Horseback hunting - gear packing

[WanderWoman]

…and the only thing worse than realizing that you forgot your lunch in the saddlebags is coming back to find your lunch on the ground trampled and covered with dirt and horseshit

Sounds like you’re speaking from experience there..

 

[Horseman]

Sounds like you’re speaking from experience there..

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.

 

[Horseman]

I'm not super experienced but I think a lot depends on the person's weight, fitness, and how they carry themselves in a walk/trot. They say 20% with tack is a full load. I see people at riding events and the woman is like 300 lbs, I feel really bad for the horse. It's not right on the animal unless they are riding a draft, but their ass are so big they can't get up on a horse over 14 hands. I also think that keeping the tack balanced, whether it's the rifle, saw, lunch, binoculars, watee/beer/soda, etc. I think keep as much weight on the horses shoulders and using your stirrups.

I'm leaving my horse at camp in either an electric fence or steel panels with food/water and going hunting on foot. Once I shot something I will use saddle panniers to pack out half or use a game sled and drag out the quarters in an otter sled. I have ridden up on a bull once in Colorado while we were packing out an elk but I think it was a fluke. Ridden up on lots of deer, but I want to pretty quiet and I'm not very confident about riding a horse two hours before daylight in the dark on snowy icy trails.

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.

 

[Horseman]

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

 

[Wildcat77]

View attachment 337221
My in-laws have a system like this and usually wear a small backpack they can use as a daypack.

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!

 

[Dsnow9]

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!

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.

 

[Wildcat77]

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]

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.

 

[Wildcat77]

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

 

[Pagosa]

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.

 

[Wildcat77]

This horse came over when me and fencing contractor was putting in a post next to corral. Fence post pounder. Making all kind of racket.
He is special. Macho is his name. The trainer told me to put blood on his nose...not vapor rub.

 

[2rocky]

This horse came over when me and fencing contractor was putting in a post next to corral. Fence post pounder. Making all kind of racket.
He is special. Macho is his name. The trainer told me to put blood on his nose...not vapor rub.

It always works until it doesn't. If you do it right away before you quarter the elk and try to load them it gives them some time to get over the new odors and basically everything smells like blood. If smell is a problem then they throw their fit before you have the quarter halfway up on them.

Like I said, I've seen reliable mountain horses lose their marbles so nothing surprises me.

 

[ismith]

WWEKD? (What Would Elmer Keith Do?)

 

[Horseman]

This horse came over when me and fencing contractor was putting in a post next to corral. Fence post pounder. Making all kind of racket.
He is special. Macho is his name. The trainer told me to put blood on his nose...not vapor rub.

If you kill something lead the horse to it up wind and tie close enough so that he can see it but not smell it (up wind)…while you are readying your quarters for packing their is a lot of time for your horse to get balled up with anxiety or cool down and relax. Always remove the lower leg at joints so there are no sharp bones to impale or cut horse or you. Pack quarters with meat-heavy top end towards the bottom, front of the pack and hide against the horse’s side. Personally I have never had a horse lose his/her cool over packing quarters-the worst I’ve had was a quiet nose blow, “what’s that?”, but just continue to approach confidently with my quarter and the horse trusts me and forgets about it as soon as it’s in the saddle on their back. I think horses are more intimidated by the general smell of game that close to them rather than the smell of blood and if you’re nervous and show it your horse will obviously act worse. At this point you should have blood and the smell of bull or Buck all over you and your horses actions will all be based in curiosity if you are confident around them and don’t set them up for failure. I would not recommend covering a horses nose in vaporub-the horse will not appreciate being left defenseless/blind by the smell. Setting a pack horse up for failure includes: tying to something they can move if they pull back, tying them down wind of the carcass, not letting them see the carcass while you work (horses are smart and like to be able to connect the dots), trying to lay half an elk or a whole deer over the saddle like on Davy Crockett, packing an antlered head on them too soon-fortunately the head is easy for us to get out on our backs if you sense that your new horse is extra unsure about the head. All of my horses now love the smell of deer and elk and are always curious about blood so I highly doubt it is an off putting scary odor to them.

 

[Forkyfinder]

WWEKD? (What Would Elmer Keith Do?)

You dont really have to wonder - he probably wrote about it in "Hell i was there"

 

[Horseman]

I want to do more horseback hunting and scouting, but one thing that drives me crazy while horseback in general is riding with a pack on. The bottom of the pack interferes with the cantle and you just get pushed forward/pushed off-balance it seems. I also like having the kitchen sink with me when hunting, which means there’s usually too much weight to put all in saddle bags (too hard on their kidneys). Basically, I’m a princess and want to figure out a way to be more comfortable, and not have to rely on taking an extra pack horse for gear—just use one riding horse. For those of you that do this more often, what do you use/do?

I have worn a small day pack diagonally; the bottom of the bag doesn’t hit the cantle too often that way, and it’s alright but there’s gotta be something more ideal? Like it’d be cool if there was the opposite of an upland vest where you could carry a few extra things that don’t go in the saddle bags (like a scope), big enough to put saddle bag contents into if you take off and hike, but sits higher on your shoulders like a backwards chest harness would but doesn’t interfere with your saddle, center of gravity, etc.

What are some of your tried and true techniques if you have any? Or am I just overthinking all of it, which wouldn’t be surprising either. I want the best of both (hiking and horseback) worlds, dang it.

Also, my horses are all shod with borium or studs and snow pads for hunting season. Even on an Indian summer day you will often have to ride steep, frozen solid icey trails on north facing slopes. Seriously dangerous deadly stuff on a slick shod horse

 

[Pagosa]

Also, my horses are all shod with borium or studs and snow pads for hunting season. Even on an Indian summer day you will often have to ride steep, frozen solid icey trails on north facing slopes. Seriously dangerous deadly stuff on a slick shod horse

What about running them barefoot? If it's not real rocky/steep, like across parks/timbered/or gated roads? Thanks

 

[Wildcat77]

If you kill something lead the horse to it up wind and tie close enough so that he can see it but not smell it (up wind)…while you are readying your quarters for packing their is a lot of time for your horse to get balled up with anxiety or cool down and relax. Always remove the lower leg at joints so there are no sharp bones to impale or cut horse or you. Pack quarters with meat-heavy top end towards the bottom, front of the pack and hide against the horse’s side. Personally I have never had a horse lose his/her cool over packing quarters-the worst I’ve had was a quiet nose blow, “what’s that?”, but just continue to approach confidently with my quarter and the horse trusts me and forgets about it as soon as it’s in the saddle on their back. I think horses are more intimidated by the general smell of game that close to them rather than the smell of blood and if you’re nervous and show it your horse will obviously act worse. At this point you should have blood and the smell of bull or Buck all over you and your horses actions will all be based in curiosity if you are confident around them and don’t set them up for failure. I would not recommend covering a horses nose in vaporub-the horse will not appreciate being left defenseless/blind by the smell. Setting a pack horse up for failure includes: tying to something they can move if they pull back, tying them down wind of the carcass, not letting them see the carcass while you work (horses are smart and like to be able to connect the dots), trying to lay half an elk or a whole deer over the saddle like on Davy Crockett, packing an antlered head on them too soon-fortunately the head is easy for us to get out on our backs if you sense that your new horse is extra unsure about the head. All of my horses now love the smell of deer and elk and are always curious about blood so I highly doubt it is an off putting scary odor to them.

Thank you...hunting was very bad this year. Way to warm. I will go for bear this weekend. I don't think he will like the smell of bear...and no I will not eat bear meat. Just rug hunting.
I plan on going shed hunting next summer with all my horses.
I am thankful for joining this forum.

 

[texrope]

Always carried First Aid equipment for horses as well as couple of horseshoes & tools to put them on when I used the horses.

 

[Horseman]

What about running them barefoot? If it's not real rocky/steep, like across parks/timbered/or gated roads? Thanks

If you have a good footed, hardy horse then go for it. Especially if your horses are mostly just being used for 1 day of game retrieval not day after day of riding to hunting spots. With this year’s weather, having horses shod with traction and snow pads has been unnecessary…but hopefully it’ll be necessary when the weather finally gets good for hunting. This fall has been very warm and dry in my neck of the woods. With those temperatures and hunting pressure the elk that I hunt have been in very difficult places to hunt and pretty much nocturnal. Barefoot horses don’t walk on ice safely