Ageing Elk hunter

[RichB]

When I started chasing elk I was in my Twenties . I was in the Navy on the uss Henry M Jackson ssbn 730 and I was in shape. I spent the first few years learning hard lessons and not getting a shot. Then one day it all came together and I killed a nice 5x5 3.5 miles from the road on the back side of the mountain. I was alone and had to figure out everything and pack it back to the truck it was tough but so was I, 30 plus years later I'm a civilian now and chained to a desk  and have been for the last 2 years. Got Covid back in December and it really kicked my butt. Its been a long recovery for me. O2 levels never really came back to what they were before. 89 % on a good day most days I'm in the 70% range. never smoked a day in my life and Now I'm really putting weight on. I went from 250 to 300 in a blink since December. At 53 years old I feel like I'm 75. I have been buying point savers for 23 years here in Oregon and saving for a coveted tag in the Weneha unit and I finally have enough points to draw but I didn't put in for it due to my health. I'm hoping next year I will be in good enough shape to hunt it.  My question is what do some of you senior guys do to snap out of this funk. It seams like I have no energy and I don't feel like working out, I want to but everything hurts. I'm hoping that some of you guys that have been there have some advice. Dr. doesn't really know how long this is going to effect me. Cheers Rich

[durp]

Well I'm gonna quit whining now...getting older ain't no fun but I just put my head down and ass up and go for it...my hoses do the hard part...it helps to have kids, grand kids and great grandsons...hope u find the answer u need!

[degabe]

The only thing you can do is decide that you are going to go elk hunting and start getting in shape for it. I've had covid and have the same symptoms plus artherice in most joints but I will be paddling my kayak about three hundred miles on the great lakes this summer. I will be 75 in June.

[Orion]

I'm 75 and afraid I don't have much advice for you.  You're still fighting the aftermath of Covid, which most of us haven't had to do.  Guess I would recommend starting with little steps.  Just walking. Start with one walk a day.  Then perhaps two.  When I was approaching 65, I decided to get another dog to help keep me in shape.  I like bird dogs and acquired another Brittany.  He did what I asked and more.  At least one fairly robust walk every day and what I call "wing work" in the yard.  Kept me active.  Unfortunately, he contracted cancer and we had to put him down last summer.  Still walking though.  I have a set of weights getting rusty in my basement.  I know I should be working out with them, but find it very hard to bring myself to do so. 

I am planning another western hunt this fall.  The goal helps with motivation.  I'll continue to walk farther, faster and on more varied terrain to get in shape. At the same time, I recognize i won't be able to go as far or as fast when I get out there.  I've packed elk three miles.  That won't happen again.  Though i can work that far away from camp fairly easily, I know that I and and a hunting partner of similar age, would have a helluva time getting an elk out that distance before the meat spoiled.

It's very difficult, but start with little steps.  When you begin to see/feel a glimmer of improvement, that, in itself, serves as motivation to keep on going.  Good luck.   

[McDave]

I’m 76, and the only advice I can give you, not being a doctor, is do whatever you have to to get down to your recommended weight.  It will help to bring your energy back and in many other ways.  For my personality, fasting worked best.  I can go on a two day a week fast and lose two pounds a week, which I understand is the ideal amount of weight to lose per week on a diet.  I have been at my recommended weight for more than a year now, and I keep at that weight by adjusting the number of hours I fast.  I still fast 2 days a week, but rather than 30 hour fasts to lose weight, I’m fasting 24 hours per fast to maintain weight.

Honestly, it’s no fun to fast.  But I’d rather suffer two days a week on a fast and eat normally the other days than suffer seven days a week on a diet.  “Eating normally” means never being hungry, but not stuffing yourself either.

If you’re interested, PM me and I’ll give you more details.

[Ron LaClair]

I'm 85 years old. I've elk hunted Colorado 5 times, Wyomimg 5 or 6 times,  Idaho once, Montana once. In Northern Quebec I killed a record book Caribou, floated Jay Massey's Moose John river. I've had many adventures in my over 70 years hunting with a traditional bow. Now I have the memories. My Grand kids and Great Grand kids sit mesmerized as I tell them my stories, reliving those days so long ago.....and that's enough

 

[Roy from Pa]

I dropped 21 pounds the past 3 months because I was embarrassed of my big gut and had little energy.

I was heading the wrong way...

I suggest starting out losing some weight and walking a couple miles every day.

Losing weight isn't all that hard, just start eating healthy food.

The more weight you lose, the more incentive it will give you to lose more.

[Ron LaClair]

Ready for the mountains......ok so is was a few years ago. 

[RichB]

Ready for the mountains......ok so is was a few years ago. 

Oh Ron, I sure miss hunting whitetails in Michigan But I need to just get to it and see if I can get back the ground I lost

[Hot Hap]

That boat named after "Scoop"?

[kadbow]

It is all about choices. No pain no gain. 53 is young, you can choose to be a blob the rest of your life or you can choose to live the rest of your life. Simple really. I am 58, no health nut, a cancer survivor, have Crohns, but live a fairly active and healthy lifestyle. Plan on hunting elk many more years. The choice is yours.

[GCook]

I'm not old but I'm aging.  The years aren't the issue.  It's the miles and abuse.
I've lost about 1/3 of my lung capacity due to scarring from chemical gas.  My right knee will need replacement soon and the left is getting unpleasant as well.  Two reconstructed shoulders.   Four cardiac incidents has me on all kinds of crud including a beta blocker which keeps my heart rate low no matter how hard I exercise so weight loss that way is challenging.
But the bottom line is burn more than you take in.
My biggest issue is I like to eat and drink.  Beer, whiskey and soda pop are a lot of calories to burn off so I have cut them almost out. 
Another thing you might check is your testosterone level.  Mine was going down and my PCP was unwilling to work with me on it citing possible clotting issues, which with 5 stents and arterial sclerosis is a definite problem.  However my cardiologist had a complete different point of view.  He said low T causes one to loose muscle mass, density and strength.  The heart is the most important muscle in the body and he recommended I see a specialist who has really helped.
As said above you can either accept it, or work, adapt and fight it. 
For me it's not necessarily about chasing elk, although that dream of returning to the elk timber is always with me, but about being as much of the me I can be.
Father time always wins. Everyone is dealt a different hand and each has to be played in a wise manner. Sometimes aggressively and others conservatively.   But in the end, no matter how well you play what is dealt you there will come a day when the house will collect.  Until then keep yourself in the game.

[Tater]

   As mentioned above, it's about choices, I'm 67 been hunting Elk for more than 30 years. I have a couple herniated discs in my lower back, and last summer I tore the miniscus in my left knee. I still walk or cycle almost every day, weights three times a week. I am fortunate that I have good genetics and controlling my weight is not an issue . Do what you can do and work your way back, you can do it.

[mj seratt]

I've managed to lose over 30 pounds in the last year.  I quit eating so many carbs, and making myself eat less.  It didn't take very long until I couldn't eat as much as before, because I would fill up on much less food.  Went to my daughter's for dinner, and she fixed me a BBQ plate.  Now, I can put a hurtin' on BBQ, but I only ate about one third of what she gave me.  She was VERY surprised.  Of course, I took it home with me, and made 2 more meals out of it.  I had to buy a new belt, cause my Wranglers were falling off.

Murray

[Roy from Pa]

LOL on wranglers falling off.

I'm glad I kept all my jeans that I couldn't buckle up anymore:)

I was up to a 36" waist size and they were getting tight, now I'm back to my 34" size and they fit loosely...

[jcp161]

Not a doctor but after reading your post, you need to address your low oxygen levels before you do anything else. Having seen family members with COPD and other lung issues similarly affected, the levels you describe are likely why you feel tired, achy and don't want to do anything.

I don't think any amount of exercise is going to help until you take care of that. See if the doctor will put you on oxygen. If it helps, you can start making decisions from there.

Hope you can get things on track and start feeling better.

John

[MnFn]

Presently trying to lose weight, watching salt intake, reducing portion sizes. Watching carbs, cutting out fast food, french fries.

My son says “you can’t outrun your fork”. Seems to make sense.

[Todd Cook]

I'm sorry but the "it's about choices" comments are off target. I'm all about personal responsibility and getting in shape. But lots of folks still don't understand what Covid does to some people.
The 02 sat numbers you mentioned are going to have to get better first. Those are alarmingly low for a non smoker your age.  The weight needs to come off for sure but they need to figure out the breathing first. Also, have your testosterone checked. That could be part of it too. I agree 100% with what people have said about motivation and all, but I've had Covid as well and for some people the breathing is slow to get normal again. I'm fortunate that it doesn't give me much trouble but I still use an inhaler from time to time.

[John Cholin]

I'm 72.  I am working at getting back in shape after a hip replacement this past November.  Getting back in shape is ALWAYS harder than staying in shape.  And harder still each year after you pass your 40s.

I agree with Todd, above.  You have to address your weight and oxygen levels first; and your doctor has to be driving that effort.  It might take a lot more time to get over the after effects of Covid than you are giving yourself.  I think you have to rely on expert medical advice on that one. 

I am walking 2.5 miles every night.  I plan to get it up to 3 miles by the end of this month, adding 1/2 a mile per month until September.  I am also shedding weight.  At 6'1" I want to be down to 185 by September.  So I have 8 pounds more to lose.  Having a concrete, time-certain goal is a big incentive.  Each time I head out the front door I tell myself I'm heading to Montana.

Due to the deep snow this year I couldn't keep on shooting all winter as I had planned.  Finally in February I started shooting.  I added one arrow every couple of days.  Now I am up to 20 shots with my 64 pound bow - working on accuracy now.

Get you doctor engaged, start shedding the weight, walk towards the Rockies each day, a little further each day you can.

Good luck

JMC

[RichB]

That boat named after "Scoop"?

Scoop's Dinner was the name of the galley. she was a good boat.