Stalking and Age
- Thread starter old 30-06
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Dunwaters
Well-Known Member
No, I had the much desired and much envied inside job with no heavy lifting.
The damage is down to age and associated decay over a lifetime of outdoor activities often in inclement weather and while wearing inadequate clothing.
No regrets, I’d happily come back and do it all again.
Hmmm… sounds just like a career in construction
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
I was stuck inside for a month after my first Achilles rupture when old mate George lobbed up at the farm. I said FFS Georgy grab that folding chair while I grab my binos and drive me up to eagle tree hill. A tree on the hill a K from home that I had spotted many sambar from. We drove up minutes later.He put the chair out for me and I sat and glassed. "there's one mate" it made my day. A fortnight later unbeknownst to me he videoed me on crutches wearing a moon boot and climbing the farm fence for a closer look lol. I do prefer soft yards hunting but will still do hard yards hunting if necessary. Was due to hunt tahr this year except for a **** up. Will be at it next year though. When hunting is in your blood you won't stop and I am aghast on reading of hunters that decide to simply stop...I don't get that. Bar physical infirmity of course. Hunting is a panacea that will cure-all sorts of perceived problems and transports you away from any troubles..including the missus ha ha
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Dunwaters
Well-Known Member
I was doing pretty ok up till a couple of years ago.Hmmm… sounds just like a career in construction
Redbreast cask strength taken orally is a real game changer.
Jagare
Well-Known Member
I buggered my achilles tendon at the beginning of December. I rested up for a month and then decided I could out with the brush cutter and thin a larch plantation. Second day I stepped in a hole and made my injury twice as bad as the first time. With the ice ,snow, and general winter weather I sat indoors and got a bit too lazy. My left leg has always been my weak leg after a m/c accident in my yoof it had got so weeks could hardly push the clutch pedal down in the car.
So a bought a nice push bike and one of those stand thingies so I can cycle indoors. 20 mins a day on the cycle and my legs are 1000% better. No excuse to not cycles as well
I'm up every morning and out feeding and watering our pheasant chick's and the ducks come next week. I'm hoping that by the time the shooting season come I'll have legs like Charlie Atlas.
Edit to say that since I've been doing my 20 mins on the cycle every day the pain in my hip has disappeared as has a strange numbness in one buttock and the pain in my right knee has almost gone.
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John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Well done, many would moan and groan and do sfa about the problem. You will get there being proactive.
I did the other Achilles a dozen years later and older which wasn't too effing good but like you I stuck to it.
Dunwaters
Well-Known Member
No you won’t, you’re on a relentless downward spiral that will keep grinding away at your physical and mental abilities until you get put in a box with the lid screwed on and then buried 6’ deep.
Bad as that sounds, it’s way better than the alternative.
Stalker62
Well-Known Member
Reminds me of one of the blokes in the office moaning about how "hard", life was.
"Compared to what?" - came the withering reply.
There’s a lot to be said for being as active as possible. My Dad is 78. He smashed his leg up in an accident 20years ago….ankle completely rebuilt. He’s had 2 new knees. 3 hernia ops. Smashed his shoulder up. Had cancer and survived that. He was hit by a car 4 years ago and broke his leg again.
He’s still working with me on building sites 3 days a week. Still races his ocean yacht single handed.
Just keep doing what you enjoy doing.
He’s still working with me on building sites 3 days a week. Still races his ocean yacht single handed.
Just keep doing what you enjoy doing.
nun_hunter
Well-Known Member
This is a very valid point. It's a sad fact of life but conomists predict the biggest transfer of generational wealth ever will happen in the next 10-20 years as the Boomer generation dies off. When the majority of people died in their 60s their kids were young adults and any inheritance made a huge impact on their lives. Now that's happening when their kids are 50+ so less of an impact.
People are living longer (which is great
) but the rest of society, how people work, save, plan for the future, afford housing etc hasn't caught up yet and the void is growing bigger between the generations. Retiring with a pension good enough to live comfortably on is going to be something most people can only dream of. Assisting with the care of grandkids is something more common than not as both parents need to work leaving less spare time and money for the grandparents and parents to enjoy their hobbies, or at least expensive hobbies.We all understand the benefits of trophy hunting, taking out the old bull who is no longer in his prime to let the younger generation come through. It just a bit harder to swallow when you're the old bull in someone's sights
HonestJohn
Well-Known Member
Angle grinders too, almost took my trigger finger off with one three days ago - thank god for leather gloves I wore, instead of severed it just got shredded…otherwise I’d need that underground gunsmith in James Bond - Man With The Golden Gun to make me a specialist stock and trigger like he had in the movie - that would have sucked big hairy camel ones
baguio
Well-Known Member
And that’s the reality, obviously. If only some on here would be honest with themselves about this.
baguio
Well-Known Member
And we wonder why the fallow population in Northamptonshire is increasing at silly rates? No man of any age is going to be able to deal with fallow multiples with just a plasterer’s bath.
Stalker62
Well-Known Member
@triggertrix
Well done for wearing the PPE, and I hope you make a good and full recovery.
Apropos PPE.
It is a mistake to assume that chainsaw trousers will protect you from injury. In the words of my instructor (Phil Dunford)
"Chainsaw trousers will not protect your legs from injury, but they will at least, give your surgeon something to work with".
Wise words.
And that is absolutely as it should be! I run a small shoot and on work parties the older gents get light duties. Often potter around finishing odds and sods throughout the week. Myself and younger ones are post knocking and carrying heavy things. If I ask them to feed then the wheat is stored close by the feeders to make it as easy as possible.
I just hope when I’m old there’s a 30/40 year old to extend me the same courtesy.
As to the OP, I guess it’s every situation on its merits. I know some older chaps who are diligent and capable, others who require an ‘apprentice’.
To my mind it’s mainly about species and the land. I have a couple of bits of ground that frankly you need to be fairly fit and strong, extracting reds from moorland and steep bankings, often (hopefully) in numbers. The right kit goes a long way, but to be honest it’s a younger man’s game. I’m 40 and in the gym 5x a week and a couple of times last season I was fairly broken
I'm 87 and still get out after the foxes most nights as I've done all my life. I've been on my own for the last 35 years or so, after a divorce, and have been able to please myself completely.
For many years I made a living from fox skins and would be out all night, now when I get the one I'm after, that's it I'm off home to bed! I've no desire to shoot big numbers.
In most cases, I shoot from the Hilux as I know the land so well where I live and know where the foxes are and where they'll be. I've loved every minute of my shooting life and it's been good to me in return.
I'll keep going as long as I can and as long as the seemingly inevitable prostate problems allow! As far as the deer are concerned it roe only as I can't shift a fallow any more. Shooting, and foxes in particular have always been a major part of my life one way or another and I see no reason to change. keep going as long as possible, chaps. You're a long time dead!
For many years I made a living from fox skins and would be out all night, now when I get the one I'm after, that's it I'm off home to bed! I've no desire to shoot big numbers.
In most cases, I shoot from the Hilux as I know the land so well where I live and know where the foxes are and where they'll be. I've loved every minute of my shooting life and it's been good to me in return.
I'll keep going as long as I can and as long as the seemingly inevitable prostate problems allow! As far as the deer are concerned it roe only as I can't shift a fallow any more. Shooting, and foxes in particular have always been a major part of my life one way or another and I see no reason to change. keep going as long as possible, chaps. You're a long time dead!
bottletopbill
Well-Known Member
Well done that man you are putting us to shame
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