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Have we taken light weight too far?
- Thread starter Joshua2236
- Start date
I like this guy's suicidal dedication to natural materials.
Found a few of his stands on one tract of public I hunt. They are in good spots though.
Found a few of his stands on one tract of public I hunt. They are in good spots though.
Yes some are way crazy about weight. Just the tree steps we use guys go nuts for just a few ounces lighter. Do we really notice a few ounces when we carry are steps . I don't think so. I'm probably older than most guys on the site and with an injured back and some injuries to my hips and knees. I like light but would I not use a product just because it weighs a few ounces or a pound more I don't think so. Light is ok but sometimes it's way to important . Just my opinion.
Well my hats off to you sir! You got me through my Thursday!
Being able to mitigate bulkiness is my objective. I hunt all day 90% of the time so I’m packing food and water along with all my gear. Being able to stay compact it what sells products for me. If I’m walking in the woods I have my bow in one hand with an arrow knocked. I try to be always ready to draw and shoot. If my system is not compact then having this option is not possible.
I’m in pretty good shape health wise but I still run twice a week to improve stamina. To me having the stamina to make those long hikes is better than shaving ounces off my gear.
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I’m in pretty good shape health wise but I still run twice a week to improve stamina. To me having the stamina to make those long hikes is better than shaving ounces off my gear.
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What is this running you speak of?
I’m pretty sure it’s against my religion.
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On a serious note, I am an ultralight hunter. Aside from climbing gear, I usually only carry a kill kit in a Ziploc (Havalon, spare blade, trash bag, pair of gloves, alcohol wipes) a small headlamp, my license, and a bottle of water. During the warmer months, the plan is to have enough room in the pack to quarter and bone out a deer and take everything out in one go. When it gets cold, I have room to carry spare clothes. My pack is not large, and while I'm looking to upgrade, I don't want it any bigger. Small packs force you to leave crap you don't need at the house!
Lightweight is good, packable is gooder. Pursuing either to the point that you compromise safety is no bueno. Comfort? Let's just say I'm still young and hardcore. I did spring for those discounted Arc'teryx kneepads though. Comfort is a bit of an afterthought for me personally until the rut hits and I start my all day sits.
Physical conditioning is huge. I believe lieutenant **** Winters said, "Physical stamina is the root of mental toughness." Even if you don't have a grueling hike in every time, or a lengthy canoe paddle in the dark, being in good shape means you can log more hours in a stand, and not suffer burnout on a long weekend hunt.
I've lost 40 lbs in the past year, and it's been a game changer. I place a lot of emphasis on lower body and core strength. Flexibility is overlooked, but increasing that can mean less back pain and an easier time climbing for sure.
DIET is huge too. Eating cheeseburgers, pretzels, and Coors light at the deer camp is all well and good, but a vegetable or two and some lean protein keep fuel in the tank. I eat a lot lighter than I use to, and while I enjoy my beer and Conecuh sausage, I abstain during deer season. I find I stay more focused if I'm a bit hungry in the woods.
In case you haven't noticed, I'm a pretty light-hearted, happy-go-lucky little feller. But I am very serious about my deer hunting. I do not like hunting with folks that want to stay up late around the campfire drinking, sleep in to sunrise, or drive to the Waffle House for a long lunch and a nap. I LOVE doing all those things, and will gladly roll free and easy on a camping or fishing trip. But I hate driving home from a unsuccessful hunt thinking something might have been different if I had hiked further, climbed higher, or woke up earlier. I still get p*ssed thinking about deer that got away when I was 12.
All that being said, I don't judge others for enjoying their hobby their way. I like light gear, but my dad loves his summit. He's familiar with it and it's comfortable, and that makes it an awesome piece of gear in his mind.
Lightweight is good, packable is gooder. Pursuing either to the point that you compromise safety is no bueno. Comfort? Let's just say I'm still young and hardcore. I did spring for those discounted Arc'teryx kneepads though. Comfort is a bit of an afterthought for me personally until the rut hits and I start my all day sits.
Physical conditioning is huge. I believe lieutenant **** Winters said, "Physical stamina is the root of mental toughness." Even if you don't have a grueling hike in every time, or a lengthy canoe paddle in the dark, being in good shape means you can log more hours in a stand, and not suffer burnout on a long weekend hunt.
I've lost 40 lbs in the past year, and it's been a game changer. I place a lot of emphasis on lower body and core strength. Flexibility is overlooked, but increasing that can mean less back pain and an easier time climbing for sure.
DIET is huge too. Eating cheeseburgers, pretzels, and Coors light at the deer camp is all well and good, but a vegetable or two and some lean protein keep fuel in the tank. I eat a lot lighter than I use to, and while I enjoy my beer and Conecuh sausage, I abstain during deer season. I find I stay more focused if I'm a bit hungry in the woods.
In case you haven't noticed, I'm a pretty light-hearted, happy-go-lucky little feller. But I am very serious about my deer hunting. I do not like hunting with folks that want to stay up late around the campfire drinking, sleep in to sunrise, or drive to the Waffle House for a long lunch and a nap. I LOVE doing all those things, and will gladly roll free and easy on a camping or fishing trip. But I hate driving home from a unsuccessful hunt thinking something might have been different if I had hiked further, climbed higher, or woke up earlier. I still get p*ssed thinking about deer that got away when I was 12.
All that being said, I don't judge others for enjoying their hobby their way. I like light gear, but my dad loves his summit. He's familiar with it and it's comfortable, and that makes it an awesome piece of gear in his mind.
DIY Sportsman podcast had a good episode on ultralight mentality. Gave me good perspective: you can search for the limit of lightness but doesn't mean you have to hunt there. Just good to experiment, and find what works for you.
I really like the DIY sportsman stuff--all his videos show his transitions and experimenting as he adapts his gear and hunting style. I like that you can watch his progression over the years.
I really like the DIY sportsman stuff--all his videos show his transitions and experimenting as he adapts his gear and hunting style. I like that you can watch his progression over the years.
I thought it was against my religion for a while but the past two years have been wake up call for me. I know I want to hunt well into my 60s (Lord willing). So I’ve been studying Warren Womack, his motivation to stay in shape just to deer hunt has been inspirational to me. Just doing a 1.5 mile run twice a week has made vast difference. I’m a land surveyor and spend days hiking equipment into tough terrain and being in shape helps with that as well.
Flexibility and agility is a big factor too. Being able to use climbing aiders efficiently has been a game changer on cutting weight and compact-ability.
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I’ve already told my wife... there’s no such thing as me being too old to get out into the woods hunting.
I won’t stop doing it, period. At some point I just won’t make it back home from a trip, and that’s okay. At least I’d get to go doing something I loved.
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I won’t stop doing it, period. At some point I just won’t make it back home from a trip, and that’s okay. At least I’d get to go doing something I loved.
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There was an older gentleman from my town that passed away this spring. He was in his late 70's and he died in his turkey blind with his shotgun across his lap. At his funeral viewing his widow told my wife that she loved him and would miss him but, that they both knew they days were growing short and that is the exact way he would have wanted to go. She said she was surprisingly comforted thinking about him sitting there in his blind with his feet propped up and his shotgun on his lap.
I can't think of a better way to go myself.