Length of time leaving stock in camp...a week?

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Hi All,

For those who do most of your hunting on foot once you use your stock to get to your target area, how long are you keeping them there? Are you comfortable basically keeping them in camp for a week if you're always out hunting on foot?

Are you ok just coming back once during the day sometimes, then mornings/evenings?

The areas I've scouted with elk are all off trail and with enough deadfall that I don't plan to ride into it. So I can't get fat n happy just yet in life.

That said, it would mean basically setting up a big enough sized electrical corral or moving it regularly so they could stay there a week while we hunt. I'd certainly try to come back sometimes during the days, but that too might not happen.

How many of you have a buddy who loves hanging in camp to watch stock and take care of things, or do you just leave them for a while?

Thanks,

s

 

[codym]

I generally come back mid day to water them. It’s too hot in the southwest to only water them once a day. If they had access to graze and water I wouldn’t worry about leaving them all day

 

[PNWGATOR]

They need care multiple times a day.

Food.

Water.

I’ve used a portable hot wire a lot for grazing and watering.

Z E R O chance I’d leave animals for an extended time on a backcountry hunt or for that matter, ever.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

I generally come back mid day to water them. It’s too hot in the southwest to only water them once a day. If they had access to graze and water I wouldn’t worry about leaving them all day

Thanks. So do you leave them in camp many days in a row, considering you come back to water them during the day once? Leaving them in an electric corral?

 

[codym]

Yea but I stake them out at night, alalpha pellets and grain at night then they are free to graze all night. I water them in the morning before I hike out then high line them. Come back mid day water them again. Then again at night move their stakes grain and pellets again.

 

[pbroski]

This is for horses.

If there is good grass and the temperature is not too high, you should be able to get away with feeding and watering twice daily. A minimum of an hour and a half in the morning and 2 hours in the evening grazing with water should suffice for a week or 10 days. The rest of the time on a high line.

An electric fence would probably work most of the time but I would never do it without them also being hobbled. Even then, if they make it through the fence they'll be gone a long ways.

The best use of the fence is for during the night with hobbles and bells. The light tinkle of the bells will let you sleep peacefully knowing that the horses are still there, meaning everything is okay.

Obviously, for any of this to work safely the horses have to be accustomed to hobbles, bells, fence or high lines.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

If you’re bringing stock into camp, you’re #1 priority is always the stock first and hunting second. IMO it’s better to have someone in camp during the day to keep an eye on your stock.

I prefer sending stock out of camp if I want to focus on hunting, I’ve come up on lost animals, dead animals, etc over the years. I’ve seen people completely neglect their stock cause the hunt was more important to them. Electric fences are nice but when spooked some horses won’t care. Your animals need to have plenty of water and feed, they don’t always drink when you offer it to them, we water before feeding, then again after, horses actually need to drink after eating to help with their digestion, otherwise you have more possibility of colic.

You’re gonna want a full vet kit for on the mountain to, banamine can save a horses life on the mountain, but if you don’t know how to administer it (can do it orally but isn’t as effective) it can be worthless.

I don’t like to leave my stock for more than 5 hours at a time if I don’t have someone looking after them. To many things can happen in that span of time.


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[WCB]

wake up water and feed...then water again. When returning to camp in the evening same routine. Either on highline or put in hot wire. If in a hot wire make sure they have shade if temps are high and then I would make a point to be back at camp to water them mid day. Obviously not a concern if they have free access to water.

My assumption would also be if weather is warm you yourself probably aren't wondering far from camp or getting into action mid day (maybe if sitting on a waterhole?). So gong back to camp is probably on the schedule anyways.
Depending on your animal and the fact you probably wont have a camp the horse has been to year after year...I would hobble if not on a highline.

 

[burrohiker]

Been using the electric fence and collapsable water bucket for 7 years now and no issue with my burros. I come back to camp every night to check on them (and sleep). If there is good grass, I can get 3 days from a spot before I have to move it. Much easier and less worry from hobbles. If I'm in camp loungin I'll hobble them to get some movement.

I supplement a little grain in the morning and at night. Cause who doesn't enjoy a tastey snack in the morning and evening?