Horse Hunting Solo

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Hi All,

How many of you are horse hunting solo?

I enjoy and am comfortable hunting solo on foot but just starting on the horse hunting. I’ve been riding a few years and thankfully my horse has been solid but...with horses I know things can go south.

Do you hunt solo in grizzly country?

I do carry a mini inReach for any emergencies.

thanks,

Steve

 

[birdman1]

I hunt and ride solo almost exclusively. Everywhere I go is grizzly country! It's comforting having the horses in camp when alone as they'll let you know when there are visitors at night though I sleep with earplugs as I'm a light sleeper. My wife makes me carry a spot.

It does take some extra time caring for stock alone but tough to beat having them do the work

 

[rayporter]

yea, but no griz.

i have carried an inreach ever since my pard broke his leg at 9300ft. i make sure it is on me, too.

i used to keep it in my horn bag but decided that was not smart.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Thanks guys, that's encouraging.

In grizzly country, does it make any difference tying up just one horse, as I won't have a pack horse to start, whether at camp at night or during the day when hunting on foot?

Normally I backpack hunt, so will just take some saddle panniers in case I fill a tag.

 

[slick]

Following. Will have the same situation this year - One horse with riding saddle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rayporter]

you need to know your ride and if it will stand tied happily alone.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

you need to know your ride and if it will stand tied happily alone.

Thanks, he actually lives alone at my place, which I know a lot of horses aren't cool with, but I've had numerous old school horse friends and vet friends who see him and say he seems totally adjusted and cool with being solo. That said, I haven't tied him for longer than a couple hours to a tree on a trail and there were some other horses around at that time.

I might have to try out some simple scouting day trips locally when I can tie him up a few hours solo while I'm glassing.

Any idea if grizzlies more likely to see them as dinner if there's just one horse?

 

[stumpy waters]

Definitely get the horse out before your trip and get the kinks worked out. You’ll learn a lot about the horse. Don’t wait and figure out what he will do or won’t do on your hunting trip.

A horse living alone doesn’t equate to a horse doing well tied up alone for a long period of time. Tie him up for long periods of time and get him used to it. Do it when you can keep an eye on him. Try to make some camping trips and tie him overnight too.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Definitely get the horse out before your trip and get the kinks worked out. You’ll learn a lot about the horse. Don’t wait and figure out what he will do or won’t do on your hunting trip.

A horse living alone doesn’t equate to a horse doing well tied up alone for a long period of time. Tie him up for long periods of time and get him used to it. Do it when you can keep an eye on him. Try to make some camping trips and tie him overnight too.

Thanks. Will do!

 

[stumpy waters]

Thanks. Will do!

No worries, you’ll enjoy having the horse. You don’t necessarily need a pack horse either. Obviously if you put down a big enough animal you may be walking and the horse carrying the meat but that’s a whole lot better than you carrying the meat.
The big thing about some overnight camping trips, you’ll get your routine down and you’re not trying to figure out as much on the fly when you actually go hunting.

 

[BigCountry344]

How many miles do you guys go and for how long when you are just going in on a riding horse and no pack horse?

 

[rayporter]

3 or 4 days. just depends on weather and food.

once lived off squirrels for 3 days.

another i killed a deer the second day and had to take it out in pieces on the horse with me to check in then go back and get my sleeping bag and tarp.

if you have ultra light stuff it is better. i have read of one guy that had a special u shaped carry bag for his sleeping bat that hung over his saddle horn to lessen the load on the kidneys. i try to put the load in my day pack to keep the load off the kidneys.

a pepsi can alcohol stove is super light and you can cook without a campfire if necessary. i use fuel bars for an over night.
a few fuel tabs and some ramen, or mac and cheese and oatmeal and i can have coffee and eat with this setup.
i carry it on ever ride in my horn bag so i can have coffee any time.

 

[BigCountry344]

3 or 4 days. just depends on weather and food.

once lived off squirrels for 3 days.

another i killed a deer the second day and had to take it out in pieces on the horse with me to check in then go back and get my sleeping bag and tarp.

if you have ultra light stuff it is better. i have read of one guy that had a special u shaped carry bag for his sleeping bat that hung over his saddle horn to lessen the load on the kidneys. i try to put the load in my day pack to keep the load off the kidneys.

a pepsi can alcohol stove is super light and you can cook without a campfire if necessary. i use fuel bars for an over night.
a few fuel tabs and some ramen, or mac and cheese and oatmeal and i can have coffee and eat with this setup.
i carry it on ever ride in my horn bag so i can have coffee any time.

I feel like I am very lite with all my gear in warm weather temps being 25-30 lbs but I’m already a bigger and heavy guy.

 

[rayporter]

it will take a couple trips to sort it out just like anything else. once you got a system things will fall into place.
just enough horse gear to get by - hobbles and a pick rope and a curry comb. on some trips i will put some feed in nose bags and hung it off of the saddle horn on each side.


here i cant load the horse and walk out because i have to cross a river.

 

[wymtnpounder]

Do it all the time, I usually always take a pack animal, I have plenty of stock and don't like to pack a whole elk on one.

 

[Deertick]

If I draw what I’m after, I’ll probably do this again this year ... but I’ve had a horse go back to the trailer leaving me in the wilderness before ... kind of disrupts the hunt. So I’ll be considering other ways to get there.

consider options ... two horses makes a lot of sense. and definitely take a practice trip or three. Give the horse some confidence.

Camping alone with a horse can really be a great bonding experience ... and make a confident horse.

 

[Laramie]

I truly hate hunting with horses but they sure are nice for the pack out. I wouldn't do it solo unless I really trusted the horse, especially in grizz country.

 

[Brooks]

The number one thing is to have good horses !!! I will hunt horseback on the same horse for two days then keep him home and use another one. I live in really rough, steep country and hunt a wilderness so it is a lot easier with taking just one horse. If I kill out I quarter it up and if it’s early go back and get more horses or hang it in a tree and come back in the morning with a buddy and some pack horses. You should ride your horse into the mountains and ride him all year as much as you can. Ive Seen horses that do great in the mountains when they’re with other horses and weren’t worth a darn alone.....Ride him !!

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Thanks guys. Camping with him this weekend and riding in the Mt. Shasta area, so we'll get some good mountain riding in, though this is camping at the truck. Will get some backcountry camps in with my friend and solo to test it out, then see what I want to consider this fall.

Just found out I drew my preferred WY cow tag, so at least know I've got a good chance of filling the freezer with tasty meat.

Hope everyone else had some luck.

Cheers

 

[Robster]

I hunt with hounds and have the Garmin Alpha 100 tracking system. I put a spare tracking collar on the saddle so if the horse pulls back and breaks free, I will still be able to find it. Additionally, I always know where I left my horse.