Getting Ready...

I did a face plant this year in Iowa. I hunt by myself a lot, so I got a PLB a few years ago and carry it on all my hunts. Just in case I break something and can't get to my truck. Cell service isn't always available. The PLB is guaranteed. Hit a button and wait.
That's a great idea. I've thought about getting one. Might help ease the worry of our loved ones. My grandsons say, go for it papaw! Go get em!! My daughter says, Your going to kill yourself out there!! My wife rolls her eyes and says, we need to get our wills taken care of..
 
So I have a siatica or whatever problem in one leg. The DR tell me to go to PT. So I go to PT and they hand me a questionnaire. It asks do you fall down. I say yes. They say how often . I say lots. The PT person asks when do I fall down. I say when I hunt and step in a hole. They ask if I fall down going to the bathroom. I say not unless there is a hole between the bed and the bathroom. They go on to the next question.
Damn that's funny !!!
 
I broke my ankle in Febuary of 2017. May have saved my life because in pre surgery screening they said you have had a heart attack need to see a specialist. Specialist said you may have had but you do have blockage and need 2 stints. So I got 2 stints and then 6 weeks after the break I had the ankle surgery.

Well I have always had weak ankles but that repaired 1 was horrible. When pheasant season opened in October , I fell five times in the first 80 acre field. No it wasn't level ground but not like that.

I have had my boot get stuck toes down and had to pull my foot out to get free . Then work the boot out. I wear all my shoes / boots a little on the loose side and that probably helped.

My worse problems both happened next to streams. I tripped and fell into a cluster of beaver chopped 3/4" willow. Scraped my face chest and side up. The other I was walking along the bank after a big snowfall and stepped on a spot weakened by a animals digging in the bank below. I was up to my crotch with 1 leg and the other bent at the knee. The ice below was to thin to support me so the easy way out wasn't a option. I used my old 870 as a cane and slowly worked out to tell about it.
 
First fall was in Iowa probably 35-40 years ago. We were hunting Ducks. We shot them flying off of a creek. Then we had to drive and race to retrieve them downstream. I was trying to retrieve one of them and the bank fell into the creek. Wham I am in the creek waist deep. Temperatures were in the low teens. Then had to race to the house to warm up.

Second time I was in the U.P. I was hunting with my 2 good buddies. They had turned sharply therefore I had to catch up quickly. I was walking as quickly as I could. Foot got caught up in a root and it wouldn't let go. I fell approximately 10' out, first thing I thought about was my teeth, lol. So I used my SxS to break the fall. It busted my buttstock into. I had insurance and they paid to have it replaced.
 
I fall at least once a trip. One time about five years ago I fell in a thick stand of cattails in 100 yards or so. Got tangled up in them and had a hard time getting back up. The dog was beginning to worry a bit
Recall walking inside Andy's grove, caught my foot on something and down I went, landing on a log or rock with my left shoulder...rotator cuff surgery followed! At 84 falling is more frequent - feet seem to gravitate to the big holes. Of course I'm not watching where I walk...too busy watching the dog.
 
Recall walking inside Andy's grove, caught my foot on something and down I went, landing on a log or rock with my left shoulder...rotator cuff surgery followed! At 84 falling is more frequent - feet seem to gravitate to the big holes. Of course I'm not watching where I walk...too busy watching the dog.
Jonny B you have my utmost respect. Thats a feat not many of us will achieve!
 
I have to laugh at all the guys falling down as I've been going down more in the field the past few years also. Feet get tangled up in the vegetation and a guy just doesn't have the strength, quickness and balance to stay upright. I hunt alone a lot and my wife worries about me, especially now that I'm 76. I carry my cell phone and my wife tracks me with an app. Told her that if I'm not moving she better come looking. I get the dog out for a good run 3-4 times a week and walk about 2 miles (dog does 6-8). I still mow my yard with a 30 year old John Deere push (non self-propelled) mower once a week. Plus I try to ride bike and get to the fitness center for some weights 2-3 times a week. I know that at my age I have to get after the conditioning a little harder.

BTW, jonnyB is one tough dude. I'm sure I won't be in the field when I'm his age, if I'm even here!!
 
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Seeing an ortho surgeon this week. That's my prep haha.
 
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Wow, I bet you are in great shape...
There's always room for improvement. Luckily those are activities I enjoy doing and I'm also pretty good at them, so it really doesn't seem like exercise when I'm having fun.

Running on the treadmill isn't for this guy. It gets so freaking old.

Upland hunting is a different kind of exercise. I really can't do it for more than a few hours at a time. Plus in December there's often snow to plow through. When it starts to pile up, it really saps my energy quickly.
 
I got into triathlons a few years back for something to do to keep myself in shape. Between the swimming, biking and running it does the trick. Being that race season is in the summer I am pretty good shape come fall. I saw 4 pheasants this weekend on my bike ride. Two flew out of the ditch about 5' from me on my bike. Wow was that a rush. First race is this weekend. I am really not looking forward to the swim. It's going to be cold.
 
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