I've hit a new outoor "Stage"

[leechlake]

earlier this fall I posted on the stages of hunting. Now that my deer hunting is over I've fully realized I've reached a new stage that doesn't quite fit in but here's what it is...

when planning where to hunt I weigh the effort that will be needed both in difficulty in accessing the spot and required stamina needed for extracting the deer from the terrain. The higher the likelihood of killing a big buck would allow my formula to make me work hard to access, in other words. Shooting a doe would need to be a much shorter drag than a thirty pointer, also in other words.

I'm only 45, in pretty good shape but I think I've done enough mountain climbs, drags through tamarac swamps (that I used to find challenging and fun???) and other harrowing outdoor adventures where I'm ready to dial it back. I'm not saying I'm hunting out of a pick up or only hunting out of box blinds with a heater (although I did do that for the first time, the heater was too close to my right leg though)

If I have a younger hunter with me I can dial the effort up in order to mentor him, but if I'm alone I'm going a bit more the EZ chair route and enjoy my day.

[SpecialK]

My brother told me last week that it is time to build box stands. He hates box stands...

:-)

[Kettle]

I think that this makes sense, I'm 26 and I haven't got to the age + wisdom thing yet. I have done some dumb stuff this year, dumbest was drag a 12' flat bottom through knee deep muck for 125 yards to get to water for ducks! I got my six but it was for ducks, chock it up as youth and stupidity. My dad at age 60 just went to a ground blind for deer with a heater, he is a lot more tolerable

Happy Hunting

Kettle

[Jim Almquist]

I remember me and a buddy carrying a 4X8 heavy duty portable about 200 yards through snow. The temp was well below zero just to fish for some ok size Sunnies. There is no chance that would happen today!!!

Live and learn

[harvey lee]

I have changed the way I deer hunt the last few years as I am pushing 60.

With that said, I still go out and climb up a tree and enjoy the days outdoors.

I shot a 9 point buck on Monday in North Dakota that I was sure was at least 180 pounds. I had to drag it about 50-60 yards to a clearing so I thought I would drag it to the clearing and then gut it. After about 10 yards, I gutted it.

I came home yesterday and was going to hang the deer on the gambrel and I could not get it done even with the winch on the wheeler. He figured the deer was closer to 200 pounds, he was a brute.

My son came over and helped do it as my back was acting up quite a bit.

I am so thankful he hunts with me alot as there are times I need the help with the deer after they are shot.

I have changed the style I rifle hunt as I hunt out of a box the majority of the time. But, I still climb up the tree 20ft high for my archery hunting and plan to until I can no longer get up and down the tree. It is getting tougher each year to do it though.

[Hoffer]

I have been feeling things creep up lately as well.

I am going to be 49.

Still have no issues climbing a stand and actually had a better time in the stand this year then in the ground blind. At least in the stand I could slowly stand up every once in awhile (6' 2 ") so the stand was actually more comfy.

During the soft water fishing trips - I still fish almost all day - but do a lot of fast trolling with the rod holders and my butt in the seat. Rather than standing up and casting all day.

Also, the last few years of ice fishing have been tough. The conditions have been terrible and I was nursing a hernia for 2 years. Finally got that taken care of this Fall and I am looking forward to seeing how this Winter goes with dragging out portables and gear. I have been seriously thinking of getting a snowmobile for the Winter fishing. But I also figure dragging stuff around by hand keeps me in a little better shape

[CANOPY SAM]

I'm 46 years old this year, leechlake, and you and I are pretty much in the same boat. I've been working on getting in better shape since last spring, losing weight, toning up, more stamina, etc., but I still struggle.

Not sure this really plugs into the stages of an outdoorsman as much as simply a stage we're at in life. Strategizing and calculating the amount of effort required to accomplish a given task, without getting in over our head.

I'll tell ya', I really struggle with this one...accepting my limitations. I've always, always been one to live by the "Go Big or Go Home" motto. Drives my wife crazy. If I'm going to do ANYTHING, I'm going to go big! Problem is, my body just doesn't let me do it anymore. I keep biting off more than I can chew. Even DRIVING long distances makes me tired.

Yesterday, after church, I decided since we had nice enough weather outside I'd get to painting that pesky north wall of the house. I'd been putting it off cause it's such a quirky slope (walk out basement house) that getting ladders, or scaffolding in there safely would be more of a chore then the painting itself. I decided to just go big, dig the ladder feet into the ground where necessary, and get the job done.

I knocked it out in about 2 hours. Not bad at all! I made it to about 2:30 this morning when I awoke to aches and pains on top of my aches and pains. Didn't matter what position I tried to lay in, I hurt all over. Maybe 25-30 times up and down the ladder, hand painting maybe 400-500 sq. feet of lap siding...now I'm paying the price.

My Dad used to say, before he passed away, there's nothing Golden about the Golden years. Not that we're there yet...but just sayin'.