I'm gettin' too damned old

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MCgunner

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The end of the road between Sodom and Gomorrah Tex
I'm only 55, really doesn't seem that old, but my body seems to be falling apart. I went duck hunting this morning, very few birds, fired three rounds the whole morning. Anyway, I normally just go stand in the reeds. It's usually in water anyway, though I had a dry bank to hunt off of today. I'm getting to where I just can't do it. My knees start hurting, my lower back kills me. I'm going to buy me one of those little hand carts I've seen others using and build me a nice marsh chair out of a boat seat and pedestal, I think. That will help the old bones.

Now, I've been hunting ducks my entire life, well, starting from age 14 anyway. I've been hooked on it, love it, really not sure why, but I am. Even a bad day in the marsh is refreshing to me. I would hate to give it up, but I see the writing on the all at this point. I don't know how much longer I can do it. I did talk to some old fellows once at the local marsh, though, both in their 70s. I was walking back from farther down from where they were hunting and they were taking a breather, sitting on marsh stools, and had a little wheeled buggy with 'em. They said they were from Missouri and they didn't get picked for a blind on some refuge up there for the first time in years and one of the guy's sons works down here, so they just came down here to hunt. 70s, I tell ya! They were taking their time, not pushing it, getting along. I don't know how they handled the mud in the potholes, though, no dog to retrieve or anything, not to mention pickin' up the deeks. Good exercise I guess, but it's gotta be tough at that age. They were inspiring, though. Maybe I'm just a big wuss.:rolleyes:
 
Even a bad day in the marsh is refreshing to me.

Amen. That's the way I feel about fly fishing. The worst day I ever had on the river was pretty darn good. :)
 
"I would hate to give it up, but I see the writing on the all at this point."

Well, i'm 68 and climbing. Saw the handwriting a long time ago and just keep on going like the Energizer bunny. It does hurt a lot but i'm able to block it out once i'm in a tree stand after hogs and deer. At my advanced age i'm still a hog killing machine.

Good luck to you in the beautiful Texas marshes.
 
Take an Advil with your morning coffee, and put a couple of tylenol in your pocket. That and the chair will get you out there. Heck you paid your dues, Build the blind, fix up the chair, and get some comfort. You earned it.
 
I hear ya! I'm just 50, but humping a shotgun and a bag full of dekes a mile, then wading another 300 plus yards is starting to hurt. I've already streamlined what I carry, and micro spreads of decoys are looking liek a great idea. ;)

What I have done when possible is float to my spots in a pirogue(solo) or a canoe (when GF joins me). We just hide the boat and hunt from the tules as normal, but it sure cuts down on a lot of totin'.
 
I had a chance encounter with an 80 year old elk hunter once years ago that changed my life. He was hunting alone on horseback and said he usually got an elk and packed it out all by himself. He was in great shape for his age. He wasn't afraid of what might happen up there and said he was usually out 3-4 days. He stayed active, stayed healthy, wasn't medicated, and he took his time and enjoyed life.
I looked around at other folks I knew, took a hard look at myself, and decided to make some changes, live a healthy life, and hope to do half as well as he did.
I'm only 50 but I will outwalk, outwork, outhunt a lot of 30 year olds. I eat fresh whole food, organic and home-grown as much as possible. No junk food, no sugar, no processed food or preservatives, no meds not even OTC. I haven't seen a medical doctor in 10 years but every couple years I get a biochem blood profile just for giggles. I feel better, sleep better, and go longer than I did when I was 35. It's never to late to take care of yourself.
I can't get it all back but I can lose it slower than most. Just wish I had started sooner.
 
Nearly 30 years in chemical plants. I have a herniated disc in my lower back that never got cut on, just treated with hormones. I have a blood condition I'm convinced is from all the chemical exposures over the years, called "thrombocytosis", excessive blood platelets. Platelets or "thrombocytes" are the building blocks of blood clots and without them, you'd be a hemophiliac. However, with too many and I have WAY too many, you are at risk of stroke or heart attack, infarction. I got off the meds, which ain't good for you, either, called "Hydroxyurea" for a while and developed a clot in my leg that was disablingly painful last hunting season. Plavix fixed that. Add to that a football ankle, broken clavicals and jammed shoulders on both sides from motorcycle road racing injuries, a twisted knee from flattrack, this and that and, well, I've had a fun life, but it's been a little rough. So, I guess I have a right to feel 80. :banghead: But, well, I'm not giving in or giving up. I don't like drugs, even taking aspirin, though I've been doing that for the clot situation in lieu of plavix and in addition to the hydroxyurea. I haven't quit riding, though I've severely curtailed the racing and cut the flattrack out entirely, shame, because I really enjoyed that sideways stuff. But, I know my limits and, heck, I can't afford the racing anyway. But, I'm going to work around this duck hunting thing. I'll make it to 70 hunting ducks, anyway, I'm determined. That's far harder hunting down here than anything else you might do due to the environment, the mud, the walking in the mud. Of course, I could get a boat blind and do all my hunting out of the boat, but I prefer the marshes and I really don't like messing with boats at 4AM in the dark. :rolleyes:

I mean, I'm a little overweight now, but over the years, I'm not a heavy drinker, never smoked or done drugs. I eat what I can...LOL...but now days mostly cook at home. I'm not a vegan nor do I care a crud about "organic", but hey, I ain't UNhealthy. I'm just beat up and had a hard job all my life. Why worry about pesticides in your food when you spend days at work breathing caustic and amine vapors, vinyl chloride, getting hits of such nasties as Hydrogen Sulfide and Hydrogen Cyanide occasionally, etc, etc, etc. ROFLMAO! I got paid well for it, but I've paid for it, I'm afraid.
 
I was born with a heart defect. Had a doctor tell me I could fall over dead any day walking these mountains, and begged me to get on disability when I was in my twentys. I told him, if I died on the side of a mountain I would die happy. I kept on going as good as anyone, could out walk most people in the mountains, carried out deer on my shoulders, and worked a job everyday. Now in my forties, and in this past year I found I have leukemia, arthritis in my lower back is eating up my vertebra, as well as diagnosed with 2 other chronic problems. Now I can't walk more than a few yards at a time before I have to stop due to pain and being just plain worn out. Carrying a gun or crossbow makes it worse. I'm not complaining, I got a new body in reserve when I check out of this one. But what I am saying to everyone is you better enjoy your life to the fullest. Work hard, play all out, and have a relationship with your Creator, because you never know what is going to happen in the future.
 
Ah, you young guys...

I just worked too many nights by myself, lifiting too much heavy stuff without help. It didn't help that I got run over one time by a truly nutzoidal horse, falling backwards onto a bunch of baseball-sized rocks. The doc looked at the X-Rays and said I was a 40-year-old man with an 80-year-old back. Now I'm 73. :D

I probably oughta follow the advice of a buddy of mine, whose Ibuprofen regimen has eased the lower back pain of his degenerative arthritis. He's 74 and bouncing around like a kid of 70. A gram a day...

Then there's the 100-year-old Grammaw who's taking up para-sailing...

Anyhow, gettin' old ain't for the faint of heart. Remember, though, ya gotta be over 70 to tell nursing home jokes. :D:D:D

Art
 
My knees start hurting, my lower back kills me.
Click to expand...

Heck, I feel that way at 37! I'll be amazed if I'm still alive by 55. I should have died so many times in the past five years, and chances are a snowplow will get me in the next five. I'll get pressed into a bank and they'll find me come spring.
 
My doctor once told me that what other people consider pain I would have to consider the price of waking up in the morning

I never expected or wanted to live past 30 and abused my body accordingly

The last time I went hunting was about 15 years ago, which was about 5 years after I crushed my nose and face in a motorcycle accident.
The pain of breathing that crisp cold air that I used to love so much was almost unbearable and only got worse as the day wore on

Enjoy the outdoors while you can, you never know when they will be taken away from you
 
God Bless the old timers that still hunt. I am 23 and hunt local game club property with guys in their 60's and 70's. I'm always around to help them drag out their deer, skin, butcher, etc.

I pray that when I am that age I will still be able to hunt.

Good luck and keep hunting!
 
A few years back the doc's gave me some neat news. They said I had something called Palindromic Rheumatism. Its basically a "traveling" arthritus. The pain and swelling will start in one joint then move to the next one between 2 hours to 2 days. Its been so bad that I thought someone had broken my ankle. I can't even open and already open jar of pickles when it affect's my hands. Would have to have my wife tie my boots for me. On top of that I have a torn rotator cuff in my shoulder. I've spent my life as a carpenter and now at the ripe old age of 34 (will be 35 in 3 days) my career is now a stay at home dad (which I love). I still get out some but I will admit that I road hunt more than I ever did before. Will be going back to eastern Montana in about a week to try my hand at some deer hunting. I'm going to keep going until my joints won't let me. It's in my blood to out amongst them. Good hunting to all.
 
I'm 63 and have been hunting since I can remember. I climb the same mountain every year. I use to to able to climb it in one push. Today I rest for 5 minutes at least twice. No big deal. You need to pace yourself not push yourself.
 
Wish me luck boys, I get a stint in my heart tomorrow. No elk huntin this year as the hunt we were gonna do starts the 10th, so much for that huh?
Shattered ankle in 1981 no cartilage and she hurts a lot but mother's little helpers and I get by , but I hate pain pills so I endure a lot of pain. But I am glad to be here lived when I did, where I did.

I have much compassion for some of my fellow posters here. makes me glad what I have is all thats wrong. I prey each and every one of you get better.

I was riding home today from a hospital orientation, and a couple of gun shop stops, feeling better than I shoulda playing some old tunes to loud and wishing for back when I played harder than I shoulda and I wanted to get on my scooter and go about a 100 for a while just to feel it, or go flying down that Colorado once more with a cold one, water skiing or jus looking at the bikinis and generally playing harder and faster than was safe, like we usta could do before laws were so restrictive, the laws were maybe a good thing I guess,, naa we all lived through it.
Man I tell ya, guys I need some fun a tad on the wild side ya know? Wish I could face one of those feral cattle down done Art's way and hopefully live to tell about it, life's just to short and I feel like I need to REALLY feel alive. By gosh next summer I plan on some of that, a Motorcycle trip across Hwy 50 in Nevada is meant to be, I can still do that unless I fall completely apart before then.

I am a cantankerous jerk sometimes but I do enjoy this forum at times.
Y'all take care ya hear.
 
I'm gettin' too damned old

Yea, but the alternative is bleak, so keep at it.

I'm 51. Last year I slipped and broke my fibula and ankle ligaments. I asked the Doc, how many did I brake? He said all of them. Man your muscles go to hell quick. Look like a peanut where my calf muscle used to be.That was on a deer hunt for the largest muley I've seen in years and hopefully he's still out there as I've got a tag for this week coming. My old heavy 45-70 is sighted in, tommorow I practice some more. Can't wait.
 
Years back, we had an 80-year-old in our deer lease group. He'd found a spot where deer would come out of the brush, jump a fence and cross the adjacent jeep trail and go on into the brush across the trail.

So, he'd park advantageously to be able to shoot from his truck and pop Ol' Bucky in the road.

One year, a real braggin'-sized buck stopped at the fence and didn't seem all that interested in jumping and crossing. So, Bang-plop and down went Bucky.

Did he get congratulated on his big buck? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! He got teased for shooting a deer so far from the road. :D:D:D

Ya get to where walking's a pain in the allovers? Find a good place to park! I have mine...

Art
 
Yeah, I never realized it was a buncha cripples on this board. ROFL:D:D

Definitely prayers for eliphalet and anyone else that needs the word.

I'm going to sit in my stand tomorrow and wait for "muy pocito". :D That's not a tough form of hunting and I figure I'll be able to climb that stand for at least 20 more years. I guess, maybe I can build one with an elevator if I get too bad off. I'd like to have a deer stand with a bed, heat, a coffee pot, maybe a micro-wave to heat up lunch. Maybe I could get a dish and TV with an ear phone for when the game ain't moving. Oh, a bathroom with a flush toilet would be nice, and internet hook up so I can waste the time on the net just like at home.
 
At the ripe old age of 38... I love to read these battle stories. Makes my aches and pains seem a minor thing. I guess if I was that worried about my aching knees, I'd quit carrying around the extra 80lbs or so 'round the middle... Don't know what I'd do if I had to give up the fun things in life. I'll keep doing what I do as long as God allows it.

You're an inspiration :)
 
Add to that a football ankle, broken clavicals and jammed shoulders on both sides from motorcycle road racing injuries, a twisted knee from flattrack, this and that and, well, I've had a fun life, but it's been a little rough.
Click to expand...

Your racing moniker wasn't Lucky was it?:D Sorry, couldn't resist.

I am 61, don't get nearly enough exercise so I need to start hunting a lot again (at least that is what I tell my wife). She says "uh huuuuh" and gives me one of these:rolleyes:

I haven't hunted waterfowl in years. We used to do most of our hunting from boat blinds or a stationary blind that we would build every year. On the few occasions when we would walk into flooded timber or crop fields - well it was a chore then and I know I couldn't do it now. Ohio is relatively flat compared to a lot of places so deer, turkey, upland game, etc. are not that strenuous and if I respect my limits (read that as age) I expect to be hunting for a few years yet. I just won't cover as much area as I used to.
 
My grandpa got all busted up in a wreck with a drunk driver when I was a youngster. Broken pelvis, leg, and dislocated shoulder. He was 64 and still in a leg cast at the time. He had my dad and uncle take him up on the mountain as far as they could drive him in a truck and parked him on a stump with his leg propped up on a pine log.
Dad and uncle circled around the ridge to push deer towards him. He shot a nice buck that bolted at the shot, ran straight at him and piled up breaking off an antler on the log that his leg was on. He hunted with us until he was about 70. He walked with a bad limp but always drove the truck and blocked pheasants for us at the ends of the fields. I never heard the man complain about anything but drunk drivers.
 
I take 1,000mg of MSM daily. The "professionals" can argue back and forth all they want about what it does or doesn't do, but at age 36 I went from intermittently needing a cane (due to knee pain from an old injury) to not using one at all for the past four years!

At one point I ran out of MSM while on a vacation (hiking trip of all things) and went two weeks without, man my knee started aching again and I made the last part of the hike on advil and determination.

I'm not a medial professional, your mileage may vary, etc. But maybe you guys should try it.
 
Hmm, well, I ordered some 1500 mg tabs from a site I googled. 6.50 or so a bottle. I want to try it on the wife, too. She's the one that REALLY needs it. She's all banged up from a wreck in 99, bones full of titanium. Can't be on her feet long, much less exercise to get the weight back off. I got her a motorized wheel chair for the malls and shopping and general getting around, but it'd be nice to see her back on her feet again, real nice, like revolutionary. I'll try it, too, though. Might work better on me since I don't have debilitating pain, just nagging pain in my knees and lower back.

http://www.puritansale.com/pages/Ca...tm_term=msm&utm_content=main&utm_nooverride=1
 
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