Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Important ? Yor rifle load or physical condition

What do you feel is the most important factor on a high elevation hunt out west? Over the years I have observed many hunters from out of state. They carry every type of rifle & load you could think off. Some you would not think off. Most all work when the bullet is placed properly. So what do you feel most challenging? Your physical condition or your rifle/ load?. I bring this up now way ahead of hunt time so hunters have the time to prepare. If your 5lbs over weight & in decent condition you might not have much problem. As over weight increases it seems to affect the hunter exponentially. 20lbs over & your asking for a very uncomfortable time if you come from a close to sea level elevation. . I've watched hunters that seemed in great shape throw their guts up & have extreme debilitating head aches from the thin air. As you can see I feel over weight to be far more of a problem than the rifle/load you select. Now is the time to start dropping those lb's so as to have an enjoyable hunt. It is upsetting to me to see some one who has spent considerable time & money on a hunt leave early because of extreme fatigue. Your thoughts.

I put your mental state ahead of the rest...…..then physical...…...rifle and load way down on the list...…..bob

A person's attitude (or "mental state" as Bob put it) is as important or more than physical condition. Lots of people come out west excited to shoot something, then get bogged down by the physical difficulties of it and the altitude, but also get discouraged when they don't see anything for a day, the wind blows like my sister, or they're stuck in a tent soaking wet and cold.

I see it all the time.

Success is a combination of a lot of things. Mental toughness, physical ability, abilities to glass, pack weight, camp, and a general knowledge on how to hunt and kill things. Being able to shoot certainly doesn’t hurt.

I'd agree with that assuming the person is in reasonably good shape. Hesp asked about high elevation hunts and those will kick your arse even if you're in good shape.

So yes, attitude is more important if you're in good shape but if you're out of shape, all the attitude in the world might not help.

Yep, being in piss-poor shape will not only drain you physically, but also mentally. It's hard to have fun or want to climb one more hill, if it hurts.

I've hunted "in shape" and "fat and out of shape" (my current condition). Walking a half mile to a ground blind in Middle Tennessee and sitting on your ass all morning is a better experience while "in shape". Much less walking up the side of some Godforsaken mountain after paying big money to do so.

I've never even hunted out west, but I've spent some days walking a lot through rough enough country in TN that I know the difference in my own physical conditioning.

To me, being "in shape" means my hunting clothes (and the rest of them) fit properly, I can actually breathe while bending over to tie my boots, I don't fret my pack nearly as much, feel as though I can mover around easier, and just more comfortable in general (ever see a really fat guy that looked like he moved well? Even in a pair of shorts and a T shirt?).

End result is, I'm more confident, mentally tougher, and am in more of a state of having my sh*t together when I'm in shape.

Right now, I need to lose 20 lbs. Or stick to that ground blind next year. Wonder if the deer would notice my truck parked next to it?

But having the right mental state of mind can keep you going if you want something bad enough, despite how bad it hurts.

It's all interconnected.

Like Tinyman, I see attitude, physical ability and other gear lead to an unsuccessful hunt way more than a rifle/load combo.

Got a buddy like some on here that is always trying to squeeze the last .0987” out of a 10 shot group but pays little attention to optics, boots, packs etc.

He’s hell on the bench, but pretty unsuccessful in the field.

Like Calvin said, it definitely doesn’t hurt to be able to shoot, but you’ve got to be able to find/get to them to shoot them.

there are a lot of guys that look like bad asses, good shape, good gear.....flat brim hat......had to throw that in...….that get discouraged easily...and quit....their heart isn't in it, mentally whipped.

get in decent shape, have good gear, keep a positive outlook, take what's thrown at you.....have a good hunt......bob

I am not over weight, but at 75 I am in relatively poor shape. Several physical limitations. I do have to ride a mule to get where I hunt and I am sure past the age of humping an elk out on my back.Not that I ever did. That being said, attitude is far more important, A person needs that to be able to push themselves to get the job done, I have seen fat guys, skinny guys, sickly guys and healthy guys, guys with prosthetic limbs, all get their elk. It's the whiners / complainers that have to stay in camp after two days that fall short.

As for firearms I can take just about any firearm legal for elk with proper load suitable for elk and go kill an elk with it assuming it hits where I point it and have seen a lot of guys kill elk with a lot of different loads.That part of it sure isn't rocket science.

I would say mental state is a big part. One can push thought. Physical limitations will take over. Depends on how many days for myself. Retired Military and I can still push thought, but now the physical limitations will take over after a couple of days. I have gotten to the point where when back three miles in the rough, do I really want to shoot this deer and have to drag it out? Helps if you have younger family or a guide that expects to give some deference to the "old man"

that's called rational thought process…….bob

Lots of interesting theory's put forth. Physical,& mental toughness sounds good. I've seen hunters come out a week before the hunt to condition themselves for the thin air. Problem is it takes your body a good month to produce enough extra red corpuscles to allow you to function reasonably & at least another month to get to full oxygen carrying capacity. . This does not take into consideration muscle strength. Mental toughness & determination sounds good but when you see a man down from severe a headache because of the thin air you get a different perspective. It doesn't happen to every one but does happen to some.Also some experience nausea. Makes me wounder why some & not others. . If you don't try you will never know what your limitations are. When you see a hunter drag him self out of a warm sleeping bag on a "COLD" early AM in the dark , them walk some distance to a hunt site , then back to camp in the dark,, then do it again & again for several days...That's determination. . Have seen hunters endure this for their whole allotted hunt time. Have seen others after 2 or 3 days just leave. Hunting can be tough especially elk on public land. I am not trying to discourage anyone just wish more hunters were more aware of what they can encounter. Fortunately for me I live here at an elevation of 7630. My ever day activity is at this elevation so I never have a problem & think nothing of it.

Could have taken most of my elk with a ,223 and all with a ,308. Have to put physical condition ahead of rifle choice.

Will turn 68 in March and those hills seem to get bigger every year. Last year was an exception as I had lost 25 pounds and uphill didn't bother me as much. Hope to lose another 25 again this year so I can just float up the hills on the wind.

I turned 79 this last August and live at about 6,400 feet elevation. I think that physical condition is much more important than rifles and ammo. Most people just don't put enough importance in physical condition.

And yes I got my elk in October.

Regards

Mental , physical, and ability.

Last year, in my 60s, my bull moose was just about my easiest yet. Maybe 5-600 yard pack and about 8 loads up to about 125# or so. Took all morning, but i did not let up!

And I thanked all three of the lads that carried every last load for me! I believe that is the first big game critter I did not take care of myself...

On the flip side, you can be as tough and as physically in shape as possible, but if your scope fogs, zero shifts, or you can’t see your crosshairs in low light when a shot presented itself, your outcome is the same as the wimp.

Or a straight up wound/miss because of wind or poor shooting.

Yep, but you cartridge/load won't cause any of those things to happen. Unless you get all teary-eyed waxing eloquent about your Creedmoor.....