How important would you rate fitness in your turkey hunting?

[bear hunter]

Where I live and hunt everything looks like this. Everything. Grow up like that and you learn to side hill and switchback and cover three miles to get what should've took one. All that to say, about as important as water.


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Looks like some of same terrain I am hunting chester.

[ChesterCopperpot]

Looks like some of same terrain I am hunting chester.

There's plenty of bears.


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[fallhnt]

Very...I do stair climber with resistance bands or weights along with bike in my trainer,two hrs a day. When trails are dry,I mtn bike.

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[eddie234]

I hunt the mountains so I have to be in halfway decent shape if I want to hike up and down to chase turkeys.


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[mountainhunter1]

Very important. In the area I hunt if your not in shape your probably going home empty handed.

Where I hunt (very steep terrain), if you are not in some kind of physical condition, you will miss the chance to kill about half the birds you hear. Hearing them from three to four ridges over and being able to cover the distance to set up and kill them are two different things.

Calling is important enough I guess, but I am of the old school thinking that woodsmanship and patience kills turkeys. In steeper country woodsmanship requires pretty good conditioning to leave the truck an hour or two before daylight and often to still be at it as late as 3-4 oclock in the afternoon and going up and down ridges the whole time.

One thing I learned the hard way and most of you may be way ahead of me, but conditioning requires putting energy in your body. No matter how good of shape you are in you cannot pull ridges wide open for 8 or more hours at a time without plenty of water and food. Finally being willing to take at least four bottles of water and at least a sandwich and a couple of power bars and some nuts, boxes of raisins and a piece or two of fruit changed my physical ability to hunt long and hard big time. There were days when I thought man I was not be in good enough shape, but eventually I figured out the issue was more a touch of dehydration and possible low blood sugar (not talking about diabetes but instead a totally empty stomach), etc. after going for hours with nothing to eat.

[bobk]

At 66 years old I do what I can to stay in good shape. I walk , visit the gym and work around the family property.  I love hunting the mountains and  plan on continuing doing it for many more years, I would truly feel terrible if I was forced to quite hunting  because I could not physically   continue  due to being out of shape.

[Meleagris gallopavo]

I think it's pretty important.


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[quavers59]

  It is important. Lift weights 3 days a week- full body and daily Martial Arts. Hike at every opportunity.

[deerhunt1988]

I'm buying the new Sitka vest, I figure that'll give me another mile or two.

[Tail Feathers]

Round is a shape, so yeh, I'm in a shape.

[catman529]

As long as I can climb hills all day I'm good


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[Paulmyr]

Hah, just recently chatting with a guy I met here at OG about this very topic. I told him at 53yrs I purposely stay out of shape to help slow me down. Give you whippersnappers chance!

[Greg Massey]

Both are important fitness and practicing with your calls..

[TurkeyReaper69]

Very important,
The last few springs I have found myself hunting a lot of mountain birds. One such turkey at an elevation of 9,000 feet. Lots of public land hunting with far walks into the woods. I personally find it to be of more pertinence than calling. Am I work out junkie/ gym rat? Far from it. I live a pretty active lifestyle year round, but once January hits I'll start hitting the gym at least 3-4 days a week on the stairclimber for 45 minutes and stationary bike for an hour. Crank out some podcasts and it goes by rather quick, but I'd much rather be at home screwing around. Oh well, my body will be thanking me in 30 years.

[Cowboy]

It's highly important to stay in shape. I've found that out the hard way.  My wife loves to cook and before I knew it in the last couple of years I gained 25 to 30. Last season was a struggle. Fortunately I walk alot and 4 months ago changed my diet. Lost the 30. Feel great! Honestly feel better now than I have in 20 years.  So DEFINITELY it's very important to stay in shape to hunt these critters and places that we do here.

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