My question is how do you know if you're fit enough for the challenge of mountain goat hunting?
I think with a little extra training I'd be good to go, but just wonder how does one know for sure?
The key is pace and being able to climb with weight!!! you don't have to be fast, but able to be able to climb for hours.
Sounds like putting a backpack and climbing hills as prep?
1. put a pack on and climb stadium stairs over and over and over.
2. Get to the gym, get on a stair stepper/climber and do it with a loaded pack.
3. Put on a pack and hike around any where you can with a fully loaded pack.
I appreciate the advice - thanks a lot.
But...the better shape you're in, the faster you'll recover from each day.
To me the key was pacing myself so I didn't tire too quickly. The "tortoise" approach works better than the "hare" approach in the mountains.
You generally have a lot of time with goats. If you are careful, they generally don't move too fast or far.
If you make it your goal to get in the best shape possible, you shold be fine, physically. The mental side is another issue to deal with. Going up, day after day, can get tough. Just keep telling yourself how truly lucky you are to have the opportunity to do it!
Get into better shape then you thought you could possibly be in, and you should do fine.
I did quite a bit of mountain hunting this year, and I am probably quite a bit older than you. Drop me a PM if you wish, and I'll tell you how I trained for the hunt(s).
For me, the toughest part was climbing through the vegetation down low, with the pack on my back. The good news is that you only have to climb through that stuff one time....on the way in, when your legs are fresh. Do yourself a favor....make sure that your bow can be strapped onto your backpack, and make sure that the sights are protected. Pack your arrows in a tube or something....the vegetation will pull them out of the quiver.
It was a most enjoyable hunt, and the scenery was absolutely breaktaking. The meat was far better than I had expected....in fact, I am having some tomorrow for lunch!!
Do you know who you are using for an outfitter?
Jake
I imagine goat hunting at 13,000 ft is much different than at 5,000 or 6,000 ft as well.
Actually hunting goats was a lot like a pronghorn hunt only in steep high elevation shale.
Just my observations.
Also, while I am in good shape now, the idea of hunting goats is a carrot that I use to keep me going to the gym and running. Good health should be motivation enough to exercise, but the truth is, the idea os staying fit enough to hunt, especially a goat hunt is a better motivator for me.
The ideas here will help me change my routine some and then when I do book a hunt, I'll kick it into a higher gear to "peak" for the hunt.
Appeciate all the advice from everyone.
I did mine at 6-1 295 and it was tough but just get your mind right and never think about the option of giving up.
The worst part for me was wondering where the guard rails were on most of the hunt.Only a few spots were actually needed to be very careful but psychologically it would wear on you.
With goats it’s all steep, but the air gets mighty thin once you get above 10,000 feet.
Have a great goat hunt. BB
It sounds like you are on the right track as far as conditioning goes to start with. While I'm certainly no expert on the matter I have done three tough BC Mt goat hunts and one Alaskan sheep hunt in the last four years. Nothing compared to the amount of hunts that Jake has gone on in only the last couple of years. But, after following his hunting adventures here I'm not sure that he is actually human either.At any rate I would take any advice from medicinemann that he is willing to give you.
For my own training I felt the most helpful thing I did was work myself up to climbing the High School bleacher with a sixty pound backpack on for an hour at least every other day. I did this several weeks prior to my hunt along with daily one hour workouts on an elliptical months before my planned trips. Throw in some 30 minute weight training every other day or so and you should be good to go.
I agree with several here that mental tuffness is most important even above being in shape.
I am sitting at home having Mountain Goat for lunch. This meat is far better than I ever imagined.....I'll share my secret recipe with you....er....actually, if you search Bowsite, you'll find that I have posted it a couple times already.
Man, this meat is absolutely outstanding!!!
Book the hunt and get ur done!!
Jake
At the risk of offending some, there is "not particularly physically fit" for an Alaskan, and "not particularly physically fit" for a flat lander, and my personal experience suggests they can be very different.
Like many said before, it is tough to know when you're ready without actually being up in the mountains.
To get into really good shape you need to focus on recovery too. Recovery is usually built up by doing intense quick workouts,(sprints, plyometrics, circuts, ect). Workouts that keep your heart rate up around 120 for a couple mins with short breaks will increse your bodys abillity to recover faster when you take a break on your hike. Example, 5 100yrd sprints with 30sec turn around time, over time you should be able to cut the turn around time down.
Lots of great info. Thanks all.
Something that helped me this year was to begin lifting weights with my legs again to work on strength and balance. I do that once each week to compliment cardio work and hiking. Fortunately I've also got a 2,000 foot high steep rocky, brushy, shale covered hill out my backdoor to help me train too. Another thing that helped was to use the elliptical trainer and stair master at the gym without grabbing the handles; this helped improve balance.
Funny you mentioned that. Last year I had a leg malady (IT band syndrome) that kept me from training in the traditinal sense for my dall sheep hunt. I spent a a couple of days a week for a few months just prior to the hunt in the gym with a trainer/PT specialist. He focused exclusively on leg exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee including squats, calf raises, etc. I really built up my legs but worried about the lack of cario work and lengthy, endurance-building hikes. The long and short is that to my surprise this regiment seems to work nearly as well as my normal training. Going forward, I would definately add some resistance training into the mix, because I saw some very positive benefits from it.
Amazing how the balance work helps build the little muscles around the knee. I spent a fair bit of time doing squats on board that has a rounded gel side on it, and that really helped.
Mental aspect is huge...quiters can be in great shape. The more climbing you do with the gear you'll have on the hunt the better.
I'm a guide and used to run/lift weights and stuff to get read for the season. Now i stand on a stair stepper and sweat myself senseless....just to keep my muscles ready and worry about aclimation once the hunts start...why do i do it this way.... because i know what i can do to my body and still survive. I've pushed myself 200 percent farther than i've thought possible. But now that i know this....i'll never be in good enough shape to keep up with my brain.
You know when you look at rough, high mountains and you cannot wait to get up them. Your 60# pack seems light.
For me 3-4 times a week cardio, 1 hours each. I can keep my heart rate over 120, averaging 135, peaking at 175 a couple times - for 1 hour or more. Free weights once a week and hiking steep hills with 70# is not tough.
Sounds corny but if you wonder if you are ready you are not. When you train hard and are really prepared you know it.
I've been doing high rep leg exercises and will do actual hiking in addition to treadmill running whenever I can to get in shape.
A friend and I are planning a 2010 hunt so i'll have time to get in good shape.
I have a pack at the archery range full of weights and put it on when I shoot. When I walk my dog, another pack at home. Can tell you that 90 pounds with a Mystery Ranch pack is like 60 with a cheaper one. The main thing is getting those legs, back and your core used to the extra weight.
Cardio is also needed but will help recovery and will help you loose a couple of extra pounds. Think if you drop 10 before your hunt, its like carrying a smaller pack. Building muscle though will help you burn more calories on those cardio days.
If you are running on a treadmill, make sure you adjust the speed and the incline, working into some sprints and then recovery. That will help a ton.
Stretch out good after each work out. Prevents injury and will help with balance and making those longer steps and help while climbing.
I have figured out something - I am not fit enough to goat hunt right now. But, I am on my way to getting in shape.
I've been climbing stairs at work, lifting weights, especially my legs, hiking, stairmaster, treadmill and trying to shed some pounds.
The advice about building leg strength is correct. I noticed the burn in my legs when climbing and how it has lessened since beginning leg strengthing exercises.
I've got plenty of time to get in shape and I think I am on the right track.
Being a past back surgery patient I'm kind of worried about a heavy pack but will take it as it comes. I'm more worried about coming out with a goat in tow than going in with my gear. I know I can handle about 50 lbs from a deer hunt in Ak prior to surgery with the ruptured disc & pinched nerve (not fun but what ya gonna do?). I think with proper training & a well balanced pack 65 would be my max.
Anyway I'm concentrating more on cardio as it will help with recoup time & weight loss I'm down almost 10 lbs now & would like to lose another 20-25 but figure with summer coming up I'll probably loose more than that and just put on muscle which will bring my weight back up to my desired goal of 180 ish.
I figure this will also help with the Mt. lion hunt I have in jan as I heard the chase can be quite grueling.
CVC, I just checked the lowest and highest elevation in KS, and the pack in on my goat hunt was fully 50% of that (1,500 ft.) and about as steep as you can safely walk in some places. We went in with 55-60 lb. packs. The walking was nasty (brush busting) so it took about 4 hours. Coming out was gravity assisted, but the packs were heavier and the hiking no easier. Just food for thought to set goals.
Brad, IMO leg strength is equally as important as cardio. Since you are at the gym anyhow, work in some squats or other excercises to build the quads and glutes.
Given your back situation, you are probably going to want to pay extra attention on pack selection and where it places the weight and pressure. Figuring out you have the wrong equipment only after you are in the bush is not good.
I'm doing leg presses & other leg training exercises as well I'm pretty sure that guy at the gym is trying to kill me ( squats & thrusts & walking lunges) but it gets easier every week. Its amazing how quick you can increase weight resistance.
As far as packs go I'm looking towards a Badlands 4500 in a medium size. The contour fits me well and better than the other similar priced internal frame packs. I'm not sure what B&L suggests, I figure I should buy the best pack I can and make sure it fits. I'm buying it this week from Cabelas.
From using a external pack on other hunts I know you can carry more than you think if you place it proplery & balance the pack. Pack most of a large sitka blacktail buck & my gear & bow with a ruptured disc and you learn how to stuff a pack pretty quick. Never said I was smart.
I think mentally I will be okay at my own pace. I may be slow but good lord am I persistant. Just ask Richard or Mike Prescott. Never say Never.
I laughed but I think he was seriuos. Have not tried that yet but I am thinking I will. Maybe. I am thinking it might be a good test.
I'm certainly no fitness guru, but I'll offer one bit of advice based on my experiences hunting with flatlanders (My cousin from Kansas hunts with me, here in Colorado, almost every season.)
Assuming you're relatively fit from training in KS, you're biggest hurdle will be acclimating to the elevation. My cousin, who does far more cardio exercise than me thru-out the year, still struggles the first couple of days. We've found that he suffers far less if he spends a few days at my place, which sits at about 6000 feet, before we head up to higher elevations.
Also, stay well hydrated. If you start getting a headache , or your fingers start swelling, get to a lower elevation. I've seen folks with altitude sickness several times and it's nothing to take lightly.
GG
GG
Things I learned this past week are:
Leg strength is as important as cardio conditioning.
Good boots and pack are key to an enjoyable hunt. I think I have both. Really loved my Kenetrek Extreme Mountains.
Pace in climbing is important too. Go at a pace that you can maintain even if it is a little slower than you like. When I listened to my body I could keep going and going, but if I tried too fast of a pace I'd get winded and have to catch my breath.
Take off the jacket before tha ascent even if it is cold because you're going to get overheated if you leave it on as you climb.
Climbing is just as much mental as it is physical.
I have been hiking with my backpack and I have to continue doing so, adding weight to build my strength. The heavier the backpack I can get comfortable with before the hunt the better off I will be.
The first day or two sucked, but I kept getting better conditioned and stronger as the week went on. Climbs that killed me on day 1 were relatively easy on day 6. I lost 5 pounds on the trip and ate heartily during it.
I know I have my work cut out for me to get ready, but I have the confidence that I can do it.
