Misery loves company

[M77Fan]

Tommytrees,

Bummer you have to pass on a season. I was afraid I might have to this year because COVID held up me getting my new shoulder for so long, but I have been out some for elk anyway. Have had to pull in my ambitions a bit, but still have had some nice days out, and will definitely get a good deer hunt in in a few weeks. But anyway, if you get a new knee this winter you should be good to go by hunting season in the fall - as long as you are diligent about PT. If you can go into it having been exercising the leg muscles beforehand, all the better. If you can, a bike (real or stationary) can save the knee, but work the quads. I did a lot of bike riding before my knee replacement 5 years ago, and I am sure that helped the recovery. I had the knee done in April, and by the first of October was taking my kid brother on his first elk hunt. Not that either of us is a kid any more.

Medical technology has improved a lot over time, and they are pretty good on knees now. The docs do a good job, but the patients have to do their part too. I went too long before I had mine done, should have done it earlier, but I was getting by. That and I had to have both hips replaced first But now, man it is so much better. I am back to cruising hills again (but it did not return me to 20 years old unfortunately).

Best of luck with it. Lots of people I know have had knees done, and as said before, they wonder why they waited.

 

[M T Roberts]

Best of luck Tommy! You will back on the mountain before you know it!

 

[koonazz]

Just had my left knee replaced at the end of June. Best thing I've ever done for myself. Limped around for a couple of years and went through ridiculous pain out of fear and hard headedness. Get it done. Have a well reputed knee doc do it. And rehab rehab rehab. You'll wish you'd never waited.

 

[Tom Wright]

I hate to accept this but... After my left knee taking up the slack for my right knee (old LODI) it has reached the point where I can't stand let alone hunt. Have to go for scans, see Cardio, and the other ology's and hope knee replacement will occur before end of year. Anyway, long story short, I will miss everything this year and hope to be OK by my birthday (April) so maybe I can find a bear hunt.

I would appreciate it if some of you would post your hunt stories and pictures for this year on this thread. Kind of like sharing hunting campfire stories (success and humor) . I hope to share your success, that's the company part.

Be safe, be well. Good hunting !

tommytrees

I hate to accept this but... After my left knee taking up the slack for my right knee (old LODI) it has reached the point where I can't stand let alone hunt. Have to go for scans, see Cardio, and the other ology's and hope knee replacement will occur before end of year. Anyway, long story short, I will miss everything this year and hope to be OK by my birthday (April) so maybe I can find a bear hunt.

I would appreciate it if some of you would post your hunt stories and pictures for this year on this thread. Kind of like sharing hunting campfire stories (success and humor) . I hope to share your success, that's the company part.

Be safe, be well. Good hunting !

tommytrees

I understand having put off my surgery on both knees until I was in the same position. I did both at the same time and although recovery was tough, I was glad I did. Word to the wise — build up your muscles as much as you can , it'll make a huge difference. The day after your quads won't know how to fire together— like they never worked. If the muscles are strong you'll recover much faster. Sixty days after I was on a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic. I spent about 2 hours a day on the treadmill and was walking with a cane when I got off.

That was 10 years ago— without the surgery I would have given up hunting. Since then I have made 4 trips to Africa, 3 to Spain, and one to Serbia and Scotland. This emphasized by the fact that on my 70th birthday I took a Gredos Ibex in the Gredos Mountains of Spain. Do it, follow PT advise and you'll be back at it quickly.

 

[skipglo]

I wish you the best Tommy I'll be following this thread as I am looking at a double replacement within the next year or two right now I'm able to put it off but it definitely affects my mobility and my sleep

Don't put off till tomorrow what can be done today Bill. Waiting till you can't walk.....is too late! My Dad did and has suffered 10 years for it!

 

[ranger3]

Be as physically fit as possible before knee replacement and push the rehab after. That's the best thing you can do if you didn't pick your parents and grandparents well and inherited poor cartilage.

Amen, I had knee replacement and doubled the physical therapy and went on a strong fitness routine before the surgery, it paid off big time

 

[Gater]

I hate to accept this but... After my left knee taking up the slack for my right knee (old LODI) it has reached the point where I can't stand let alone hunt. Have to go for scans, see Cardio, and the other ology's and hope knee replacement will occur before end of year. Anyway, long story short, I will miss everything this year and hope to be OK by my birthday (April) so maybe I can find a bear hunt.

I would appreciate it if some of you would post your hunt stories and pictures for this year on this thread. Kind of like sharing hunting campfire stories (success and humor) . I hope to share your success, that's the company part.

Be safe, be well. Good hunting !

tommytrees

I don't know where you live but the surgeon that replaced both of my knees did an excellent job I get around better than ever but when my shoulder was replaced they did a reverse shoulder replacement put the ball where the socket was and socket where the ball was that ended my service rifle competition but I can shoot F-class and bench rest so good luck

 

[JMB 1911]

Missing a season certainly will not be easy. I hope your surgery goes well and you have many awesome hunts in your future.

I just got back from a public land hunt in Wyoming. It was very challenging and the animals were pressured and scared. No long shots by the standards here but for a bunch of east coast whitetail hunters we made some nice shots well over 300. The climax was after a full week of hunting my best friends daughter killed a nice buck. I killed 2 horned does back to back from the same set up. Then I got to help and watch my other friend make his 2 longest shots on 2 awesome text book stalks all in a single day.

 

[skipglo]

I hate to accept this but... After my left knee taking up the slack for my right knee (old LODI) it has reached the point where I can't stand let alone hunt. Have to go for scans, see Cardio, and the other ology's and hope knee replacement will occur before end of year. Anyway, long story short, I will miss everything this year and hope to be OK by my birthday (April) so maybe I can find a bear hunt.

I would appreciate it if some of you would post your hunt stories and pictures for this year on this thread. Kind of like sharing hunting campfire stories (success and humor) . I hope to share your success, that's the company part.

Be safe, be well. Good hunting !

tommytrees

Best of luck..it's no where as bad as might think...and the reward is huge!

 

[Lenny Foffa]

Hi Tommy , I was in the Business Of Ortho implants Trauma Snd Joint replacement as a Rep Snd later as a Product Manager ! I have observed a thousand ortho procedures in That 37 Year Run ! Total Knee replacement is today a routine procedure With excellent results !! I would Suggest you go get it done ! One at a time Not both at the same Time ! 6 to 8! Weeks Post op and you will be pain Free!! I MHO Good luck sir

 

[Paul Spaulding]

I have a very large friend with bad knees, so what he does is hunt right off his 4-wheeler. Never leaves the seat. Seems to kill more deer than I do too!

 

[BrentM]

Just set goals and make a plan. You'll be good to go and hammering it next season. During the down time people usually get complacent about fitness. For example when covid hit and shut down gyms etc people got massively fat. They used covid as the excuse. I got into better shape. I walked the dog 2x a day, I ran the same loop and sometimes the lazy mut ran with me. So I'd do 6 miles a day. That motivated me so I created a loop with stations. The stations were push ups, sit ups, and I jogged/walked/sprinted in between. I had a little mishap on my dirt bike and messed up my hip. Instead of sitting around for 3 weeks I increased my push ups to 400-500 per day. Sets of 50 each time I had to pee or every hour. Since it was an all day gig the push up thing is pretty easy. Now, in my office, every time I have take bathroom break I do 2 sets of push ups and squats, 70 of each total, and usually get right at 300 per day. I hit the gym after work. Like I said, complacency is not good for us.

Hunting 2020. My season starts 1/1 and runs through 12/31. I hunt wolves all winter. I was able to tag 2 in March/April. I bow hunted elk in September but didn't tag out. I shot a few vids of smaller bulls and passed on a 280-300. It was a rough hunt with higher temps, dry, smokey as heck, and just overall a tough season. I usually take my big fluffy goldendoodle with me but waited to the end of the season to take him. The last weekend he was with me and he was awesome. He actually picked up sneaking and stalking on his own. When he'd hear the bulls respond he'd go into stalking mode with me. He never leaves my side but I'd never seen him actually sneak before. I was super proud of that mut. In october I found an area with a ton of wolf sign and was hunting wolves when I met a guy and his kids from NC. They were struggling to locate muley's in this brutal area so I decided to help them out. As a guide I pretty much knew what I was in for and it was ok. Helping kids is something I enjoy. We managed to tag 2 bucks at 9200 feet and just before a storm hit us. His boys are 10 and 15. It was pretty cool to spend some time with them and show them a different way to hunt. Most kids can't handle hours of glassing, sitting, and studying a mountain. It seems pointless. They got to see 2 mountain goats, 4 bucks, and put on a stalk that landed 2 of those bucks in the freezer. I'll be headed out to a late archery mule deer hunt, special draw tag for a trophy buck, and hope it all comes together. Once that is over, I'll be back after the wolves.

 

[tomsd]

Tommy

Knee surgeons are wizards in what they can accomplish these days

My wife and I have lots of tennis friends our age who have had amazingly successful knee surgeries or replacements. They are all back on the tennis court

I had a knee scoped 13 years ago and the cartilage repair was so successful that I can't remember which one it was without looking for the tiny scar.

I do 3 to 6 mountain backpack trips per year lately with that repaired knee. Most recent was the 4 Pass Loop around the Maroon Bells in Colorado. That involves 30 miles and 4 mountain passes that each reach about 12,500 feet of elevation.

My knees will be 75 years old this winter!

Best wishes!

 

[338 dude]

I have a very large friend with bad knees, so what he does is hunt right off his 4-wheeler. Never leaves the seat. Seems to kill more deer than I do too!

I had a friend Shannon who started out as a big guy 350 when I met him and kept going killed several deer right off the four wheeler I would help him load and unload it now he can't even leave his house he's over 700 pounds I don't know what can be done many friends have tried it all