Hey all I'm getting ready for archery elk season and just wondering what everybody does for this type of hunt to get in shape!?

Mostly, I just talk about and think about working out. I always survive the hunt, so it seems to help.

When I actually do something physical to prepare for an elk hunt, I like to do as many stairs as possible for my cardio, or hill climbs. I feel like that's far superior to flat land walking, although mixing it up with some variety is great. Also, don't neglect your strength training. Guys focus on cardio and come up a little short, most of the time. Look at Cameron Haynes. There's probably not a better example of anyone that trains for elk hunting. He trains about like a lightweight MMA fighter, minus the fighting part. Very well rounded.

Get in the best shape you can, cardio an strength will help. One thing I finally learned is go a few days early if you can to get accustomed to the altitude. Stairs are good but think real hills are better if available.

Find the steepest stairs you can and put a 100lb pack on your back and do that for an hour 4-5 times a week. Practice going up and down. When your hunting the down sucks almost as bad as the up, especially if your boots are a little loose.

Cardio for the lungs. Incline work for the legs. Hills are the only way I know to work on the downhill part (maybe stadium work).

Getting there early and acclimating is a great tip.

Be in the best shape you can of course. That said, I have found about 80% of it is mental once you get on the mountain. I have seen guys in great physical condition get overwhelmed by the mountains, the cold, the long days, etc. And I have seen guys you would think couldn't hack it suck it up and do well.

crossfit will do the trick

Walk 18 stories every other day......starting with 45lbs work up to 90lbs. Good pack and great boots.

You can't beat the altitude, but can condition your self to recover quicker.

Rest of it like NP said is just mental.

If your doing it right your glassing 70% of the time and hunting 30% of the time...this is for elk.
Mulies you're glassing 95% of the time hunting 5%

Practice with you bow with a pack on and from every position you can think up. Get confident at 50 yards.

Or put you on the side lines

Oh god here we go....

If your out of shape already then you need to get in good general shape

If your in shape you'll be fine. I kept hearing about all this "gotta train for the mountains" talk and it's really not bad at all. If your 30 lbs overweight and haven't been to the gym in 15 years your gonna have a tougher time than someone who keeps themselves in a reasonable level of fitness

Crossfit isn't bad, as long as you have great trainers that teach proper form and don't push you to or past your limit on certain lifts. With that said people where Cushing the mountains long before crossfit

I agree with this for the most part, but it really depends how far and how high you go in. I'd prepare for the worst if you can. I'd sure hate to get on a stud and not be able to get in front of him because I didn't do a little extra when I could of. Or lose a big chuck of meat because I couldn't get him out in a timely matter

that was for you sir.

but i'm saerious too, i didnt cheerlead it, just recommended it. if you are mature about your limitations and find a good gym it will get you in great shape.

All these are correct, cardio is important but so is endurance and strength, particularly in your legs. The number of times my buddy (who guided) told me about hunters that couldn't even get to the elk much less get one was truely a PITA and frustrating for a guide that is willing to work hard for you.

This is so true IMO. Working out for a few months might help, but a lifestyle can make the overall difference.

Also Agree with BOBO, if your wearing yourself out in the Rockies, you aren't hunting, you're "hiking".

I smoke, drink to much coffee and have hunted the Rockies since 1979 or 80, sure much easier when I was younger, but have come great friends with my limitations. I pace myself and plan my hunt based on what I feel I can do.

My routine is usually changing the fishing line on my fishing poles

If you have a certain "health " issue, then you have to address that (I'm loosing serious bone and have a severe bad spinal issues for a few years now) I have taken Diabetics, a few very over weight fellas, they did fine, but stayed within their body's comfort zone. The few I have seen struggle get hurt, where the "jocks" oddly enough.

Take Ginger if you get stomach sickness for a few days before you get there and as BOBO said, going early will help your body acclimate ( I have never had an altitude problem)

We were at 10k feet and none of us had any problems. Didn't have any issues in New Mexico at 8k feet either

I can't speak for altitudes at 12+ k but any fitness training would not prepare you for it

If your in shape, have a proper height:weight and acceptable body fat level you will be fine

The only reason a person would have to condition to go to the mountains is if they were out of shape to begin with

If I chased them with a rifle, I wouldn't worry about it to much, bow is a little different.

10k driving to and hiking in is different then hiking in and going from 8k-10k... On top of that all country is different. Some nasty country in NM but most part it's not.. CO is 60/40 being more then half the state is plains, but where it's not it can be pretty ugly in places

You don't have to be Cam, but it's going to help you more then hurt you. When you look at success ratios and only 10% of archery hunters kill elk and you find out more then half of that 10% kill elk consistently you start looking for trends... Being in good shape happens to be part of that trend.

On the same note I know guys that are 100% last 4 years and they can barely crawl up into their waterhole tree stand... But again they are hunting waterholes on Private.


Put it this way your going to spend a lot of money on tags, gas and equipment....take out an insurance policy via being as active in the off season as possible

what percentage of guys on this forum do you think fit your criteria?

prolly 10%


and if that is the case, they should train to be healthier overall not just train to go hike up and down the mountains.

Colorado isn't that bad. there are areas in the hill country and west texas that are just as rough just the altitude is different. same %grades.

I am not in the 10%. It takes knowing I am going to the mountains to hunt to get me motivated to even get closer to the 10%. Honestly, that's one reason my wife has become more supportive of my hunting trips. Just being honest.

I will add this: being a little guy helps. It just does. I weigh 175 out of shape and about 160-165 in shape. If you are a big guy you just have to be in better shape to carry your own weight. Just the way it is. If you are big and fat you're probably not going to be able to do much.

At 50, my days of packing in everything on my back and trudging the mountains day in and day out are probably over. I am much more the tortoise than the hare these days. But, hey, the tortoise won the race.

Side note on Cameron Hanes: I admire him and think he is an amazing dude. And a good guy.

OTOH, I feel his constant focus on his condition and obsessive training regimen was often counterproductive. Even condescending at times. IMO he has scared a lot of folks away from western hunting by making them think one must train like a madman and be able to run the "Bighorn 50" in order to hunt out west. That's just not the case.

Not at all.

Guys like that are marketers, he is marketing himself the same way duck commander markets thst you can't kill ducks without benelli shotguns and black cloud shells

Look at all the guys from the 60's and 70's and before killing giant elk and mule deer

None of them looked like Cameron haynes.

You have to meet Cam to understand Cam. Cam is a professional athlete that lives to Bow hunt. Guys at his age that are like him, are motivated via over coming common myths, like consistent successful DIY hunts...year after year. Cam monster muscles just came about in the last two years. But he has been a professional ultra Iong distance runner for well over 15 years. He is actually a little guy

When you spend some time with him you realize he just wants everyone to have the best opportunity at succeeding as him. He just chooses not to have being out of shape as an excuse if he looses to the mountain. Things you can control are terrible excuses

You have hunted one unit in CO. Lol

I'm not dogging cam he is in great shape

In laymens terms he is a .300 ultra.

You don't need a .300 ultra to be successful just gotta be in .270 shape