How important would you rate fitness in your turkey hunting?

[RiverBuck]

Should working on being in shape be anywhere near as important as working on making a mouth call sound like something a gobbler wants to come check out?

[Kylongspur88]

It's extremely important to me. More so than calling. I hunt mostly in steep mountains or river bluff country and the ability to move quickly, cover rough ground, and not be too winded by the time you get on a bird to call and shoot is vital. I've hunted with flatlanders and over weight people who would strangle me at the end of the day if only they could move. I'm on the treadmill every morning and pre season start working out on inclines and running stairs. Turkey hunting and bow hunting is really my motivation to stay in any kind of shape.

[GobbleNut]

Should working on being in shape be anywhere near as important as working on making a mouth call sound like something a gobbler wants to come check out?

Absolutely in some instances.  Not so much in others.  Let's face it, you can often tell which guys hunt the places where no physical conditioning is necessary just by looking at them.      

Then again, there are some of us that are just such superior physical specimens that we don't need to work to stay in shape.  It just comes naturally!   

[Happy]

In my opinion yes. I hunt mountains though. My hunting lifestyle is a major driving factor for this. However it helps immensely for just life in general. I feel the first line of defense as far as overall health goes is staying decently physically fit. I like that at 40+ years of age I still do everything I did in my 20's.

[chatterbox]

Since I have gone to TSS and don't have to run down any gobblers, I don't find it as important!
Seriously, I think it's important to be at least in reasonable shape. With turkey hunting popularity exploding, I find important to be able to hike out to those spots that aren't covered up with hunters.
Oftentimes, these spots are better because the birds haven't been fooled with as much.


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[callmakerman]

Fitness rates very high for me. I sent 32 years jumping in and out of a truck delivering packages and started working out about 10 years ago. My number one thought was that I wanted to continue doing things the way I want to do them. I feel that I stay focused and can put in multiple long days with no issues. I hunt river bottom and swamps to the mountains in PA (which will kick your butt) so fitness more than helps. At 61 I feel really good and hope for many more years in the turkey woods.

[TrackeySauresRex]

I'm into fitness.  FittiN' Niss  cheese burger in my mouth it's dinner time! 

56 now and try to take care of myself a lot better then I used too. The fountain of youth is definitely the treadmill with some salads in between. I know my limitations and don't push it like I used to. Slow and steady wins the race. I don't run and gun. It's more of a carefully thought out plan and a stroll.

[Master Gobbie]

Should working on being in shape be anywhere near as important as working on making a mouth call sound like something a gobbler wants to come check out?

Yes! For me being in shape is the most important thing, but I hunt out west and like everyone's favorite Tuber Dave Owens said, "these mountains ain't no joke." 

Mouth calling is right there at the top of my priorities too. Before season when I'm hiking around the local hills, I'll have a mouth call in and pause every now and then to practice calling while out of breath. Train as you fight they say, same goes for me and hunting.

[3bailey3]

very important, i walk a lot and hunt some hills and public land that requires you to get way off the roads..

[justin.arps]

Very important,I like to keep moving


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[Parrot Head]

Agree with what was said, but I work out for me and my health.   It just helps with the hunting.   Older I get do more stretching too along with workouts.

[guesswho]

Its important enough to me that its been a lifestyle since I was a teenager.   

[Tom007]

Fitness is everything with me regarding Turkey hunting. I hunt at least 25 days per season from daybreak till noon. I usually lose about 12 pounds from all the walking. I start training by walking in March. Works well....

[bear hunter]

Very important. In the area I hunt if your not in shape your probably going home empty handed.

[ChesterCopperpot]

Where I live and hunt everything looks like this. Everything. Grow up like that and you learn to side hill and switchback and cover three miles to get what should've took one. All that to say, about as important as water.


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