The Elk Mountain vs. You!

[WapitiTalk1]

Well, for those who hunted the elk mountains in 2018, how did you do physically? Were you able to get up and get at em each day, starting from day one? Did your conditioning allow you to hunt your target area each day, and, divert your course as necessary during the hunt to maximize your opportunities?

In short, how do you feel you did in 2018 vs. the elk mountains? Are you doing anything differently this year to prepare yourself for the rigors of your upcoming fall elk hunt?

[CoryTDF]

Started working out again in June. I shot a bull and a mule deer buck in late October and packed them both out myself. The bull was 4 miles from the road and the buck was 3 miles. It kicked my butt but it was nice to be in some kind of shape as I was able to completed the task. Camp was at the top of the mountain and all the packing was uphill

[cougforester]

Already started on hitting the gym harder. Never too early to start preparing. I pack a lot of salt to my cameras and hike a lot for work, so I'm comfortable with my stamina. Just want to build up strength and flexibility more.

Also planning on starting to dehydrate my own food so I eat and feel better while hiking to maintain higher energy during the trip.

[vandeman17]

I was happy with my conditioning. I hit the gym 6 days per week year around and go on numerous hikes all summer long. The one thing that I can't, and don't really want to recreate, is carry my dang bow.   

[Jonathan_S]

Never touched the mountains with an elk tag this year    I hunted elk in an area with max 50 ft elevation gain.

As much as I convince myself that I love the mountains, I wasn't saw when I could pack the elk out on flat ground.

[7mmfan]

Not good. It was adequate, and I was pleased that some old injuries didn't flare up, but in general, not good. Glad I killed my elk on the first day!

[X-Force]

Physical fitness is important but mental toughness gets you up each day and ready to slog again.

My elk hunt was 4.8, 4, 12.5, 25.1 and 22.3 miles on a 5 day trip. If i started the trip knowing i had 69 miles to cover in 5 days I probably would have stayed home but once in the thick of things being able to focus on small tasks helped me accomplish everything i was looking for in the hunt.

Memories are way better then the suck in the moment.

I noticed having BCAA's and a good multi vitamin made me feel better each day, less muscle fatigue, more energy. 

[jstone]

How much BCAA do you take a day?

[X-Force]

Between 5 g and 15 g depending on the workload. Im a fat kid without a lot of workout knowledge so someone on here should be able to say how much is desirable.

[blackveltbowhunter]

   Its only a mountain. Chew it up one step at a time. This was my best year in several fitness wise, I went into it peaking, and cant say I ever felt the fitness aspect was a factor at all. We spent 17 days in the back country, Including 3 solo days while my partner, who had tagged out had to wait at the truck till the last possible day.  I wish I could say it was enough, but the mistakes had nothing to do with fitness.

I will focus a little more on lower body flexibility this year. Otherwise stick with a regiment of crossfit style workouts, weight training, and hiking.

My diet in the backcountry saw good strides as I cut the vast majority of mountain house, and instead focused on dehydrated foods, and also cut most "bars" and processed sugars in favor of nuts and fats. Cut major weight, ( pack and body ) But energy levels and strength were well maintained. I will add more protein in the future as muscle breakdown does occur over that long of time.   

[vandeman17]

Between 5 g and 15 g depending on the workload. Im a fat kid without a lot of workout knowledge so someone on here should be able to say how much is desirable.

honestly, BCAA have been proven by multiple studies to have zero benefit to a person who eats even a remotely well balanced diet. If it were me, and I do it during early archery, I would get something that replaces electrolytes. I like it for that reason and also the flavor is a nice change from just water all the time.

[WSU]

Cardio and muscles were fine. My knees hurt bad and didn’t stop hurting completely for a few months. Not sure what do about that.

[theleo]

Well in 2018 for the first time in hunting in for 20 years I filled my tag opening day. I'd say I was adequately in shape for hunting, and excellent shape for being a camp b**ch. 

[Alchase]

Cardio and muscles were fine. My knees hurt bad and didn’t stop hurting completely for a few months. Not sure what do about that.

I give my dog Glucosamine and Chondroitin jerky chews for her joints.... 

Actually I have the same issue you have. After MCL surgeries on both knees, I can go weeks with no problem, then one or the other will tweek just a bit (usually while hiking uphill) and just be a constant aggravation for days. Not enough to make me want to quit, but enough to make you think, "is another couple of miles worth the hurt on the way back" 

[X-Force]

Between 5 g and 15 g depending on the workload. Im a fat kid without a lot of workout knowledge so someone on here should be able to say how much is desirable.

honestly, BCAA have been proven by multiple studies to have zero benefit to a person who eats even a remotely well balanced diet. If it were me, and I do it during early archery, I would get something that replaces electrolytes. I like it for that reason and also the flavor is a nice change from just water all the time.

You are probably correct. I’m not a nutritionist or a health nut... I know for me going from base line to 10+ miles a day and eating freeze dried meals/ backpacking food I feel better with BCAAs and my muscle fatigue and sourness has dropped considerably.

[Stein]

Cardio and muscles were fine. My knees hurt bad and didn’t stop hurting completely for a few months. Not sure what do about that.

There are supplements that could really help you.  I think these are the best, but wow, they are proud of them.
https://originmaine.com/origin-usa/nutrition/jocko/health/jocko-joint-warfare/

When I ramp my training up again here soon, I'm going to try to replicate that as close as I can if I run into joint issues which is a high probability.

[Stein]

Between 5 g and 15 g depending on the workload. Im a fat kid without a lot of workout knowledge so someone on here should be able to say how much is desirable.

honestly, BCAA have been proven by multiple studies to have zero benefit to a person who eats even a remotely well balanced diet. If it were me, and I do it during early archery, I would get something that replaces electrolytes. I like it for that reason and also the flavor is a nice change from just water all the time.

Vande is right, if you get adequate protein you will get your BCAAs from that.  If you don't get adequate protein or during more extreme physical events, it can help with muscle damage and soreness.  I usually only took them when I was doing some really crazy stuff and I would mix them with whey, creatine and beta alanine and pound that during and especially after really long stuff, like 12 hours or more.  The last two were more for performance than health and I wouldn't bother in a hunting scenario.

It certainly isn't going to hurt and you can get enough from beef or chicken, but sometimes its easier to pound a shake than a steak.

[slavenoid]

Bring on the uphill but the downhill kills my feet and my right knee. Hopefully they get some relief if I shed some pounds. I have always been a little heavy but stay real active. That might be catching up to me and my lower body.

[chester]

Personally this year was great to me. Felt better in the mountains then I have in years passed. Started in the spring scouting with a fully loaded pack and doing 10+ mile hikes until bear season opened then did a couple over nighters in the cascades. Kept packing through archery deer and elk , then into Idaho. Going to start searching for sheds pretty soon and see if I can roll it over into this year.

Joints and breathing were better then ever.

[elkchaser54]

If it hurts going downhill it's most likely a worn out or damaged meniscus in your knee

[Stein]

Bring on the uphill but the downhill kills my feet and my right knee. Hopefully they get some relief if I shed some pounds. I have always been a little heavy but stay real active. That might be catching up to me and my lower body.

Have you tried using poles?  They make a huge difference downhill for me.

[slavenoid]

Bring on the uphill but the downhill kills my feet and my right knee. Hopefully they get some relief if I shed some pounds. I have always been a little heavy but stay real active. That might be catching up to me and my lower body.

Have you tried using poles?  They make a huge difference downhill for me.

No. I need to try that.

[Humptulips]

I'll add another one to the knees hurt column plus I have this rod in my leg bone that starts aching. The elk flats seem to get more of my attention anymore then the elk mountain.

[BetoBow]

Our season took us to Idaho for our the first time. We hiked in 8 miles into the wilderness and got into a herd in the opposite ridge. We glassed them for a day, but ultimately decided it was to far if we managed to bring one down and pulled out. I battle with myself everyday if that was the right choice. I am pushing myself everyday to eat healthy and go to gym 5 days a week.


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[theleo]

Our season took us to Idaho for our the first time. We hiked in 8 miles into the wilderness and got into a herd in the opposite ridge. We glassed them for a day, but ultimately decided it was to far if we managed to bring one down and pulled out. I battle with myself everyday if that was the right choice. I am pushing myself everyday to eat healthy and go to gym 5 days a week.


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Unless you had enough guys to do it in one trip, you made the rite call. 

[birddogdad]

Cardio and muscles were fine. My knees hurt bad and didn’t stop hurting completely for a few months. Not sure what do about that.

There are supplements that could really help you.  I think these are the best, but wow, they are proud of them.
https://originmaine.com/origin-usa/nutrition/jocko/health/jocko-joint-warfare/

When I ramp my training up again here soon, I'm going to try to replicate that as close as I can if I run into joint issues which is a high probability.

i would wonder if the patella strap runners use would help you? may be worth trying? i have a bad ankle (past surgery) and downhill all day kills me... I'm going with a very stiff boot this year and see if that helps

[Stein]

Cardio and muscles were fine. My knees hurt bad and didn’t stop hurting completely for a few months. Not sure what do about that.

There are supplements that could really help you.  I think these are the best, but wow, they are proud of them.
https://originmaine.com/origin-usa/nutrition/jocko/health/jocko-joint-warfare/

When I ramp my training up again here soon, I'm going to try to replicate that as close as I can if I run into joint issues which is a high probability.

i would wonder if the patella strap runners use would help you? may be worth trying? i have a bad ankle (past surgery) and downhill all day kills me... I'm going with a very stiff boot this year and see if that helps

No, for me it's joint pain from overuse.  It isn't a big deal and if I stay on the supplements it is fine.  It isn't an injury or anything like that.

[BetoBow]

Our season took us to Idaho for our the first time. We hiked in 8 miles into the wilderness and got into a herd in the opposite ridge. We glassed them for a day, but ultimately decided it was to far if we managed to bring one down and pulled out. I battle with myself everyday if that was the right choice. I am pushing myself everyday to eat healthy and go to gym 5 days a week.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Unless you had enough guys to do it in one trip, you made the rite call.

It was just me in my brother in law and being an archery hunt temps did not dip too low


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[Stein]

Our season took us to Idaho for our the first time. We hiked in 8 miles into the wilderness and got into a herd in the opposite ridge. We glassed them for a day, but ultimately decided it was to far if we managed to bring one down and pulled out. I battle with myself everyday if that was the right choice. I am pushing myself everyday to eat healthy and go to gym 5 days a week.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Unless you had enough guys to do it in one trip, you made the rite call.

It was just me in my brother in law and being an archery hunt temps did not dip too low


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The temp is what would worry me.  16+ miles roundtrip isn't a picnic by any stretch, but it is only a matter of time and sweat to get it all out.  If it was too warm for the meat to stay for 2-3 days or a dense bear area, I would have done the same thing.

[HUNT JR]

First few days were rough until my mountain legs came back. 50mi and 14k elevation over a week in the blues. By the end it was only my lungs holding me back. Need to work on that for this fall.

[fisheral87]

Decent. Hunted seven days in The Frank and had to take a rest day after a 16 mile 7000ft gain day in the middle of the trip.

Didn’t see any elk.

Going to increase my interval training days and hike with weight days. Maybe work up to two a days closer to season.

Al

[Mudman]

Well we went to Id for first time to hunt.  Honestly most "hikes" were not too far.  Maybe couple miles off the trail from RZR.  So not a big deal.  Benefit of a 50" and the trails is ya can get little deeper first then walk.  We learned a few things.  We cannot out hike the wolves!  Hills can destroy quick if ya didn't train with the weight of a pack.  Hunters on dirtbikes have a distinct advantage to the back country in some areas.  Elk are always being pushed by wolves, not staying in 1 spot long at all.  Wolves hunt the Bugles. I have been in better shape past years.  Most def would hunt differently next time.  I have been cutting my weight down as I realized I need to be lighter on feet.  Age changes things a bit I think and 10 lbs does make a big change.  Id mnts won with aid of the wolf!  Not easy hunting but rewarding none the less.

[huntnnw]

I did fine on a 15 day elk hunt and was pretty wore out by the last day. I did 3 months of walking up hill (1,100ft in elevation) 2 mi and back down with 75-90lb pack in all I logged 174 mi last summer. My hunt I hiked near 70 mi in the blues with somewhere around 25K feet in elevation loss

[coachcw]

sheer will power every day . just keep stepping, misery loves company !

[BULLBLASTER]

My conditioning was actually pretty good last year. Spent the season with coach and was actually able to keep up! Of course I wasn’t packing a bow most of it. 

The pack out wasn’t too much fun tho.

[fishngamereaper]

I accomplished my  goal... don't let the mountains beat you, the elk have to win fair and square. 12 days in the lil naches , 8-12 miles a day, felt great every day.

[fisheral87]

A multi-vitamin, Costco fish oil and a bunch of stretching and strengthening helped me with my knees.

[gaddy]

I remember when I was young and I could go anywhere I wanted on the mountain. Up, down, sideways, it didn't matter, even if I had to crawl up out of that hole loaded. Now I understand what that mountain was telling me all those years. Gave me challenges for sure over the years. Now, as I'm older, I can hear that mountain laughing. When the wind blows through those trees with a bit of snow swirling around and I'm about ready to leave camp to take up the challenge, I hear this.  "What you got now punk, I'm still here, Come get some" I then look at the places I used to go and I realize that the mountain won in the end. The last time I was at elk camp I swear I heard a challenge once again " Send those punk ass kid's of yours up here, in the end I'll kick there butts as well"
Enjoy it while you can , eventually the mountain is gonna win.

[KFhunter]

My elk hunting partner is like a little wood fairy, he weighs about a buck-forty-five soaking wet, he tips toes through the woods, hopping off logs and be-bops along without a care in the world...then here I come slogging behind him like a loaded water buffalo. 

Only way I can keep up is get him good and drunk the night before 

[Scho0558]

I felt mostly ready last year. I never really stop training thru combo of weights, running, mt biking, stretching. However, this year I am focusing more on core strengthening stuff as multiple days of heavy pack seemed to break me down a bit there first last year.

[Alchase]

Only way I can keep up is get him good and drunk the night before 

 

I tried that this year, did not workout the way I intended, probably because I usually hunt alone

 

[elkrack]

I get paid to stay in shape so I’m good to go every season. 

[nitroelk]

  The mountain got me this year, two days left in the season, left bugling bulls in the bottom (no bull tag of course) to go check out our favorite side valley. Get there nothing happening, drop back into main valley, elk still going crazy. Try to get close looking for cows or a spike, wind starts to get evil and decide to come back tomorrow and hope they are still in there along with a mountain of Chanterelle mushrooms I've been saving to pick with my partner who wasn't there for most of the season. While walking down a big log for the second time in twenty minutes because somebody dropped their binos and we had to turn around to retrieve them, my foot slips off the log and I go straight down and end up with my heal touching my butt cheek and searing pain in my left thigh. I was able to limp out about two miles to camp but done for the early season. Had to leave them mushrooms there and will never know what happened with elk for the last two days of early season.
We had never heard so many bugles in one day as that day, it should have been epic (especially had we had a bull tag)and who knows what that next day would have brought.
  It took more than a month to heal and my leg was black and blue all the way to my heal. Didn't miss any work but would come home and ice and elevate leg every day to keep the swelling down.
  Going to be a little more careful walking them logs in the future for sure. I was really lucky I didn't hurt my knee and it was just muscle and not the joint itself.

[Tbob]

I felt like I did pretty well out in the elk woods last year. We hunted the ID panhandle the first week of archery and only saw one spike and a few moose (lots of wolf tracks but never saw any). Moved our camp to the WA coast for the second week of archery season. Did much better there than ID if you can believe that?! I drew a multi season elk tag here in WA so I went out with my bow the entire week of Muzzy season solo and had a blast hiking around. Skipped the rifle season because being shot at scared the hell out of me! Went back out towards the coast and shot a cow during late season.. was i in great shape?? Nope, but I hiked anywhere from 4-10 miles each day and never really felt tired except for my shoulders every now and again ( I pack too much , just in case crap around in my day pack)! I’m in the bad knees group as well. I’m 44 and have had one knee replacement so far (from an accident) with a Tib/fib reconstruction. And now my other knee definitely starts to feel it when I hike down hill too much.. so for this year, I’m trying to lose 25 lbs before the season opener. Eating clean, only drinking beers once a week and working out regularly (also getting in a ton of hiking). I’m hoping between that and some bike riding the knee will feel a little better.. good luck to all you guys and your goals! I know for me it’s all just a crappy mental game plain and simple!

[HoofsandWings]

I have struggled for nearly 10 years now. Not going to change.