Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Will I ever train enough

VERY nice picture, color me jealous.

Personally, my training last year consisted mostly of death marches. I backpacked at least two thirds of the weekends between May and hunting season, under the guise of 'hunting' or 'scouting'. Other than that, I train like Greenhorn and Brad. I felt it got me in appropriate shape. How intense of mountains are there in Georgia?

Good luck.

Carl

I don't think there is a 5000ft peak in the state.....we can do steep, just not for very long!
Don

Probably nothing conditions one better than actually simulating what we are preparing for. I live in flatland too so as close as I could come was strapping on a sixty pound backpack and make trips up and down the high scool bleachers. Which just happen to be across the road from my house. We have all heard stories of marathon runners that fell out on a mountain hunt once they threw a pack on and started climbing. The guide I had in Alaska said he had a sheep client last year that was a body builder. He said to look at him he was in great physical condition but it became evident that he hadn't trained enough for the mountains. Each day he got worse and was unable to keep up. The hunter had a miserable time and went home empty handed.

My guide and I spot for goats in the Coast Mountains BC 2005.

Here's my disclosure, I'm overweight, but loosing and active.

I've never been goat hunting, but we have some nice rugged mountains up here that tire anyone out. I try to hike a few days a week around the house on logging roads with the dog, I'd estimate about 1000 feet of elevation change in the 2.5 miles I do.

When I'm on the road traveling, I bring a very light pack and put my computer and files in it while I'm on the treadmill - I fluxuate the incline from 9.5 to 5 and know I'm working.

My take is you're already ahead of the game and keeping your head in it, you'll be fine.

Mike.

I trained even harder for my sheep hunt last year than I did for my goat hunts the two previous years. I had some circumstances come up where I was unable to keep up my training a couple weeks prior to my hunt. I feel partially because of that I injured my back during my hunt. Fortunately I was able to borrow the guides rifle and take a ram while I was still able to. If nothing else I learned a valuable lesson to keep the conditioning up right until the time to go no matter what.

Good photos guys!

Very inspiring postings on this subject. I certainly have tons of respect for those of you who have been able to drop the weight.

5 years ago I was a fat 268 lbs and WAS on a CPAP machine due to sleep apnea. Having two older brothers pass away plus my burning desire to flyfish the remote regions of the Windrivers got me on the treadmill. I started with NO weight and huffed and puffed for 5 minutes. Several months later of persistance led me to carrying 60-70 lbs and having the treadmill bed up to a 20 % incline and hiking for 35 minutes in order to keep my heart rate up in the aerobic zone. If you haven't heard of the book, "Younger Next Year", it's a great book written to help those folks over 50years old. It was referred to me by a customer in AZ and it has helped me drop the weight and feel younger again. Also, I use Probars as a meal replacement, I have dropped the bread out of my diet and also the desserts. I dropped 11 inches off of my waist and decreased MY weight by 60 lbs to 208 right now. I am still on the treadmill 5-6 days a week in the mornings. Charlie J.

Charlie, I have the UTMOST respect for guys that make a decision like yours and DO IT! AWESOME!

yep kudos from AK as well Charlie


that's gettin it done, no matter how you slice it


cracked rib is pizzin me off, time to buck up and suffer through

Good for you Charlie! My hat is off to you as well!

+ 1

Good for you, Charlie!

Charlie, nice job, now we just have to get you a decent backpack!
Don
PS in case you didn't know, my tongue is firmly in cheek (Dan is on my speed dial)

That's very impressive, Charlie! Congratulations!

Congratulations Charlie! Nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come!

Training is half the fun, anyhow...

Sadist

Vigil- NICE! Congrats!

Keep the pics coming fella's, you might just get me motivated to work out tomorrow...

Nothing inspires me more than imaging myself back in goat country. I often work out on the elliptical while watching video of my past mountain hunts or those of others. I have asked my wife to have my ashes spread in a place like this when I die.

Maybe this will keep ya on the couch and convince ya that backpacking ain't all its cracked up to be.

Nah... I've found that talking about trips like that are much more fun after the fact than during!