Just last week a 92 year old women completed a 26 mile marathon in 7 hours . And a 15 yr old Mich boy carried his brother on his back for 57 miles to raise awareness for cerebral palsy . What does this have to do with elk hunting everything , these two individuals illustrate if u want something that bad it can be achieved . The power of positive thinking while hunting can and will pull u threw some tough mountains .
There is no question that your mind can push your body to do amazing things. And elk hunting is a classic case of that. I've seen so many examples of hunters I thought might not be able hack it pace themselves and really amaze me. I've also seen some young studs who you'd think would be able to tear the mountains up just fall to pieces. They are people who are not used to being pushed to their limits and also not used to failure and once they start to question themselves and break down it's not long until they just crash and burn.
Every single time I read the elk fitness threads I always think about that. I don't care if you run marathons, do tons of cardio and get your body fat down to where you want it. If you don't have it together between your ears you're doomed.
I have some pretty interesting crash and burn stories. lol
If you can utter the words, "I can't go any farther," then you can take another step.
You get to where you're going one step at a time.
Everyone who ventures into the elk woods should watch "Into the Void." That's a true story of a human's true limits and where you actually break down and cannot go any farther. It puts elk hunting into perspective, which, is really not what many make it out to be.
You can always take another step. And when you actually can't walk any further, you can drag yourself a long-ass ways with your arms. After that, you can still roll downhill. If that doesn't get you to where you're going, the only thing left to do is use your fingers to call someone...
"Every single time I read the elk fitness threads I always think about that. I don't care if you run marathons, do tons of cardio and get your body fat down to where you want it. If you don't have it together between your ears you're doomed. "
I'm not sure which side of the fence you're coming down on, just curious.
I can tell you that if you can train and grind through a marathon, you'll learn as much about yourself as a DIY elk hunt. There are plenty of excuses to be had and cheats to be taken if you're of that disposition. But, if you do it right, there is a SIGNIFICANT correlation. Having done both (a dozen or so elk hunts, a half marathon, and now a full), I can say that this is a fact.
The fitness/marathon threads relate to elk hunting perfectly: In either activity you can push hard, coast, give up early, or never try.
For ME, being able to push through a long bout of depression, pneumonia, hectic work schedules, family life, injuries/minor surgery AND pull off a marathon finish only cements my will and determination to be successful this fall. For a fact, most probably don't need a marathon to have that conviction, but I cannot see how it can hurt. For me it builds confidence in other aspects of life, how can it not?
Doesn't matter if it's elk hunting or any other aspect of life. The amount of effort and determination you put into achieving an objective is directly proportional to how important achieving that objective is to you.
Mental aspect is probably more important than physical, not that physical isn't important. Your body can do more than your mind thinks it can. I've been on elk hunts also a sheep hunt. Sheep was far more in both areas. The mental aspect of the hunt still makes me feel tired when I think about it. Just do it and get in good shape,than set your mind to positive.
I don't want to start a p!ssin' contest. I have the utmost respect for Lou and Joe. My viewpoint is closer to Bill's.
If anyone has been on BS long enough knows I run. I can safely state that my training have toughened and tested me mentally more than anything I could do in my day to day life. I suppose if I could elk hunt 52 weeks out of the year, I would also know my mental capabilities also. But that isn't possible.
If someone runs marathons and think that automatically qualifies that person to elk hunt, you are full of cr@p. (I am pretty sure I will not see Oprah in any of my hunting spots!) I know of guys who are pure runners and can run faster than me, but they shake there heads when they find out I what I do to train. I know a guy who recently ran an Olympic qualifying time (sub 2:19) but will not train for Boston because he would have to train in the winter! He doesn't like running in the cold! (I live in North Dakota) (I can guarantee he is not throwing on a 60 lb pack and hiking the local hill after a long run!)
I have gone through day after day, week after week (and year after year) of grinding out training run after training run, waking up at 4:45 AM every day with temps below zero. But when the alarm goes off, no matter how tired and sore I might be, I roll out of bed and do what I need to do. No excuses. (Sound similar to day 5 of an elk hunt???)
I think mental toughness comes down to discipline. If you work hard and push yourself (and never give up) in the off season, those same attributes will carry over into an elk hunt. (How you push yourself physically and mentally is your choice). If you are working 60 hours a week and still make time to head to the gym or throw on a backpack and sweat your butt off (After the kids are in bed), are you toughening yourself up mentally? (While not running one mile!) You bet!
I elk hunted before I ever started running. Running and my fitness are a "means to an end". The end is to live long and hunt as many years as possible. The physical and mental aspects have made me a better elk hunter for 2 weeks out of the year. Those attributes have also made me a better person for the other 50 weeks.
5,10,15- heck, we even would do 22+ days of elk hunting straight, back in the old days. When you are out in the woods away from society that long, mental toughness is the only thing that gets you through sometimes.
When you haven't seen elk in days and you are mentally/physically exhausted, do you quit?
If you are not mentally tough, the sleeping bag is where you'll be most of the day...
Your brain is where it's at. It can even make elk appear where minutes before, there were none!
People in their 30's and 40's are more successful climbing Mt Everest than people in their 20's. It's not because they are in better shape. It's because they have more experience (in life, not just in climbing) being pushed to their limit mentally, and know their bodies can keep on going anyway.
So, how much of the mental game comes hard-wired and how much of it is learned or acquired? After I get done with a big race, I have a lot of people who tell me, "Oh, I could NEVER do that!" And I tell them that they are absolutely right--with an attitude like that, they will never be able to do it. BUT, I've also seen a lot of people that you would never think could finish a marathon or an Ironman do it simply because they set their mind to it and worked through the pain and doubts and adversity. Sometimes I'm more impressed by the heavy-set, non-athletic type that finishes the marathon in 6+hours than the super athletic guy who does it in under 3. The 92yo lady finishing her 16th marathon (she started when she was in her 70's) is a perfect example. Like Henry Ford, said, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't--you're right."
"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day or a year, but eventually it will subside and something will else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." Everyone has heard that quote I'm sure. I look forward to these hunts all year long. When that 10 day hunt finally arrives, think about how long you will have to wait to do it again next year. That's my true pain..........
I guess I don't get it. The reason I elk hunt is to be elk hunting. It takes NO "mental toughness" to do something you enjoy doing. I guess if your only reason to be out there is to KILL an elk, that might be different. For me, it's the journey, not the destination. As for being in shape; that's a lifestyle choice. I don't do anything any different whether I have "special" hunt coming up or not. And I sure won't beat my body up doing things like marathons. Not necessary nor desirable.
Keeping a sense of humor or at least gallows humor seems important to me too. I have a buddy with whom I used to do a lot of canoe trips.
From time to time, with the advent of some series of problems or compounding difficulties, one of us would smile a Marty Feldman smile with a goggly eye and say, "Could be worse. Could be raining."
I think the physical fitness aspect of elk hunting can get a bit overemphasized, but I am in really good cardio condition and have been for years and I because I know what I can do physically, I am much stronger mentally. I don't ever worry about not being able to get an animal out because it is too far from the truck or the terrain is too rough. If I see a bull five miles and three canyons away, I go for it because I know I can get there pretty quickly. If the weather turns to total crap and I am freezing and soaking wet and nowhere near camp, I don't worry about it because I know I am physically able to endure it and so mentally I will just be uncomfortable.
I train hard in the off season because when the season arrives, I don't want any excuses why I can't go after an elk. Being mentally strong is extremely important, but there should be a balance and often times strength in one aspect makes strength in the other.
Just wanted to add that I realized my last post sounds pretty douchie. I'm not trying to toot my own horn, I'm just saying that physical strength can be the reason for mental strength.
Like said above about life experiences, mental frame of reference makes all the difference in the world. If a person has no perspective they crumble a lot faster. Once you have experience of good and bad it is easier to make do.
I have an old Wayne Carlton vid And at the very end(paraphrasing) he said the biggest reason people are successful elk hunters is their willingness and eagerness to climb that next ridge...elk hunting is tough, so 'you' gotta be tough.
