New Elk Hunter Questions: Part deux

[EastTNHunter]

So after riding horses last week, I found that there are some muscle groups that it works on my inner thighs that don’t get worked otherwise. Does anyone know any excercises that I can perform that will get my hips and inner thighs in “saddle shape?” I can work on cardio and the “hiking muscles” pretty easily, but not the others.

Secondly, can anyone tell me what butchering/processing fees for an elk would run in the Meeker, CO area? Depending on how things go, I may debone and bring it back for my butcher in TN, but it may be best to have it butchered before my travel back

[Laelkhunter]

I can answer your second question. Should cost between $175 and $225. I always get mine processed locally when I hunt. When I pick up the meat, it is frozen, marked, and I put it into large heavy duty garbage bags in my three 100 qt ice chests. I put 30 pounds of dry ice on top of the meat in each ice chest, then tape the ice chest closed to help seal it. That lasts 48 hours until I get home. It is a 24 hour ride from Chama, and when I get home, I just lift the garbage bags out of the ice chest and put them in my chest freezer. It is worth the $$ paying to have it done and not having to mess with it when I get home.

[Mtnhuntr]

I don't know of any exercises to help from being saddle sore. I think you just have to ride as much as possible.

[Coach Chris]

Wall squats with a ball will activate and strengthen your adductors
https://youtu.be/ePdm2YgYTkc

Rear foot suspended split squats are an excellent exercise to challenge your stabilizer without impeding on force production
https://youtu.be/YItAiT6e6BA

[JLS]

Horseback riding is very much an activity specific exercise. Saddle soreness is greatly affected by both the fit of the saddle and demeanor of the horse. A nervous horse or one with a rough/choppy gait will make you much more fatigued and sore than a calm horse with a smooth gait.

[elkduds]

Probably goes without saying, but skin your game well before it gets to the processor. For me, the sooner the better. Meat cools quicker, tastes better, and you don't have to pay the guy standing @ the door of the game processor to do it in a big hurry/sloppily.

[EastTNHunter]

Wall squats with a ball will activate and strengthen your adductors
https://youtu.be/ePdm2YgYTkc

Rear foot suspended split squats are an excellent exercise to challenge your stabilizer without impeding on force production
https://youtu.be/YItAiT6e6BA

That first exercise looks like a great way to build the muscles that I need to work on. I think that I would need a bigger ball to simulate a saddle/horse.

As far as skinning the elk early, that is definitely my plan. I have a butcher locally that vacuum packs all of the meat and does a great job with cuts and yield. I’m a little nervous taking my game to a butcher that I don’t know, so if anyone has any recommendations in that area I would appreciate it.

[Coach Chris]

As JLS mentioned above "Horseback riding is very much an activity specific exercise."
The ball squats will activate the muscles necessary. Horseback riding, like any other activity, you actually have to do that activity to become efficient at it.

Only strength sports athletes can train specifically for their activities in the weightroom.

[EastTNHunter]

I’m sure that I won’t be able to adequately simulate the real thing, but my access to horses and places to ride is VERY limited, so I want to do what I can to prepare. I will definitely make every effort between now and the time for my hunt to get some saddle time to acclimate

[Local577bowhunter]

I’m from Ohio and travel to Idaho to hunt elk and mule deer every year, I’ve always gotten my game processed in the small town I hunt close by to. For one, it’s is so worth the money to be able to just go to the shop on your last day and pick up totally proccessd and frozen meat so that you don’t have to fool with it when you get home from your trip, but I also like to have it done just to help the local business, I’ve hunted that little town going on 8 years now and the least I can do for the great town is give them a little business. I pay $0.85 a pound for general cut. Also, butchers see a huge percentage of the elk and deer killed in the area, they know when the hunting is getting hot and where the elk are being killed, if you develope a relationship with the local butcher you can call out and touch base with him and pick up some info on what the rut is doing in the area so that you know the best time to be there. Good luck this year!!!.

[Coach Chris]

I will definitely make every effort between now and the time for my hunt to get some saddle time to acclimate

That's all you can do.
Lift heavy weights. hike long distances, gain vert, shoot and ride when you can.

[Yellowstoner]

In my experience, riding with the stirrups up a bit higher helps alleviate saddle soreness, but wears out your quads faster. Might play with stirrup length.

[EastTNHunter]

In my experience, riding with the stirrups up a bit higher helps alleviate saddle soreness, but wears out your quads faster. Might play with stirrup length.

Funny that you would mention that, as I had that same thought and wanted to try it while we were out riding, but apparently the saddle that I was using was at its highest setting already. A coworker of mine who has experience with hunting from horses told me that it was a bad idea, so I had abandoned the idea, but I will definitely give it a try now that you have confirmed my suspicions.

[Cody_Frankum]

If you butt hurts, your stirrups are too long, if your knees hurt your stirrups are too short, if your knees and your butt hurt, it's just right!

There isn't any exercise out there that can help combat saddle soreness. It's just an awkward position and there isn't a ton to do about it. Are you hunting off horseback or are you riding in and hunting off foot? Typically after a couple days you get more or less used to the saddle and you'll be good to go, but you have to make sure your saddle is fitted properly. Also you need to fix anything as soon as you notice it, if your knee is getting a little sore get it adjusted right away, don't wait because you're just doing more harm.

Is this a guided elk hunt I presume??

[EastTNHunter]

It is a guided elk hunt where we will be riding in then hunting on foot. I have never paid for a hunt before, neither of us have ever used horses to hunt before (see my previous thread from a couple of weeks ago), and neither of us have much experience at all with horses. I’m just concerned that one of the major draws of using this outfitter may become a detractor if we aren’t prepared.

[WATERMAG]

You are from Tennessee. Just go to Nashville and ride those mechanical bulls. Same difference hahaha

[timbertrash]

I can't answer anything on the soreness. Meeker and Craig both have good processors, highly recommend Brothers custom meats in Craig, they used to have one in Meeker as well but I think that brother retired.