Horseback hunting questions

[bmart2622]

I would double check outfitters supply in Columbia falls. It looks like they have these panniers, or ones similar on their website. There just really expensive

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Outfitters pack station makes a really good set. Ive been just putting my game bags into a heavy canvas game bag and "mantying" that and throwing a barrel hitch. Having 1 good set is nice for tossing back packs into though

 

[wyosteve]

If your horses are pretty levelheaded, spend at the summer getting them used to being picketed by one front foot (I use the left front). It's basically 1/2 of a hobble, with 8 ft. of lighter duty chain followed by a tie line of some sort. You can then tie off on any stationary object, i.e big rock, log, tree, etc. It's the only way I've done it for 35+ years and never had a wreck. You do need to attach the chain with a swivel to the hobble to keep it from twisting though.

 

[missjordan]

Outfitters pack station makes a really good set. Ive been just putting my game bags into a heavy canvas game bag and "mantying" that and throwing a barrel hitch. Having 1 good set is nice for tossing back packs into though

Thank you! I haven’t packed an animal out yet myself but i have a hard time deciding if it is better to manty them up with a barrel hitch or get a set of canvas bags instead. At least with mantying there going to be way more secure I’d imagine


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[bmart2622]

Thank you! I haven’t packed an animal out yet myself but i have a hard time deciding if it is better to manty them up with a barrel hitch or get a set of canvas bags instead. At least with mantying there going to be way more secure I’d imagine


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I dont know that there are really any more secure. I will add that when I break an animal down, I do the gutless method not the traditional way where you literally break the elk down into 4 pieces with a saw or hatchet. I haven't used a saw on an animal in a decade probably. So depending on how you break an elk down may kind of dictate how you load them, a traditional qtr wont fit very well in panniers, where as the shoulders, rear hams, and loose meat does. I dont see the reason to pack out hide, ribs, spine etc...but thats just my take, piles of old timers that still do it their way with no issues.

 

[Ralphie]

I wouldn't worry about taking any kind of grain. Even if they lose a little weight, but on the typical 5-10 day hunt if there's plenty of grass they'll be fine. If there isn't enough grass that's a different story and I'd be taking some kind of complete ration cube. If they are going to used multiple weeks late in the fall maybe some grain would work. If you do take feed and you are in a place that requires food storage from bears I'd for sure take some thing that isn't a bear attractant. So not sweet feed.

If you high line tie them short like at a trailer. You could tie them long while they eat and you are watching but tie them short for the night.

I get to the general location and then tie up to glass or hunt. Some times take bridles off but leave saddle on. Make sure the reins can't get to where they could step on them. I tie right to a tree and well trained horses should be fine tied for multiple hours. I guess in some areas that'll get you in trouble but its standard practice in much of the intermountain west and no one will give it a second thought. I try to avoid doing that overnight.

I usually picket some and hobble the others at night.

The riding saddle panniers aren't my favorite but they can be handy. And we have tied them up behind the cantle. I usually just take my pack mule and then I load him up and ride back to camp. Then having some riding saddle panniers can be nice for packing camp and game out in one trip.

 

[elkliver]

Packer pellets! a few comments on grazing... if you haven't been there previous, do you have plenty of grass? Also, have you had some trial runs? We would usually keep one of the horses up and turn the others loose to graze. and then tie the rest, and turn the others loose. you want to make sure that if you turn one loose, its not going to take off. Hobbles can help, but a lot of horses can cover ground like crazy when hobbled. The other thing to consider... if you aren't taking someone with you just to take care of horses, grazing can take a lot time.. when hunting, pellets in a feed bag may help the time factor

 

[elkliver]

PS I highly encourage a couple of trial runs over the summer

 

[khart_6882]

Packer pellets! a few comments on grazing... if you haven't been there previous, do you have plenty of grass? Also, have you had some trial runs? We would usually keep one of the horses up and turn the others loose to graze. and then tie the rest, and turn the others loose. you want to make sure that if you turn one loose, its not going to take off. Hobbles can help, but a lot of horses can cover ground like crazy when hobbled. The other thing to consider... if you aren't taking someone with you just to take care of horses, grazing can take a lot time.. when hunting, pellets in a feed bag may help the time factor

I’ve been to the place I plan on going to before in early/mid October and there was still a good amount of grass for grazing. The amount of time it takes for them to graze is why I was leaning towards a portable electric fence set up. Would only take a few minutes to move it every evening and then they could graze all night


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[bmart2622]

A portable fence is a good option, make sure your horses are used to ot first, but the real wildcard with leaving them in an electric fence all night is the other animals that arent used to it. On a couple of occasions Ive had moose and cattle knockdown my electric fence at night, luckily my horses stayed close. Since that episode, I highline at night and use the electric fence when I am nearby

 

[khart_6882]

A portable fence is a good option, make sure your horses are used to ot first, but the real wildcard with leaving them in an electric fence all night is the other animals that arent used to it. On a couple of occasions Ive had moose and cattle knockdown my electric fence at night, luckily my horses stayed close. Since that episode, I highline at night and use the electric fence when I am nearby

Good point…it’s a wilderness area so no cattle but I didn’t think about other critters going through it at night. Granted, it would be a smaller corral set up but that would still be pretty lame, especially if it didn’t wake you up when it happened haha


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[Pony Soldier]

I know a lot of you are in the great prarie country with some trees. In the more heavily treed country, i cut a 5-6 " pole and tie it to a line of trees back in the jungle. As a rancher, I keep a stock of baling twine in my saddle bags. I have a couple poles that have been in place for 10-15 years. Once in a while I upgrade the twine but not often. I tie to trees for the most part but that decision is by the knowledge of the horse. I tie them in their stalls as well as have them on a grazing rope to feed out the barnyard. It helps for training for when I tie them up in the thickets while I hunt on foot. The pole controls lateral movement just like in the stalls. On problem horses, I have cut poles for either side to limit wandering horse minds.

Most of you seem to lean toward saddle panniers. I personally think they hang a little low and put pressure on the horses ribs. Your choice!

However I haven't seen anyone addressing the vertical component in this assembly. Even with panniers or manties that stability is provided by a lash cinch. Under adverse conditions I have modified a double diamond to anchor the meat in place.

This evolved after packing out and having the packhorse jump logs, creek crossing, bogs etc. Without the verticle anchor I have had the meat flip to the other side, saddle shift and or everything you can imagine.

When I pack quarters out on a riding saddle my last tie is to run the rope through the stirups and bring them up toward the horn. It stabilizes the load.

If I use a pack saddle, I include a lash cinch in the panniers with the rest of my gear. Once I am ready to go out, I run a lash cinch over everthing and snug the load both laterally and veritcally.

It is very rare that I have had to re-pack any of my loads on my way to the truck nomatter how much of a rodeo has occured.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I wouldn’t trust leaving stock out in a portable electric corral all night. At minimum I’d tie up/picket one riding horse in case you need to track down a jailbreak.

Any of your feed needs to be certified weed free. I would personally lean towards pellets. Part of the reason for pellets is to reward the horses at the highline. It could help prevent escapees and will help you round them up if you kick them out to graze.

Use tree savers for your highline. I always put them at mid chest level with the rope loose enough to stand comfortably.

Running a backpack style camp with a few creature comforts is a really good way to approach it.

I would absolutely take a backpack/packframe for getting quarters out of a bad spot.

If you do the gutless method it’ll be far easier to pack meat with panniers or mantie tarps. You can barrel hitch a hind quarter from gutless but the front shoulders are problematic.

 

[mntnguide]

Good point…it’s a wilderness area so no cattle but I didn’t think about other critters going through it at night. Granted, it would be a smaller corral set up but that would still be pretty lame, especially if it didn’t wake you up when it happened haha


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I leave my horses in a single strand electric corral all night in the wilderness, in grizzly country, all the time. I put 2 loud cow bells, draped over opposite corner posts, that way if something happens, I will hear the commotion. Ive never had an issue. Have ran up to 6 horses in there without a problem. I prefer to let them feed as long as possible, instead of worrying about it during the day when i want to be hunting. To each their own, but I know my stock and have never worried about them inside a corral. Once they get shocked, they learn very quickly what the white tape means, and dont test it again. I have had grizzlies come right into camp, and still my horses are standing in the corral come morning. If I have horses i dont know well with me or my partner, we just throw hobbles on all of them inside the corral to keep them from chasing each other etc.