Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game At what age did you begin to feel physically less functional in the bush

At 57, the thing I'm noticing more and more,is that I'm generally the oldest guy in camp.The exception is my buddy's ranch in Wyoming, where I'm middle of the pack.I can still go anywhere I want,just not as fast.

My reactions with a rifle, and shooting ability do not seem impaired from when I was younger

I agree with others that I am fussier about who I hunt with.I don't feel impaired in the woods at all.

I call bull [bleep]. Ain't no way anyone here is still capable of the same pace, style that they could 10yrs prior. Oh crap guys I'm sorry, guess I'm just lookin and the mirror. F#$k

At 41 I'm afeared I'm like a steam roller headed down hill. Guess I played to many football games without a helmet. Years(23) of construction is takin it's toll on my knees and back. I still manage. Thinking back a few years I'd have to say the answer for me is 34yrs old. I now suffer from CRS and have slowed way down and should prolly have a string attached to me or a bell around my neck so someone will find me while I'm lost. Keep telling myself to hunt smarter not harder. It ain't working.

Back in the day I would hit the hills and "MAKE" it happen. Now I hope I can make it at all.

Am much more busy with kids and sports. My good friend just hit 50 and still motors pretty damn good. I hope to beable to be hitting the high country when I'm 50. Better keep my fingers crossed!

Yep, 34 was my last stud year huntin. And when I was 24 I coulda hunted circles around my 34 year old ass.

I actually feel much better now that I was finialy able to admit this!!

Your fifties are when you start to discover you won't live forever and then start to wonder how long you can live

doc,

I hope you find a 400 inch bull. Don't laugh! A retired old fart friend of mine from Arkansas came out 2 years ago to hunt out of Cody. He asked if there were any good bulls up there, but he had and early season (october) tag, I said yes but they generally some out of the park in the late season hunt. He took a bull that went 400 and change! It was a brute and that was the smallest of 3 bulls they took that week! I'll email you a picture if you want!

Keith

That strikes me as well said!

I'd like to "freeze time" at age 36... don't think it'll ever be any better than that age. At age 46 I'm still stronger than many but I definitely notice a more relaxed and mellow attitude creeping in... I'll embrace it. I don't have quite the same passion to limb the extra 1,000' or find the bigger bull.

I'm not far away from 54 and this past year it all came crashing down around me.
In June I had surgery on my right shoulder and the first of November I had surgery on my left shoulder. I'm still doing physical therapy and they are dang slow to heal. Shoulder surgery is a lot more to bounce back from than I thought it would be.
I've also developed a small heart problem. I have an irregular heart beat that is regulated with medication but I have to be careful due to naturally low blood pressure.
Then on top of it all, they are finding blood in my urine. So far, no idea why but we are looking.
I've also noticed that fine motor skills and balance are a tad less then before. It's not a big deal, but I do notice it.
Anyone else notice that your hands and feet are get cold easier?

Then there are the usual aches and pains that never used to be there.....

All in all, I do pretty well. I can't go to high altitude anymore, I get really sick, but I can live with that. As soon as I get these shoulders back in good order I am going to do some hunts that I've always wanted to. Clocks ticking and I'm saving money!

JJ, I am right at the half century mark, and before I had surgery last month, I was in about the best physical condition of my life. I was running at least five days a week and lifting about three. I was as lean as I was, even n college. My only limitations are due to orthopedic surgeries. But if I take naproxyn (prescription Aleve) I can get up mountains as well as I was ever able.

I firmly believe most limitations are self-imposed. If I have the right frame of mind I can still do most of what I want, within reason, of course!

I wish you continued success in the field.



Merry Christmas,


Mando

Westman,

Rotator cuff?

I wish you a speedy recovery. Rotator cuff surgery is a bitch, assuming it's what you had. I know, I've had four!!! And they never, ever stop hurting!!!



Merry Christmas,

Mando

I too have notice a slow down in the 50's. So I bought a horse and then learn that the extra work a horse entails is enought to offset any gains from the aminmal. Getting old is not for sissies.

I will be 60 in six months. Except for October and November when deer season and duck season are in full swing I run almost every day four to six miles, longer endurance builders every couple of weeks. I do a little strength training a few days every week. My doctor says that, physical health-wise, I am in my 30's. To me, the biggest difference is the pain. Since my early fifties it seems that something hurts all the time, usually joint related. I don't care, it tells me I'm alive. I'm amazed at how old some of my friends my age have become. I live in a small town and have many of the same friends I went to school with. Some of us seem to keep right at it. Others aged out long ago. Tobacco, alcohol and activity level would seem to play a big part.

+1 on laser eye suregery.

Viagra should help.

08 starts my 50th year. I'm OK to hunt hard. I run without issue for traning. But, you don't need to be a triathlete to get out there and have a good time.

Can't say I feel that much different yet. Father Time has simply replaced youthful hard physical labor, alcohol abuse, stress, poor diet and sleep deprivation.

Actually, I feel pretty damn good now that I take better care of myself and don't work too hard, knock on wood.

At 63 and looking forward to having something left in SS in a couple of years, other than the normal eyesight loss, I notice most loss of dexterity in the fingers and overall balance. Although I make it to the gym five days a week for about 45 minutes, aging cannot be overcome only slowed down.

I noticed some loss between 58 and 62 at altitude. Did better at 58 in the mountains of New Mexico than in NWT at 62. I do have a lot of good hunts left in this aging bod but I find myself leaning more and more on guided hunts and the son in laws!

I noticed when I was in my 40's, if I stayed fit all year, as opposed to conditioning for hunting a few months before, it worked better. I also found I had more energy/strenth all year long.
Went to reading glasses in my late 40's and have finally realized I can go no where w/o them.
When I was working- union drywall taper - I had lots of aches and pains constantly it seemed. When I retired, I discovered many things.
First of all, with good medical advice, I did recover and I could reach levels of conditioning that I never thought possible. What I did was discover just how much to push when conditioning and how much to rest or back off. And, above all, how and what to eat to achieve these higher levels of performance. Basically, I follow the federal food guidelines.
I quit running when I retired. Not because I had to, but because I could find lots of places to walk wearing a pack.
I've also learned that pushing too fast to reach a certain level is a big mistake. The muscles get stronger much faster than the tendions and ligaments. Push too hard and too fast and you'll wind up injuried for a good while. All of them take far longer to heal than you'd think. BTDT.
I live very near some pretty good, tough hikes. One of them the USFS says is the toughest in California. Those of us locals who walk/hike alot have a little friendly competition going as to who can do what and how fast. I can match any of them. I'm closer to 64 than 63.
As far as hunting goes, I am still discovering hunts/hunting that really fire me up. Elk hunting, which I did for the first time this year, is a good example. What's nice about being older is I'm better at recognizing my mistakes and realizing that I need to hunt smarter, at least sometimes, than harder. And being able to enjoy the fringe benefits of just being there more. I lost this attitude that the hunt is a failure if I don't kill something years ago as I aged. That makes a big difference too. E

I have posted this before, but you will get a lot more serious about your hunting whether it is deer or elk or whatever, if you sit down and put on paper about how amy more hunts you have left in your life. I started in my 40's figuring I could hunt until I was 70. 30 elk hunts seemed like forever, now I am looking at single digits and it doesn't seem enough. The old saying is that there still is alot of daylight left at the end of me rings true.

I use to be active enough that come hunting seaosn, I was in pretty good shape. Wore out joints lessoned those activities. Now I just have more fun hunting and getting in shape means going down to the corrlal with a box of jelly donuts and me and my mules eating the whole box. You know round is a shape too.

Too bad laser eye surgery is of no use to the aging problems relating to close vision issues.

I turned 61 last week. I have done at least 1 hour of cardiovascular ex. every day for almost 40 years. I mix in total strength 3x a wk. I stay within 5 lbs of what I consider my ideal wt. (205 @ 6'5"). I guess I'm lucky also!!! Just packed out a big 8 point. Only 3/4 of a mile so it was a walk in the park!
I once took a course in grad school: "Adult and Aging". The main theme was that the human body changes very little year to year from age 25 to 75 for those folks who take care of themselves. I really believe this. I also believe that those that take care of themselves, experience a much more gradual decline, than those that do not. I want to hunt on my 80th!

I will be 51 this year and the first thing I noticed is I feel the cold more. Also my balence at times I seem to trip easier, not sure if that is aging or just more clutsey. I do know that I tend to avoid places and climbing things now where in the years past I would not think twice about going maybe with age I am getting a little smarter. I walk 3 miles 5 days a week I can't run my joints don't handle it and I try to backpack and hike in the summer to stay fit. I get caught talking around the campfire a little more about the good old days. grin!! I lost about 60 lbs in my mid forties so my goal now is to take better care of me. Oh yea I have to wear glasses that I hate in the rain and fog, can't get contacts in and my eyes are not bad enough for lazer surgey yet. I also notice I don't get as caught up in hunter fads as much I spend my money with more thought to will it really do what it says.