Does Deer Hunting Make You Fat?

You probably think this is a joke. “What? Deer hunting makes you fat? What are you talking about, Farris? You’ve really lost it this time!”

Well, people, this is no joke! Consider it a public-service announcement designed to shed light on a problem that many of us deal with every fall.

It’s mid-October as I write this, so I’m currently in the throes of an annual battle, and with deer hunts fast approaching, I know I’m getting ready to fight the battle of the bulge.

Let me begin by saying that if you’re in your 20s or 30s, reading my column from under your flat-billed ballcap and wondering what the heck I’m talking about, you can probably move on to the next article. But don’t throw this issue away! Just wait a few years, come back to it, and chances are my words will then make much more sense to you.

For the rest of you, your annual cycle is likely similar to mine. It starts in the spring, with the onset of warmer weather. My jeans are always a bit tight, and I feel lethargic after spending most of the winter hiding indoors. Even with a gym membership, my overall level of activity typically drops over the winter, and the arrival of spring motivates me to get outdoors and start preparing for summer and fall.

For most bowhunters, June is a month we spend with family. It’s when we take vacations, go camping, fishing, or golfing. It’s often when we enjoy other outdoor activities that aren’t necessarily related to bowhunting. My activity level picks up, and I typically start eating better, but I’m not yet fully focused on bowhunting and preparing for the fall.

By mid-July, I start to get serious. I typically have an elk hunt (or some other mountain hunt) on the horizon that I know will kick my butt if I’m not physically prepared for it, so my focus on fitness reaches its annual peak. By now, I’ve started running or hiking inclines with a weighted pack. I’m paying attention to what I eat, shooting daily, and listening to bowhunting-fitness podcasts during my workouts. By the time September arrives, my clothes have loosened up and I’m feeling pretty good.

For many serious bowhunters, September is a grind. If there’s a hunt on the schedule that’s going to be physically taxing, it often occurs in September.

For me, it’s elk hunting. I do a lot of public-land elk hunts during September. Whether I have a tag or I’m helping friends and family, I spend as much time in the elk woods as possible, and I face physical challenges almost every day.

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This past September, I probably averaged six to seven miles of hiking each day I was out elk hunting, and like most years, I came out of it in top physical form. My belt shrunk a full three notches last year, and I’m as determined as ever that 2024 will be the year that I maintain this level of fitness throughout the off-season.

However, I know what lies ahead — deer season is on the horizon, and I’m telling you, deer hunting makes you fat!

Let’s break down what a typical day of deer hunting looks like for most bowhunters. We wake up a couple hours before dawn, have a cup of coffee and scarf down some food before taking a short hike to a treestand or ground blind. It’s rarely a difficult hike. As a matter of fact, we typically take it slow and easy, methodically placing our feet in an effort to make as little noise as possible.

Once on stand, we’re focused, minimizing noise and movement. We sit like statues, trying not to even turn our heads too quickly. If our heart rate rises at all, it’s due to the excitement of seeing deer movement. And if we brought anything to eat, it’s usually junk. I guarantee Little Debbie’s stock peaks during the month of November every year!

A few hours later, most of us come out for lunch. We typically have a few things we need to take care of during the day, so we grab something fast and easy. Fast food — or even gas station food — are two of the quickest options. A few hours later, we take another leisurely stroll back to our stand to repeat the process, and then don’t return till after dark.

Once back for the evening — if you’re anything like me — you feel famished. It has been a long day exposed to the elements and feels like you’ve been working hard, even though what you’ve actually been doing is anything but hard work! For most of the day, we barely exceed our resting heart rate, yet we come home and stuff our faces with big meals, and for some reason, it always feels like we’ve earned it — when we definitely have not!

Even when I’m spot-and-stalk bowhunting for whitetails in the wide-open plains, most of my day is spent glassing from either a truck or a hillside. There’s typically very little physical work getting done. Nothing that really raises my heart rate anyway.

There is one type of deer hunt that’s an exception to the rule. High-country mule deer hunts fit into the September-grind category. Those are hunts you stand a chance of losing weight on, but the rest of us deer-hunting enthusiasts come out of deer season with pants that are starting to fit a bit tighter.

Immediately after deer season comes the holidays, and the bad habits we’ve recently developed make turning down extra helpings of pumpkin pie and Christmas ham more difficult than ever. Before we know it, winter is in full swing and we are back to hiding inside, loosening our belts, and cussing ourselves for not having the discipline to maintain the shape we were in prior to deer season.

I know many of you can relate to what I’m saying. The wheels seem to fall off our fitness routines as soon as we start hitting the deer woods, and it’s difficult to get up and start running again over the holidays and through the cold days of winter.

I’m not here to preach to you about solutions to a problem I continue to struggle with, but I will tell you I intend to double my efforts to eat less, eat better, and get more exercise during deer season this year. Then, as soon as the season is over, I’m getting my butt into the gym on a consistent basis and doing something to improve myself rather than waiting for the warmer weather.

By the time you read this, deer season will be over, and the holidays will have come and gone. I’d like to tell you I’m well on my way to breaking this wonderfully vicious cycle. But who am I kidding? The best I can hope for is limiting my visits to the Little Debbie aisle!