Fitness for hunting

[Cut N Run]

I used to run 3-5 miles every day and then do 275-300 push-ups all before work.   April 21st 2006 I got hit by a drunk driver which limited what I can physically do. At 47 years old,I had to give up hockey (because I couldn't stand another head or spine injury). I still walk daily and do exercises with thera-bands (giant rubber bands).The push-ups are out because my shoulder took most of the impact and needs further surgery...it didn't stop me from hunting turkeys though! 

I can't get around as well as I used to. Staying in shape makes it easier for me to do what I can.  If I had not been as fit as I was, coming back might have been more difficult than it was.

Jim

[olesmoky12]

Sorry to hear about the accident. I lost a good friend a couple of years ago as a result of the same. I don't have a problem with people drinking but will never understand why they take a chance that could cause so much pain for innocent people that had nothing to do with such a poor decision.
People like yourself makes me ashamed for not being in perfect shape and ever complaining about anything.
 
Glad that you are able to still enjoy lifes simple pleasures.

[turk2di]

ORIGINAL: JPH

This is a repeat of a thread I started on the old forum. Thought it might be worth bringing it up again.

How much do you think a hunter's level of physical fitness impacts their safety and success in the field? And secondly, what kinds of things do you do, if any, to physically prepare yourselves for hunting season.

Personally, I think it is a huge factor and widely overlooked. There is so little written or said about it. Maybe we can change that.

There is no doubt in my mind that lack of being in good physical condition saves many a gobbler. Now if your hunting a farm with limited range, being in shape may well be a non-factor. However, if your hunting large tracts of land, it can mean the difference in hunting past noon & going home by 10am. Being in top condition  helps promote confidence, which breds a large dose of " hang in there's" when the birds are quiet. But rest is equally important. Hunting all day may sound macho, but if its wearing you down both physically & mentally, it becomes a safety issue.  I used to walk 4 miles a day as fast as i could walk for 2-3 months leading up to turkey season, but with loss of so much ground to hunt, i haven't pushed myself as much the past couple years.

[turk2di]

ORIGINAL: Cut N Run

I used to run 3-5 miles every day and then do 275-300 push-ups all before work.   April 21st 2006 I got hit by a drunk driver which limited what I can physically do. At 47 years old,I had to give up hockey (because I couldn't stand another head or spine injury). I still walk daily and do exercises with thera-bands (giant rubber bands).The push-ups are out because my shoulder took most of the impact and needs further surgery...it didn't stop me from hunting turkeys though! 

I can't get around as well as I used to. Staying in shape makes it easier for me to do what I can.  If I had not been as fit as I was, coming back might have been more difficult than it was.

Jim

 Your my hero![;)]

[allaboutshooting]

This is really a great subject. In the spring and summer months, staying fit is no problem for me since we have a lot of outside work to do. We raise apples, peaches, pears, grapes, blueberries, raspberries and lots of food crops. We also have a number of nut trees and there's always a lot of grass to mow and trees to trim. Unfortunately, the winter months are a real downfall for me. I hunt a lot but find that with each passing year, I dislike the cold more and more and just don't enjoy other "winter sports" as much as I did.

Each spring, I find that I'm really not prepared for the hills that I hunt. I've usually gained a few pounds and my legs and lungs are just not in the shape they need to be. That can be a real problem in the bluffs by the Mississippi River that I hunt. I notice that the fall hunts are much easier and I enjoy them more because I'm in shape by that time of year.

Doris and I plan to join a gym this winter and "really go" at least 3 times a week. Hopefully that way, we'll be more ready for hills and big birds in the spring.

Thanks,
Clark

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: cajunmoe

Hey olesmokey12, I am no expert like JPH...

 
Woh! Watch the name calling! [:D] I am far from anything that resembles that dirty word.
 
But for what it's worth, I'll try to sum up my exercise philosophy. Whatever you do, do it with intensity. Ditch the long, drawn out aerobic workouts or spending hours in a weight room (where people spend more time at the drinking fountan or on their cell phone than on the weights). Some of my best routines are 10-15 minutes in length and require little or no equipment.
 
If you have let it get away from you, then be realistic. Taking a hike on uneven ground may be all it takes to wear you out. Don't get discouraged! Instead, attack that hike with as much intensity as you can. For example, pick a challenging trail and see how far you can go in 15 minutes, letting your slow return trip be your recovery period. Now you have a benchmark. Every time you hit that trail, try to reach that mark in less and less time. Mix in a weighted pack when you feel up to it. When that gets easy, carry the pack in your arms or even over your head. My point is that it does not always need to be about how far you go or how long you are out there. it is about how hard you are willing to push yourself.
 
One more thing. Be honest with yourself. Please do not push yourself beyond the limitations that age, injury or general health has placed on you. Structural pain in the joints, numbness or chest pain mean STOP and see a doctor (seriously). That being said, don't be too easy on yourself either. Sore muscles, sweat and heavy breathing are what you are striving for.

[Cut N Run]

quote]
Your my hero![;)]
[/quote]
 
Thanks for the compliment, but please don't think too highly of me.  I'm just a regular guy who loves to turkey hunt that was put in a bad situation by someone else who made a series of bad decisions behind the wheel.  I wish I could change things back to the way they were before, but I can't, and life's too short to sit around and watch it go by.  I am going to do whatever it takes to get back to the best condition I can.   Even if it hurts some when I shoot a shotgun, I am thankful for the chance to be able to hunt at all.
 
A friend of mine knows two other guys who were in similar wrecks to mine.  One was killed instantly, and the other is trying to learn how to walk and talk again and will be wearing diapers the rest of his life, then there's me.  I'm happy to be drawing breath and to get a second chance at life. I gotta make the most of it. Turkey hunting is just what I do, just like hockey used to be.  I was never a great hockey player anyway, but I worked to get better at it and I made myself a good teammate by being in shape and as strong as possible (didn't want to be the weak link in the chain).
I miss playing hockey, but now I  have more free time to hunt.[:)]
 
Jim

[allaboutshooting]

Hey Jim,

I just re-read your post and would like to congratulate you for both your "come back" and for sharing your story. Maybe this will help some as well.

In 1979, I was hit by a driver while riding a bicycle and dragged under his car for 57'. I was fortunate that I was not directly run over by one of the wheels but when his vehicle stopped, I was totally under the car along with the bike which was strapped to my feet. I'd managed to hang on the the bumper as I was sliding along the pavement, eating sand and asphalt until just before he stopped. I still remember my thoughts as this was happening.

I was fortunate, all things considered and with several months of therapy, I was able to regain most of the range of motion in my legs and arms. I can still well remember my first steps after the accident.

At the time of that incident, I was a competitive cyclist, competing in criteriums, point to point races, time trials, 6 day races, etc. and my fitness level undoubtedly helped in my recovery. I went on to race in the national championships 4 years later.

I only mention this to say that with the determination that you've already demonstrated, I'm sure you'll do just fine. An awful lot of recovery is just never giving up or giving in to the pain. We may live with some but after a while it just becomes a part of who we are and maybe we can help others through some tough times.

My very best to you.

Thanks,
Clark

[Cut N Run]

Thanks for the kind words and for sharing your story Clark. Overcoming adversity makes doing anything that much more rewarding.
 
My fitness helped me during recovery too ( but the emergengy room & ICU nurses never want to see me again I'm told).  I was put in restraints so I didn't injure them or myself further (apparently common with head injury patients).  I don't remember anything until two weeks after the wreck and only little pieces for a couple more weeks after that.
 
Jim
 
Ever wonder why my signature is what it is? ^That's part of it.

[allaboutshooting]

Hey Jim,

These "life experiences" are what makes us who we are and can change our outlook on life, rather dramatically. You've made yours into a positive approach and used the strength that you have to come back from a bad situation.

What we know is that we must deal with the pain from an incident long after the event that caused it has passed. It just becomes a part of our lives but others do and must go on with theirs. That can sometimes be a hard thing to face but we know it's true.

Memory is a strange tool. I'm convinced that our bodies block some memories just because they are too painful for us to relive. Since we can remember some very bad things that have happened to us, it's probably good that we can't remember others that must have been much worse.

I think a traumatic event can also give us a different perspective on life and what's important. It took a few of those for me, over an extended period of time but it finally happened. If I had a choice, I would not go through all of them again but I know the outcome, mentally and emotionally if not physically, is the correct one for me.

I've seen your signature and just equated it with hunting tukeys. Again, that shows how we all perceive things. We never truly know what makes a person who they are or at least what we see of them. I appreciate your insight.

Thanks,
Clark