How old is too old to apply for physical hunts?

[MS 9x56]

Had my knees replaced 4 years ago. I am 69 and still hunting deer and bear. The main thing is to eat right and stay in shape. I do a lot of walking and hiking year around.

 

[noharleyyet]

Hard and physically demanding is rather subjective and you likely won’t get a very definitive answer. I think that is a highly variable and personal question.

To the question posed to Randy, what you do or don’t do in your 30s, 40s and 50s will become evident. Pay the piper now or later. When I was in my early 30s my fitness was slipping rapidly as I allowed work and family demands to dominate my life without making time for fitness.

At about 35, I made a conscious decision to reverse that and began running again. A lot. I got in great shape, lost 30 pounds, could hike all day…..but then the chronic injuries started cropping up. Over the next 8 years I began increasing the strength training I did. Injuries decreased and physical performance did not.

Fast forward to today. Three days a week I do a short (20 minute) HIIT workout with kettlebells. You could easily do this at home. At first, I was reluctant to try it. My norm was a 60-75 minute weight workout, that was what I knew and it worked. I’ve been doing this KB workout for almost three years now.

Push day, pull day, run day, total body day. Hunt or mountain bike over the weekend. We hike the dogs 2-3 miles 4-5x times a week. The fitness level I’ve been able to maintain really surprised me in a very good way. I’ve watched my same age friends slow much quicker than I am.

Father Time has no mercy. Invest in your health now or you’ll regret it later.

Well hell Jason, wish this thread had aged better. No pun…

 

[El Jason]

Well hell Jason, wish this thread had aged better. No pun…

It is ironic, isn’t it?

 

[Bullshot]

@ 50 now. I probably struggle more mentally than physically. Not having a consistent hunting partner for western hunts is a problem. Solo is tough. And getting tougher. I have many great hunts left to draw, and I'm getting jealous of those with family or hunting friends to help out. I plan around it though, and mostly still prefer it. For now. Foot problems, elbow problems are a drag. But I am better at the process, even if not as physically resilient, than I was at 25. At this point I am increasingly appreciative of each year and plan to do it, solo if I must, for next 15 years or so. After that I think will be bonus time. If I lived out west I'd say the next 25, but the drives are killing me!

 

[noharleyyet]

It is ironic, isn’t it?

Know the feeling…

 

[Straight Arrow]

"The fitness level I’ve been able to maintain really surprised me in a very good way. I’ve watched my same age friends slow much quicker than I am."

It's not just luck, Harley ... as obviously you work at it. You are likely blessed with good health also.

Attitude of dedication to regimen is paramount in maintaining the fitness, and I always feel more improvement is possible ... although often my aging body tells me otherwise.
Hanging in there and meeting the chronological challenges sometimes has its rewards. I brought home the gold from the Ice Breaker 3-mile race in Great Falls last April ... as I was the only duffer over 80 yr old to run the race.

 

[noharleyyet]

It's not just luck, Harley ... as obviously you work at it. You are likely blessed with good health also.

Attitude of dedication to regimen is paramount in maintaining the fitness, and I always feel more improvement is possible ... although often my aging body tells me otherwise.
Hanging in there and meeting the chronological challenges sometimes has its rewards. I brought home the gold from the Ice Breaker 3-mile race in Great Falls last April ... as I was the only duffer over 80 yr old to run the race.

Reading your fitness chronicles and pic posts never cease to amaze...