Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Age and ability

You will make those hunts. Here's one solution with a happy ending.

I'm 61 in a few months. Slowing down has been a reality for the last several years. I lost my military career to injuries that wouldn't heal enough to continue to serve. My knees are in need of replacement, should have been on the list right now for the first one but, I took a fall a year ago in my garage. Was carrying 4 large geese in both hands when my knees collapsed. I landed directly on my right shoulder. I didn't realize how badly I damaged it until several months later it still hadn't healed yet. Doc sent me for an MRI which showed a major tear in a ligament. I'm now awaiting a surgery date in hopefully Feb for repairs. Second time I have had surgery on that shoulder. Then the wait starts for the first of 2 knee replacements. Add in Type 2 diabetes and getting old ain't easy.
I have started to reassess the type of hunting I can do moving forward. Walking has been a painful process for quite a number of years so big game hunting interest is waning. Can't drag a deer out nor pack an elk or moose anymore.
Enter upland birds and small game hunting. A bit easier on the body. Come winter, coyotes have learned to hate my 22-250!
Adaptation is key when you can't control all the aspects of old and new injuries. Give the Reaper the big finger and keep going!
Jeff

I'm almost 84, and mostly retired from running the ranch, as far as hunting goes i have quit Quail hunting the walking in the brush wears me out, still shoot Sporting Clay's, Pistol, and Long Range Rifle, Reload, Predator hunt, and do a little trapping, my Jeeps are my Old Man's Wheel Chair, I can go just about any place I want to.

I put a winch and basket on the back of my jeeps so I don't have to pick up anything heavier than a Coyote or Bobcat, still shoot big game, i'm lucky if i need help i get on the Radio and they come help me, I told the guy's if you find me dead one of these days, tie a chunk of barb wire around my foot and drag me to the dump, Fugg Old Age I Ain't giving into it. Rio7

Had lunch with a friend that is 5 years younger than me. At 66 he is on a waiting list for a hip replacement which was due before the COVID shutdown of surgeries up here. He is now into year 3 of walking with a cane, limited mobility and this shows. He has physically changed and looks old / tired. He commented on how well I looked and the excercise I get is keeping me young.

I asked why he did not go the private route for the hip as he could have had done sometime back. He believes in Canada's public system and this entrenched belief has now cost him years of doing what he used to be able to.


Clearly from what I saw today the motto -- use it or lose it --- is very applicable as you age even more so. If you have bad knees or hips get these fixed as soon as possible to avoid the other impacts that come with physically slowing down.

comerade;
Good afternoon my friend, I hope you're keeping the fire burning bright today a few valleys to the east of us and that you're all well.

Thanks for the thread, thanks to those who've posted and finally thanks for making me to some introspection.

A large part of me was and remains reluctant to answer because I've always been wary of answering certain questions lest they trigger the inevitable, you know?

When I did one of those medical questionnaires for my own life expectancy, if I take after my late Father's side of the family I'd do best not buying green bananas, though my late Mom's clan live a lot longer, so God alone knows my expiry date and thus far I'm not inclined to ask what it is.

Physically, so far as I'm aware, I'm doing well enough to have kept up with a buddy's 30 year old nephew this fall when he drew a coveted any ram tag for the California Bighorns on the mountain behind our house. He and I began hunting together in '86 if I'm not wrong and have shared a bunch of grand hunts including a run up to the Stikine for goats in '87, so when he drew this tag I was nearly as excited as he was.

We were able to walk the mountain fairly flat, surely stopping to rest more often than we used to do, but 31 years and 2 days after I'd killed a ram within about a half a kilometer of the spot, he took a wonderful one.

To be healthy enough to participate in that grand adventure was a blessing I still wonder at.

For sure for the bigger animals that take multiple trips I either stick closer to where I can reach with a pickup or have been content to wave at them and wish them a good life.

My wife and I try to stay in shape with daily walking and watching our diet, but that said there's aches and pains that come up and surely don't leave as quickly as they used to.

One thing that has changed for me is the realization that whatever hunt we're on at that time could possibly be our last. The sheep hunt was that way especially as it might well be that nobody we know gets drawn in our lifetime.

Work wise I don't have the resistance to the cold that I used to, my goodness did I feel that plowing out the yard and neighbor's places on Monday.

Anyways my friend, it's somewhat like the joke where a guy fell off the top of a 70 story building and as he was falling past the 35th floor, two guys on a balcony asked, "How're you doing?" to which he replied, "So far, so good"...

All the best of our Lord's blessings to you all this Christmas Season comerade and all the best in the New Year.

Dwayne

Merry Christmas....all of you.
It is always interesting hearing the various stories, for around the continent.
I guess we must choose between rusting out or wearing out our bodies.
Do you safety up, or Do you cowboy up?
I have always chosen the latter.
If I can only continue to compete in athletics, climb these Rocky Mountains and pursue a little roping and alot of riding.
Lots of broken bones, that have( more or less) healed
Personal friendships that deepened, and heck, like my wife says " we live in a postcard" The natural beauty of this valley is amazing.
I even enjoy chasing the Elk out of my haystack yard, hay barn and feeding pen This, after all is the Elk Valley.
All the best , to all of you and God Bless.

Happy holidays!

I retired in 2018, mainly to give me more time to do other things. My primary exercise is hiking, as that, to me coincides with hunting. Shoulder surgeries make me wareful of pumping to much iron but I am forcing myself to start again. For me hiking is the key, if you cannot get back off the roads, and away from others, your success is generally lower. I hunt in the NW. I feel like I am slowing as it takes longer to climb 1,000 up a trail back into my favorite spots and glass or look for tracks. I try not to OVER DO, as I want to keep my body together, as long as possible. I always hunt with younger hunters, who if necessary can give me a hand packing out elk . As of today I have hiked, both urban and in the field 1,145 miles.

Looking after yourself is important. Some of it is not smoking, drinking too much or other bad habits. Another part is good genes. Not overdoing it is yet another.

All the best for Christmas!

Comerade I do think as you age you have to as you say "cowboy up" both mentally and physically. Somethings are harder and take longer which can be a drain -- choice walk away or stick at it. Personally I prefer to stcik at it.

One thing a person over 60 has to become is a strong medical advocate. The Canadian medical profession does not see older people in the same valued box as they do younger. A person needs to stand up and advocate for good care for themselves. This situation gets worse the older you get.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

I refer to my quad as a mobility scooter for an aged hunter.

I turned 68 last month, some things are a bit harder to acomplish these days - like hunting my favorite side hills, but for the most part things are good.
I use a walking staff almost always now, and my son was hunting a lot with me this fall( big bonus!) So he did most of the heavy work. I plan on going as Hard as I can for as long as I can and enjoying life!
Cat

It is interesting and the expression" I am not as good as I once was but as good once as I ever was" explains the aging athletes' mindset .
It works .
You must prepare, stay as fit as you can and refuse to use terms like , I can't, I'm too old, etc. You gotta strike that from your vocabulary.
Even if it is partially true, don't say it out loud.
I know avid sheep hunters in their 70's, and many team ropers also( and older) Older Gents must prepare well, accept some minor limitations( on the quiet) and soldier on.


C'mon, Old Guys Rule!( repeat that mantra)
Happy New Year , folks

Great way to look at it comerade!

My Better 1/2 always says to me, I don't have anywhere near the pain you have and we are the same age!

I response:

Did you play Football for 15 years as a middle linebacker?
Did you weight train with very heavy weight and suffer injuries from doing that?
Did you run many thousands of miles in your lifetime?
Have you had so many fist fights that you can not remember the number of times?
Have you ever been thrown by horses?
Have you been hit by cars twice?
Have you fallen off of a 200 foot cliff?

She says no certainly not, and I say, "That may explain it!" lol

Can still get around pretty good and am very happy that I can.

Older than some and younger than others. I try to keep this in mind:

"One should never complain about getting old as many never get the opportunity"...

Happy New Year !

Very true, walk through a military graveyard and look at the ages they were when they were killed. I say God bless everyone of them and RIP.

The only option I know of to halt getting old is being underground.

I prefer the Sunlight, aches, pain, hunting and fishing and all :o)

Happy New Year to you sir!

Hi Cat. I think it's great that your son can go along with you. I hope he carrying a 303 and not one of those new fangled H&H Magnums. They're okay, but are probably just a flash in the pan.

My long time hunting partner lost his right foot and we weren't able to go moose hunting this year for the first time since 1990. He has a prosthetic and has to redo his driver's license because he must use hand controls. Bummer.

Well Steve, my son usually runs either a BSA Featherweight in 257 Bob or a 12x12/375 drilling. But a couple of times he trunndled out his custom built 6.5STW!
In his defence however it is at least a CRF Win70. :>)
Cat

I digress, but I see Cat & Steve are 303. British loyalists.
Pretty much anyone my age has owned a milsurp, sporterized .303 British.
I an curious if anyone our there has used or owned a .280 Ross of the same vintage.
This fits in pretty well under the age & ability heading.
The .303 & .280 Ross are aged and able, imo
I wonder if any bullet maker produces .289 diameter bullets that the Ross requires and with modern components it might equal Warren's Mashburn , .280
Cheers

Ask him to read this. https://303british.com/the-30-303-vs-the-308-the-308-aint-no-thang/ You can refresh a 303 with a barrel change to 308 diameter. More bullets to choose from and a better fit too. That will mean improved accuracy.


I haven't used a 280. I am not sure if there are any custom bullet makers in Canada making the right bullets. There might be in the US, but you would have to use an importer to get them in.