat. An 83 yr old lady drew after putting in for 40+ years. Does anyone know how she did ?

 

[Ghost]

Im sure some of you are RMEF members, a few years ago there was an article in the Bugle about some older guys went up the snake river elk hunting. The one guy killed a spike, he started packing it out, called for his buddy to come up and help him, he fell on the way up, so he spent the night on the mountain, next day they got the elk out and caught a jet boat, made it back in town in time to celebrate his 84 birthday.

May we all still be doing this at 84!!

 

[Poltax]

I will be 60 in about a week. Just went out and placed trail cameras on Thursday. Dropped down 1300 ft and up the other side 300 ft and then turned around and retraced our way back out. I was pretty tired getting back up. But I did it and will need to do it again to retrieve the cameras and go back in to hunt if we have good pics.

 

[Calineman]

Being that I am going to be turning 55 years old in August, I am interested in hearing from any older backpack hunters on the forum and how you are making out. I am in pretty good shape, but I need to loose another 15-20 lbs. I also struggle with lung capacity it seems. I do get up at 4 a.m. 3-4 mornings a week and throw a 35-40lb pack on and do 3-4 miles. I live in Oklahoma though, so it isn't that big of a challenge. I have no injuries or anything like that, but I am wondering if it is time to change my style of hunting because of possibility of injury. You know the mind says I am twenty, but maybe sooner or later my body is going to tell me I'm not. I have 3-4 backpack hunts planned over the next year, but I am starting to wonder why there are no older gentlemen on this forum lol.

Ron

58 this fall and no sign letting up. Stay in shape year round, eat right and never give up. I solo backcountry hunt mostly with a bow.

I know quite a few 30 year olds that can't hack it hiking in. Go for it. Listen to your body and base the following year off that.

58 this fall. No sign of letting up. Train year round eat right. I solo archery hunt in the backcountry and cant imagine not going hunting. Set fitness goals outside of hunting.

 

[87TT]

While I don't "backpack" anymore. I am 70 and still hunt solo in the mountains here and camp out when doing so. 10 mile plus days happen a lot. My hunting pack weighs about 24-25 pounds not counting my bow.

 

[Buckshotaz]

65 years old here, grew up and hunted all over the west and Alaska, First thing I learned is you do not need to pack way back into the hills to have an enjoyable successful hunt. Be smart about it, don't go where it is crowed, let you binoculars do the walking for you. Do your research and know the area as far as roads and access. And if you still need to shoot something in a big nasty canyon, bring your kids to birddog for you.

Just my $.02s

 

[Ariettabob]

Killed my 1st sheep at 64. Full walk in backpack hunt in the Alaska Range. If it wasn’t for an accident 5 months later I’d be headed to the NWT next week. It’s a mental game. Keep pushing both the plate away and the workouts to new heights.

 

[mtwarden]

https://rokslide.com/forums/forums/the-over-sixty-hunter.134/

 

[rcb2000]

At 77, my Dad was with me every step of my hunt. Maybe slower, but he got there.
He walks three days a week, at altitude, with weight, and it gets him ready by hunting season.
This year he has a tag in the exact same unit and hunt. Don’t let age keep you from hunting, exercise more, eat well, take care of yourself, and you can enjoy many more years of good hunting.