Flat Lander Freedom (Part 1)

We’ve all been there. You plan for months, apply for your tag, put in countless hours of shooting and preparation and the day finally comes to load the gear and head to the high country. Hunting season is finally here!

Climbing to higher ground, the anticipation mounts as you set camp and prepare for opening day. If you are like me, sleep quality on the first night is typically as turbulent as a puddle jumper coming in for landing as the excitement builds. You stare at the tent ceiling counting the hours until you gear up, load the pack and head in for the first chance to hear the cacophony of bugling bulls you’ve dreamt about for the past year. As the harsh chime of the alarm hits your ears, you stand to attention like a recruit at basic training. It’s go time! The sense of nervousness sets in hoping that you have done all you can to be ready. You scouted, picked your spot and hope that hard work and good fortune will get yourself in range to make that perfect shot.

With the glow of the headlamp guiding each step, you approach that first ridge and the combination of adrenaline and initial sweat hit like a ton of bricks and your heart pounds like a drum. It is at this very moment I always question, “did I prepare enough for this season?”

Every year I feel like this is how archery season begins. This is the point of no return. You’re either prepared or you’re not. There aren’t short cuts and you can’t cheat the mountain. The effort put in leading up to this moment will determine the upcoming days and how effectively I will be able to navigate terrain and keep doing it hour after hour, day after day.

This is basis for this article. We will dive into more than just putting your head down and embracing the “bucket of suck it” as I like to call it, that few people understand and yet so many love. This is intended to be a guide to enhance your preparation for your next hunt and provide a better understanding of what it really means to Hunt, Hike and Harvest in the high country.

FLATLANDER FREEDOM! AN ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT?

Making the decision to chase an elk, deer or any other animal in the high country has always required a level of commitment that hunters have historically viewed and accepted as a noble and physically demanding endeavor. Any hunter who has set foot in the mountains knows that the subject of altitude is sure to be part of the conversation at some point. Speak to those that have had success and routinely trek into this terrain and they will tell you success at altitude often has a lot to do with how prepared you are for such a feat. I have personally spoken with outfitters that have expressed that the quality of a clients trophy often has a direct correlation to their ability to cover miles throughout the course of a hunt.

CONNECTING THE DOTS:

Outside of the fact that we know altitude will inevitably make things more difficult, can anything be done to counteract it? “If I live at lower altitude should I expect the cards are simply stacked against me?” These are common questions will create better clarity towards from a simple perspective. Regardless of the constraints you may have, there are strategies that can be used to improve your preparedness and enhance your ability to thrive in the high country.

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!

With the increase in altitude, pack weight, age or any other variable there are some other things that coincide with the increase in output. First is an increase in water loss due to a combination of perspiration and respiration from the increase in effort (an average hunter will burn between 10-15 calories per minute and data suggests that some may burn up to 7,000 calories or more per day!) This makes hydration super critical as a drop in hydration of even 3% may decrease muscle function, cause fatigue in muscles, especially in the diaphragm (critical for breathing) and abdominal muscles which are important for maintaining posture and stabilizing the trunk and any load you are carrying. Additionally, this may cause a loss of coordination making foot placement and precision while hiking more problematic and increase chances of injury. The loss of appetite, head aches and poor sleep quality may also be affected by altitude.

If you have ever felt or experienced any of these symptoms, you now understand how these variables can be detrimental to a successful hunt but may even increase your chances for injury or impact the quality of your hunt as a whole.

SOLUTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS:

Where do we begin? Typically, we need to gather some basic information and evaluate where you currently are with your fitness. Check basic heart rate first. This can be done with a multitude of free apps you can use directly with your phone, Heart Rate watches and straps or it can be found manually by placing your index and middle finger as shown in figure 1 or figure 2 with light pressure until you feel a pulse. Count the number of beats for a total of 6 seconds. Simply add a zero “0” to this number and that is your heart rate. Example: 8 beats counted equals 80 beats per minute heart rate. This will be important before, during and after the following test.

Figure 1: Radial Pulse Figure 2: Carotid Pulse

THE TEST:

STEP 1:

Take resting heart rate (HR). Should be done in a rested state (usually done upon waking up)

STEP 2:

Measure a 1 mile course: This can be done by driving a 1/2 mile distance from your home. This doesn’t have to be on a trail or track or track using a device you may already own. There does not need to be any incline or added difficulty for testing purposes either.

STEP 3:

Walk to the 1/2 mile marker and back as quickly as you can and then record the time. Check HR at your 1/2 mile marker and at the end marker and record the pre, during, and post heart rates.

STEP 4:

Take a 3-5 minute break until your (HR) returns to your pre test status. (Check HR each minute during recovery to track). Do not start second test until you are within 10 beats of resting HR. Take as long as is needed to achieve resting HR.

STEP 5:

Load your pack or backpack with 30lbs (typical average pack weight range for many hunters) and repeat step 3 trying to complete as quickly as possible. Again, mark HR midway and post and record time.

STEP 6:

Compare your first test numbers and second test numbers from a time and HR perspective. Keep these numbers for your records. They will help us as we progress.

Now that you have completed this step, you have baseline data to begin developing a better fitness level. The beauty of this is it can be done anywhere and is not altitude specific nor standards driven. It is driven by you, the individual, and not from someone or somewhere else. One of the biggest pitfalls that we see in the training community from those who prescribe “hunt prep” programs is they consist of blanket programs where the “coach” prescribes a program arbitrarily and decides what they believe YOU should be able to achieve. The reality is that everyone is different and at is at different levels of fitness.

Telling someone to sprint 1/2 mile or pack a 30lb pack 4 miles on day one without any evaluation may not be suitable for someone who has never attempted either task, or with no previous training status. The mission is to develop success for YOU and generate a program that is created based on your ability and not the ability or perceived ability of someone else.

In part two of this blog series, we will talk about how to take these numbers and apply them to your fitness routine.