Well, I know that none of us want to admit it but we are some of us getting on up there until we enter the big open hunt in the sky. Some of us have medical conditions and are limited to bend over and dig because we get lightheaded or dizzy and we tire easily.

My observations about this are worth just about one of those crummy zinc pennies you find at the beach but I will give it anyway. Webmaster privilege!

I just got in from a small club hunt and then went over to the school to warm up for the big open competition next weekend. I got hot even though it is still cool and so I wore a Fisher Tee shirt. I never have looked good in a tee shirt but there comes a time when we have to be able to dig when it gets too warm. I have been standing on the starting line thinking to myself how nice and cool it is today when in only ten minutes I will be wishing that I had stripped down to a swim suit. Go light, even lighter than you think but carry a jacket for cool weather until the hunt.

Then there is all that stooping over and bending back up. I use a Wilcox 21 inch trowel so that I can get more power on the cutting edge and not have to fight hard ground. About a week or so before the hunt I begin my limbering up exercises and practice stooping a lot. If the planting tires you so that you have difficulty in the hunt then exempt yourself or do like I did today. I used a small shovel that worked great to only slightly crack the ground and then drop the coin onto the blade which will slide into the small crack. Do not plant too deep though. General hunts should be 3 inch limits.

Besides the exercises I start to get my body in shape also by making sure that I lubricate all my muscles by taking enough potassium supplements. That is a key thing for me to do including taking iron pill boosters for strength. Now you need to eat a good breakfast before the hunt so that you will have enough energy. If you see that you are tiring during the hunt then do like I do by eating those nice yummy tootsie rolls. They will send your energy to the top of the scale.

If you are one of those cautious persons and you are getting on, so to speak, then my advice to you is to live every day, every hour, every minute, and every second as they are precious to you. More than young people can ever know or appreciate. You have to be bold, you should not worry so much whether or when you are going to leave this life but make the best day that you can ever day. You should use good judgement but then don't be one of those cautious Nellies that miss living because you are afraid or scared.

Living is fun only as far as you can engage yourself in an active lifestyle. After that then make the best of dominos at the park, but if you were daring as a kid then be daring as an adult. Just don't be silly and hurt yourself.

Talk to your club and have them permit older members to be exempt from the late fees on club entry because they hurt older people who may not be able to hunt. If they are exempt then if they are feeling fine then they can enter just anything that they can pay for and have more fun. Always consider the elderly. "I ain't one yet!"

If you or someone gets overheated or suffers from heatstroke then the club should provide care and planning to provide a EMF call or cool them down with cool water and take care of them until help arrives. Be sure to take care of their family and possessions too.

Key things to remember are go light on warm days and maybe even get one of those extra light detectors like the Tesoro Micromax or ShadowX2 if you feel gravity pulling on your bones and your arms get tired. Avoid eating too much and then going right out and hunting in the mid-day sun. Trouble for sure...

Like those young athletes you must warm up with stretching exercises and cool down with a slow walk. Bring along some of my magic potion "Aspergel" creme" available at your drug store. Bring along aspirins and take some before the hunt to lesson the chance of stroke or heart attack. I have to tell you that I am not a doctor, but this is just simple advice that I use, you don't need to follow my example.

Good judgement is more valuable than many other gifts. Use yours and prepare for yourself one of the best of lifes experiences at one of the big open hunts. Always use caution and follow your doctors advice, not mine. I only want you to know how much fun that I find and see others find at these wonderful hunts. P.S. Some of these hunts give you a good chance to get your money back and others do not. Ask around before you barge right into a hunt that gives back nothing or has too many young smart hunters that grab it all. Find hunts with a good salting of older folk too that might, just might move at their own pace and don't get excited and grab all the silver....