Hey guys, I was just curious what toll hunting season has on your body? I've read other threads where people have said they are sore after sitting in a stand all day but I'm curious of other health matters. For instance, last October after hunting a week in Colorado for elk, I developed Achilles tendonitis from over exertion. Basically it felt like my achilles needed oil because everytime I moved it creaked. I also lost 8 lbs that week. I recovered and when November rolled around I was in my stand for 10 straight days and lost an addition 6 lbs. I lift 4 times a week and take care of my body so it was a shock to see how much I lost. I think carrying a pack and climber a mile or so a day helped in the process, not to mention using extra energy to stay warm.
Basically exhaustion in years past. I have learned to balance my life and hunting now that I have an active family and three small children. If I know I can hunt 2-3 times in an upcoming week, then I don't feel quit as bad if I miss a hunt due to exhaustion. It actually benefits me in the long run when I tone it down for a few days here and there. Maintaining a healthy diet, vitamins, and exercising at least twice a week during the hunting season keeps me going strong all season.
Yeah .. I am similair as Jeff ..just not that light :D I have already lost 10 pounds from all the waling and climbing ... my area is a 1 mile walk back ...4 times a day, every day with way less food ..its comin off, Baby!! :D
I haven't lost weight. I ain't trying, momma knows how to cook.:p The biggest toll that hunting takes on my body is on my knees from turning in the stand without picking up my feet. It's also quiet hard on my back. The back pain could be helped by loosing a few I am sure.
I usually gain 2-5 pounds. I normally lift weights and some form of cardio (running, basketball) 4-5 days a week. During hunting season, I usually take that time off from working out. I was very busy during the late summer and didn't get to the gym as much as I'd have liked, so lets just say I'm making my best effort to workout 2-3 days a week this hunting season. I also feel like I have more energy when I'm working out on a regular basis.
I'm the opposite Vito. I think I lose muscle mass and therefore it adds to my weight loss. I'm 6'1" and weigh 210 and will be under 200 come December.
I usually gain about 2-3 pounds as I am constantly eating carbohydrates while on long sits. After hunting all day in the freezing cold, all I want to do is see my kids, take a hot shower, and sleep. That doesn't add to a real healthy body. But this year I have been doing good so far. Right at about 216-217 as compared to 227 just 6 months ago.
There is alot of variables here .....there as a time I owned my own land and I wlked very little and used the 4-wheeler to take my deer out and went to my house for lunch ...lets just say my weight went in the opposite direction Now, I am putting on at least 5 miles a day for an all day hunt and pack light stuff to eat at the car .... so the weight comes off... and Jeff ... you can thank The Lord I don't unleash on you
I definitely lose some muscle mass, but my diet is the biggest reason I gain weight. I normally eat pretty healthy, but it goes hand-in-hand with working out. If I'm not at the gym, what I eat starts to "slip". So its my body fat % that suffers more than my loss of muscle mass.
sometimes i just hit a wall, due to lack of sleep, but i can usually go pretty strong for a long time, ive always had high energy levels.. hiking my old butt around these mountains keeps me in good cardio shape.. If I just force myself to go on those tired days I always feel great once I get out there.. refreshes me everytime!
Well last year i weighed in at 250lbs in the month of July, by the end of January this year I was down to 213lbs :D. All because I walked every where, usually up to 40 miles a week with my bow on my back. I did it because it was healthy, in my mind it was stealthier than a quad or driving to a spot and walking 1/4 mile to my spot, and I just like the woods. At his point and time I am at 220 lbs, hopefully lower by jan. because I'm walking more and exercising. That and I'm going to basic for Airforce come feb.
I find treestand hunting to be the least active activity possible. I couldn't imagine loosing so much weight through a season. Do you guys not eat? :D
I wish I could say hunting helped me lose weight lol... I'm fortunate enough to be able drive a half mile down the road, park at my Grandma's house, walk across the road, and be on our property. Considering all of the stand locations, I'd say my longest walk is probably around 10 minutes. However, I also don't gain weight while hunting, I just stay at my happy medium. The only toll it really takes on my is sleep deprivation because I usually only get around 5.5 hours of sleep per night on the weekends that I go home to hunt.
No but I rarely walk farther than 600-700 yards, which too be considered as exercise is stretching it a bit in my mind.
All depends what you are doing the rest of the year. For someone who does not exercise and is overweight, walking 600 yards a few times a week can result in weight loss. Most of my walks to where I hunt are around 800 yards. I usually have 35 lbs or so strapped to my back while walking through terrain. While I don't think of it as exercise, I certainly wouldn't call it easy. I don't lose weight during the season though, just saying for someone who doesn't exercise, it would definitely be strenuous.
yeah I understand that. I guess I just never viewed it as exercise. Running a few miles, hiking in hills with 60 lb packs, hitting the gym, just never connected walking to the stand with exercise. Well, I never connected it with loosing weight (if you weren't TRYING to loose weight), heck half a sandwich offsets that walk to the stand, and I eat PLENTY of half sandwiches. lol
