Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Are you fit to hunt?

© By Othmar Vohringer

As an outdoor writer I am supplied with a lot of statistics from Canada and even more from America. One of the statistics that I look forward to every year is the Recreational Accident Statistic.

I am pleased to see that hunting ranks very low in the overall accident statistic, lower then rollerblading and even basketball. What I am not pleased about is that the number one hunter accident is still connected to treestand hunting. I would have thought that by now every hunter uses a safety harness (supplied with every treestand) when hunting from a stand or climbing in and out of one.

The next most common hunter accident is guess what? It's not firearm related. It's heart attacks. Heart attacks not only affect the aging hunter population but more often the younger hunters aged between 30 and 40. The reason, so the statistic, is poor physical condition. What's the main cause for heart attacks during hunting? Dragging a downed deer out of the bush. Number two, setting up treestands. After a hunter shoots a deer, especially a big buck, ranks on place three.

Hunting, like any sport, requires physical fitness unless you're road hunter and even then you have to load the downed animal onto your truck.

To keep fit I hike a lot and as hunting season approaches I hike even more, mostly in full hunting gear, loading my backpack with stones to add weight.

What are you doing to stay in physical hunting shape? Do you hike? Lift weights? Hit the gym?

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5 comments:

Tom Sorenson said...

I've just started bicycling - I enjoy it, and it gives me a great cardio workout as well as gets my legs and lungs ready to chase those big bull elk!

Rabid Outdoorsman said...

I try and stay "fit" but as you know life is a balancing act of what you decided to eat and what exercise you participate in. Eat the chocolate cake and jog an extra mile. I think for most finding that balance is very difficult.

With hunting season FAST approaching, for me, it is always the added motivation I need to get back to the gym and start jogging!

Unknown said...

I run- Usually with a neighborhood dog down a dirt road.

Othmar Vohringer said...

Tom - Idaho is similar in the landscape as British Columbia. Lots of hills, a good set of lungs is a must and bicycling is a very good way of obtaining that.

Rabid Outdoorsman - I understand your dilemma. Often there just not enough hours in a day to do everything one should do. I love chocolate, I am also fortunate enough that I can eat as much and what I want without gaining weight. In fact I have to eat as much as I can or risk loosing weight. Doctor said I have a very high metabolism.

-ov-

Othmar Vohringer said...

Emily - For me it is the other way around. My dog runs with me.

-ov-

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