Hiking To Get Ready For Tough Public Land Turkey Hunts.

[quavers59]

     I Hike the Year Round. I ramp the Hiking up in January  and as Spring Turkey Season nears- we call that Scouting.
    Up here in New York + New Jersey, need to be in Shape for Pre- dawn hikes up mountains during Spring Turkey Season.  I combine Long Flat Hikes of 2- 4 miles with at least 1 mountain Hike on a weekend day.
     Who else here Hikes plenty before Spring Turkey Season ?

[tnanh]

I usually do but not as strenuous as you do. I haven't lately. I guess I got old and lazy.

[GobbleNut]

Absolutely!  I am at that age where, if i don't keep the joints and muscled loosened up pretty regularly, I am asking for trouble.  Fortunately, I live in a state that has an abundance of public lands and hunting opportunities for a number of species year-round, so it is pretty easy to get out two or three times a week to get that exercise. 

Also, being retired gives me the flexibility to choose when and where I want to go.  I can choose flat, desert walking, high-altitude, straight up and down mountain hiking, and pretty much everything in between. ...In recent years, the "flat, desert walking" seems to win out more often than the others.   

[rstewart8706]

 My buddy is going to turkey hunt for first time since 2000 this season.  We started walking on gated forest service roads as soon as the firearm deer/bear season ended.  We are trying to walk at least 2 times a week and will increase that to 3 times per week as the season approaches.   
Yesterday after I got off work we did about 2.5 miles, gaining about 500 feet in elevation.  Last season I felt that I was not in good enough physical condition to chase some of the birds I heard and had to leave them be.  That will not be the case this year! 

[nativeks]

I took up running the end of last season. I intermittent fast, run, do abs, and pushups. I try for 10 miles a week. Ive dropped 50 lbs, and have more energy. Pushing my decoy cart into hard to reach spots duck hunting has shown me just how great of shape I am in. I was approaching 300# last Jan, now I am at 250#.

[Sir-diealot]

My biggest exercise this time of year is taking the dog out to go potty, we walk at least down the road and back and sometimes around the block. I am going to be more active trying to get pictures with my new lens so that will add some as well. Does walking to the refrigerator count?

[NCL]

 Does walking to the refrigerator count?


If they did I would be in great shape....LOL

[2eagles]

It's a year round thing for me too. Just got back from a late season cow elk hunt in  Colorado last week. 6000-8000 ft. 4-5 miles every day. I did pretty darn good, but was sore when we got home. Turkey season in Iowa should be pretty easy.

[Kylongspur88]

I'm pretty active and run pretty regularly. Bow hunting and shed hunting in eastern kentucky keeps me in shape for spring turkey. A lot of the off trail hikes involve hand over hand scrambling up hill sides. I won't even consider a public land spot unless it requires a hill climb. Hills = less people and pressure.

[bear hunter]

Bear season keeps me in pretty good shape after it ends I play on a rec league basketball team even though I am too old I still enjoy it.

[Gobble!]

Been hitting it hard lately. Morning and evening. Plan to start running once the snow melts.

[rakkin6]

I usually run about 15 miles through the week and do a 6 to 10 mile ruck with about 65 lbs in my Alice pack on Saturdays.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

[JMBknvc]

Need to get started back walking again, and in the past walk about 2.5-5 miles with a 18 pound weighted vest. However, going out to start winter scouting in the mountains is something I need to start doing for the spring season and learn some new areas.