I have never been particularly challenged physically while hunting Africa. The hardest area I hunted was probably Cherowe, but it is nothing compared to hunting elk in the Bitterroots of Idaho. The constant climbing of kopies in Namibia can be hard at times, but nothing to write about.

Hydration can be an issue, but that's easily fixed.

Like Bill C, I too had asthma as a kid. Very bad. More than several runs to the hospital. It was allergy induced and the available meds of the late 50's and 60's did very little to help. It went away when I was about 16 and then while sitting around a camp fire in New Mexico, at age 40, after having field prep'd a mule deer, I had an attack that required an emergency evacuation to the hospital. It's again under control, but I carry meds everywhere I go, just in case.

After a life time of living at the beach in SoCal, I now live at 8000 feet in the Rockies. I can literally walk out my door and into the national forest and up the nearby mountains to almost 14000. I power walk with a 30lb backpack, or a set of 12lb bar bells on mountain trails for at least an hour 5 days a week. And I hike to over 13000 feet twice a week during the summer. When I am preping for a hunt, I'll do much more. Training at 8000 feet makes things so much easier anywhere else.

The problem I have in Africa is the constant crouching, stooping, and crawling. It simply kills my back and no matter how much work I do to strengthen my back before hand, I suffer.

By way of observation, though, I do see a lot of guys at SCI Reno that can be considered clinically obese. I don't see that at various sheep-specific functions. Different crowd, for sure.

Bill, I was SKINNY back then!! That was in '01 and I was a wirey 23 yr old. I'm 32 now, but have since put on a good 40lbs (good weight!)since those days.. Man, could I run and climb like a goat back then, though!! With that said, my body type lends to that frame naturally. 6' 3" and 205'ish no matter what I do.

It's funny that several of you mentioned asthma. I never would have guessed it with some of you. I still have asthma to this day and have to deal with it each and everyday.. It's a very tough disease to overcome. I just manage well it with med and by trying to keep my lungs in the best working order I can. I try to stay in the best cardio shape I can by running 25 miles one week, then alternating with 4 days of climbing the next (I live 8 minutes from some great STEEP, LONG trailheads that go to alomst 9K here in Tucson) and lifting 5 days after the climb/run. With asthma, I tend to push myself just a little harder to stay on par with my climbing buddies, running buddies, lifting buddies, etc.. It's a weight that I just can never get off my shoulders..

It's all conditioning. How bad you want something and how much you are willing to put in to get it. I just ran in the PHX marathon last month.. Ran my preverbial ass off for the last 4 months to the point is was absolutely no fun, but I got it done when raceday came with no issues because I prepared myself for the run.

AZW, that winter climb of Rainier was by far the most pucker causing, extremely dangerous thing I've ever done.. and I'd do it again in heartbeat! I plan on doing Kili sometime really soon like you did after a hunt. That is a well earned trophy in any trophy room. It'd be one of my most treasured. After that, I am going to give McKinnley a run. That's one that'll test your mettle to its exteme limits.

In most of Africa you don't have to pack out your meat yourself like a lot of hunters other places have to. In much of Namibia you don't need to get out of the truck to collect your trophies. Still I don't think it pays to generalize about African hunting.

I worked out for a year prior to my first safari and worked hard for the last six months prior. Cardio was my main focus cycling everyday on a rigerous course trying to better my time each outing. What I had the most problem with was the heat. In the Northwest we just don't experience the heat like what hits you in Africa. I do lots of mountain hunting but heat dosen't factor in when hunting in rain and snow when you can strip a layer or change T-shirts to keep the persperation off you.

I live at 1000' and hunt in the western US just about every year, usually elk, usually at around 9000' I don't run (too much arthritic wear on too may crucial joints) but do bike every day, as well as some upper body work every day. I have not experienced the knee pain others mention while hunting in the mountains, perhaps that's the biking. It never occurred to me before. I end up riding on a trainer in the basement most of the year, but ride outside during the three or four months leading up to the fall hunting season, averaging about 100 miles a week (I would gladly do far more, but it's all I can find time for.) I have always suffered altitude sickness to one degree or another for the first 24-48 once up in the mountains, really don't have any wind problems.

I have only hunted Africa twice (RSA and Namibia) and found the relatively flat terrain far easier than archery hunting elk. But then I didn't deal with the heat on my two hunts that I know others end up experiencing.

I suggest people take undulating countryside walks with a similar weight held as the rifle you intend carrying will be.

Physical fitness as in cardio vascular capacity etc is a great advantage but is slightly separate to marching fitness so to speak.


marching or hiking fitness as in the military is as much about de sensitising to small discomforts of a myriad nature whilst concentrating.

For example even a fit gym/runner guy can tire his first long hike if he has to carry an object not used to, binos around the neck, bulky things in his pockets, in a high state of concentration,or put up with sweaty pants etc. he'll make it okay, but he'll hate it.If not then, the next day when soft tissues flare up.

An older guy really can walk the legs off a younger guy if he has put time in doing a couple long walks a week 8-12 weeks before a hunt.

Ms AZWriter is the mountain climber in our family; she is dragging my ass to the Himilayas for 3 weeks this summer. I like mountain climbing, but hunting is still my No.1. Nevertheless, there are many parallels. What to "bag" next...what is the hardest? Everest costs as much to climb as a lion hunt, is more dangerous, and has a lower "success" rate.

But when it comes to mountains, many people may not realize it but being in shape is one thing; being able to physiologically handle high atlitude (like 14K or over) has nothing to do with being in shape. At least, that is what I have read/been told by mountaineers. Ms AZWriter is in better shape than me but I seem to handle higher alititudes better.

Bill C: thanks for the comments. Like you, I enjoy all kinds of hunting and appreciated your perspective.

Ok! From a fat guy's perspective that's on the upper end of middle age and I think I represent a good portion of the safari clients that go to Africa I'd like to say you can hunt Africa quite well even in poor shape.

Being in the best shape possible is of course the best way to go but you just do not have to be in great shape to go on safari. A good PH can do marvelous things for a client with mobility problems. Fat, old guys can kill big buffalo and elephant along with a great variety of other game including specialties like Lord Deby eland and bongo.

I'm not talking about just shooting from the truck. A smart PH that hunts with his head and not just his feet can do some very creative things for his clients. Also some species that often are considered to offer a very physical hunt can be hunted quite easily if you pick the right area and I'm not talking about a game farm.

That's one of the great things about Africa. It can be enjoyed quite fully by almost anyone in any kind of physical condition. Wilderness NA hunting does not offer that option.

Mark

Yes, being in good shape when hunting is great, BUT don't forget that most of your time in life you are not hunting and it is as important to be in good shape those days.

A person in good shape is certainly better of than a person who is not.

Pick your choice, but yes, it takes time and effort.

Start drinking water for one thing...

On my last safari in Tanzania, we spotted a trophy bull elephant in the Selous browsing along about fifty yards ahead of us.

We were very quiet, and the wind was good, but he somehow got the heebie-jeebies and took off on us, in a quartering away direction, and at that annoyingly fast, semi-jogging-almost-running elephant pace.

So, we took off, too. First at a jog. But we quickly realized that if we were ever going to overtake him and cut him off, we would have to sprint.

So, we sprinted, and kept running after him at full tilt for a full quarter mile or so.

I was in excellent shape, and thought I was holding my own pretty well, when towards the end of the race, I felt one of the trackers pushing me from behind.

Now the ground was rock hard and broken, and riven with ditches that had been carved out by flood waters during the rainy season.

Being pushed from behind while sprinting over such ground is not a good thing!

Still, I had to laugh, and picked up the pace.

We got to a point where we had cut the elephant off and had a few seconds to blow some air and get ready for a passing shot as he cruised by us.

Luckily, I killed him with a semi-jogging-almost-running shot to the spine.

The moral I derived from that experience is that you can never be in good enough shape for a safari!

Be careful of this goldeneye freak.....undercover PETA......check out his slant on cruelty to hogs in the Hog Forum "more pig pics" thread.