Hunting Science Exploring the Science Behind Hunting
Exploring the Science Behind Hunting

Episode 13: The Exercise Physiology of Backcountry Hunting

Overview

Listen to this podcast to learn more about how to prepare for the physical demands of Backcountry Hunting.   I talk with Dr. Robert Coker, professor of   Clinical Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, and Larry Bartlett, avid outdoorsman and owner of Pristine Ventures about their participation in and studies of backcountry hunting.

Show Notes

0:25 – Introductions
7:00 – We talk about how they came to be studying the exercise physiology of backcountry hunting.   How many calories do you think you burn on a hunt?
11:45 – How did they do these Hunt Studies?
18:30 – What is the total caloric expenditure for hunting moose and caribou in the backcountry and what are the metabolic benefits of backcountry hunting?
22:10 – We discuss more details about how hunters were sampled.
28:00 – Why did they measure liver fat specifically.
31;30 – Do you take alcohol on backcountry hunts?
33:45 – We put the physical and mental demands of backcountry hunting into context.   Can you dunk a basketball?   Do you have grit?
39:15 – What did they find from their hunt studies?
45:00 – We discuss ways of preparing for backcountry hunting both physically and mentally.
50:30 – We dive into more of the results and talk about how those results might affect how you pack for a hunt.
58:30 – How do you measure grit – the topic of a future podcast.
1:04:30 – We finish with couple stories of hunting adventures.
1:09:45 – Closing remarks.
1:10:35 – Outro.

Additional Resources

Photo: Sheri Coker does some “float dragging” in the snow during a backcountry hunt.
Photo Credit: Robert Coker.

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