Don’t Procrastinate or waste opportunities to hunt

[Sharp stick]

I am pushing 62, type ll diabetic with arrhythmia of the heart for over 10 years and assorted other aches and pains that come with aging and hard work. My last DIY elk hunt was 2 years ago that required me dragging a two wheeled cart 3 1/2 miles up an old logging road then hanging a duffle with my second weeks supplies in a tree to keep it away from bears while donning a 65lb pack and walking uphill another 2 1/2 miles uphill to our spike camp at around 10,200’. Im not in great shape by any means but good enough shape to continue archery elk hunting as it has gotten into my blood and I live to do it. My point of this is to say, don’t just sit back and think about getting out and hunting, do it. Before long you too will get old and be unable to pursue your dreams, especially those that require physical fitness. You never know when life will throw you a curveball and you’re done hunting. My time is coming, but Im not willing to give in yet, not until I prove to myself that I just cannot climb those mountains any more. For those of you have dreamed of elk hunting but for some reason cant seem to make it happen I can’t stress enough, you need to stop procrastinating and make it happen. I regret that my elk hunting days are slowly slipping away. But not quite yet, even though my buddies can’t go this fall I am trying to find a good OTC archery elk drop camp style hunt even if I have to go it alone.

 

[PikesPeakElkHunter]

What state are you hoping to get an OTC tag in this year?

 

[RyGuy]

Great advice. I hope to hunt until I’m too old to walk the hills, but you never know what may happen

 

[hank4elk]

67 this month and still chugging along. The 3 mi elk pack outs solo days are behind me. I have 30 years of elk ammo left. Just have to use it wisely...

 

[Wallydeuce]

72 in July. Like @hank4elk, 3+ mile solo pack outs are over but I believe I can do up to 2 miles in the right terrain. That's because I work my ass off staying in shape. I hike with my weighted pack on 3 days a week and now that Nevada's idiotic indoor mask mandate is over, I hit the gym hard 3 more days a week. But I ache, all the time. Ugh

The hardest part for me when I'm hunting is keeping weight on. I have a bad habit of not eating and losing strength as the hunt goes on.

For us older guys, it's simply a matter of asking ourselves how bad do we want it and embracing the suck to get there.

 

[hank4elk]

72 in July. Like @hank4elk, 3+ mile solo pack outs are over but I believe I can do up to 2 miles in the right terrain. That's because I work my ass off staying in shape. I hike with my weighted pack on 3 days a week and now that Nevada's idiotic indoor mask mandate is over, I hit the gym hard 3 more days a week. But I ache, all the time. Ugh

The hardest part for me when I'm hunting is keeping weight on. I have a bad habit of not eating and losing strength as the hunt goes on.

For us older guys, it's simply a matter of asking ourselves how bad do we want it and embracing the suck to get there.

Chief told me to suck it up, embrace the suck. 1972.
I've sucked ever since...

 

[Gellar]

damit now I feel week! We sure have some tough SOB’s on the forum.

 

[Wallydeuce]

damit now I feel week! We sure have some tough SOB’s on the forum.

Don't know so much about tough but I think I can speak for @hank4elk too about being a SOB.

 

[PikesPeakElkHunter]

damit now I feel week! We sure have some tough SOB’s on the forum.

Ha. It's not about being tough. We're all just elk hunters. My entire family and all my friends know my year revolves around elk hunting. Including a few friends I hunt with who are also on this forum. We all need a good reason to get up every morning and keep moving forward. I don't drink coffee and can't spell latte but I can call elk in my sleep. At least that's what my wife calls it.

 

[Sharp stick]

What state are you hoping to get an OTC tag in this year?

I am thinking Colorado since that is where I have always hunted elk, but I’m open to suggestions

 

[Sharp stick]

About 6 years ago and only 2-3 days into a 10 day hunt I developed a kidney stone. We had hiked about 5 1/2 - 6 miles in before setting camp so instead of ruining anyone else’s hunt I elected to just stay and ride it out. I hunted another week with that stone climbing up another 1500’ a day most days and hunting alone. We packed out after a week in a driving rain before driving 20 hrs home. I ended up hospitalized for two days before getting releases, without passing the stone. I finally got it out by downing a 32 oz bottle of gator aid, hopping on the riding mower and going like hell mowing my
2 1/2 acres and that knocked it loose. That was the 5th time I have had a kidney stone. I don’t recommend anyone else doing any of that but it makes an interesting story.

 

[Farmerj]

I was 47 when I had a heart attack in 2015.

Not so easy to just say I’m going to climb a hill over 8000’ anymore.

An elk hunt has always been a dream, especially being from Minnesota…

But I can’t even get guides to talk with me anymore.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Great post. I hope you have a nice adventure

 

[gouch]

I went to the doctor yesterday to have him drain the fluid from my "GOOD KNEE" so I could walk again. He said there was blood in the fluid so I no doubt had a small tear somewhere in the knee. I told him I hadn't injured nor twisted that knee in anyway so how could that happened? He uttered that terrible phrase that I am hearing all too often lately. "It comes with getting older." So, if what you enjoy involves physical activity then get out and do it because the time will come and maybe sooner than you expect.

 

[Firedude]

You're never to old to hunt.

I've tied and old man's shoes and set his crossbow for him so he could go. He killed deer and we hauled it out for him.

I've heard an excited old man calling us on a radio because he needed us to track down an antelope for him. We hauled it out for him.

I helped an 80 year old dude crying after shooting a tiny platterhorn moose. He put in for years to draw that tag. Shot one close to the road and still couldn't get it cut up let alone loaded. We stopped and did it all.

You don't stop hunting. You find somebody with a strong back and a weak mind and teach them about hunting! Terry said he hated putting all that on us, we just reminded him we relied on him to find good spots and learn how to do things.

P.S. I just remembered Aunt Katy. She shot a deer at almost 90, while sitting in camp, drinking beer, at 8:30 in the morning. I remember her saying, "I'm 90. Borrowed time is always time for beer."

 

[MTTW]

My brother loved to hunt. He started coming home to Mt to hunt deer when he was 56, after not leaving the state of Alaska for over 20 years. He was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer at 58 and was dead at 60. He couldn't sit in the truck or walk very far the last year. I asked him if there was anywhere he wanted to go or anything he wanted to see. He said "all I want to do is go deer hunting" but there was no way he could do it at that point.

So yeah, don't wait to do the things you want to do. We don't all make it to old age.

 

[PikesPeakElkHunter]

I am thinking Colorado since that is where I have always hunted elk, but I’m open to suggestions

I am in Colorado west of Colorado Springs. If you end up hunting anywhere within a couple of hours from here keep me posted. If you get something down I'll come help you with a few other friends.

 

[hank4elk]

Don't know so much about tough but I think I can speak for @hank4elk too about being a SOB.

Yeah well an officer called me a SOB once and my mom was a decorated Navy officer.
I regreted punching him as my Chief told me to suck it up...it was better than Leavenworth.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Very good advice. I am still doing okay at almost seventy but definitely slowing down. I lived the dream while I was younger. Never made a lot of money but we did okay. "Okay" financially while living life to the fullest is the way to go. I'd have no regrets if I became bedridden tomorrow.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Yeah well an officer called me a SOB once and my mom was a decorated Navy officer.
I regreted punching him as my Chief told me to suck it up...it was better than Leavenworth.

He was right. I delivered a prisoner to Leavenworth military prison once. That place scared me ... and I was a cop.