Horseback Hunting??

[idnative1948]

Anybody do it any more?

Rodeos on the trail, horses taking a walk at night with hobbles on, etc.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Done it enough to swear it off until I got too old and crippled to walk...

Had to put a horse down that got a hoof caught in a high-line. Took a lot of the fun out of killing an elk that year....

 

[idnative1948]

Done it enough to swear it off until I got too old and crippled to walk...

Had to put a horse down that got a hoof caught in a high-line. Took a lot of the fun out of killing an elk that year....

Dad had to do that once and it was like he had to kill his best friend. I think that back then was when my brother and I learned to cuss. We still have some of dad's battered and bruised stoves and lanterns. The one thing I wish we still had was the cast griddle, but it didn't make it back on one trip. We are in the process of going through the saddles, tack, but concerned about leather condition on most of it. I am thinking of just hanging on to his old sawbuck pack saddle because it is just so nice of wood.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

I always enjoy the part where your pulling an Elk a short ways and as you are coming through a NF gate a stirrup catches an aluminum sign that goes "THWANG!" Horse jumps sideways, saddle gets pulled sideways while the horse walks straight through ya. But If ya own em they will own you every once in a while.....or two. John

 

[noharleyyet]

Draftstud's equine exploits have been enough to deter me.

 

[idnative1948]

Draftstud's equine exploits have been enough to deter me.

I believe every word he said. You can be trying to do the simplest thing and things can go to chit in a pair of seconds, or you want to kiss them for saving your bacon on a trail in the dark.

 

[dmserpa]

Horses & Mules

Most of the problems are not horse but people problems!!!! I know that most problems are caused by not paying proper attention to details and so called horsemen using their horses once a year whether prepared or not. I for one don't enjoy hunting without my mules doing the work of getting me to the good hunting grounds. More to come about how you can prepare yourself later through joining in with like-minded people of BCHA
Attached are pics of our hunt in Calif using these crittters,,,,,,restored my faith in CA deer quality management, having not hunted here for over 20 yrs. Three D's ,three generations, three nice bucks,,,,,,,,,,

 

[idnative1948]

Draftstud's equine exploits have been enough to deter me.

I believe every word he said. You can be needing to do the simplest thing and chit can happen in a pair of seconds, you end up wanting to kiss them because they saved your bacon on a trail in the dark, or laugh like crazy watching them do things to each other to establish a pecking order especially when they are with horses they aren't used to being around.

 

[2rocky]

I treasure the time I spend on horseback hunting elk. In my mind it is part of the whole experience. But then again I have horses I use at home for ranch work as well.


At home shipping cattle on Shorty..

Branding calves in Hat Creek on Rip

Doc and I in the Trail Class dragging brush..

I like a stout horse in the mountains...

2008 Nevada Mule deer hunt. We covered a lot of ground on horseback. Saw lots of deer. Plentyof close encounters, No dead bucks.
.

2007 opening day Just before shooting light we bumped into a grizzly in the black timber. 10 minutes after first light I shot this bull. We weren't gonna wait for a pack horse so we slung the quarters on the saddle horses and walked the six miles back to camp.

2009 opening day The horses got us to the bottom of the draw but the last 1/2 mile was on foot, uphill.

My First Summer Job: packing in Feed in Northern Idaho.circa 1992

 

[dmserpa]

Horses

Great pics,,,you like I understand horses, but there are so many out there that think you just jump on and ride up and shoot something. There is a lot of educating that needs to take place so we don't loose this wonderful tradition!!!!!

 

[idnative1948]

Great pics,,,you like I understand horses, but there are so many out there that think you just jump on and ride up and shoot something. There is a lot of educating that needs to take place so we don't loose this wonderful tradition!!!!!

Geez, give it a rest. So you know everything about horses, great. I was just throwing that post out there to see if anybody still rode in the mountains. You can have a PhD in horse, but they are still animals and like us can have bad days, get scared, have a fart cross-wise and so forth.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Draftstud's equine exploits have been enough to deter me.

It doesn't need to be a Mule or Horse, heck put me on a Bicycle with training wheels and I can screw it up! Ken, I am gonna put you on Widowmaker for our Deer hunt in Arkansas! LOL John

 

[dmserpa]

No Expert

Geez, give it a rest. So you know everything about horses, great. I was just throwing that post out there to see if anybody still rode in the mountains. You can have a PhD in horse, but they are still animals and like us can have bad days, get scared, have a fart cross-wise and so forth.

Anyone who thinks they know everything about animals has a rude awakening coming. Everyday is a new learning experience, its just that so many people give up on horses or don't have the patience to put up with them that gives them a bad taste. I for one I guess always looked up to outfitters and their pack strings and now I can do only part of what they do!

 

[Breaks Runner]

Riding in to hunt unlimited sheep last Sepetember..

 

[Der Aulte Jaeger]

Hunted with and without--owned them for years now. Might use them again in the mountains if all conditions were just right.

 

[Tanglefoot]

I guess I don't get why you would just feed them and not use em. I don't have horses, but I wish I did. Have done plenty of horse back hunting for 20 or more years. Too me, it beats the 4 wheeler I use now.. hands down.

 

[craig]

It's a great way to hunt. I have had horses for over 25 years, and they have taken me into some great hunting spot where you can't get an ATV and a long ways to walk. Plus packing your game out for you. That lead rope doesn't way much!
Killed a nice 5X5 Mulie 28 inches wide in Idaho. If it wasn't for the horses, I would have never been in that far and would have never gotten that buck.
Even here in Calif. I use my horses for hunting and packing into places for hunting and fishing like the Marbel Mountain Wilderness area. So much country to see from the back of a horse.

 

[Bambistew]

2Rocky, nice looking bunch of horses you have, nice pics too.

I love hunting with horses, more so for the convience of packing in and out. They seem to be more trouble than their worth other than that.

 

[dmserpa]

Good & bad

With horses you have to take the good with the bad,,,, getting up extra early to feed and coming in midday to water is not always convienient, but if you like getting into the remote places, then you have to live with them. To me thats just part of hunting ,the old traditional way you do things. The modern ways are not always better and the use of quads is just not cohabitable with wildlife!!!!!!!

 

[dmserpa]

packin

It's a great way to hunt. I have had horses for over 25 years, and they have taken me into some great hunting spot where you can't get an ATV and a long ways to walk. Plus packing your game out for you. That lead rope doesn't way much!
Killed a nice 5X5 Mulie 28 inches wide in Idaho. If it wasn't for the horses, I would have never been in that far and would have never gotten that buck.
Even here in Calif. I use my horses for hunting and packing into places for hunting and fishing like the Marbel Mountain Wilderness area. So much country to see from the back of a horse.

Just wondering if we have crossed paths,, thru BCHC maybe, you seem to have the same impressions as I do about packing
Dennis