Elk hunting wyoming wilderness with horses

[Zebadiahetter]

I'll preface this by saying I haven't done much packing with stock (a few trips here and there). My brother on the other hand is very knowledgeable. Owns 5 horses.

We are planning a trip into the thorofare, chasing elk. I'm a resident of Wyoming and he is coming up on 4 points. Both very experienced elk hunters.

It will just be the two of us. Im trying to glean as much experience as I can, about pretty much everything. We are both new to packing into grizz country. Any advice on how you like to picket horses in the bear woods (pickets, fence, hobbles ect...)? Trying to access from the Dubois side, is there a preferred route? Are we going to be covered in outfitters or can we stay mobile enough?

Appreciate all the the thoughts and advice!

 

[Zebadiahetter]

I'll preface this by saying I haven't done much packing with stock (a few trips here and there). My brother on the other hand is very knowledgeable. Owns 5 horses.

We are planning a trip into the thorofare, chasing elk. I'm a resident of Wyoming and he is coming up on 4 points. Both very experienced elk hunters.

It will just be the two of us. Im trying to glean as much experience as I can, about pretty much everything. We are both new to packing into grizz country. Any advice on how you like to picket horses in the bear woods (pickets, fence, hobbles ect...)? Trying to access from the Dubois side, is there a preferred route? Are we going to be covered in outfitters or can we stay mobile enough?

Appreciate all the the thoughts and advice!

Tried to post in the Backcountry stock forums, but got no responses, so I'm trying here!

 

[Tenstrike]

I'd recommend reading "Mountain Drifter" by Zach Bowman. He guided in that country for several different outfits, might give you a little insight on routes and such, it is a good read for the wintertime.

 

[Zebadiahetter]

I'd recommend reading "Mountain Drifter" by Zach Bowman. He guided in that country for several different outfits, might give you a little insight on routes and such, it is a good read for the wintertime.

I'll definitely give that a read, thanks!

 

[Indian Summer]

I prefer a high line but if you’re not packing enough feed you’ll need to hobble them.

Your brother will be in the random drawing with only 4 points. No guarantees.

 

[Zebadiahetter]

I prefer a high line but if you’re not packing enough feed you’ll need to hobble them.

Your brother will be in the random drawing with only 4 points. No guarantees.

I'll have a general tag so either way we are hoping to make a trip this upcoming season. Do you leave them on a high line when hunting on foot?

 

[Jason Snyder]

We always put our horses in a high line and then would kick them out to graze. If you are going to picket them make sure they are well broke on a picket.

I would plan on covering a lot of ground. It’s my experience in wilderness areas, the outfitters will hunt multiple drainages over the course of a week and you should plan on doing the same.

Five horses isn’t a ton of stock if you both plan on hunting. A mature bull will take two pack horses to get out so factor this into your logistics. You will need to plan on multiple trips to pack out if you both kill elk and have much in the way of camp gear. If you go with backpacking gear and only kill one bull you might get by with one trip.

Also plan on the time required to get horses to graze and to water. It’s not insignificant.

 

[Zebadiahetter]

We always put our horses in a high line and then would kick them out to graze. If you are going to picket them make sure they are well broke on a picket.

I would plan on covering a lot of ground. It’s my experience in wilderness areas, the outfitters will hunt multiple drainages over the course of a week and you should plan on doing the same.

Five horses isn’t a ton of stock if you both plan on hunting. A mature bull will take two pack horses to get out so factor this into your logistics. You will need to plan on multiple trips to pack out if you both kill elk and have much in the way of camp gear. If you go with backpacking gear and only kill one bull you might get by with one trip.

Also plan on the time required to get horses to graze and to water. It’s not insignificant.

Thanks for the info. It would more or less be his hunt being the harder draw. I'd be along for the ride. Planning on taking 3 pack horses and leaving one empty for the ride in (bringing backpacking gear). We also have riding saddle paniers, and are no strangers to long hikes if need be.

 

[3325]

I'll preface this by saying I haven't done much packing with stock (a few trips here and there). My brother on the other hand is very knowledgeable. Owns 5 horses.

Still, it won't hurt you to study up on some things to be a greater help to him. The classic Wyoming text is Horses, Hitches, and Rocky Trails by Joe Back. It's dated, but is enjoyable reading, and much is still applicable.

There are other good books. Packing in on Mules and Horses by Smoke Elser is good. This one deals with another style of packing using Decker saddles and mantied loads instead of a Sawbuck and panniers. You may not want to get into that, but his advice on camps and stock in the backcountry is worthwhile reading.

It will just be the two of us. Im trying to glean as much experience as I can, about pretty much everything. We are both new to packing into grizz country. Any advice on how you like to picket horses in the bear woods (pickets, fence, hobbles ect...)?

Take supplemental feed. If you're going to stake them out, be sure they're broke to it. You may need to move your stake daily. If you are going to have anything graze loose or loose hobble, have bells. Avoid tying directly to trees and use a high line. Did I mention having bells for loose stock? Have bells.

Follow the recommended bear precautions. But mostly, you will just have a bear in camp, or you just won't have a bear in camp.

Trying to access from the Dubois side, is there a preferred route?

I'm not clear on how you're going in from Dubois. If you go in from the head of the Dunoir drainage, you cross a pass and end up heading northeast down what turns into the South Fork of the Shoshone River. If you go in from Brooks Lake northward, you end up on the South Buffalo Fork below Terrace Mountain.

I think you need to go to Moran and go in from the Turpin Meadow trailhead or the Pacific Creek trailhead. Either way you end up going through Two Ocean Pass and heading down Atlantic Creek to the Yellowstone River.

Are we going to be covered in outfitters or can we stay mobile enough?

Outfitters are thick in the summer to fish the Yellowstone River. Not sure how many outfitters have hunting camps in the area but there are some.

Appreciate all the the thoughts and advice!

My information on the area is dated. I was last in there in 1992.

 

[Eagle]

I'll preface this by saying I haven't done much packing with stock (a few trips here and there). My brother on the other hand is very knowledgeable. Owns 5 horses.

We are planning a trip into the thorofare, chasing elk. I'm a resident of Wyoming and he is coming up on 4 points. Both very experienced elk hunters.

It will just be the two of us. Im trying to glean as much experience as I can, about pretty much everything. We are both new to packing into grizz country. Any advice on how you like to picket horses in the bear woods (pickets, fence, hobbles ect...)? Trying to access from the Dubois side, is there a preferred route? Are we going to be covered in outfitters or can we stay mobile enough?

Appreciate all the the thoughts and advice!

Prepare for LOTS of pressure in the Thorofare, depending on how deep you go. There are 5 or 6 outfitters that hunt the area and some of those have two camps with 4-8 hunters per camp. There’s also increased resident pressure every year.

This year, at the pacific creek trailhead already mentioned, there were over 20 stock trailers at the trailhead, in addition to the outfitters that use that trailhead to access the area, just to give you an idea of the volume of people pouring in.

 

[3325]

Prepare for LOTS of pressure in the Thorofare, depending on how deep you go.

Apparently, because it's said to be the furthest area from a road in the lower 48, everyone thinks it's going to be an isolated experience. People want to go so far it that if they took one more step, they'd be heading out the other side.

 

[Indian Summer]

I'll have a general tag so either way we are hoping to make a trip this upcoming season. Do you leave them on a high line when hunting on foot?

When I ride out of camp to hunt I just tie off to a tree while I’m doing my thing.

 

[bmart2622]

I like to hi line at night, picket or electric fence diring the day when you are near by, I just tie up to a tree when after I ride to where I want to start hunting. If you have an empty horse on the way in, I would definitely pack some feed in.

 

[Zebadiahetter]

Still, it won't hurt you to study up on some things to be a greater help to him. The classic Wyoming text is Horses, Hitches, and Rocky Trails by Joe Back. It's dated, but is enjoyable reading, and much is still applicable.

There are other good books. Packing in on Mules and Horses by Smoke Elser is good. This one deals with another style of packing using Decker saddles and mantied loads instead of a Sawbuck and panniers. You may not want to get into that, but his advice on camps and stock in the backcountry is worthwhile reading.



Take supplemental feed. If you're going to stake them out, be sure they're broke to it. You may need to move your stake daily. If you are going to have anything graze loose or loose hobble, have bells. Avoid tying directly to trees and use a high line. Did I mention having bells for loose stock? Have bells.

Follow the recommended bear precautions. But mostly, you will just have a bear in camp, or you just won't have a bear in camp.



I'm not clear on how you're going in from Dubois. If you go in from the head of the Dunoir drainage, you cross a pass and end up heading northeast down what turns into the South Fork of the Shoshone River. If you go in from Brooks Lake northward, you end up on the South Buffalo Fork below Terrace Mountain.

I think you need to go to Moran and go in from the Turpin Meadow trailhead or the Pacific Creek trailhead. Either way you end up going through Two Ocean Pass and heading down Atlantic Creek to the Yellowstone River.



Outfitters are thick in the summer to fish the Yellowstone River. Not sure how many outfitters have hunting camps in the area but there are some.



My information on the area is dated. I was last in there in 1992.

Thank you for all the great info. I guess I was more looking at turpin meadow. Sounds like I have some reading to do!

 

[Zebadiahetter]

I like to hi line at night, picket or electric fence diring the day when you are near by, I just tie up to a tree when after I ride to where I want to start hunting. If you have an empty horse on the way in, I would definitely pack some feed in.

That sounds like the thing to do thanks