Thread: Running Out of Time

Greetings All,
The latest copy of NZ Outdoor appeared on my chair the other day. In it was an article by Dave Baldwin on his latest Bushman's Bible Journey. He and others visited huts in the North Ruahine and Kaweka Ranges. It suddenly dawned on me that I had not been to any of them. If I turn my head as I sit here, in my living room, I can see the Kaweka Range so they are not far away. A quick look at the DoC site told me that there are 32 huts and bivs in the Kaweka FP and I had only stayed at 13 of them plus visited another 4.
I am no hut bagger by any means but I was surprised that 15 of the huts had eluded me in spite of over 50 years of pottering about in the Kaweka FP. No one will be surprised to hear that none of the elusive huts are close to the road ends. Any thought of my departing the Lakes Road car park, loaded with tucker, to visit more of them on some sort of grand tour also fails the believability test on a number of levels. A plan is required. Some assistance from Chris Crosse is likely to be needed. Perhaps a fly in walk out trip? Or perhaps fly in, walk (mostly downhill of course) and fly out. We are close to the roar so spring would be a good time and I have all the kit I could need. Just one small, well quite large actually, problem. The body, clearly some training will be required. I will let you know how I get on.
At this point some of you are thinking that Grandpamac has totally lost his marbles. This may be true in part but the point of this post is to remind those, not in the first flush of youth, to do those trips we have dreamed of while you still can. This allows you to remember them rather than dreaming about what they may have been.
Regards Grandpamac.

Funny thing is mate
I feel the same as you.
30 years ago I had the body to claim the world my own...just not the where with all.
Now I have the means...I don't have the ability
Fuck it all....
They meant it when they said...sail forth young man...or what ever it was...I can't remember now...what were we talking about
Hmmmmm beer

I was once told you never regret things you do even if you do it poorly. You will only regret not doing it.
Grandpamac you have lost your marbles but you will find them in one of those huts.

All of us are running out of time, every day that passes is one more off our total, its just that some of us are closer to our total than others (and sometimes we find out our total is a lot less than we thought!).
After missing the roar last year due to covid I decided I'm going to get into it this year while I'm not-so-fit and able. The not-so-fit part is something I can do something about, so in the last three weeks I've been on three hunts and one recon trip, and I'm off again on Sunday. I have stuff penciled in for nearly every weekend in Feb, March and early April already, its a case of stop mucking around, get off my backside and just plan it and go.

Greetings Boxton, Chindit and Cigar,
Thanks to you all for your wisdom. Boxton I think we all have the best kit, rifles and such once we get to our middle or later years. My rifle cupboard bears this out. Just not the physical ability to make the best of them. Chindit I have always found sitting in a mountain hut both relaxing and restoring so I am sure that you are correct. Cigar training certainly the key. For me, having passed my three score and ten, the training needs to be constant. Fortunately the rear of our block is quite steep so a walk round the boundary each morning (about 1.5 km with a 60 metre climb) should be a good start.
Regards Grandpamac.

Good on you. Just remember the mind will quit a 1000 times before the body will

heck Im only 48 and starting to feel that way...fortunately there are gents with hair greyer than mine out there hunting hard out to inspire me to just go and do it.... funny thing about fitness...the slower I go and the more often I stop...the more animals I SEEM to run into.....

I think once we get on the higher side of 40 this fact becomes a reality to a lot of us. Work, family etc. has left its toll on us.
I have come to similar realizations in the past few years and I am slowly making the effort to get fitness and health back on my side, Encouraging my son to appreciate the outdoors and wanting to share it with him has pushed me to get myself into better shape so I can take him out more.
As already said, the brain is the biggest hurdle, teach it your desires and away you go. Make the most of what is available to you.

I am much the same mate , turning 64 in a few weeks and so keeping my fitness up to where i can still carry a full pack is a constant battle .
After 40yrs of hunting the Ruahines i often think gee theirs lots of huts i have never been to but then i usually fly camp away from huts.
Your post has given me a bit of extra inspiration to keep going so cheers for that and good luck with your own plans .

Greetings Everybody,
Thanks for your replies and likes. I was taken aback with the number of responses. This together with a phone call from a long term friend last night (thanks mate) has made me more determined to improve my fitness and hunting. It also made me think others may find my efforts and results interesting so will do the odd post to keep you up to date. This will help me stick to the plan as well.
First about me. I am 71 years old, 72 in April, and have a long term type of arthritis which limits my mobility at times. This responds well to activity, as most things do, and have been pretty active wandering around in the bush until the last few years. I am not suggesting this is how you should approach your fitness, merely relating how I am approaching mine. If you are over 40 and have not been to your Doctor for a few years now would be a good time to make an appointment. It might save your life.
Any endeavor needs planning and fitness is no different. Drawing on my planning background here are a few notes for me that may help others.
Aspiration. To be able to walk to some of the Kaweka SFP huts I have never seen and do a little hunting on the way.
Long Term Goal. To be able to walk in to Kiwi Saddle Hut in the morning and not be too stuffed for an evening hunt. Last time I did this was 2011.
Short Term Goal. To be able to walk up Kuri Hill and back in a morning walk. Last time about 2 years ago.
Strategy. Walk around our block boundary each day followed by stretching and joint mobility exercises. Walk up Kuri Hill as far as comfortable each week. Record time to the low trig and distance to track progress.
This likely seems rather OCD to some but that is how I am. Each of us needs a program that suits them. Best of luck and I will let you know how I get on.
Regards Grandpamac.

Part of the block.

Good luck with yr hunting and walking Grandpamac,im only 67 so bit younger than you.I dont walk to far for deer any more,few ks here and there.Gota look after my new knees.But as we get older,we see more deer the slower we go.Become a smarter hunter i hope.
Hope you get a couple of deer and have a great time out there.Put some photos up here, be nice to see.

Kia ora @grandpamac ,this may be a bit of a rambling response to your post as it will be a good distraction for me while dealing with having to make a hard decision on our old dog whose health is quickly fading ,but it is also a topic that had a life changing effect on me while still in my 20's & basically lead to the way l lived my life from then on & even now as l approach 60 & Semi Retirement (dont think l can sit still long enough to ever be fully retired ) still does.

Back in the late 80's l was on my second trip to Australia shearing,this was back in the days when good money could be made shooting foxes for skins & rabbit chillers were going full steam . Shearing meant we had access to some of the best hunting country & contacts OZ had to offer, so we were spotlighting Foxes most nights & filling chillers in between sheds,making very good coin while not turning in to drunks like l had watched many of my childhood "heroes & supposed hard men "had become ,another eye opening, life changing lesson Shearing gave me .The amount of hunting & game we shot also meant my dog a Blue Heeler had grown into a excellent hunting dog able to scent & lock on to everything from downed rabbits,foxes in long stubble to quail etc in the next paddock & could run with a egg in his mouth when commanded meaning he could display as soft a mouth on retrieve as pure bred bird dog ,something that won me a lot of bets by non believers & a reputation among the Quail & Duck hunting scene .

Due to being so heavily involved in the Pro shooting / hunting scene with great contacts lead to me being offered my first Gig at guiding & lead to me doing it part time around the world until a couple of years ago.One of the areas we spent a fair amount of time shearing in was a world renown Quail hunting region back then & 2 of our sheds were on prime Quail grounds & l was offered a spot helping to guide wealthy hunters by a cocky we had shorn for, l think more for the novelty of the Bluey being able to work right alongside pure bred pointers .

During that time we dealt with many clients who were doing "Bucket" list hunts etc as they got older/retired & even though we were only on slightly rolling hills ,many could not hack the physical effort/walking/ heat etc & so what should have been a life fulfilling achievement & enjoyment was largely ruined. The experience of seeing first hand how leaving life time goals until it is to late or not being physically fit enough to do the things you love can be hugely disappointing & decided then & there to do as many of the things l dreamed of as soon as l could rather than putting it off & was the reason l decided to take on guiding to see & hunt the things l had dreamed of around the world .

Over the years l went on to guide around the world ,in a lot of remote areas & l would see this happen time & time again, even to the point of clients being too wrecked from the physical effort needed to reach their supposed trophy of a life time to not being able to take it,wound it requiring me to actually drop it or plain beg me to secretly take the shot for them as they were too physically exhausted/out of breath to take it . I made a pact with myself back when first guiding on the Quail try to do everything l really wanted to do before l got too old ,but also more importantly always keep my fitness up,something my later experience in Africa & Arnhem Land etc confirmed.

It should be noted this is something seen in most physical endevours not just hunting , l was lucky enough through my guiding to become friends with the owner/ skipper of a top Black Marlin game boat operating off the Great Barrier Reef in Oz & would get invited to decky/fish when proving new areas or last minute cancellations happened .Many times guys who were on their once in a life time trip would have to hand over the rod as they could not handle the exertion of landing the fish of a life time.

I have always also been a keen motorcycle rider & for the last couple of decades have done long distance expeditions with a group, riding into remote places like Thailand, Laos,India & the deserts of OZ ,many times we will have riders have to pull out as the physical effort was too much ,on our ride a few years ago through India from New Dehli , in to Nepal and all the way to base of Mt Everest, we started out with 7 riders & only 3 of us finished it ,everyone of the guys forced to pull out were devastated & one gave up riding after it,something he had loved doing for over 30 yrs before hand,2 of the guys who pulled out were older than my kids .

The life lesson l learnt early on which is just as valid now, is the old saying of “Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” but also probably more importantly do not let your own poor fitness be the major hurdle .I am very lucky that my wife in our later years has become keen on coming with me on remote hunts ,where she can hunt for a while & then enjoy her growing discovery of her arty side & love of painting/drawing the wilderness & wildlife ,now having so many remote areas serviced by Helicopter operators & some with Hut accommodation is more accessible for anyone chasing the experience .So my future hunting plans now also include us flying in to remote areas & enjoying out time trekking/hunting there together,my hunting crew normally does a couple of trips each year to the Fiordland & Stewart Island somewhere l am planning on taking her too next year ,just by ourselves .

Good on ya for having a crack @grandpamac,l have always found swimming & bike riding very good for building fitness pre expeditions while cutting down the risk of doing damage to the ageing body & improving your flexibility/strength with simple resistance exercise that can be done everyday right at home in ant weather are a great help.One of the best things l ever did was get a heated spa ,as have a number of old injuries & broken bones ,plates & screws etc from my days racing motor bikes off road it enables me to do resistance training all years round & is bloody good exercise. Wishing you all the best for your future hunts & adventures.

You silly old bugger. Bloody good on ya! It is eminently doable stuff when you put your mind to it.

Originally Posted by bunji

Kia ora @grandpamac ,this may be a bit of a rambling response to your post as it will be a good distraction for me while dealing with having to make a hard decision on our old dog whose health is quickly fading ,but it is also a topic that had a life changing effect on me while still in my 20's & basically lead to the way l lived my life from then on & even now as l approach 60 & Semi Retirement (dont think l can sit still long enough to ever be fully retired ) still does.

Back in the late 80's l was on my second trip to Australia shearing,this was back in the days when good money could be made shooting foxes for skins & rabbit chillers were going full steam . Shearing meant we had access to some of the best hunting country & contacts OZ had to offer, so we were spotlighting Foxes most nights & filling chillers in between sheds,making very good coin while not turning in to drunks like l had watched many of my childhood "heroes & supposed hard men "had become ,another eye opening, life changing lesson Shearing gave me .The amount of hunting & game we shot also meant my dog a Blue Heeler had grown into a excellent hunting dog able to scent & lock on to everything from downed rabbits,foxes in long stubble to quail etc in the next paddock & could run with a egg in his mouth when commanded meaning he could display as soft a mouth on retrieve as pure bred bird dog ,something that won me a lot of bets by non believers & a reputation among the Quail & Duck hunting scene .

Due to being so heavily involved in the Pro shooting / hunting scene with great contacts lead to me being offered my first Gig at guiding & lead to me doing it part time around the world until a couple of years ago.One of the areas we spent a fair amount of time shearing in was a world renown Quail hunting region back then & 2 of our sheds were on prime Quail grounds & l was offered a spot helping to guide wealthy hunters by a cocky we had shorn for, l think more for the novelty of the Bluey being able to work right alongside pure bred pointers .

During that time we dealt with many clients who were doing "Bucket" list hunts etc as they got older/retired & even though we were only on slightly rolling hills ,many could not hack the physical effort/walking/ heat etc & so what should have been a life fulfilling achievement & enjoyment was largely ruined. The experience of seeing first hand how leaving life time goals until it is to late or not being physically fit enough to do the things you love can be hugely disappointing & decided then & there to do as many of the things l dreamed of as soon as l could rather than putting it off & was the reason l decided to take on guiding to see & hunt the things l had dreamed of around the world .

Over the years l went on to guide around the world ,in a lot of remote areas & l would see this happen time & time again, even to the point of clients being too wrecked from the physical effort needed to reach their supposed trophy of a life time to not being able to take it,wound it requiring me to actually drop it or plain beg me to secretly take the shot for them as they were too physically exhausted/out of breath to take it . I made a pact with myself back when first guiding on the Quail try to do everything l really wanted to do before l got too old ,but also more importantly always keep my fitness up,something my later experience in Africa & Arnhem Land etc confirmed.

It should be noted this is something seen in most physical endevours not just hunting , l was lucky enough through my guiding to become friends with the owner/ skipper of a top Black Marlin game boat operating off the Great Barrier Reef in Oz & would get invited to decky/fish when proving new areas or last minute cancellations happened .Many times guys who were on their once in a life time trip would have to hand over the rod as they could not handle the exertion of landing the fish of a life time.

I have always also been a keen motorcycle rider & for the last couple of decades have done long distance expeditions with a group, riding into remote places like Thailand, Laos,India & the deserts of OZ ,many times we will have riders have to pull out as the physical effort was too much ,on our ride a few years ago through India from New Dehli , in to Nepal and all the way to base of Mt Everest, we started out with 7 riders & only 3 of us finished it ,everyone of the guys forced to pull out were devastated & one gave up riding after it,something he had loved doing for over 30 yrs before hand,2 of the guys who pulled out were older than my kids .

The life lesson l learnt early on which is just as valid now, is the old saying of “Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” but also probably more importantly do not let your own poor fitness be the major hurdle .I am very lucky that my wife in our later years has become keen on coming with me on remote hunts ,where she can hunt for a while & then enjoy her growing discovery of her arty side & love of painting/drawing the wilderness & wildlife ,now having so many remote areas serviced by Helicopter operators & some with Hut accommodation is more accessible for anyone chasing the experience .So my future hunting plans now also include us flying in to remote areas & enjoying out time trekking/hunting there together,my hunting crew normally does a couple of trips each year to the Fiordland & Stewart Island somewhere l am planning on taking her too next year ,just by ourselves .

Good on ya for having a crack @grandpamac,l have always found swimming & bike riding very good for building fitness pre expeditions while cutting down the risk of doing damage to the ageing body & improving your flexibility/strength with simple resistance exercise that can be done everyday right at home in ant weather are a great help.One of the best things l ever did was get a heated spa ,as have a number of old injuries & broken bones ,plates & screws etc from my days racing motor bikes off road it enables me to do resistance training all years round & is bloody good exercise. Wishing you all the best for your future hunts & adventures.

Greetings Bunji,
Thanks for your post. You have certainly lived an interesting life with plenty more to come. My working life had been spent in sedentary occupations, Draughting and Asset Management Planning buildings not money. Fitness deteriorates with these if you don't put in the hard yards in your own time, something I have neglected periodically over the years. Together with the on site circuits I mentioned I also do some wading in the pool which helps with my lower back. I also have a bike which I have not used much to date. You mention the benefits of a heated spa bath. A bit over 20 years back, when we built our house, I had an ensuite bathroom plumbed and wired for a spa bath ready to be finished later. Recently I had been wondering if the additional cost of the heated spa bath over a standard bath was worth it. You have helped me with that.
Regards Grandpamac.

Some good words and thoughts there @granpamac and others.
Im 60 in a month and unfit. And Im going to do something about it.
Cheers for the timely post.