Horsemen, what 2 cents can you pitch in for using Horses/Mules on Big Game Hunts?

[2rocky]

You are going to care for these critters YEAR round so be sure you like "being a horseman" first. Kinda like being an archer, before you bow hunt except you can't not shoot because it's snowing or raining or too hot.

Truth be told, I could pay for a fully guided hunt with horses for what the feed, shoes, teeth work, vaccine, fencing, wormer, hay and training costs each year.

I'd recommend you go to a trainer and pay upfront for 8 lessons (one per week) and commit that time to learning to ride. It will benefit you whether you buy your own horses or not. If you don't have the bug by 8 lessons, don't spend money on horses period.

 

[young7.3]

All great advice so far. My family owns 3 Tennessee walkers here in Indiana but we rent horses when we get to Idaho from the same outfitter we have used the last 20+ years. We always get a different set and there is always at least one in the bunch that is a stubborn bitch. We’ve had countless rodeos, injuries, mishaps. Below is my advice.

-Like stated, avoid mayors if you can. Looking back, a big majority of the horses we have had fits with were females. Two years ago my cousin and i were riding 2 to go pack meat off the mountain. My horse freaked out on a skinny steep part of the trail. Reared up, i slid off the back downhill, she landed on my calf and sprained my ankled. Sat in camp for 5 days before i could hunt again. Still got a bull but damn that hurt.
-This year we got 2 males and two females. The outfitter said to keep the two females apart because they don’t get along. We did the entire trip but those two, one in particular was still a handful. The one was young and didnt like it when my dad tightened her sinch up. She spun and his fingers were caught in there. Either pulled a tendon or broke a small bone near his knuckle.
-Morale of those stories, Buy the best horse/mule you can afford from the beginning. I’d shoot for 6+ years old.
-Work with it as much as possible. Go on horse camping trips before taking it hunting. Let it smell animal blood before buying it. We’ve got horses that we couldn’t put meat on. They would freak.
-Buy and take with you a first aid kit for horses. Buy a book on how to care for them and what to look for.

Another quick story. One year my family went elk hunting. Rented horses from the same outfitter. They used a come along to put up the picket line. Horses stretched the line out over night and they woke up to a lot of horse noises. The one closest to the end got the hook on the come along through the nose exactly like a nose ring. Morale of the story here is most of them are big dumb animals. If they are put in a situation where they may hurt themselves they most likely will.

And don’t use a come along for your picket line.

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gunnersdad49]

For those with experience, What does your day look like once in camp? Horses on a highline? Hot fence? Take them into the field with you?

 

[WCB]

Left side or right side is up to you however for me a big issue with horses is consistancy. If you are going to change to either side then you must practice with the horse to either side. A lot of my country is very steep hence I prefer to get on and off on the uphill side. Either turn the horse or train the horse. They don't do well with surprises.

Agree 100%...I guess my theory with training in general is do it both ways/sides all the time...with a horse you do with every other aspect why not mounting and dismounting.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Mares have a pecking order. The lead mare decides what the rest will do in what order- from how they load in a trailer to who leads who. If you have mares they work fine just don't screw with the order and don't add a new one without expecting consequences. I worked in a gov't office once with a typing pool of ladies. There was a lead mare and a distinct order that changed - you had to stay on your toes. Mares are about the same - Pay attention and don't let your guard down.

In every elk herd there is a lead cow and the boys just follow along. Kill the lead cow and turmoil erupts.

 

[Pony Soldier]

My camps are all built in jungles. I usually pick a good log about 6 inchs in diameter and tie it to trees with baling twine. Then I cut a bunch of smaller logs to place perpendicular to and on the main log to divide the spaces into intervals big enough for a man and a horse. That way I can feed each horse hay , work on them but its too narrow so they can't line up to kick or fight with eachother.

I tie each up in their "stall" by their lead rope (made with a loop so they can't untie them) long enough to feed but short enough to limit stupidity.

Imagine them as school kids - give them too much rope and they will hang themselves.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I have to laugh, in a good way. The above is excellent advice. I had and used an arabian mare. She was a very very very high strung horse, she really liked to move. I put a tone of work into her, she made a great pack horse for me. However, very few people could ride her and enjoy the ride. I'll never forget the look on my partners face the first time I packed in with him. We were short 1 animal so we had to cut back on gear (I can be really bad at that). I had a pair of pants hanging from the front of the saddle, leg bottoms sewed closed. The pants were full of grain. I had saddle pack bags hanging around her backside, full and stacked almost to my shoulder level. I looked like the Beverly Hill Billies loaded up to move to Beverly Hills. My partner was a horse shoe-er, so he knew horses well. He looked at me and my horse and thought it would be a "horse wreck". I stepped up on her with significant difficulty, and rode out 20 miles, camped for the night, and finished the last 10 the next day, camped for a full week, and rode her back to the trailhead, without a single hick-up.

The only reason I was able to do that, was because I had worked with that horse at least 5 days a week. I had thousands of miles on her, some days covering 50 miles in a day (believe me, she could do that in a few hours) and the horse learned to trust me, as she had numerous frightening experiences with me on her back, ASKING her to tolerate the situation (not telling her), and a couple times, when she got caught up in wire, fencing, or bailing string, when necessary, I literally crawled under her to free her. I do not advise crawling under a horse when they are frightened, but I had done this hundreds if not thousands of times, while she was calm.

But going back to PredatorSlayer's post, he is correct, stay away from arabians unless you have tons of experience with a variety of horses.

​

Lol - I had an awesome arabian, my first horse. I have also had some awesome mares and thoroughbreds. They just seem to take a lot of work and time than a good half draft gelding

 

[mntnguide]

As stated above.. there is nothing easy about hunting with horses. Yes you can go further in, but you are also caring for them 24/7. Do they have access to water, is the feed good or do you need to pack it, do you have a vet kit and knowledge of how to use it? Horses get injured in the backcountry, no way around it no matter how experienced you are. All it takes is one missed step and a bad stick pointed up and you have a puncture would and a serious issue etc. . There is a lot more to being in the mountains with horses than there is owning them for rodeo and pleasure rides.

I've seen very accomplished horsemen in an absolute wreck deep in the backcountry. If you don't know how to pack properly and a wreck happens, and you have shit tied with ropes all over, nothing good will come of it.

If you are serious about learning, look at a long weekend packing school to get the idea of things. Royal Tine guide school in Montana offers 4 day classes every summer and Cody and LeRee are 2 of the best people around. I use to work for them and teach the full guide schools, and cody has been in the mountains on horses his whole life and teaching people how to for nearly 30 years.

I love hunting the backcountry with my horses, it's a passion just as much as the hunt. I live for my summer pack trips and just being in the hills with horses. If you only want to use them for hunting just so you can kill bulls further in, you are probably getting into it for the wrong reason and will not enjoy the full aspect of what all it takes to take care of them.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[nickstone]

I own a couple horses.

I own a couple llamas.

I take my llamas hunting with me.

 

[Wrongside]

For those with experience, What does your day look like once in camp? Horses on a highline? Hot fence? Take them into the field with you?

Depends on the situation. But all of the above.

I love hunting the backcountry with my horses, it's a passion just as much as the hunt. I live for my summer pack trips and just being in the hills with horses. If you only want to use them for hunting just so you can kill bulls further in, you are probably getting into it for the wrong reason and will not enjoy the full aspect of what all it takes to take care of them.

I could not agree more. And admittedly, I was one who got into horses for the wrong reason. Over time that changed and they came to absolutely fascinate me. Understanding them, working with them, just being in the hills with them. But I don't think most people fully understand the work horses take. It really is a big commitment. Year round, and in the hills. Totally worth it if you're wired that way, but not everyone is.

 

[theleo91386]

The best advice, become friends with some one that can ride and pack. You supply some knowledge on the hunting area, they supply the expertise to pack the elk out in half a day.

Next best advice, before committing to anything, buddy up to the local chapter of Backcountry of Horsemen of America and do a couple of work projects. You'll learn more from them in a couple of days of watching them gear and equipment than a month or two of YouTube.

Personally, I consider mules essential for my enjoyment on hunts. Yes, there's some extra work involved. Yes, things can go sideways faster than you can imagine. A ground hive of yellow jackets, a beaver slapping their tale, meeting lamas unexpectedly on the trail... these things can get you hurt or killed with stock. I still love using stock, eating well, and living more comfortably than a backpack hunter though.

 

[squirrel]

The best advice, become friends with some one that can ride and pack.

The best stock for packing is stock owned by someone else...

A ground hive of yellow jackets, a beaver slapping their tale, meeting lamas unexpectedly on the trail... these things can get you hurt or killed with stock. I still love using stock, eating well, and living more comfortably than a backpack hunter though.

The llama thing is entertaining... for the llama guy, not so much for the horse/mule guy!

One day 3 separate MO guys rode directly through camp, as in we were off trail by 400 yards but they rode between the tent and fire ring. All 3 had their mules see the llamas at the exact same point, only one left the site still on top of his mule, and he had the worst time of all 3. Apparently breaking off dead 3" branches using your head really hurts.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

For those with experience, What does your day look like once in camp? Horses on a highline? Hot fence? Take them into the field with you?

The outfitter we hunted with has a semi-permanent camp set up for early season bow and rifle hunts. They have a corral and tack tent that they re-build from poles they leave on site at the end of every season. The same goes for their wall tents. The poles stay and the canvas goes out.

At night the horses were turned out and the wrangler was up first every morning (3am-ish) to collect them and bring 'em back to camp.

We rode horse out every morning, tying them to trees roughly a mile or more from the glassing spot, depending on the location. Then we hiked the remaining distance and the hunt was on. At the end of the day we led the horses down the mountain on foot until beyond the steep and dangerous stuff, mounting once we got near the bottom of the drainage to ride the remaining distance to camp.

When we got to camp the hunters got cleaned up and ready for dinner and the guides attended to the horses- pulling saddles, feeding, watering, checking for injuries, checking their feet, etc... We had a couple horses throw shoes on the mountain, and a couple of the guides had enough ferrier experience to re-shoe them in camp. Basically every day started and ended with caring for the horses.

 

[theleo91386]

The best stock for packing is stock owned by someone else...

The llama thing is entertaining... for the llama guy, not so much for the horse/mule guy!

One day 3 separate MO guys rode directly through camp, as in we were off trail by 400 yards but they rode between the tent and fire ring. All 3 had their mules see the llamas at the exact same point, only one left the site still on top of his mule, and he had the worst time of all 3. Apparently breaking off dead 3" branches using your head really hurts.

Been in the situation enough time I dismount and get off the trail to let lamas by. The recent one was runnning into a guy with 4 last month heading the same way as me. Just got off and followed him till he found a spot to let me by and I hopped back on.

"That mule is pretty impressive. It's rare I don't see some sort of reaction!"

"He's not half bad, but there's also reasons I got off him and gave you plenty of room too."

 

[Randy Starks]

My 2 cents is doesn't happen over night,I got in with a Ole wrangler 30 some years ago and he showed me the ropes,I mean everything hitches,emergency vetting, all the crap you wouldn't think about,he was a miserable person to be around but I wanted to learn and without his help I wouldn't be where I'm at today,get 2 Ride one pack one,if the seller won't let you take it out for a test trail ride you don't won't them,don't start with mules,and open your wallet cause it's not gonna be cheap,and if you decide to go young make sure your insurance is paid up,there is a couple of dudes on here I'd buy a animal from any day of the week,thumb thru this site you'll know who they are

 

[KDL]

Lots of good information . Thanks

 

[wysongdog]

For me hunting on my mules is a major part of the enjoyment of hunting for me. Kinda corny but they complete me when hunting. Even if the hunting is terrible the riding makes it wonderful. That bring said I would have a heck of a lot more free time the rest of the year not taking care of them, building fences, irrigating, haying, foaling, etc, And they seem to find the only sharp thing around and cut themselves on it. Then you become fast friends with the vet.

 

[MallardSX2]

I would rather stand on a greased basketball than ride a horse.

And it's not that I can't ride a horse....lol

 

[FatCampzWife]

Lots & lots of good advice.

One thing that cannot be emphasized enough: horses/mules are NOT an ATV/UTV that can be used all season, and just "put away" until you need them/feel like riding again (at least most of them). They are a lifestyle if you honestly don't want to put your life (and theirs) in danger when you use them. They need to be worked with/ridden frequently (weekly) to uphold their bond with you & maintain their desire to keep you out of harms way. Very, very rare to have an animal that will not become a dangerous "mountain horse" if you let it sit all winter, then get to riding them in late summer "'cause hunting season is coming up." That's simply asking for trouble.

For pepole who want to commit to their animals, horses are a fantastic partner & I miss mine dearly. Our lifestyle just isn't set up for them right now.

 

[S.Clancy]

For the most part, horses are like boats, everyone is jealous of them until they own them.