Got back at 3 am this morning. Got all the sheet rock hung and formed up a foundation to pour on Tuesday. I'll miss out on that but back in the gym tomorrow for four weeks. Back to Wyoming on 8/30/13 for deer and elk hunting. It sure was nice the last week with highs in the low 80's and nights in the 50's! 106 here in Texas today.
Ran 5 miles Sunday morning and started week 6 of Insanity on Monday. Backpacked a couple miles yesterday after my workout, and I feel it today.
I hiked up to the wallow about a mile and a half then hiked about two miles to a little beaver pond to fly fish. I only have 10more days
Hiked 4.5 miles Monday with loaded pack with everything I'll take except bow, arrows, tp, wet wipes. All up and down long hill that I hike on. Ran 5 flat miles Tuesday. Hiked 6 miles with loaded pack yesterday on hill. Going to run 5 miles again tonight and get some shooting in. Still shedding some pounds. Eating light with nutrition isn't my favorite thing, but it seems to be working well. Hoping to repeat this workout for the next month. With at least 5 miles running or 4.5 miles hiking hill each day. A few days before we take off I'll probably take it easier to rest up. Need to get more shooting in. The getting in shape is taking a lot of time. One month and I'll be gasping for air in the mountains. I'm seriously freaking out with excitement. I would say I'm excited as a kid for christmas, but I'm much more excited than that.
I was going to pull the trailer up and get camp set up but we have a couple thunder bumpers going through. If any of ya have ever tried to pull a trailer up on a dirt road on the mountain and set up camp with lighting all around ya.... ya'll know what I mean. So tomorrow morning it is. I hunt in 9 days
Christine your tougher then me. Thats a drive. I do Kansas once to twice a year and that's all I want to do. When ya going to be settled in?
Two years ago while Elk hunting we got 36 hours of straight rain. You would be surprised how many people were doing this. Several of them slid off of the little road we were on an had to wait until it dried to move their trucks.
This may make me sound like a pansy, but I'm gonna ask it anyways. I've been working out pretty hard, but I've never hunted in the mountains. I'm scared that I'm not gonna be even remotely close to good enough shape to hack it. What have been your guys' experiences the first time you hunted in the mountains?
I was born and breed in the mountains. I still hike around and fish in the off season. I think cardio is your big thing. It might take a day or so to get use to the elevation. I think you will do great. I told my boys growing up "the city is what man has made, the mountains is what god has made. Thats why I spend my time in the mountains" The best advice I can give is enjoy the trip.
Well, I started up the Insanity workout and meal plan to get in tip top shape for season and I've been shooting at the 3D like crazy. I've been out camping on my property and shooting from elevation in real hunting situations. We had 2 fawns walk by as we were taking shots on "bucky" (name of my 3D target) and I think they ran off screaming "HE'S SHOOTING DADDY!!!". It was pretty cool. We are putting the cameras out this weekend and will probably pull them a week or so before season starts here which is in 50 days...God please let it get here soon...
Snake, you are going to be fine. No question about it. You are doing more than the majority of elk hunters I know personally; no kidding! A lot of it will depend on the terrain you hunt but honestly the big thing is how quick you catch your breath after a steep climb. Doing what you are doing will allow you to recover quickly, no question. My first time hunting elk after being away from it for many years was in 2007 when I turned 50. I had moved to Texas ten years earlier and elk hunting was not even on my radar. To prepare I walked and went to the gym for weight training. Nothing crazy, just consistent. I threw in some light squats because of the climbing we would do, but nothing more. My buddy who lives in Wyoming works at a coal mine and is active but does not get a lot of cardio. He walks the stairs on the coal silos a few times a week and that is about it. Neither of us had any trouble. Could I keep up with a 25 year old......? Well actually I did, three of them! :D You will be fine, I promise!
While I have yet to do any elk hunting, I have done a very limited amount of hiking around on the mountains now. I think JGD is spot on. As an old and fat flatlander, I found that I need to stop and catch my breath on the real steep stuff but I can recover fairly quickly. I can't keep up with the younger local guys but I'm not as far behind them as you might think. If I did some cardio that would help. The thing that would hinder me on actual hunt is that my legs begin to turn to jelly after a few miles. Particularly when I'm going downhill. It's mostly my quads. I would highly recommend doing lots of squats.
Ok, well that makes me feel better then. I ran 8.1 miles nonstop this morning and still have to do my workout this afternoon, so if I can't make it by doing those sorts of things then I don't think that elk hunting is for me. I don't know what else I would be able to do to get ready, so I'm feeling a lot better about it now. Thanks.
You will do great. I have elk camp set up. Shot my broad-heads again just so I felt good about my set up. I got my Camo washed and binned up. I got to go out of town tell Thursday night. Buy food and get things loaded Friday and I am gone
Can't wait to hear some stories and see some pics. I am about to lose my mind, I'm so excited. I am thinking about elk 24/7 at this point. Figured out exactly where we will be camping, and it's about 4.5 miles in for the base camp. From there, we will pair up and spread out (if all 4 guys end up going). I want to hear my first bugle sooooooo bad!
Trimmed out a couple lanes new tree today ... There is always deer in this field corner come dinner time!
