Thread: Notes for Old Codgers

Greetings All,
Today is the 61st anniversary of my first ever trip into the Kawekas on which I fired a rifle (at a rock) and saw my first deer in the wild. I have posted about this previously. About 3 years ago I set some goals regarding my fitness and trips that I wanted to do. Some health problems, Cyclone Gabrielle and sloth on my part has resulted in few of the goals being achieved. Currently 2 weeks shy of my 75th birthday I have had to be honest with myself that the goals were aspirational at best and set some new ones.
In doing this I have understood that those of us in our senior years need to rejoice in what we can do and not to mourn what we can not. For me this means concentrating more on F-class shooting but still doing my grandpa walks and a bit of mid week grandpa hunting in the easier areas that I have always meant to go back to but never quite got around to.
With my current expenditure of ammo on actual hunting sitting at nil the F-class gives me a reason to handload, something I have always enjoyed, so there is another plus.
So to all of you other old codgers interest in hunting and rifles has many facets, it is just a matter of finding what we can still do and enjoy.
Best wishes and regards Grandpamac.

you are right having just past the 70 I find I need to really plan my hunting -downhill fine - sidling fine - uphill well wheres the quad - so its meat trips back of farms - lots of glassing but refuse to shut down and give up - biggest thing I find is some training over uneven ground otherwise could be ankle issues - I would still do a fly in but maybe a lot more camp duty's - mates need a good feed when the fit buggers return

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

you are right having just past the 70 I find I need to really plan my hunting -downhill fine - sidling fine - uphill well wheres the quad - so its meat trips back of farms - lots of glassing but refuse to shut down and give up - biggest thing I find is some training over uneven ground otherwise could be ankle issues - I would still do a fly in but maybe a lot more camp duty's - mates need a good feed when the fit buggers return

Greetings @Barry the hunter,
I now use a trekking pole which makes me more stable on the uneven ground as some of my balance has deserted me. Uphill I am OK but dreadfully slow. Downhill the pole gets a workout on the steeper stuff plus any handy tree but it is still nice to be there.
GPM.

bloody good on ya mate!

good idea - I do have my trusty lancewood stave - I had balance problems last year- got up on roof to look at ridge flashing and scared the beejesus out of myself - turned out it was a badly blocked ear - all good now - I think the worst thing is going out hunting and just don't want to be a bloody burden to any hunting mate - so prefer they just leave me at a good spot and they can go off and do their thing - the bonus for them is I am a good butcher and cook - those skills are honed from years of practice- so generally works out

@grandpamac team up with a younger chap and you shoot the deer then he carries it out all the while imparting some knowledge on him. I wish I'd had an opportunity like that.

I resemble your opening remark😁 for me it's downhills and uneven ground that that get me even with a hill stick. A new knee is due soon and I'm hoping that returns some enthusiasm and balance for long walks

You're absolutely right
Heres a few things I've learnt the hard way in recent years-:

Don't try and beat your grandson to the top of the ridge - its just not possible
Slowly walking uphill is preferable to steep downhill
Sidling is a must with a pole or hill stick
Youngest in the group always carries the heaviest load
Spare a thought for the recovery of the animal before you shoot it
Take prolonged stops and use "glassing" as an excuse.

Gravity increases exponentially as you grow older.
When you do hit the ground you do not bounce as you did when younger.
If you do get injured or sick it takes vastly longer to recover and sadly never in some circumstances.

But as you age you ( should ) take more time to look at whats under your feet and not what is over the next ridge.
Set modest goals and then it's a lot easier to over achieve.

I now only shoot and recover meat for family and close friends.
Purely for my own satisfaction and not to impress anyone else.
I often hunt with rifles that are more than twice my age and get satisfaction from the challenge this imposes.

My step son was taught how to hunt by an older chap who was dying, his wife was happy knowing said 15 year old was more than capable of getting her husband out of trouble if it came to it. Boy was also taught how to drive by a neighbour in an ancient Riley that had no synchro mesh gearbox. He has been lucky to have had both those gents in his life although both are now long gone.

Originally Posted by akaroa1

Gravity increases exponentially as you grow older.
When you do hit the ground you do not bounce as you did when younger.
If you do get injured or sick it takes vastly longer to recover and sadly never in some circumstances.

But as you age you ( should ) take more time to look at whats under your feet and not what is over the next ridge.
Set modest goals and then it's a lot easier to over achieve.

I now only shoot and recover meat for family and close friends.
Purely for my own satisfaction and not to impress anyone else.
I often hunt with rifles that are more than twice my age and get satisfaction from the challenge this imposes.

I had noted that the Kaweka's had become steeper and taller than they were.
GPM.

Reflecting the other day its 66 years since I shot my first wild animal - a bunny shot round the back of farm with Lithgow model 12. Was 6 years old - had to lean on dad's arm!!

At 72 its not about super long walks now - though I should exercise more. Lately most of our shooting has been wandering big Cantab/Tekapo locations in the trucks which is pretty easy but still alot of fun. Yes wear and tear on the bod takes its toll and back injury has kept me from range for 2-3 years. But .. went to range recently to test another polished up JW15, apprehensive as to whether I could still shoot after so little practice, and it immediately printed three groups averaging 0.47" at 50m. Two of them in the 0.3s - put a smile on the dial.

Getting ready to teach the grandies now - 6-8 years old. Keen little blokes Another little chopped and tuned JW bolt action on the menu shortly I think...

Cheers Mudz.

Il add to this in about 3 weeks.

Older u get the cheaper choppers are

I have just returned from a evening hunt and reading this post i remind myself what hunting is all about , a southerly had just blown through and had cleared into a perfect evening , i watched 3 deer for over 1 hour and what stopped me from going for them was the slight breeze was wrong plus a pair of Paries , i was content to just sit and watch , besides my freezer is full of venison , what made the evening even more special was the 6 stags moaning & roaring , i turned 75 beginning of march and hopefully will be back out again Sunday evening