You can get a lift that fits into the receiver hitch of the UTV and just leave it there. Rattles a bit but that is okay. Comes with crank and cable, wrap the cable around neck and crank it up. You can do it!

Cut those legs down and you will have a stand and fill...might be easier for you.

A good welder might be able to fix it in a usable configuration to take apart.

A good welder might be able to fix it in a usable configuration to take apart. Or build you one to suit your needs.

Went to my place at Bowie yesterday and did some shooting. I hauled a table, chair and other stuff to about 50 yards and used my Grandsons 222. I noticed that I am not keeping my eyes open as I pull the trigger. Its just a quick blink as the trigger breaks. Not even a full flinch but I am not looking the bullet into the target.

Next time I go, I’ll haul a 22 along see if I can break the habit of blinking. I’m betting that using a larger rifle while shooting at a deer is causing a full blown flinch. Got some work to do.

Tis sure ya already think of this
:2scents: Carry your cell phone, for extra insurance...
Stay Safe sir.

I'm 76 and have many of the same concerns. Bags of corn are heavier than they were 10 years ago. My wife and I filled 3 feeders last week and we both came home exhausted. One feeder can be filled using buckets from the ground. The second feeder required that my wife climb up on the platform while I filled and lifted buckets. The third feeder is a crank feeder. Once it is lowered, it's easy to fill, but cranking it back up takes a lot of effort. I'm thinking about putting an electric winch on it and leaving a 12v battery with a solar charger in the feeder pen.

I may have shot my last deer last year unless I have a younger, stronger hunting buddy with me. Getting the deer to camp and cleaning him was an effort. I do have a hitch-mounted winch if the deer is too heavy to tie to the high seat on my Ranger.

Maybe we can keep this thread going and see what others suggest to compensate for old age, arthritis, reduced strength, and hunting aids.

I have a question about how you other old guys maintain your hunting trailer or RV. Sometimes, it is necessary to get on the roof. With neuropathy in my feet and knees that MUST have pads if I'm kneeling, I can't make that last step from the ladder to the roof. If I could get on top, it would be unsafe for me to try to get back down.

My brother used to come help, but he is in Arkansas and afraid of the virus. I have the lease to myself, so it is usually just me and my wife.

How do you compensate for this? Are there any tricks or mods that have worked?

find someone younger to go with you, pay them a little bit, let them take a hog or a deer sometime. There are people wiling to help usually.

I use a Hitch mounted hoist I got 6 years ago from Sportsmans Guide to load my deer and pigs. It's not too heavy for me attach when needed and has saved my back. My wife is still able to climb on to the trailer if really needed. I have switched all my feeders to load from the ground. I don't do ladders much anymore.

The virus has kept me confined because of underlying health conditions. If I could find someone who is responsible and a multi-talented handyman, a great deal could be made. I"ll have to check my gun club for interested parties in the Dallas area.

Anyone that is too old to do basic work involved in hunting i would highly suggest you work towards getting into a lease situation where other people are around. Im sure theres a down side to doing that and easier said than done but its only going to get worse as you get older. You may come up with a fix to get you past your immediate hurdle but as you age the hurdles wilI still be there and get worse. Get ahead of the problem. I want to continue hunting until I die so I will put myself into a position where I have youngs around.

I've got hip and back problems and at 73 I'm not as steady and strong as I used to be, but I still manage to fill a feeder using the bucket method. It takes longer but you need a helper on the ground.
Any ladder I climb is tied down either to the feeder or my truck bed before I even attempt to climb up the steps.
My blinds are popups or a box blind only about 2 feet off the ground with a small stair case, or I hunt out of my preferred way of out of the truck from the drivers seat, parked, watching a sendero.
If I get a deer I try to drop it in it's tracks, drive up to it and tie it to the tailgate and drag it to our drive through cleaning tree, with the boat winch attached to the tree where I then crank it up and gut and skin it, and quarter it and put the pieces into an ice chest for the trip home.

Don't take medical advise from ANYONE on a listserve!

I have a 17yo...6’1. 200lb grandson that is a hard core hunter/fisherman.
I’m good to go

freerange, thanks for an honest evaluation of aging and hunting. Unless I have help, I won't shoot another deer. The work afterwards takes the fun out of it. I'm on a one-man 200 acre lease. Most of my use now is just to get away from the city and enjoy the fresh air and see wildlife. I do have a target and steel plates set up for sighting in and target practice. Ideally, I would find a compatible, trustworthy, hunter that has the skills to fix things and doesn't bring a crowd to the lease. Just a guy who wants to hunt occasionally and maybe bring a child to introduce them to the outdoors. If I found such a person, I would eventually turn the lease over to them, but in the meantime, they could hunt free.

That's a great gesture. I bet you can find that person on here.

a doctor in the crowd