WanderWoman
Well-known member
Sounds like you’re speaking from experience there..
Horseback hunting - gear packing
- Thread starter WanderWoman
- Start date
I keep it under my stirrup on my on side-it’s flexible and you forget it’s there. That saw IMO is the most essential item for recreating in the mountains safely while horseback.
As to ‘suggested weight limits’ of a horse, I packed out (11miles) an entire quartered 6pt bull on one riding horse with those trail max panniers and some parachord. Not ideal but when my planned pack horse punctured its sole 2 days before opener, the one horse was all I had. On that hunt I packed my entire (minimalist) camp in my backpack and rode my horse to where I camped without needing saddlebags. Ideally I have a riding horse with the panniers tightly rolled up behind the cantle and a pack horse.
At the end of this many mile day my horse was totally fine…me, I ended up puking my brains out from all of the exertion about 1/2 mile from the truck at 2 in the morning
I have mine <same pack>...yet to use. I plan on not camping out in Wilderness but just day hunt.Then ride back to trailhead start and stay in my LQ trailer. Then go early for couple days.. I got a young horse not 4 yet but my horse trainer said he can go up. Next year I will bring my other 2 horses. I've been with experienced hunters with horses....got me hooked.
I need to get my horse skills and wilderness survival skills up to standards!
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I feel like one thing that I have noticed with horse people is the lack of preparedness if something goes wrong. Th ability to cover so many miles so quickly is amazing and made me jealous this winter but I didn’t see a single horse person carrying anything more than a water bottle and a rifle unless they were packing in or out. Just seems wild to me…. Your 10 miles from the trail head and what are you going to do if your horse spooks or gets injured. To each their own but something I would strongly consider is a small day pack with some of the essentials if you had to spend the night that deep.
I will be ready for that. I only have one horse to trust, or I would pack in. I have friends who have great experience and will teach me. I have spent a couple of nights near Yellowstone archery hunt for Bull Elk. My horse trainer has years of training horses and has my horse ready. He also has many years of hunting in the mountains.
Several people know where I am going, what I am doing.
2rocky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2010
- Messages
- 5,092
Wildcat. Love your enthusiasm. Would encourage you to have someone with you on your first journey in with your horse. Speaking from personal experience. Every year someone has their old reliable mountain horse or mule come untrained.
I’d never make my young horses first trip to the mountains be hunting in the fall. I’d want a couple dry runs in the summer where I could focus on the horses experience.
Please get someone to join you.
I’d never make my young horses first trip to the mountains be hunting in the fall. I’d want a couple dry runs in the summer where I could focus on the horses experience.
Please get someone to join you.
Yea ,my niece same way...I heard from a hunter today that where I was going in at was full...horse trailers parked out. I just know this horse...he puts his head In the halter. He won't run off. I might go easier hunt for him. He has had training since born so he can handle it...came from Tennesse ...I bought him from the guy who helped start breed back up...Bobby McNatt
You might want to do some meat packing training at home before you attempt to load elk quarters onto him. I did this at home last fall and winter and it would have been way more difficult by myself in a backcountry setting.
