What Would You Do Wednesday: Who’s Working Out for Deer Season?

Posted At : August 8, 2012 4:48 PM | Posted By : Mike Hanback
Related Categories: Big Deer Blog

Hi Mike, I was wondering if you could ask the bloggers what they are doing to get in shape for the upcoming hunting season. Everyone has their own workout plan, and I would be interested to know what those are. At this point mine is: walk 3 miles 5 times a week, and sit-ups and push-ups each morning. In September I plan to add a small pack with weight in it for my walks. BTW, I loved your Maine TV show, that is one tough place to get a deer.—Thanks, Mike M.

Ok, who’s working out? If you’re not you should start today, you’ll feel better and hunt better.

I’ll start. My pre-season (and all-year except when I’m traveling and filming and hunting) routine: Walk dog daily (7 miles a week)…jog, with sprint intervals, for 3 miles 3 days a week…moderate weight-training and core (planks) 3 days a week, with emphasis on chest and arms. This isn’t as tough or as time-consuming as it sounds; I don’t kill myself but I do try to push myself for 30- 40 minutes every day.

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Are you serious?

# Posted By Curt | 8/8/12 6:25 PM

You gotta put a plumb bob on me to see if I'm moving!

# Posted By Curt | 8/8/12 6:26 PM

hahahah curt. Ive missed this site. Switched jobs in March. I've been in Maryland staying in a campground and internet went out a while back. I stop at a starbucks every once in a while to check on some stuff and this is usually this first site I go to. I used to not need to work out becaus eI was so active at work. I don't do much of anything physical now but I work such long hours it's hard to find time to do anything routinely but eat and sleep.
I'll be done here in the next 2 weeks probably and it looks like I'll have the entire deer season off. Poor me. When I get home I'll start some sort of workout routine. Planning on pulling camper to beach somewhere for at least a week. Maybe two. That will be for fishing and relaxation. No exercise haha

# Posted By Cody | 8/8/12 8:35 PM

Been working out with a trainer 1x p/wk. recovering from rotator cuff surgery just in time for urban archery season Sept 1.

# Posted By crimson | 8/8/12 10:27 PM

Spending half of the morning walking and swimming at the beach...just started this july. :)

# Posted By Henry Mitchel | 8/8/12 11:55 PM

In the best shape of my life...lifting far more than I ever have and running 2.5+ miles with hills at a sub 6:30 minute split. Had to cut back on the "paralyzers" but definitely worth it!

# Posted By jeffrey herrmann | 8/8/12 11:56 PM

Pick up beer. Open beer. Drink beer. Repeat till fridge is empty. Buy more beer.
My right forearm is huge from all the lifting.

# Posted By Danny | 8/9/12 8:44 AM

I just put more suryp on top of the pancake stack...that usually gets me into hunting camp "form".

# Posted By Big Daddy | 8/9/12 11:02 AM

Danny, Beer makes you fat. I stopped drinking beer. I switched to Bourbon and Whiskey, MUCH BETTER. Plus most of my stands are 80 yards behind someones house (New Jersey Hunting), sooo how good of shape to I need to be in ????

# Posted By Silverback | 8/9/12 11:56 AM

Monday- Kick boxing, Tues -Run 2.5, Wed. - free weights, Thur. - run/bike, Fri. - Swim, kind of a muscle confusion routine....usnig "my fitness pal websie to count calories and keep track........Down 37 lbs. since Feb. and in best shape ever......thought I would never climb the Rockies for Elk again but thinking now it would be a breeze..... gonna make tree stand climbing a whole lot easier.

I always said I never have time but the extra 25-35 minutes a day have added an extra hour and a half of energy for things I want to do
good trade off in my mind

# Posted By flatlander | 8/9/12 11:58 AM

Some arm weights tohelp with recurve stamina, lots of walking. Also, fortunate to have 13 yr. old grandson living w/ us to keep me young.....Have to keep up the legs for the PA mtns in October....

# Posted By Mack | 8/9/12 2:29 PM

I get the urge to exercise...I lay down til it goes away! You can pull a hammy gettin' off the couch.

# Posted By Curt | 8/9/12 2:32 PM

Way to go Paul, good luck w round 2. I start round 2 on Monday. Down 27 # in round 1 and even gained some muscle in uppper body - so I know I've lost of 30 in the yellow stuff. Have never seen my stomach muscles until now (not even in glory days of high school) and I'm 44 now.

Come Christmas: Insanity (maybe). Yikes.

# Posted By MacGruber | 8/9/12 8:45 PM

I stay in shape all year: running, biking and lifting. BUT, in the couple of months before season, I focus on the stair climber, lifting my legs and a lot of shoulder work. After 4 days of sun up to sun down hunting and hiking I am usually the only guy still grinding it out at camp. I usually still tose 10 pounds during gun season, even though I eat like a horse and drink like a fish...until 10 PM. I urge my fellow deer campers to get their arse in shape, but they rarely do. I'm most concerned about the heavy guys in their 50s and 60s. We're 90 minutes from a decent hospital. If someone has a heart attack and isn't attended to, it could be 2 hours before they get attention. My father has a stroke a few years ago, he was 30 minutes away from not getting life saving medicine; TPA. TPA can only be given in the first 3 hours from an initial stroke. If that stroke happened in the woods and not in Metro Detroit, he'd be a a vegetable today. Think about that before you make a casual approach to your physical condition before going into the deer woods.

# Posted By Paul in MI | 8/11/12 3:12 AM

I love my fellow deer hunters, but I am concerned for their well being. Every year, the pumpkins get bigger. Every year they guys I come across in the woods are heavier and older than the year before. Last year I dragged a 175 pound, dressed buck out of the heavy timber about a half a mile by myself. There were a a lot of downed trees and swamp and it took me about 3 hours. When I was done, I was wasted. I'm 34 years old, in shape, 6'3" and 225 pounds. I'm confident that someone who was 10 years older and 30 pounds heavier would have had a heart attack. We, as hunters, need to be more aware of the physicality of our sport. You sit on your arse for 6 days, eating beef jerky and drinking coffee, then plug a buck. Then the sport turns into a REAL sport. Dragging a large buck through brush will put many a man into cardiac arrest if they're not prepared. Please be safe out there. Please take your pre season conditioning more seriously, make a plan for medical emergencies and understand the likely risks for you personal medical status. God bless.

# Posted By Paul in MI | 8/11/12 3:29 AM

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