"GO HUNTING NOW WHILE YOU ARE PHYSICALLY ABLE!"

[HankBuck]

Love this quote by John Barrymore… “a man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams!”

@bwanamrm: Wonder how Drunk John was when he said that? He ruined himself and his career with his drinking and I guess back in the 1930s there was not the treatment programs & rehab available today

 

[JG26Irish_2]

I almost waited too long for Africa. When I was in my 40's I had a board of Directors member on the tech company of which I was the founder and President. My investor and board member was an avid Safari hunter and had hunted all across the globe. I was busy creating a new company and really could not focus on global hunting trips and did not relate to him at all. Now fast forward 20yrs and I was in my mid 60's and planning to retire this year. A friend had just returned from Africa singing the praises of the trip and invited me to go with him in 2025. I agreed on the spot. But...

The covid pandemic had ravaged my health doing damage to my lungs. Years of abuse had damaged my liver and knees and frankly, I thought that my days of trekking cross country were over. I could barely travel to the mailbox and back without having to rest. I was over weight and had contracted type 2 diabetes.

It was a bad scene. But, I was determined to do this. I went to a few doctors. My heart checked out good and with treatment, we got my wonky knees working reasonably well and I began walking alot. I found a non-traditional, wholistic medicine doctor who treated my ailments not with drugs to mask the symptoms, but with actual solutions to cure my ailments. How refreshing is that? Within 3 months I had lost 40lbs and was 100% cured of my diabetes. My endurance and fitness was improving and my blood pressure was getting better and better allowing me to reduce those meds. That started about 1 year ago. Today, I am feeling better than I did 10yrs ago and have booked a PG hunt for this year to get some experience with Africa prior to next years PG/DG hunt with my friend. The dream of African Safari saved my life. I was in a slow death spiral prior to that fateful day when I agreed to go to Africa. It gave me the kick in the pants to take control of my health and fitness. Writing this today, I am 67 and have been retired for 6 months and just got back from the gym where I do my regular workouts. My hunt is in less than a month and I cannot wait for it.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I almost waited too long for Africa. When I was in my 40's I had a board of Directors member on the tech company of which I was the founder and President. My investor and board member was an avid Safari hunter and had hunted all across the globe. I was busy creating a new company and really could not focus on global hunting trips and did not relate to him at all. Now fast forward 20yrs and I was in my mid 60's and planning to retire this year. A friend had just returned from Africa singing the praises of the trip and invited me to go with him in 2025. I agreed on the spot. But...

The covid pandemic had ravaged my health doing damage to my lungs. Years of abuse had damaged my liver and knees and frankly, I thought that my days of trekking cross country were over. I could barely travel to the mailbox and back without having to rest. I was over weight and had contracted type 2 diabetes.

It was a bad scene. But, I was determined to do this. I went to a few doctors. My heart checked out good and with treatment, we got my wonky knees working reasonably well and I began walking alot. I found a non-traditional, wholistic medicine doctor who treated my ailments not with drugs to mask the symptoms, but with actual solutions to cure my ailments. How refreshing is that? Within 3 months I had lost 40lbs and was 100% cured of my diabetes. My endurance and fitness was improving and my blood pressure was getting better and better allowing me to reduce those meds. That started about 1 year ago. Today, I am feeling better than I did 10yrs ago and have booked a PG hunt for this year to get some experience with Africa prior to next years PG/DG hunt with my friend. The dream of African Safari saved my life. I was in a slow death spiral prior to that fateful day when I agreed to go to Africa. It gave me the kick in the pants to take control of my health and fitness. Writing this today, I am 67 and have been retired for 6 months and just got back from the gym where I do my regular workouts. My hunt is in less than a month and I cannot wait for it.

Good Luck on your trip and keep up the progress

 

[Houston Bill]

I almost waited too long for Africa. When I was in my 40's I had a board of Directors member on the tech company of which I was the founder and President. My investor and board member was an avid Safari hunter and had hunted all across the globe. I was busy creating a new company and really could not focus on global hunting trips and did not relate to him at all. Now fast forward 20yrs and I was in my mid 60's and planning to retire this year. A friend had just returned from Africa singing the praises of the trip and invited me to go with him in 2025. I agreed on the spot. But...

The covid pandemic had ravaged my health doing damage to my lungs. Years of abuse had damaged my liver and knees and frankly, I thought that my days of trekking cross country were over. I could barely travel to the mailbox and back without having to rest. I was over weight and had contracted type 2 diabetes.

It was a bad scene. But, I was determined to do this. I went to a few doctors. My heart checked out good and with treatment, we got my wonky knees working reasonably well and I began walking alot. I found a non-traditional, wholistic medicine doctor who treated my ailments not with drugs to mask the symptoms, but with actual solutions to cure my ailments. How refreshing is that? Within 3 months I had lost 40lbs and was 100% cured of my diabetes. My endurance and fitness was improving and my blood pressure was getting better and better allowing me to reduce those meds. That started about 1 year ago. Today, I am feeling better than I did 10yrs ago and have booked a PG hunt for this year to get some experience with Africa prior to next years PG/DG hunt with my friend. The dream of African Safari saved my life. I was in a slow death spiral prior to that fateful day when I agreed to go to Africa. It gave me the kick in the pants to take control of my health and fitness. Writing this today, I am 67 and have been retired for 6 months and just got back from the gym where I do my regular workouts. My hunt is in less than a month and I cannot wait for it.

Good luck on your hunt; you will love Africa and become hooked!

 

[TheGrayRider]

I almost waited too long for Africa. When I was in my 40's I had a board of Directors member on the tech company of which I was the founder and President. My investor and board member was an avid Safari hunter and had hunted all across the globe. I was busy creating a new company and really could not focus on global hunting trips and did not relate to him at all. Now fast forward 20yrs and I was in my mid 60's and planning to retire this year. A friend had just returned from Africa singing the praises of the trip and invited me to go with him in 2025. I agreed on the spot. But...

The covid pandemic had ravaged my health doing damage to my lungs. Years of abuse had damaged my liver and knees and frankly, I thought that my days of trekking cross country were over. I could barely travel to the mailbox and back without having to rest. I was over weight and had contracted type 2 diabetes.

It was a bad scene. But, I was determined to do this. I went to a few doctors. My heart checked out good and with treatment, we got my wonky knees working reasonably well and I began walking alot. I found a non-traditional, wholistic medicine doctor who treated my ailments not with drugs to mask the symptoms, but with actual solutions to cure my ailments. How refreshing is that? Within 3 months I had lost 40lbs and was 100% cured of my diabetes. My endurance and fitness was improving and my blood pressure was getting better and better allowing me to reduce those meds. That started about 1 year ago. Today, I am feeling better than I did 10yrs ago and have booked a PG hunt for this year to get some experience with Africa prior to next years PG/DG hunt with my friend. The dream of African Safari saved my life. I was in a slow death spiral prior to that fateful day when I agreed to go to Africa. It gave me the kick in the pants to take control of my health and fitness. Writing this today, I am 67 and have been retired for 6 months and just got back from the gym where I do my regular workouts. My hunt is in less than a month and I cannot wait for it.

Keep up the good work. Never too late to visit and hunt Africa. Old in body but young in mind. It’s all about the attitude. Please post a few pictures and hunt report if possible. You will enjoy yourself. Happy hunting, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

 

[SRvet]

After a recent return from Zim @Lancaster and I have been mulling over this very point. We are both early 50s and still more than capable to undertake hard days on the hill stalking Scottish Red deer and we both coped with long days in the bush tracking dangerous game. No one knows when their time is up or when infirmity may strike. My daughter has been working in a nursing care home for the last 12 months in a gap year before starting university. She cares for residents in their late 50s onwards who need full time nursing care, often as a result of having suffered a stroke. The phrase “you only live once” is completely true but also you cannot tell when your abilities may be taken from you, even though you may still be alive.

 

[Lancaster]

After a recent return from Zim @Lancaster and I have been mulling over this very point. We are both early 50s and still more than capable to undertake hard days on the hill stalking Scottish Red deer and we both coped with long days in the bush tracking dangerous game. No one knows when their time is up or when infirmity may strike. My daughter has been working in a nursing care home for the last 12 months in a gap year before starting university. She cares for residents in their late 50s onwards who need full time nursing care, often as a result of having suffered a stroke. The phrase “you only live once” is completely true but also you cannot tell when your abilities may be taken from you, even though you may still be alive.

Indeed it's made me more determined to get back to Africa sooner rather than later!

 

[TheGrayRider]

Update: Just signed the hunt contract and tendered my initial deposit for Lord Derby Eland hunt in northern Cameroon in February 2028.

Alaska dall sheep backpack hunt in 224 days, 11 hours, and 39 minutes…but who is counting? The training continues - not so easy to lose weight like 20 years ago.

Safe travels if you are attending the conventions soon. See you on the mountain! Happy hunting, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

 

[Green Chile]

That’s awesome. We look forward to your updates and hunt report.

 

[Rimbaud]

I never liked the quote. Always reminded me of some slick salesman using fear to get people to make decisions to buy. If you eat well, exercise, and take care of your mental and spiritual health, and stay physically tough, you should be living well as you age. I try to do 5 miles of road work a day, swing my kettle bells and mace, and ruck with 35 to 60 pounds on my back. I heard some years back that Clint Eastwood said his secret was that he had decided to not let the old man in. I like that approach way better.

 

[Ryan]

This thought was why I started putting in for limited draw Dall sheep in Alaska at 39. I knew my knees weren't getting any younger. I got incredibly lucky and drew a Tok Management Area tag on my first year (I do love the fact Alaska does not do the point system, it's all random draw). So at just shy of 40 I got a fine full curl ram. And I can say that was a brutal hike out, that I don't think I could do now at 54. 12 miles out, 7 of that on glacial moraine, which is all loose rock from pebbles to boulders with 100 pounds or so on my back in one trip. No great urge to hunt any other sheep with the cost of those in the ridiculous range. This is also why I haven't seriously moose hunted. I don't own a 4-wheeler (and that option isn't great anymore either IMO) can't seem to find one near a road and no one in their right mind packs one out. So, I'll still do caribou until my knees say that's enough, and I'm liking blacktail deer more and more.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I'm 72 and blessed with good legs, great back, and relatively narrow waistline. I can still walk my dogs' feet raw every fall hunting uplands. Two years ago I stopped for lunch with a couple of guys as I was on the way out after filling my bag of roosters. They weren't having much luck. I was fighting gallstones and, as it turns out also hernia, so was done for the day and could not help them out. They'd been watching me all morning. "Do you mind me asking how old are you?" asked the son. I told them. His dad (maybe early sixties) smiled and said "Yeah ... going on 29!" That made my day. Time for payback: "You guys go park in the trees at the end of the dike road. Wait till 'the witching hour' about forty minutes before shooting hours end this evening and stand in the tulies on that corner. The birds will come out of Russian olive grove on adjacent property and fly right by you headed for the slough ... at least a hundred pheasants!" I saw them the following day when I hobbled into the cafe for breakfast. They managed to shoot three roosters on that spot. "You better get to a doctor!" Not during hunting season!

I am blessed with good genes, obviously. Though I don't work out a lot, I don't eat a lot either. No smoking! I'm what stockmen call "an easy keeper." Never was into jogging or running. An orthopedic surgeon told me a long time ago that is a sure path to bad knees and/or hips in later years. But I do a LOT of walking and live in a house with several stairs that I must climb constantly. Fortunately, I was able to get out of the aluminum plant fairly early in my varied careers. It was a dangerous workplace that crippled a lot of the guys I grew up with. So it's been partially luck, partially good planning, partially good genes, and partially taking good care of myself that keeps me in the field year after year right into my golden age. Genes and luck are beyond our control but the other two we can manage. So manage them well.

 

[Grandpa Moose]

I’m now in my late 70’s and took my last safari at 70. I’ve since had a stroke and with a fall damaged the hip on my crippled leg. With five stents and again battling cancer there is no giving up. Moose hunted this year couldn’t get much more than 200 ft from atv but sat on stump for 5 days. Didn’t see or shoot anything but I was still hunting and will continue as long as God will allow

 

[Andrew62]

Update: Just signed the hunt contract and tendered my initial deposit for Lord Derby Eland hunt in northern Cameroon in February 2028.

Alaska dall sheep backpack hunt in 224 days, 11 hours, and 39 minutes…but who is counting? The training continues - not so easy to lose weight like 20 years ago.

Safe travels if you are attending the conventions soon. See you on the mountain! Happy hunting, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

Who will you be hunting LDE with?

 

[Rare Breed]

Back in 2014 I was taking 4 Advils every 4 hours just to function during my hunts in the Mountains of MT and elephant hunts in Africa. Not to mention tennis etc..

Made the decision to get my right hip replaced as I had no more cartilage left. No more pain or limping. I had to give up running, tennis, and martial arts as I am not supposed to do anything high impact. Picked up rowing to substitute for running.

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It helps me to have a vision for what I want to accomplish. For me it is the big 5. after that I look forward to whatever Africa offers and I try to stay in the best shape I can to do so. I have also found at my 65 age I can try to hard in my training causing damage and time off for healing. It’s a real bummer when your mind is in your 30’s but your body is in your 60’s. lol!!!!

 

[steve white]

I almost waited too long for Africa. When I was in my 40's I had a board of Directors member on the tech company of which I was the founder and President. My investor and board member was an avid Safari hunter and had hunted all across the globe. I was busy creating a new company and really could not focus on global hunting trips and did not relate to him at all. Now fast forward 20yrs and I was in my mid 60's and planning to retire this year. A friend had just returned from Africa singing the praises of the trip and invited me to go with him in 2025. I agreed on the spot. But...

The covid pandemic had ravaged my health doing damage to my lungs. Years of abuse had damaged my liver and knees and frankly, I thought that my days of trekking cross country were over. I could barely travel to the mailbox and back without having to rest. I was over weight and had contracted type 2 diabetes.

It was a bad scene. But, I was determined to do this. I went to a few doctors. My heart checked out good and with treatment, we got my wonky knees working reasonably well and I began walking alot. I found a non-traditional, wholistic medicine doctor who treated my ailments not with drugs to mask the symptoms, but with actual solutions to cure my ailments. How refreshing is that? Within 3 months I had lost 40lbs and was 100% cured of my diabetes. My endurance and fitness was improving and my blood pressure was getting better and better allowing me to reduce those meds. That started about 1 year ago. Today, I am feeling better than I did 10yrs ago and have booked a PG hunt for this year to get some experience with Africa prior to next years PG/DG hunt with my friend. The dream of African Safari saved my life. I was in a slow death spiral prior to that fateful day when I agreed to go to Africa. It gave me the kick in the pants to take control of my health and fitness. Writing this today, I am 67 and have been retired for 6 months and just got back from the gym where I do my regular workouts. My hunt is in less than a month and I cannot wait for it.

Can you share with us some of the natural cures, especially for your knees, but also for diabetes?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Can you share with us some of the natural cures, especially for your knees, but also for diabetes?

I suspect the "cure" for his diabetes was losing a lot of weight and minimizing his carb intake. That usually works for most overweight type 2 patients. And it continues to work as long as the patient sticks with the program. Weight loss probably was also likely a major contributor to his reduced blood pressure. It is inspirational to read stories like his. In the Army I put on a lot of weight. It wasn't fat either. But I developed heart problems (probably a viral infection or, believe it or not, tooth decay). I lost fifty pounds, the problem disappeared, and I was able to finish out my enlistment in 1974. Been "clean" since then. However, I developed a taste for diet pop, tomato juice (only 50 calories in a large glass + very filling) and lite beer that persists to this day.

He mentions years of abuse that damaged his liver so I can presume he is an alcoholic who already had experience with abstinence cure to deal with it. That experience must have helped "cure" his other health problems. It will no doubt be of great assistance keeping him "with the program" long after his safari is over. The guy is,a fighter.

 

[Jay Kelley]

At 61. I have been diagnosed with severe arthritis in my lumbar and thoracic spine along with a knee that causes some pain at times. Exercise and weight loss are helping and, although there is no cure, I am getting better. I plan to continue hunting pheasant, quail and dove as long as possible. A trip to Africa is in my plans for retirement as well as an elk hunt with my brother. Money is a factor so we shall see.

Have an orthopedic appointment on Jan. 22 to talk about a new knee - it was worse than I thought. Still working on the exercises and weight loss with a plan to hunt Africa in 2028. As always, we shall see.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Have an orthopedic appointment on Jan. 22 to talk about a new knee - it was worse than I thought. Still working on the exercises and weight loss with a plan to hunt Africa in 2028. As always, we shall see.

Hang in there.

 

[eatmore-pbj]

I used to tell people you have to go elk hunting while youre young and before youre too old but work, kids, life and the wife always got in the way. Now being able to go on safari even with new knees and hips that are fine its hard to be in the plane for the long trip with lower back issues.