Older middle aged guys

[peterk123]

Those of you that are in your mid fifties and sixties, are you doing much backcountry hunting? I am a flatlander from the east coast that will be semi-retiring soon. I am a pretty active guy and still hang in there mountain biking with the twenty something years old, but I am smart enough at my age to know that carrying a bunch of gear and an animal up and down the mountains is a different ball game. Are you still using your feet, or are you limited to motorized vehicle locations or use animals?

Kind of depressing thinking about your mortality, or ability to do things


Thanks

Pete

 

[manitou1]

I solo hunt out West every fall. Am 59. Packed out an entire mule deer 2 miles last Oct. I packed out a huge whitetail buck about 1 1/4 mile this season also. Kicks my azz, but rewarding. I do have that little bug on my shoulder saying:"should you be doing this alone?" every step of the way. I do not elk hunt solo as I think it would be a bit much.

 

[prm]

54, and still back country hunt. I did pack out a bull elk last year. Many miles, very steep. Ugh. For solo I’d keep it to a couple miles, or get horses to do it.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I am a little younger than you, but I have come to realize that most people who do western style hunting (therefore a high % of your audience) live out west and are in the hills year round, whether it is Alaska, colorado, etc. So when someone who lives in Alaska and is 65 yrs old raises his hand and says he still goes dall sheep hunting every year solo, he has probably been doing it for 40 yrs, and probably is doing a fair amount of climbing the rest of the year, so not really a fair comparison to living back East and doing cardio at sea level. Having said that, I know a guy who lives in Florida who goes on a backpack sheep hunt every year, but he also exercises like crazy and all with mountain hunting in mind.

All this to say, you have plenty of years of backpack hunting in your future if you want it, but you are going to have to go outside of common exercise routines and really focus on preparing for that one activity vs. Someone who lives and recreates in that environment and does similar activities year round.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I am hitting my late forties. Lots of mileage on the frame.

I find I have to be very consistent about training fitness. Harder to make gains and quicker to decondition if I don’t stay on top of it. The muscle Nd fitness stuff doesn’t help much. Functional fitness with an emphasis on joint stability, durability and range of motion. I feel like you also need to train for what you are going to ask your body to do on the hunt. Until recently I was based in the NYC suburbs along the Long Island sound. I looked like an idiot walking around with a loaded pack but it tuned me up for the hills.

 

[peterk123]

Good to read these comments. Hopefully many more to come. We actually will be moving to Montana so I will be working hard to get acclimated to hiking distances out there. I will not even bother with a hunting license my first season out there. I will just be hiking, exploring, watching and learning the area.

 

[5MilesBack]

I'm 55 and have been hunting in CO for decades. This year was the first year that I really felt limited to any degree. Pretty sure I had covid earlier this year as my lungs never did go back to normal (and they're still tight almost 10 months later), and they just wouldn't keep up with me this season. And my knees were as bad as they've ever been as well. But I took a moose and a sheep, so I can't complain too much. This was the first year in quite some time that I didn't have an elk tag, I turned one in to concentrate on moose. I'm just glad I'm a bowhunter, as my lungs almost shut down when I suck in the real cold air. But in a normal year I have no problem going up solo and chasing elk all season.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Congrats on the Montana move. FWIW some of the fittest 60 somethings I know spend an awful lot of time just walking on steep terrain.

 

[Fatcamp]

Diet, exercise, mindset.

 

[Wapiti1]

I will not even bother with a hunting license my first season out there.

Unless you would have to try in the non-resident lottery for tags, buy the tags. Even if you have to get a non-res tag, buy the tags. Once you are there, I think that you'll feel differently about not having tags. At least a deer tag.

Montana is what you make of it. Day hunts from camp or a truck all the way to 10 miles in if you feel that's needed (it's not). I've hunted there my whole life and rarely pack in. You just don't have to to get into good hunting. There is also a lot of non-mountain hunting. Another nice part of Montana is that it's not all that high. Most of it, the hunting, outside of goats, tops out at 8000 so you hunt between 5000-8000 for much, if not, all of the season. Not like CO where you may not come below 7000 and may stay at 10,000 a lot.

As for age and hunting, I'm not going to be much help at 43. I haven't slowed down much, but was never fast up the mountain to start. I think it's more about doing it a few times, and getting what works for you down than pure physical ability. Just finding the right pack can make or break what you are willing to do.

Jeremy

 

[cnelk]

56 - soon to be 57.

Dont have a problem hunting elk every year. Seems like I kill them when Im by myself. Then call a friend or 2
But Ive taken my share off the mtn by myself too.

I dont go fast anymore. Used to tho. But when I figured out that slower is better, the success rates went thru the roof.

 

[Razz]

63 last month and still at it. I don’t run up the hills as quick as the kids do, but do keep after it all day. I will admit that I got an atv this summer, use it sometimes to get me farther in and then hoof it from there. Staying active is key since retirement 3 years ago. Active on our county SAR team, ski at least 3 days a week, row all winter in the basement and summers in a kayak or drift boat. Living at 6200 ft and hiking at 8000 to 10000 sure helps. Good luck on the Montana move!

 

[Rich M]

I'm your age - desk jockey - flat lander. I'm not worried about trying to go hunt for 10 days with my camp on my back - just doesn't do anything for me. Truck camping or renting a cabin is just fine.

The effort vs reward thing is big for me. I'll get up and leave early to go walk 2-4 miles a day before work, maybe some pushups or other strength exercises. The conditioning is limited to what I need to be able to do. I'm not gonna go crazy on a diet or prep for a marathon to go hunt for 2 weeks. Aint happening.

Antelope - not worried about walking 10 miles a day.
Muleys - has potential for 10+ miles a day so I'm in good enough shape to do that when going.
Not interested in elk or sheep. Might do elk someday but not high on list.
Whitetails are usually 5-6 miles a day walking in and out of stands and such.
Need to be able to lift x amount and will be ready for that.

Its all about what you want to do. Iff'n you feel the need to climb every mountain, then go do it.

Fatcamp hit the nail on the head w mindset. If you got that, you'll be fine. If not, you'll be like all the young guys who talk up a storm and then head home after 3 days of not seeing a trophy animal. They don't have the mindset.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I’m 65; still get in there though I’ve made some changes; I won’t pack a front and a rear at the same time anymore-been that way for a while. Don’t go four or five days solo for elk anymore, tho I’ll still do solo deer. Injuries do catch up with a guy eventually and I’m just not as tough as I used to be. Some one else mentioned diet exercise and mindset; very important. What is just as important is getting out and moving in rough country, just walking the dog in a field as opposed to the trail kind of thing. Helps keep the brain and feet working together.

 

[mlgc20]

My dad is 72. He's not really into hunting. But, he is a serious backpacker. We go to Yellowstone every year and do a hardcore backcountry fishing trip. And he just rode his bike from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh (300ish miles). If he wanted to, he could do a backcountry elk hunt with no problem. Truth be told, he's in better shape than I am.

 

[brsnow]

I hunt with my 73 year old father in law. We do it by feet. Just take our time and more trips. I appreciate his desire to hunt non-motorized areas and keep the backcountry the backcountry. The experience of getting away from motors is impactful. Be smart and take your time.

 

[rayporter]

you can do it. sounds like you got the body for it. its the mind,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

71 now and i will go solo anytime i can around the mountains here. in colorado i may hav.e had my last elk trip at 70. i was solo and killed a bull at 69. but it was tough. the good thing was i had horses,

it was tough not going this year.

the drive out can be a killer. it wears on you and affects your plan.

too many issues now to hunt the high country but i will hunt the Ozarks solo and go to alaska with a bud. sea level helps!

get an inreach so you can communicate--at the least they will know where to find you.

 

[peterk123]

Thank you all for the great replies. Some very inspiring comments. I do not post too much here because there is so much incredible information available available by just hitting the search button. Thank you. Great site.

 

[Phaseolus]

I’m 61 and still backpack hunt but I can tell that I’m getting close to where I will have to go shorter distances. I’ve been hunting with some young guys and find that after 5 or 6 days of hunting hard that I am tired and sore and need to go home. I helped carry 2 elk out this year one of which was mine.

 

[Voyageur]

Mid 60's here and still hunt solo and pack animals out on my back. Also take wilderness backpack trips most sumers. If not that. then wilderness canoe trips with some long portages. Am thankful for the ability to still do so and feel very fortunate.
Concessions I've gradually made over the years include slowing down.
I've also learned to recognize when I'm pushing past my limits and cutting into my reserves.
Meat loads are lighter now than they used to be. I try to limit them to 50# or less if possible. The unit I'll be hunting moose in AK this next fall recently changed to requiring meat be left on the bone. Because of that I'll be bringing a roll-up plastic sled with me so I don't have to even attempt packing the quarters on my back (not sure I could even if I wanted to). Idea for the sled is courtesy of @AKDoc
Regarding fitness I gradually learned over the years to "train don't strain.",,,,a concept I picked up a decade or so ago from Dan John's book "Easy Strength" If a person isn't smart in their training as they get older (and ideally when they are younger) your training injuries will be just as debilitating as your "active" injuries. My criteria for a successful effective training session is feeling better both mentally and physically at the end of the session than I felt before it started.
Lastly age has made me realize none of this will last indefinitely. As much as we like to think we can control our destinies, the ability to enjoy wilderness is a gift. As a result I savor every opportunity all the while being aware of the fact each of us will one day go on our last _________________ (you fill in the blank).
To the OP...keep at it while you can, and be thankful you can.