Any Last Minute Pointers/Suggestions?

[BuckSmasher]

My huntin' buddy and I are heading out on a pack in elk hunt this weekend with our horses, Lord willing. We have done a few overnighter's and did a multi-day test run scouting trip this summer. I shot a bull last year 5 miles down a gated road and we hauled him out with our horses so they and us have packed meat. One thing I didn't really like was how the antlers/ head was placed on the pack saddle. What do y'all do? I/we are new to multi-day packing trips but not to horses. I have owned and been around them most of my life.

One thing we have identified and hopefully corrected is the saw situation. We have been upgrading our saws that we carry with us over the last couple of years and keep wanting bigger and better saws. This trip we are carrying in a 5' crosscut saw. This may not come as a surprise to any of y'all but the FS is not maintaining trails very well, and it is likely getting worse.

We think we have pretty much everything covered but just asking in case we have any blindspots. Plus I am super excited to go and it has been about all I can think of last few days so might as well start a thread.

 

[Robster]

Good luck, have fun, and post pictures.
How's the feed where you are going for the horses? Do you have to pack feed in for them or is there plenty of grass for them to graze on?

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

One thing I’m trying to decide is what to pack to take a shoe off if they throw one so they will match side to side. I want it to be a multi use tool instead of a bunch of weight for one job.

 

[wymtnpounder]

 

[Pony Soldier]

I have only lost a shoe when I had someone else shoe my ponies. I don't know of a multi- tool. I think you would have to have nippers, nails, shoeing hammer, clinching tool, and an extra shoe but you will have to have it bent to fit a front and a back.

I would suggest a cinch, latigo, and an extra rope. Look at your tack and see what is worn. Some leather laces/pchord for halter repair.

That covers everything I have ever broken.

 

[BuckSmasher]

One thing I’m trying to decide is what to pack to take a shoe off if they throw one so they will match side to side. I want it to be a multi use tool instead of a bunch of weight for one job.

Good luck, have fun, and post pictures.
How's the feed where you are going for the horses? Do you have to pack feed in for them or is there plenty of grass for them to graze on?

I am praying for a fun and safe trip for us and the horses. Will hopefully take better pics this time. Feed was great first week in August. We are bringing 160 lb for four horses for 5 days which is little less than 10 lb per day/ per horse and we really are expecting their to be some grass even if it is not as palatable as it was a month ago.


We are having them freshly shod and I trust our farrier. Even so, we are bringing boots so as to not get hoof bruised.

 

[BuckSmasher]

Was pretty uneventful from horse perspective. Carried too much food, there was still a lot of forage. FS is NOT clearing trails. Shot a real nice bull. We had the antlers on my decker part of the way and on my buddies sawbuck partly. Like the way we had it rigged on the sawbuck best.

Since I shot I had to walk ten miles to the truck, wasn’t carrying anything but still.

 

[codym]

When I read your initial post it sounded like a lot of feed to me. I took 3 in for twelve days and packed 80lbs of triumph and that was about right. I stake them out to graze all night and give a little at night. Looks like a great hunt! Good job.

 

[bmart2622]

Roayl Tine guide school has a great youtube video of packing antlers. It works great and is by far the best way I have found to pack head/horns

 

[Robster]

Great pics, thanks for sharing!