Metabolic responses associated with deer hunting

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Cardiovascular Health
• Sports Science

Background:

• Deer hunting is a popular activity associated with a high incidence of cardiovascular events.
• Previous research indicates significant heart rate (HR) elevations during deer hunting activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the physiological demands of maximal treadmill (TM) exercise with those of hiking and dragging a deer during hunting.
• To investigate the heart rate (HR) and metabolic costs associated with deer hunting.

Main Methods:

• Sixteen healthy male volunteers participated in the study.
• Participants underwent maximal TM exercise, a 0.8-km hike, and a 0.4-km deer drag over varied terrain.
• Oxygen consumption (VO2) and HR were measured using portable spirometry and radiotelemetry, respectively.

Main Results:

• Dragging a deer resulted in peak HR reaching 94.9% of peak TM HR, while hiking reached 83.2%.
• VO2 during dragging averaged 72.3% and peaked at 91.2% of TM VO2, exceeding ventilatory threshold (VT).
• The VO2/HR relationship indicated disproportionately high HR during dragging compared to TM exercise.

Conclusions:

• The elevated metabolic costs during deer hunting activities, particularly dragging, contribute to high HR responses.
• These findings suggest that the strenuous nature of deer hunting may be a factor in observed cardiovascular complications.