Backcountry containment

[PNWGATOR]

Used my portable hot wire for the first time afield this past week and it worked great. Animals were able to graze and roll without issue. Highlined them at night for peace of mind. Zero issues with the portable hot wire. Simple to set up and tear down and easy to move. Like it at first blush.

 

[IrishnId]

Thanks for all the info! This is my first horse, and I've been stressing on options. From what I know of my horse I'm thinking the E fence and hobbles. Thanks for the info.

 

[IrishnId]

E fence and hobbles were awesome! Moved the fence every other day for food, and to keep from tearing the ground up. Was able to run a corner to a creek for water. It worked very well for 8 days.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Helping get this forum going, here's a related story:

About ten years ago I went on a horseback hunt in eastern Yukon for moose and bear(s). We took an entire packstring about ten miles up-drainage from the permanent basecamp. I ended up killing a bull and a blackie with my recurve in a 4 day span. I took the bear on day one, and we rode into camp at dusk. The next day was given to fleshing and preserving a very gorgeous hide, so we...and the horses were fairly idle. Evening rolled in and the horses (8 of them) didn't show up for their feed. Rod went for a walk to find them and check the portable electric fence. He figured to find them close as they were all hobbled. I stayed behind and worked on gear for the next day. It got dark and Rod didn't return. I recalled he had a Harris tweed jacket, basic Bean boots, no gloves or chaps and a felt hat. He also had no weapon, the only firearm was laying in the tent. I had no way to contact him. I guess it was midnight before I finally gave up the watch and laid down in my bag for a sleep. I figured to get up in the morning and assess things. If no Rod by 10:00 am I would get on the sat phone and notify...somebody. Then I would prep a pack and get ready to hike down to basecamp on the White River. I fell asleep...

I woke to a distant sound and dreaming of Christmas. It turned into a gruff command and the sound of neck bells jingling into camp. It was 3:00 am, and Rod was back with the stock. Turned out they had breached the electric fence sometime the previous day and despite the hobbles had started for basecamp. When he finally found them in the dark he was unable to gather them all and get them turned. After much trying and knowing he was far down from our camp, he simply mounted one and proceeded to drive them...hard...into basecamp. He wore them down, gave them some feed and then gathered a few things from the camp. He saddled one properly and tied them all together then rode them all back up to camp. He had one little Petzl headlamp, some Skoal and I believe 2 cans of beer when he walked in. He covered all that distance and terrain in the night...in big grizzly country...and nary a scratch from a tree branch.

We picketed the horses after that during the day, and had no further problems. It was an interesting ride out several days later. Like an Easter egg hunt....a full Skoal can...couple AA batteries...handkerchief....all found along the trail. Dang horses...always interesting and never boring.

What outfitter did you hire? Overall impression? I was thinking float hunt but horses sound interesting too. I too bow hunt. Moose and brown bear are bucket list items for me.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

Yep, just about everyone will handle this question differently. It depends on the animals, where & how you hunt, and how you were taught. I don't think there's a correct way.

We tend to lean more toward having our animals tied up when we're away from camp simply to eliminate issues. But when someone is in camp we tend to use a hot wire pen, or long line picket on trees w/ feed around. We've even picket to a drag log. It just depends on how much time we want to invest in building a pen and how long we plan to be at that camp.
Certain animals we'll even turn completly loose. Others we'll hobble.

But when no one's around, we prefer they be tied up & secure.
I'm not concerned about predators, the mules can take care of themselves just fine.
Hunt'nFish

 

[Stefan]

What E-fences do you recommend? I have a stout mare QH that I do a bit of solo trail riding with. We still have some things to work on but she tries real hard and is very curious.

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

I started with the zebrea quick fence kit and later upgraded the charge to Gallagher b10 unit after breaking mine. Most outfitting and tack online stores have all in one kits for sale, tons of options

 

[Bubblehide]

A buddy of mine and his son used to take our own horses and mule 30 miles into the back country of the Sierras yearly to hunt deer, and summer trips fishing. We camped on a peninsula between the river and a lake, we called it the island. The entrance to this island had a very narrow portion that we built a natural fence across (Branches), with a gate. Despite the fence and gate, we hobbled one horse. This was an area of a very long fairly narrow canyon that ran miles, and subsequently was fenced off at its natural rocky squeeze points, with gates you needed to open and close behind you. We came back into camp in the evening after hunting all day, to find the gate left open and the horses gone. We figured that they would be about a mile away at the first gate on the way back to the trail head. So we all made the mile walk to the gate. I shod my own horse, and my buddy was a shoe-er, so we recognized are horses prints along with the mules. their prints kept going past that first gate, and it appeared that the horse with the hobbles was no longer wearing hobbles based on what we were seeing on the ground. We all headed back to camp, as I decided to go get the horses and mule. I ate a quick snack, loaded up on water, packed a few snacks and water, and headed out, jogging my way along as the sun was setting. I went through 6 gates, ran into 7 bears, and covered 15 miles on foot before I found the horses and mule all stopped at a the 7th gate. It was obvious that someone let the animals through each gate. I inspected the legs of the hobbled horse for the hobbles and abrasions from the hobbles. The horse didn't have the hobbles on, and there were no abrasion, so it was clear that someone took the hobbles off the horse, and let them through the gates. Based on what I was seeing, it appeared that someone did all this on purpose. I seriously don't think they expected someone to make it 15 miles to collect the horses and mule. I made it back to camp about sun up, just in time for breakfast. I ate, and slept most of that day away, along with that night. We went with an electric fence after that experience, and continued to hobble at least one animal.

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Just a note on the hobbles, it's not wise to hobble one and not all of them, that's asking for the one to be injured at some point. An outfitter told me that so even when I pack with other people I ask them if the have hobbles. If they don't I don't use mine. Another thing good about the fence deal is if your with a big group and some of the animals don't get along you can pen yours up and avoid them getting kicked. Usually horses in with mules is bad for the mules.

 

[Bubblehide]

Just a note on the hobbles, it's not wise to hobble one and not all of them, that's asking for the one to be injured at some point. An outfitter told me that so even when I pack with other people I ask them if the have hobbles. If they don't I don't use mine. Another thing good about the fence deal is if your with a big group and some of the animals don't get along you can pen yours up and avoid them getting kicked. Usually horses in with mules is bad for the mules.

The mule was the leader of the pack, and the horses wouldn't leave her. That might be an issue if the mule likes to run, but this mule had one speed. It's simply a matter of knowing your animals, all of them. Granted, if your mixing animals, and you don't know how they get along with each other, not the hierarchy, your bound to have issues to work out, no matter what you do; as your simply limited to what you have in the back country. But in they are herd animals, and in general they will want to stick together if they do get lose. And yes, if you have a runner without hobbles, the hobbled animal might get hurt. But there is no substitute for knowing your animals well.

 

[wyosteve]

Bubblehide's story reminded me of a few years ago we had been in the Thorofare country about 22 miles in. On the day we were riding out, we ran into some guys about a mile down the trail looking for their critters. About 15 miles later toward the trailhead we found their animals tied to some trees. Always wondered how long it took them to find them! I always picket on a front foot. Gives the hayburner some room to feed and my critters don't fight the picket when they get to the end of it. I use about 8 ft. of relatively lightweight chain and then tie the rope to the chain. That keeps it from getting tangled around their legs.

 

[PWCGray]

Just 1-2 horses, teach them to picket a front foot. Minimum gear, safe if trained, secure. If I'm hunting with a small string, I picket a couple of the head honchos and let loose the others. Bell a couple in the loose pack. If you have horses and mules in a small group, typically your mules won't leave if you picket the horses.

If I have 15+ I picket some good, dominant riding horses and hot fence the rest day/night. I find that in large herds, cliques develop and small groups can wonder off in a night of grazing. Major pain the next day. Don't trust a hot fence at all. I pity the man who turns out all the stock in hot fence and goes to bed. I've had elk run through fences, snow take them down, malfunctions, and horses blow through them that got spooked by wildlife. Better than loose though. Keep some solid rides tied up and expect that 1/6th of the time your hot fence will shit on your expectations.

Use 6-8ft of chain on your picket line at the horse end. Horses will feel the weight and manage their way around it. They don't get burnt or hung up. Rope lines can do some damage.

If it's a new group of stock or new area for you, highline them when you're not around and at night. If you can't feed other than at night, tie one or two solid horse up and hot fence graze. Rotate your tied horses and/or make sure they get some grazing during the day. This is the least ideal setup for your stock. They need to eat more than you think.

Don't leave a bunch of hobbled stock alone. It's asking for trouble. Hobbles are made for quick grazing sessions and when under observation. I also know 4 different packers who have ripped sections of their fingers off in the backcountry while taking hobbles on/off. seen a few and herd about a few more nasty wrecks with horses getting caught up in timber with hobbles.