|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6 |
I've been hunting deer up around 9k lately... I can say with some surety that being in really good aerobic shape greatly decreases the adjustment period/consequences of going low to high like the OP will be doing. IMO, weight training done right is just as important. One of the things an elk hunter needs to be able to do is roll out of bed, every day, even after a tough day. Training your body to recover quickly from a tough workout that would leave most people sore is a big benefit. Cardio doesn't get me that.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,657
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,657 |
one without the other, will simply leave you short
the Bob Marshall Open demonstrated that pretty well- without good cardio you simply wouldn't be able to put in big mile days (along w/ big ascents/descents); without strength training the miles of negotiating tangles of blowdowns would have been impossible- add 25 pounds to your back, sprinkle in some snow and it compounds the difficulty
ying and yang
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,066
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,066 |
Even Jim Wendler is pretty direct about the need to condition (cardio), even without something like elk hunting on the menu.
For Jim's training plans, he doesn't push tons of cardio, but still advises something like three-four 20 min sessions of hill sprints or sled work or similar in a given week's training plan.
For me, the endurance work I'm doing is about pushing my heart and lungs to get stronger and more efficient. The more capable my body is at delivering oxygen to my muscle tissue, the better, I figure.
So I have been working harder there than I have in the recent past. But I'm not ignoring my strength training either.....which is why I'm still doing my Wendler programming. (For those unfamiliar, it's a 4 week cycle, three weeks of progressive overload and week of deload, using 4 mains lifts.....bench, OHP, deadlift, and backsquat.....and accessory work for each main lift.)
Cardio to work my heart and lungs and body to efficiently handle an oxygen demand/deficit, strength training more to maintain than gain, but to keep my main lifts strong so I keep overall strength while working on cardio capacity and cutting some bodyweight. In essence, clinging to every little shred of muscle I can while cutting body fat so that I don't also lose muscle mass while cutting weight.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
I've been hunting deer up around 9k lately... I can say with some surety that being in really good aerobic shape greatly decreases the adjustment period/consequences of going low to high like the OP will be doing. IMO, weight training done right is just as important. One of the things an elk hunter needs to be able to do is roll out of bed, every day, even after a tough day. Training your body to recover quickly from a tough workout that would leave most people sore is a big benefit. Cardio doesn't get me that. I agree. I remember the first year I hunted elk, the patriarch of the camp said, the night before opening morning, "tomorrow the Bataan death march begins".... he was right... by the 3rd day there was a lot of groaning at 4:30 am when it was time to roll out of the cots. SO much blowdown up there... brutal. But speaking strictly of the altitude adjustment and my own experiences, being very strong aerobically really helps take the edge off. I would surmise that a strong aerobic system HAS more red blood cells? Or is more able to utilize what it's got? Of course some [bleep] just backpack up and shoot two cows opening day and are done with it.
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6 |
Of course some [bleep] just backpack up and shoot two cows opening day and are done with it. That sounds so easy when you say it like that. But those would be two guys who worked out all summer to be able to backpack up into a spot where no one else goes, and then pack the meat out! And chase off a couple bears in the process. While most people hunt back by the road and complain about "no elk." IMO, that's the best reason to work out--to have the "gumption" to pack animals out of spots most people don't want to. "Cause that's invariably where the elk will be.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,066
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,066 |
I could only hope to deck a cow the first day! I have a cow tag and my buddy has a bull tag. My intention is to wack the first cow I can and get the work done so I can help him look for a bull and then get it packed out. If we bring home two elk, I'll probably be smiling (and aching) till Christmas. I'll probably sing a different tune if/when it happens, but I gotta say, I'm looking forward to feeling the weight of an elk quarter on my back. For someone who's grown up on deer hunting in PA and dreaming of elk hunting "someday," I'm really stoked to finally get at it. Ask me again in November how I'm feeling about packing elk.
Last edited by tddeangelo; 06/07/17.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6 |
I gotta say, I'm looking forward to feeling the weight of an elk quarter on my back. That's what it's all about, and one of the most satisfying feelings there is. When you say "elk quarter" though, do yourself a favor and don't do what I did the first few times. Which is, pack out elk bones. An elk femur is a heavy SOB. I like to pack out the backstraps and tenderloins and maybe a little more on the first trip out, and hang the rest in a tree, bone-in. And bone it out before packing it. I always have a couple of trash bags to lay the meat on when I'm boning it out, to keep it clean.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,066
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,066 |
Yeah, I guess I should say it that way.
Bearing in mind I've never done this before, my idea was to take backstraps and loins out on the first walk back. Maybe a shoulder if I can....I use an Eberlestock X2, and it's a tough little bugger with a stout frame, so I'll put on as much as I feel good taking for that first trip, although I'll have my gear and rifle yet at that point.
Then I'll get my frame pack for the return. I do my own butchering on whitetails, and when I take a deer apart, I separate the hind quarters on the natural seams. That job is easier than I thought it would be. That pretty neatly strips the meat from the pelvis and femurs, and boning the shanks to finish off the hind quarters, so I have zero intentions of taking any hindquarter bones, assuming an elk's back leg isn't constructed anatomically different than a deer....? Bigger, of course, but the parts should be similar in what's there and how they fit together?
I despise boning shoulders, albeit a necessary task. I may take them back with the bones, I don't know. I'd rather work on a table/work-surface to disassemble a shoulder, but I'm sure an elk scapula is not a trivial thing. I'm hoping my experience at having butchered only God knows how many whitetails at this point will help carry me through deboning as much as I can in the field. I don't want to carry back stuff I'm gonna throw in a trash can later, if I can avoid it.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 266
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 266 |
Of course some [bleep] just backpack up and shoot two cows opening day and are done with it. That sounds so easy when you say it like that. But those would be two guys who worked out all summer to be able to backpack up into a spot where no one else goes, and then pack the meat out! And chase off a couple bears in the process. While most people hunt back by the road and complain about "no elk." IMO, that's the best reason to work out--to have the "gumption" to pack animals out of spots most people don't want to. "Cause that's invariably where the elk will be. Amen smokepole! Lack of gumption and go-go power saves a heck of a lot of animals.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Of course some [bleep] just backpack up and shoot two cows opening day and are done with it. That sounds so easy when you say it like that. But those would be two guys who worked out all summer to be able to backpack up into a spot where no one else goes, and then pack the meat out! And chase off a couple bears in the process. While most people hunt back by the road and complain about "no elk." IMO, that's the best reason to work out--to have the "gumption" to pack animals out of spots most people don't want to. "Cause that's invariably where the elk will be. Yep! I brought in a small blue tarp to bone out my deer on last fall... I liked that. More room to work than plastic bags and sturdier. Agree-- don't pack out bones! First quarter I ever got stuck with was someone else's elk rear quarter with the bone still in. That was not a fun 5 miles. Depending on the weather, and maybe altitude, hornets can be a sumbitch during the meat-prep. I killed a raghorn on a sunny warm day and I about got eaten alive by yellowjackets. I would throw all effluvium as far from the kill site as I could to pull them away from me but they just kept coming in waves... haha...
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6 |
Td, yes, anatomy is the same. JO, hornets and flies are sometimes a problem here in September, but not during rifle seasons. At least not up in the mtns.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,654
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,654 |
I carry a 4ft x6ft piece of plastic sheeting in my kill kit for laying out, small & light. I agree too that even the weight of boneless is enough to turn the trek out into a good sufferfest.
"There is no excellance in Archery without great labor". Maurice Thompson 1879
Nothing clears a troubled mind better than shooting a bow. Fred Bear
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
HIked ~ 3 miles off trail to install and maintain my LR steel plates... 30-lb pack and rifle in tow. The area I went into is in the background. Lotta up and down. Felt good. SO NICE to have a functioning foot again!!!!!!
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Then, rode 35 miles with my buddy. Good day!
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,066
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,066 |
4.3 miles with 1100' of elev gain today with a 40lb pack and feel pretty good.
Probably hit the bike tomorrow.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6 |
Two miles on fairly level ground with a couple double IPAs in the fanny pack and the dog flushing pheasants.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,778
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,778 |
Still really sick with crud. Trying to go Grey Skull LP. DL/BP/PB EZCurl/tricep extensions/cable rows.
No Cardio but worked all day and tried to stay hydrated.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,104 Likes: 6 |
Great Divide, local. 10% abv. I should add, I did hit the gym and do upper body yesterday too.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,269 Likes: 10
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,269 Likes: 10 |
Arthritic ankle. Osteoarthritis from multiple sprains going back to high school. Three years ago I was doing one-legged box jumps. Two years ago, an Alaska sheep hunt. I couldn't do either one today, gets worse every year. Now it's like walking around on a sprained ankle, permanently. The only long-term option for treatment is fusion of the ankle, and I don't want that. I'll try another cortisone shot this hunting season, see how that works. I bring a zip lock bag of black pepper or pam spray for early season hornets and place on meat smokepole I have bad osteoarthritis in my right ankle from a bad break in military. I use this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LR1MOX...hy=9007525&hvtargid=pla-368635188647I stand on one leg and place foot in center of board and do 20 reps clockwise and the 20 counter clock wise rotating disk with ankle making sure I touch all sides of disks while rotating. Great for ankle strength and mobility. First few times are tough but keep at it and it seems to help me.
Last edited by ribka; 06/08/17.
|
|
|
|
541 members (007FJ, 1minute, 270cowboy, 06hunter59, 10Glocks, 10gaugemag, 60 invisible),
2,433
guests, and
1,250
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,192,557
Posts18,491,741
Members73,972
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|