Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting I feel old as F

Irving D: 41! I laughed when I read your answer.
Try some high altitude Elk Hunting (8,000'!) when you are 74!
Did that last year.
You learn to deal with the terrain, elements and elevation with a much more patient regimen (i.e. - go slower!).
See you in 33 years - he-he.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I am only a year older than you OP....you're plenty young enough. Barring health issues which it doesn't sound as if that is the case here, it is all mental once you stretch your legs a bit and make that hike a few more times.

If you're from a low state, high altitude elk country can really hammer you. A lot of guys go to CO and crap out. Here in Idaho, it's high, but not like CO. We usually hunt around 7 to 9k with many good hunts lower than that. When you top 60, getting in shape for 8k can be a chore but 10+ can be impossible.

Let see. Hoping to draw buck archery here in Co and rifle bull tag. I may be old at 80 but I'm not dead.

Ill be 76 in 2 months. I do pretty good, but I have noticed that if I slack off on the exercises and hiking it's harder to get it back. I try to stay in good shape year around. Old age ain't for sissies.

Old age and weight gain can be insidious. I'm 64 and still working for another year or so.

But... I had a recent knee issue that has slowed me down a bunch. I walk less. So I've gained weight and the knee hurts more. So I walk less.

I know what I gotta do, but ...

The Dead song, Touch of Grey has a line that says "It's even worse than it appears"...

Word...

I'm 72 this year. Planning to hunt elk for years to come. I don't hunt as fast as I once did, but I'm persistent. Good luck with getting in shape. Not only will you hunt, but life will be better overall!

I solo hunted a bull elk in the Glade Park herd at 49 with a fused ankle, and found out a day after I got back I was positive for COVID. That elk hunt flat out kicked my a$$! Literally exhausted everyday of the hunt, and it was really difficult ro drag myself out of the cot every morning. I didn't find the bull of my dreams, but I got a bull the last morning. OnX said I hiked about 40 miles in five days of hunting.

I was worried back in Sep 2015 when I shattered my ankle I was done hunting in the mountains. A year of missed work, an ankle that doesnt flex, and not able to help my daughter on her first elk hunt because I wasnt ready in Nov 2016 and was told to stay at the truck, put me into a pretty deep depression for awhile. I managed to pull myself out of the funk I was in. I just had to realize I wasnt going to make it back to 100% again as far as my mobility, but I could be 100% of what mobility I had left.

It's all about the "WANT", and if you want it bad enough you'll get an elk hunt done. Just don't give up mentally, and you'll be okay. I sure felt accomplished when I got my bull back to camp and no one can take that away from me.

However, I don't want to solo hunt elk again if I can help it!

I'll be 61 next month. I still backpack, hike, etc., and as of this past year, still do solo backpack elk hunts (wilderness area elk hunts on my own two feet are the only ones I'm interested in). I've done enough elk hunting that I've lost the vast majority of interest I had in doing it - life moves on. However, I plan on staying in "elk hunting shape" for the remainder of my life, even if I decide to quit elk hunting. But, at least for a while, I know what will happen - fall will arrive, and that desire will somehow resurrect, even if a bit diminished!

I've never elk hunted but I have heard a few bugles in the woods and I think the sound of that would be enough to get me out each year.

65 this year. Last year torn meniscus and then just when better a chance of cartilage broke. No hunting for me last year. Now I'm in week 12 of a knee replacement. Not going as good as I would like. Didn't draw a tag this year either. Now thinking that may be a blessing as this knee may not be ready. But need to decide if I want to put in for a cow tag. Dang....at my age I hate to miss another season so think ill put in. Plus it will help with getting in shape mentally. Oh to be 40 and have the time to hunt.

I'm 73 and one of my partners is 76. The last 2 years we've opted for a late cow hunt in an area that's a lot flatter than where we've hunted for the last 20 years. 2 years ago 5 of us got 4 cows and last year 3 of us got 2 cows and were darn lucky to find those. It's a wintering area and because of the warm fall, they didn't move down until Dec. On the last day of Nov, we found a herd of 9 with 2 cows and were able to get them both. We had to walk 1.5 miles to get at them but it was all flat desert, no climbing at all. That's much easier on old legs.

I remember whipping myself into shape for high elevation (for me anyways) hunting with a month of focused effort. Not no more, and not for a long time.

For many years it's been 5 miles a day, 6 days a week up and down a mountain trail packing a 30lb slab of iron on my back and a Garand sans sling. That Garand makes using *any* rifle during hunting season seem like one of them new-fangled "mountain" rifles. Coupled with that are pushups, then shed the backpack and crank out crunches (unless the trailhead is sloppy wet, then I do those back at the shack).

I like to have 1,000 miles in by the time I head out for elk. I use up a pair and a half of boot soles each year. Just turned 68.

This may be my last year to seriously elk hunt. Worn out knees, arthritis, side effects from cancer treatments, and Father Time have all taken their toll on my old frame. My wife says that I said that every year for the past 10 years. Happy Trails

I think Brad & T Inman, B Winters and others nailed their posts.

I fully hear your concern & actually just responded to your original post. I’m 51 now. I have luckily (fortunately) had fitness in my ethos as a Scandinavian for my whole life - BUT - I’ve got a life long hunt mate friend that has struggled with being in & out of shape due to his career path. He stays positive & does his absolute best every day which is super hard & very welcome in my camp. I’m a huge believer in being mentally positive & having a fun time ahead of current physical limitations. Cheerfulness counts more than you know.

Hunting slowly is not a liability - it could be used to your benefit. Go as slow as you need, ignore us on the internet and do your personal thing. Just never, never quit hunting. Gradually put yourself into the ‘spot’ that you’ve researched on the map.

A thought that crosses my mind often is that being in the field - regardless of being in the ideal spot - will over time provide you with an opportunity. Stay afield - as far as your personal limits allow - then stay 15 minutes more.

We’ll cheer you on! Go get’em.

Everything has to be modified when we age and it becomes increasingly important to eat healthy , as for me, not being able to work the physical jobs I once did, my muscle mass has dwindled. While my weight is manageable , it still needs to be moved up the mountain with wimpy muscles and joints. Old injuries take their toll!

The difference in my abilities from 64 to 68 are marked. The slide is logarithmic, not simply arithmatic.

I'm a couple of years behind you and this seems to happen to me now every year. I just can't seem to give it up. I'm sure nature and time will tell me when it is time. It drives my wife nuts that I still do the solo backpack hunting for a week to ten days at a time. She has received much comfort from my implementation of the Garmin InReach Explorer+.

After you posting that picture in LD’s azz thread I have no sympathy. 😁😂🤣🤣

I wouldn’t either🤣. I had planned on a elk or moose hunt for my 40th my friend talked me into fishing Panama instead I’m glad he did