It won’t be long before the Fall hunting season will be in full effect. All the Outdoorsmen and women will be getting geared up for one of their most anticipated times of the year. They start by checking all their gear and firearms to make sure it is in proper working order. They will scout potential areas they may want to hunt, and check all the new rules and regulations of the upcoming hunting season.
Hunting is a serious mental sport, but even before we get into all of this, an Outdoorsman should get himself in good physical shape in order to deal with the great outdoors. In all sports you must get in condition in order to play, the same applies to hunting. There are many outdoorsmen and women who wait for the opening day of their anticipated hunting season, only to jump out there without ever getting into shape and afterwards paying for it dearly. They sustain injuries such as sprains, sore muscles; back pain and even some have heart attacks.
Many men in their late forties or fifties, are overweight, smoke, drink, and eat wrong all year. Once they get out on a hunt, they find themselves in a medical emergency in the middle of the woods without a cell phone. Not a good scenario, but a true one. First, always hunt with a buddy. Second, take the time out prior to hunting to get in some kind of shape. The ideal situation would be to train year round, but if you can’t do that, try at least 3 months out.
Since the season is upon us, you can still get some walking, hiking or maybe a little bike riding in. When you do a little walking, put on a pack with some weight in it and gradually walk longer with a heavier load. Another alternative is to walk up and down your steps if you don’t have the time to go to a gym. Make it work for you, but have some kind of workout for yourself because hunting is very physical and it requires strength and stamina.
The demands on your body can be extreme. You can walk through very rough terrain, the weather could be bad, and you spot that big buck. Your heart will start pumping fast and the adrenaline will kick in and if you should harvest one, then you have to drag him out along with yourself and your gear. You will have to carry that heavy 200lb deer out and let’s not even talk about larger game like elk. Those elk can weight about 600-800lbs. The key thing here is, to take care of yourself and your health so you can enjoy your outdoor experience by feeling great and having a good hunt.
