Older Backcountry hunters?

S

schoolhousegrizz

Very Active Member
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Well I really enjoy packing into the Backcountry and fishing/scouting and hunting. I am about to turn 41. I am not that old yet, but it got me wondering how many more years I have packing in and spending multiple nights in the backountry. I have a 74 year old neighbor that still packs in solo for several nights! Let's here from some of you older folks that are still doing it and enjoying it. Share your age if you don't mind, inspire us!
 
68 and still want to see what is on the other side of that hill.....
I don't go as fast but I am steady and get there one way or the other.
Now getting my old ass up the mountain is one thing but dragging out an animal is a death defying at best. I have a 45 year old son and a 17 year old 6'4" Grandson that do the packing for me now
 
Just never stop. I’ve resolved myself to that several years and injuries ago. I too am only just turning 42. But I watched my dad sit down and never really get back up. I swore to myself I’d never do that. I’ll admit I’m slower even now at 42 then I was at 22 but I also kill more chit. Working smarter not harder. If it takes a whole day to get in there 8 miles when it used to take a morning . Who cares. Your still in there. I plan on being in there till I physically can’t. Won’t let it be my mind that stops me
 
JPickett said:
Just never stop. I’ve resolved myself to that several years and injuries ago. I too am only just turning 42. But I watched my dad sit down and never really get back up. I swore to myself I’d never do that. I’ll admit I’m slower even now at 42 then I was at 22 but I also kill more chit. Working smarter not harder. If it takes a whole day to get in there 8 miles when it used to take a morning . Who cares. Your still in there. I plan on being in there till I physically can’t. Won’t let it be my mind that stops me
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Agreed, I’ve paid attention to my family members over the years that became inactive as they got older and it’s very difficult to get back up once they stop. Most if not all never get back up and active again. The ones that lived longer or are still alive are the active ones. I vowed too that’ll never happen to me. When I can’t hike the mountains anymore it’s time to go out to pasture…haha
 
I spent 38 nights in on the ground last year at 58 and another 12 nights so far this year in my 60th year. Like others have said, you just need to stay after it. When you go 3 months a year on the couch, it just gets exponentially tougher to keep jamming :)

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I will admit it gets harder to find the motivation as the years go on, but there's nothing like finding elk back in there to keep you smiling !!!

Cheers, Pete
 
I'm in my early 60's, but it isn't getting any easier, that's for sure.

I shot elk and packed them out solo in two different states this year. I set up a spike camp about 3 miles from the trial head and spent 18 days hunting from there in September. Several times I turned away from bugles when I was about 5-6 miles in from the road, and the elk were even further, and just realized that packing a big bull out solo that distance in the heat would not be practical. It hurt me to turn around and walk away, but I'm pretty sure it would have hurt a whole lot more had I been successful that far in!

I can still go pretty hard, but my recovery time is longer. The third 15 hour day of packing heavy loads just isn't an option. The first day is fine, but painful, and at the end of the second day I simply have to take a day off. It sucks, but that is the reality, at least for me.

I have to say that this year in particular I spent far too much time in the back country, trying to figure out how many more years I can still do it. I believe I still have at least 5-10 years, but that is beginning to seem damn short. If I got help with the packing I could probably extend that another 5 years at least - or so I tell myself.

In any case, I will still keep going in as deep as possible until my knees finally give out. Whether that is next year or in 15 years, it is impossible to say. Live for the moment!

Bill
 
My Dad turns 68 this week. Hikes my butt into the ground, climbs trees like a spider monkey, and keeps himself healthy. We've shared 30 years of adventures and hope to make it a bunch more. I'm not as fat as my avatar. Have an archery bighorn sheep hunt coming up here real quick.
 
Not As Big As Your Avatar?

Damn Big Stiffy!

You Just Disappointed All of Us!:D



Bigwiffy said:
My Dad turns 68 this week. Hikes my butt into the ground, climbs trees like a spider monkey, and keeps himself healthy. We've shared 30 years of adventures and hope to make it a bunch more. I'm not as fat as my avatar. Have an archery bighorn sheep hunt coming up here real quick.
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I’m 63. Just got back from a week on the Dutton hunting elk. Son shot a bull 4 miles from the nearest road. Four of us back it out with gear in one trip. Kicked the sh$t out of me but I was there. Toughest fricking mountain in Utah.
I thought it was nasty at 40 but damn at 63?
 
llamapacker said:
I'm in my early 60's, but it isn't getting any easier, that's for sure.

I shot elk and packed them out solo in two different states this year. I set up a spike camp about 3 miles from the trial head and spent 18 days hunting from there in September. Several times I turned away from bugles when I was about 5-6 miles in from the road, and the elk were even further, and just realized that packing a big bull out solo that distance in the heat would not be practical. It hurt me to turn around and walk away, but I'm pretty sure it would have hurt a whole lot more had I been successful that far in!

I can still go pretty hard, but my recovery time is longer. The third 15 hour day of packing heavy loads just isn't an option. The first day is fine, but painful, and at the end of the second day I simply have to take a day off. It sucks, but that is the reality, at least for me.

I have to say that this year in particular I spent far too much time in the back country, trying to figure out how many more years I can still do it. I believe I still have at least 5-10 years, but that is beginning to seem damn short. If I got help with the packing I could probably extend that another 5 years at least - or so I tell myself.

In any case, I will still keep going in as deep as possible until my knees finally give out. Whether that is next year or in 15 years, it is impossible to say. Live for the moment!

Bill
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Bill you are a animal????
 
I was sorry to learn that there is a huge difference between 60 and 70. I am 71 and can still get myself around the woods. This past muzzle season I would not go into our honey hole to kill an elk because I know I couldn’t pack it out. If I can’t pack it, I won’t shoot it. It hurts one’s pride to admit the truth. There is more to elk hunting than shooting.
 
Gunnihunter said:
I was sorry to learn that there is a huge difference between 60 and 70. I am 71 and can still get myself around the woods. This past muzzle season I would not go into our honey hole to kill an elk because I know I couldn’t pack it out. If I can’t pack it, I won’t shoot it. It hurts one’s pride to admit the truth. There is more to elk hunting than shooting.
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It doesn't take all that much to alter the trajectory of health to the detriment of being able to hunt deep or hard..
It was nice having the innocence of youth, but the reality of age does creep up.
All I can say is enjoy while you can.
 
DeerMadness said:
I'm 63 and I still pack in to places. More like 5 to 8 miles now each way. I can do a 5 mile hike with 3800' gain. It does wear me out. I can go 4 days with 35lb of gear including my fishing apparatus.
I know a guy that is 73 that can hike pretty well.
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middlefork said:
It doesn't take all that much to alter the trajectory of health to the detriment of being able to hunt deep or hard..
It was nice having the innocence of youth, but the reality of age does creep up.
All I can say is enjoy while you can.
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Enjoy the adventures while you still can !! The hills/canyons do get steeper each year. I’m 74 & my Wife is sure I’m nuts !!! I’m very careful still in my hikes & hunting - take no chances. Never thought it would get so hard so fast. YOLO
Jerry Gold- Windsor, Colorado ???
 
Wapitiwilly said:
I’m 63. Just got back from a week on the Dutton hunting elk. Son shot a bull 4 miles from the nearest road. Four of us back it out with gear in one trip. Kicked the sh$t out of me but I was there. Toughest fricking mountain in Utah.
I thought it was nasty at 40 but damn at 63?
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Congrats on the bull. Let's see him!
 
After a couple unlucky Car accidents and a couple atv accidents my back is my Achilles tendon. Good days and bad days . I haven't packed an elk out in years. I shot them close to roads. If I had 100 lbs on my back I wouldn't last 3 miles.
 
I am 66 and will be 67 in January. I am not what I used to be for sure. I have hunted for as long as I can remember. Most of my hunting is solo. My children live in other states. I love backcountry mule deer hunting. The terrain in this part of NW Wyoming is steep and rough. My attitude for years was shoot it and worry about getting it out afterwards. Never any hesitation. This year I hit it hard for mule deer. I had two migration corridors picked out to watch. The migration was almost non-existent this year because of season dates and warmer than usual temps. Walking in the dark alone was fine. On the 20th, I saw my first migrating bucks. One appeared below me. I was going to pass but the old man kicked in and the buck was in a good spot for packing it out. That was the first time I ever considered this factor. Neck shot and I had your basic NW Wyoming 20” 4x4. Got half out before dark. Went back for the hindquarters the next morning. Worried about grizzly bears. The previous year a sow and cubs had gotten on my quartered carcass the next morning when I retrieved the hindquarters. As an old man, I don’t wander as far as I used to. I do think I am smarter hunter as I age. I know where to go. My shooting has not changed a bit. One shot and one kill. Just sayin...mh
 
I'm not old (48) but I'm fat and that is what has limited me. That being said, I'm not ready to give it up just yet. Went with my son this last weekend and he was able to take the next step as a Back Country Bowhunter and I was there to be a part of it all though is kicked my butt something fierce. I have found that you just plan for more time to get in and out and plan for the right amount of help to be able to bring out the animals. Barring any serious injury's you just keep pressing on.

Brandon Wasatch Buck.jpg
 
44 this year and did 93 miles on the elk hunt. Packed out 3 bulls in one week. Snowed half the week, was muddy, but there’s no place I’d rather be when it comes to beating up the body. My 74 year old dad was by my side for some of it. He has health issues but his love for the hills surpasses any amount of pain and discomfort he experiences through it all.

Do what you can as long as you can. I believe it is equally important that you support your mental health as you do your physical health. Once you walk away from your passion, your mental health will follow, along with physical health. Always give yourself something to look forward to each day.
 
Gunnihunter said:
I was sorry to learn that there is a huge difference between 60 and 70. I am 71 and can still get myself around the woods. This past muzzle season I would not go into our honey hole to kill an elk because I know I couldn’t pack it out. If I can’t pack it, I won’t shoot it. It hurts one’s pride to admit the truth. There is more to elk hunting than shooting.
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In my 50’s I could still keep up with my sons. In my early sixties my knees started causing problems. Then I had a horse wreck that left me a broken collarbone and ribs. I was riding where I should have been leading because of the knee pain. Had the knee replacement surgery, and haven’t been able to do near as much since. I have had to be more selective in choosing my adventures. I still killed animals in three states last year, and have tagged along on hunts in four states this year. Just got back from a son’s Arizona elk hunt. At 70 the spirit’s willing but the flesh is week. Hopefully the passion never dies.
 
Yep. 61 years old in 15 days. It wears on me more then before. Notice I stop alot more often now, but can get it done. Day hunts can go most places still, just alittle slower.

Heck, yesterday my wife shot a good 4x4 rutting buck and I headed over a couple draws with the meat pack. Quartered it, capped it to the skull and packed all the meat on the pack and the head and cape in my hands all in one trip. Lots of rest breaks, but one trip sounded much better then two trips.

Keep moving it is hard to get it back. A body in motion stays in motion.
 
rmanwill said:
Yep. 61 years old in 15 days. It wears on me more then before. Notice I stop alot more often now, but can get it done. Day hunts can go most places still, just alittle slower.

Heck, yesterday my wife shot a good 4x4 rutting buck and I headed over a couple draws with the meat pack. Quartered it, capped it to the skull and packed all the meat on the pack and the head and cape in my hands all in one trip. Lots of rest breaks, but one trip sounded much better then two trips.

Keep moving it is hard to get it back. A body in motion stays in motion.
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Love all these stories, keep them coming.
 
As a 62 year old flat lander, backpacking very far in mountainous terrain is not in the cards. I can however still sit in the saddle for miles and miles. So that is how I keep going, I look to see if I can get my mare to point x and back. If so, I figure I can walk out if she carries the elk quarters! Some health issues are creeping up on me that may limit how many more times I can hunt the mountains. Point creep doesn’t help either!
 
I'm 68. Still guiding and outfitting hunters. I've been pretty steady at it since September. Wears me down, bu tit always did. Maybe more metal wear than physical. I packed out some elk and deer this year and things went well.

I'm not the man I used to be but still love to hunt and scout. I'll go as long as I can.

Stay in shape and take care of yourself. I have some back issues now and I have a BIG kidney stone stuck in my ureter that will come out in surgery in 2 more days. Helped pack out an elk with that kidney stone aching last week. That'll test your will.

It has all been said here. Hunt as long as you can because nobody beats Father Time.
 
rmanwill said:
Yep. 61 years old in 15 days. It wears on me more then before. Notice I stop alot more often now, but can get it done. Day hunts can go most places still, just alittle slower.

Heck, yesterday my wife shot a good 4x4 rutting buck and I headed over a couple draws with the meat pack. Quartered it, capped it to the skull and packed all the meat on the pack and the head and cape in my hands all in one trip. Lots of rest breaks, but one trip sounded much better then two trips.

Keep moving it is hard to get it back. A body in motion stays in motion.
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ICMDEER said:
I'm 68. Still guiding and outfitting hunters. I've been pretty steady at it since September. Wears me down, bu tit always did. Maybe more metal wear than physical. I packed out some elk and deer this year and things went well.

I'm not the man I used to be but still love to hunt and scout. I'll go as long as I can.

Stay in shape and take care of yourself. I have some back issues now and I have a BIG kidney stone stuck in my ureter that will come out in surgery in 2 more days. Helped pack out an elk with that kidney stone aching last week. That'll test your will.

It has all been said here. Hunt as long as you can because nobody beats Father Time.
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Only Tom Brady beat time- Super Tom. But in the end , Father Time will win. Guaranteed! !
What a life he’s had ! Lucky ? Guy.!
The GOAT .
Jerry Gold ???
 
c3 said:
I spent 38 nights in on the ground last year at 58 and another 12 nights so far this year in my 60th year. Like others have said, you just need to stay after it. When you go 3 months a year on the couch, it just gets exponentially tougher to keep jamming :)

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I will admit it gets harder to find the motivation as the years go on, but there's nothing like finding elk back in there to keep you smiling !!!

Cheers, Pete
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Pete, does Mrs Pete keep throwing out of the house? Lol
 
ICMDEER said:
I'm 68. Still guiding and outfitting hunters. I've been pretty steady at it since September. Wears me down, bu tit always did. Maybe more metal wear than physical. I packed out some elk and deer this year and things went well.

I'm not the man I used to be but still love to hunt and scout. I'll go as long as I can.

Stay in shape and take care of yourself. I have some back issues now and I have a BIG kidney stone stuck in my ureter that will come out in surgery in 2 more days. Helped pack out an elk with that kidney stone aching last week. That'll test your will.

It has all been said here. Hunt as long as you can because nobody beats Father Time.
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Hey ICM hope that kidney stone comes out before surgery you will piss like a cow on a flat rock for months. Have they everything else first? Had one a couple of years ago and man that is some kind of pain...the worst. Hope you get better and keep at it, the mind will tell you yes but the body says no LOL just don't listen to it
 
Sleeping on the ground is overrated.

Bigstiffy, I’m glad to hear that your dad can still climb trees. The true measure of a man.
 
ICMDEER said:
I'm 68. Still guiding and outfitting hunters. I've been pretty steady at it since September. Wears me down, bu tit always did. Maybe more metal wear than physical. I packed out some elk and deer this year and things went well.

I'm not the man I used to be but still love to hunt and scout. I'll go as long as I can.

Stay in shape and take care of yourself. I have some back issues now and I have a BIG kidney stone stuck in my ureter that will come out in surgery in 2 more days. Helped pack out an elk with that kidney stone aching last week. That'll test your will.

It has all been said here. Hunt as long as you can because nobody beats Father Time.
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Them stone suck. Had five over the last 30 years. One where I was peeing blood on a backpack hunt in the high wyominv mtns. That one came out in surgery.
 
rmanwill said:
Them stone suck. Had five over the last 30 years. One where I was peeing blood on a backpack hunt in the high wyominv mtns. That one came out in surgery.
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i love it. "eh im just pissin blood, wheres that buck!!" man after my own heart. once had a tooth pulled on my way to pack in. bleeding out my mouth for 3 days up there , perforated sinus cavity and trying to keep the Copenhagen out of it. its a wonder why our wives dont understand us...
 
Had a little bellyache one day. It lasted about 5 days until I couldn't get out of bed for the pain.
Decided it might be time to get it checked out.
After 4 weeks in the ICU and another 8 weeks in the hospital I finally made it back home. And 2 years later I still haven't completely recovered.
Some of us tough old guys may just be stupid LOL
 
What I'm amazed at are all of the accounts of getting miles from a road. I can't get away from them. I pack into areas expecting to find seclusion and can always find a 4-wheeler trail. I can get maybe 3 miles tops off of a road before I encounter another.
 
When you hunt places like the Manti, there are only a few wilderness areas that would entail a "Backcountry Experience". Probably why my 76 year old man has a rule... "Only one foot out the door, and always look up hill!"
 
Am a MN farmer who has been traveling west since 1970 elk hunting. I will be seventy nine in a few months. I do cheat a little by hauling my horses and mules out with me that do alot of the grunt work. I still insist on getting many miles into the back country and sleeping in a tent. I have hunted Idaho, Montana. Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. I still have bonus points left for Utah. Still do plenty of ground-pounding, just at my pace. Plan until continuing until i can't enjoy the experience.
 
I am 72. I'm guessing most of us really old guys have a younger hunting companion.
This fall I accompanied my 35 year old son into the Wyoming wilderness where he took a smoker Rocky Mountain Bighorn. We put on some serious miles and elevation every day. He pushes me hard but I don't mind because following him around is a blast, and it makes me feel much younger.
I had a heart attack 6 years ago preparing for a Stone Sheep hunt and I should be dead. But ultimately physically pushing myself, because of my hunting drive, is keeping me alive. (mentally and physically)
Both my shoulders need to be replaced and I've had an artificial knee since I was 41. But if I couldn't still go hunting, I'd probably hang up life as well.
It gets harder every year, but I still want to hunt with my grandson's so I need to keep going another 10 years.
 
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Bigwiffy said:
My Dad turns 68 this week. Hikes my butt into the ground, climbs trees like a spider monkey, and keeps himself healthy. We've shared 30 years of adventures and hope to make it a bunch more. I'm not as fat as my avatar. Have an archery bighorn sheep hunt coming up here real quick.
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Good luck on the Sheep hunt wiffy! I'm sure you and your Pop will do well. He's a stud for sure!
Just don't wiff on a big one!
 
I'm 54 and I may have had my final solo hunting trip this year. I'll probably do some solo scouting trips but I just don't enjoy hunting alone any more and my wife worries too much anyways. I'm actually kind of looking forward to retiring from hunting full time in another 5 or 6 years once I burn my LE points in Utah and Colorado.
I've had a deer tag in Utah for 38 straight years now and no I don't have a lifetime license. (I just know how to use my points correctly.)
I guess I'm just ready to do more fall fishing.
 
If You've Had a Deer License for 38 Straight Years?

Where Would You Have Earned Any Points?

And Why Would You Need any Points Pulling a Tag every Year?

Not Being Rude Ridge!

Just Wondering if You Could SPLAIN it for Us?





ridgetops said:
I'm 54 and I may have had my final solo hunting trip this year. I'll probably do some solo scouting trips but I just don't enjoy hunting alone any more and my wife worries too much anyways. I'm actually kind of looking forward to retiring from hunting full time in another 5 or 6 years once I burn my LE points in Utah and Colorado.
I've had a deer tag in Utah for 38 straight years now and no I don't have a lifetime license. (I just know how to use my points correctly.)
I guess I'm just ready to do more fall fishing.
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elkassassin said:
If You've Had a Deer License for 38 Straight Years?

Where Would You Have Earned Any Points?

And Why Would You Need any Points Pulling a Tag every Year?

Not Being Rude Ridge!

Just Wondering if You Could SPLAIN it for Us?
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Pretty simple, I put in for seasons and units that don't require a lot of points and last year I shared points with a friend of mine. I drew a dedicated this year. So I'm garrenteed to hunt the next two years.
 
In 2020 I had a bull elk tag in the Jarbidge Wilderness in Nevada. I met two old guys up on the mountain and had a good time visiting with them. As I was showing them respect by saying "yes sir" and "no sir", one of them asked me how old I was. Well I was 57. They then told me that one of them was 56 and the other was 58. Somehow I dont see myself as one of them, lol. But I will admit, I have no idea who that guy is looking at me in the mirror. Some old guy.
I started backpack hunting at 41 and now I'm 58. Knee injuries in my 20's are haunting me now. I thought I was ready to go fishing but after reading the posts of some of these guys in their 60's and 70's i now feel like I have a duty to take and carry the torch. Thanks for the inspiration. Fatrooster
 
fatrooster said:
Me and my friends have a joke amongst ourselves. We always say, "When I get old I might be going up that mountain on nubs or crawling but I'm still gonna go!"
Fatrooster
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In 1998 I had what was supposed to be the last surgery on my ankle. Doc assured me before scheduling it that, while I might be sore, I would be able to hunt. They took a chunk of my hip and used k-wire to drill into one of my ankle bones and use the chunk to take the place of dead bone on my talus. Avascular necrosis......means no more blood flow to a bone...was the problem. So, doc does his thing and I was still in a walking boot come hunting season. I got a cow and darn near had a bear.

The last few years have found my backcountry days behind me.
 
I'm 64 and spent 10 hours getting a bull to my truck 4 weeks ago by my self and it took everything I had, if it had been warm I would not be able to take the shot. I need to start planning ahead for help in the future recovery, as far as walking there is not any limitations as to how far up or down but a large bull in the back country is going to take it out of anyone.
 
fatrooster said:
In 2020 I had a bull elk tag in the Jarbidge Wilderness in Nevada. I met two old guys up on the mountain and had a good time visiting with them. As I was showing them respect by saying "yes sir" and "no sir", one of them asked me how old I was. Well I was 57. They then told me that one of them was 56 and the other was 58. Somehow I dont see myself as one of them, lol. But I will admit, I have no idea who that guy is looking at me in the mirror. Some old guy.
I started backpack hunting at 41 and now I'm 58. Knee injuries in my 20's are haunting me now. I thought I was ready to go fishing but after reading the posts of some of these guys in their 60's and 70's i now feel like I have a duty to take and carry the torch. Thanks for the inspiration. Fatrooster
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I've been hunting ever since I can remember but I recently just started backpacking/backpack hunting the last 3 years a little more seriously. I saw you started at 41 which gives me some comfort. I feel like I got started a little late on the whole Backcountry hunting, but sometimes you're just not ready to do that until you're a little older I think.
 
grosventrehunter said:
Horses!! I'm not old, 48, and can still hike any mountain I decide to climb, but with horses, I can live much more comfortable miles from the trailhead. Plus, the packout is so much better when you kill something 10+ miles from the truck.
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Bryon, you rent horses or do you have horses or do you know somebody with horses? I have got packgoats now. Because I don't have the land time or money for horses. Maybe when I start getting older I'll get horses, I guess we will see.
 
At 69 I am still going pretty strong. I can hike and climb as well as I ever have but my packing days with any weight are gone due to a neck injury a few years ago. I baby the neck and now limit myself to around #35. I also try to hunt with guys way longer than me for obvious reasons.
 
Just turned 67 couple months back. Learned you just have to be a little smarter on what you pack. Feel blessed I can still get myself and my gear to the top of the mountain and pack out an elk without breaking a sweat. But my horse is sweating like hell.
Wes
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tracker12 said:
At 69 I am still going pretty strong. I can hike and climb as well as I ever have but my packing days with any weight are gone due to a neck injury a few years ago. I baby the neck and now limit myself to around #35. I also try to hunt with guys way longer than me for obvious reasons.
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Are you able to spend a few nights in the Backcountry still?
 
Turned 55 2 days ago. Still packing them off of the mountain. Hunted Idaho Deer and Colorado Elk this year. I logged 27.2 miles over 5 days in Idaho and 43.2 miles over 6 days in Colorado. All with a pack and Rifle. I have half a deer and head and cape in the pic below. I also helped haul 4 elk off the mountain in Colorado but the terrain and distance we had to pack meat was nothing compared to Idaho. I have no meniscus at all in my left knee and 2 ligaments have been replaced. down hill is way worse than uphill and I wish I would have gone in for cortisone shots before this years hunts. The knee is worse every year and I'm too stubborn to get the replacement but It will have to happen sooner or later. I'm just worried that will end my hiking when it does happen.

pack.jpg
 
Elk_Nuts said:
Turned 55 2 days ago. Still packing them off of the mountain. Hunted Idaho Deer and Colorado Elk this year. I logged 27.2 miles over 5 days in Idaho and 43.2 miles over 6 days in Colorado. All with a pack and Rifle. I have half a deer and head and cape in the pic below. I also helped haul 4 elk off the mountain in Colorado but the terrain and distance we had to pack meat was nothing compared to Idaho. I have no meniscus at all in my left knee and 2 ligaments have been replaced. down hill is way worse than uphill and I wish I would have gone in for cortisone shots before this years hunts. The knee is worse every year and I'm too stubborn to get the replacement but It will have to happen sooner or later. I'm just worried that will end my hiking when it does happen.

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How long do the cortizone last?
 
My experience with cortisone shots in both hips: lasted 2-3 days. I had it done twice over a 4 month period. Last time the dosage was greater than the first and the needle was bigger. Last time hit a nerve in my left hip and I am still hurting. In fact I still feel where the injections were even after 3 months. I am in constant pain in my lumbars , pelvis and hips. But I am 78 and have hurt for a long time. I broke my back in 4 places playing high school football.
 
At age 73 my big issue is: What if I expend all that energy climbing to the top of the ridge and I don't see anything? That happens about 80% of the time. When I was younger I thought you better get up there, you might miss something. Now it's you better stay down low because there might not be anything up there.

That probably only makes sense to us older hunters.
 
I'm 66, in my head I think I'm 25, My body says different. I have two new hips, two new knees, and both of my ankles have been fused. I'm having another surgery in two days to fuse the rest of my left ankle. After one day on the mountain in Colorado unit 61 I had to puss out and shoot my bull in the hay field. I'm not very proud of that but still had fun in camp. I'm hoping this surgery will keep me going, I have a lot of NR points that I want to use. If I thought I was gonna live this long I would of taken better care of myself. Four years in the Army, twelve years logging, and thirty two years farming has taken it's toll. I'll keep going until I can't.
 
Buckhunter1955 said:
I'm 66, in my head I think I'm 25, My body says different. I have two new hips, two new knees, and both of my ankles have been fused. I'm having another surgery in two days to fuse the rest of my left ankle. After one day on the mountain in Colorado unit 61 I had to puss out and shoot my bull in the hay field. I'm not very proud of that but still had fun in camp. I'm hoping this surgery will keep me going, I have a lot of NR points that I want to use. If I thought I was gonna live this long I would of taken better care of myself. Four years in the Army, twelve years logging, and thirty two years farming has taken it's toll. I'll keep going until I can't.
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I chose ankle replacement over fusion because I liked the idea of more movement.

If you dont mind, it would be interesting to know the reason why you chose fusion.
 
I chose fusion over replacement because I was told replacement was for people who were not that active. I don't mind the loss of movement I just want the pain to go away. Not only do I want to be able to hunt and fish but I want to continue to work.
 
Man, some of you old guys have really abused your whole body. :rolleyes:

If my skinny a$$ had a new set of lungs, I'd still be climbing mountains. It just wouldn't be as fast as I used to do it.

Let's get it on!!!

oldguydance2.gif
 
Wow, that's pretty simple looking hardware. I thought it would have been more complicated. It just sounded so out-of-the-box when I heard about it.

Feddoc, is it holding steady for you?
 
Snoopdogg said:
Wow, that's pretty simple looking hardware. I thought it would have been more complicated. It just sounded so out-of-the-box when I heard about it.

Feddoc, is it holding steady for you?
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Yes, very steady, strong and stable.

I don't have a video of my surgery, but have watched a few with this device. It reminds me of a cabinet maker making some tiny little cuts with his saw, then beating the crap out of it with a hammer/chisel.
 
Deerlove said:
How long do the cortizone last?
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I had cortizone(steroids of some kind) shots in my back and it didn’t help any. I am going to get some more shots that are different. More of a pain block. I have two bulging disks in my back but Doc said they aren’t bad enough to operate on yet, which means they will continue to get worse.

I think the shots vary from no benefit to several weeks. Steroids don’t cure anything, just reduces inflammation which reduces pain. Not a magic bullet.
 
Cortisone is biologically inactive and is converted to cortisol by the liver so it can do its thing. It is designed to reduce swelling.

It is also a catabolic steroid/cortacosteroid (as opposed to anabolic steroid). The effects on your body are quite different.

I'm having another nerve block in my neck next week. If that does what it should do, I'm off to a nerve ablation after the first of the year.
 
Have you had the block before and did it work? I’m getting something tomorrow that is a nerve block.
 
I am 72 and still going strong, just a little slower than I used to be. The last time I backpacked 15 miles to our favorite wilderness fishing spot, it took a day and a half. It used to take half a day. On a recent elk hunt with my 42 year old son and 15 year old grandson I couldn't keep up very well. My hips got sore after the first 10 miles and kept getting sorer and sorer for the next 15 miles, but we ended up with a good six point bull.
the way things are going, I think it will be about over by the time I turn 80 and that's too bad because some of my youngest grandsons won't even be old enough to hunt by then.
 
Thank you feddoc, that sounds good. My bad disks are in my lower back. As long as I am laying down it doesn’t hurt. Just hurts when I stand or walk. Really limits my activity.
 
bugleb said:
I am 72 and still going strong, just a little slower than I used to be. The last time I backpacked 15 miles to our favorite wilderness fishing spot, it took a day and a half. It used to take half a day. On a recent elk hunt with my 42 year old son and 15 year old grandson I couldn't keep up very well. My hips got sore after the first 10 miles and kept getting sorer and sorer for the next 15 miles, but we ended up with a good six point bull.
the way things are going, I think it will be about over by the time I turn 80 and that's too bad because some of my youngest grandsons won't even be old enough to hunt by then.
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Pretty impressive, nice work. Hope I am at it as long as you are!
 
I'm 71 and still getting around the hills. Not as far or fast tho. Lungs and back are still good, but the right leg is a wreck. Over the last 20 years, I dislocated and tore up the ankle, broke the leg in 3 places, 5 knee surgeries, 20" long blood clot, dislocated the hip, and fell off a roof. My ortho said take good care of the other leg, so I have something to stand on!! :)

I keep hoping for one more sheep tag, before I'm 80!!!
 
I'm 68. I'm in great health and still have the stamina to hunt. But I've recently had to admit that I'm not "as good once as I ever was". Age has undeniably made me fragile. I get injured so easily anymore and I don't recover from injury like I used to. Back in October, I was hauling firewood when I tossed a 50 lb log over the side of the truck bed and just doing that, tore a distal tendon in my elbow. So my solo hunting habit is done. I ain't gonna be one of those silver alerts. But on the bright side, I love senior discounts and the ladies were never so sweet to me when I was younger.
 
At 67 I still can go down in the canyons, but I think now before I go in the hole. I used to go down and hunt for animals, now II have to hear or see something down there before I go.

My biggest problem after sitting awhile and standing up is the urge to pee. It's difficult to get a 2 inch dick through 3 inches of clothes.
 
I'm Perty Sure You Can See The Same Amount of PISSCUTTERS Road Hunting As You Can Hiking!

Maybe More!

It's That Good Around Here!



ridgetops said:
Hey elk, maybe you can start a new thread. Asking about how many older road hunters like yourself drive around and only seem to see pisscutters.?
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My dad is 80.

He backpack hunted a central Nevada Wilderness with my brother this year. 2000' up over 4 or 5 miles. Once up there he glassed within a mile of camp. They made a food run mid week, so he did it twice I guess.

He went on an overnighter with me in Oregon. 4 miles in and 1000' up. He hunted along the trail a few miles the next day. Then, we decided to pack out because a rain storm was coming in.

He walked in and out of our wilderness elk camp in Oregon. 5 miles and 1500'. He hunted close to camp all week.

Pretty damn impressed for his age. He is in shape from working on his farm, and underweight (6'5" 190lbs) from diabetes.

My knees tend to take after my moms side of the family. She can barely walk due to osteoarthritis at 75. I have it at 49, but I am not giving up.
 
Extrapale said:
My dad is 80.

He backpack hunted a central Nevada Wilderness with my brother this year. 2000' up over 4 or 5 miles. Once up there he glassed within a mile of camp. They made a food run mid week, so he did it twice I guess.

He went on an overnighter with me in Oregon. 4 miles in and 1000' up. He hunted along the trail a few miles the next day. Then, we decided to pack out because a rain storm was coming in.

He walked in and out of our wilderness elk camp in Oregon. 5 miles and 1500'. He hunted close to camp all week.

Pretty damn impressed for his age. He is in shape from working on his farm, and underweight (6'5" 190lbs) from diabetes.

My knees tend to take after my moms side of the family. She can barely walk due to osteoarthritis at 75. I have it at 49, but I am not giving up.
Click to expand...
Cool!!

respects.gif
 

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