Walk 20 miles, NO WAY!

GrandpaNasty · May 18, 2004

I was reading hunting illustrated this morning and a well known hunter/writer was hunting in Mexico. He claimed he walked 15 miles the first day pursuing muley bucks, then next few days he walked 20 miles each day. C'mon! I'm not saying a guy can't walk 20 miles in a day but to effectively hunt at that pace would be impossible. I've hunted old Mexico twice years ago and I can see 8-10 maybe if you are taking your time, maybe, but 20! Why do guys claim such ridiculous mileages? Ego thing? I read it all the time here but this is the internet where there is more crap than a Texas stockyard and its expected.

Stealthycat · May 18, 2004

I did 18 miles last fall on an elk hunt - high altitude, dehydration/lack of food dang near killed me ! So I know its possible ... but yeah, I agree, not much hunting being done walking at that clip !

boneaddict · May 18, 2004

I've walked that far horn hunting. Sprinting in 5 miles to horn hunt an area, then leg it out, but to hunt, that is stupid. I agree.

Cowkiller · May 18, 2004

I don't think 20 miles a day in the flat Sonora desert is out of the question. I walked 15 miles as the crow flies, just the other day when my truck broke down. I didn't start until 2:00 p.m. This was over very rugged terrain and I was going slow looking for sheds. I found six elk sheds, five deer sheds and two winterkills. I was pretty loaded down the last few miles. If you've ever read the history of Geronimo and his Apache warriors you know that prodigious distances on foot in the Sonora Desert are possible in a short time if you are in shape. It may not be the best way to hunt but it is possible.

RLH · May 18, 2004

when i was younger it wasn't uncommon to do 20 a day. bowhunting elk in the rut, it's pretty easy to do that much. a lot of it at a trot too. tracking muleys in sandy country, 20 a day ain't uncommon. you can't do a lot of glassing and stuff. you're always on the move, but it's a different type of hunting too. before my ol' man got a 4x4 and before a few more roads were built, we packed bucks 6 or 7 miles back a lot of times. no fun at all sometimes.

ridgetop · May 18, 2004

Doing the math, and cruising at average of 2mph +- with little or no stopping for 10 hours on level ground, its possible I guess... doesent sound too out of the question.

IdahoMuley · May 18, 2004

I would walk 20 miles a day or more if i knew there was a 40" buck out there.

Ant · May 18, 2004

I guess he wasn't glassing much!!!

RELH · May 18, 2004

It seems that not only do hunting writers will walk a great distance while hunting, they always use rifles that shoot under 0ne inch with their favorite hunting load. I do not know about the long distance walking, but Jack O'Conner stated that most outdoor writers fired their one inch groups with their typewriters instead of their rifle. Maybe it is the same with the long distance walking.

RELH