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equine partners

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equine partners

Postby snowbank » 11 28, 2017 •  [Post 1]

just a few thoughts on my hunting partner. First a disclaimer: If you have no experience with horses it is in your best interest to not consider this or spend (partner up) time with an experienced packer. The horses also have to have to proper training and disposition to be used for hunting. Otherwise your hunting experience will be a nightmare rodeo with a high risk to all participants.

Good horses have far superior hearing and eyesight to humans. Often the horses will point elk and deer that you can not see. Last week the horses pointed 6 head of elk a full three minutes before the elk showed up. There appears to be a compatability between horses and elk. Often elk will run directly at the horses to the last minute as do antelope. Shots of 30 feet are not unusual. You need stock that doesn't go nuts under these conditions including when you start shooting. Often elk that run past will stop to stare at the horses in confusion just before they go over the hill. Be prepared!
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Re: equine partners

Postby saddlesore » 11 28, 2017 •  [Post 2]

I get a lot of entertainment from newbies that get rental horses,or arrive with their girl friend's arena horse in elk season.The side of a mountain is no place to learn about equines or to train them.They can sure hurt you .Bad things can happen and they happen fast.

A most know, I prefer mules as they have a little bit more of common sense about them than horses, but they can do a lot of damage too.There is an old saying that a horse will kill you by accident, but a mule will do it on purpose.That has pretty much run true with me over the years, although I ain't been killed yet. :lol:
Be careful out there
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Re: equine partners

Postby Elkhunttoo » 11 28, 2017 •  [Post 3]

I have hunted with horses most of my life. The last few years in a new area and with work they don't fit the program as well. We have went from 7 horses down to 2 now. Can't feed them all to only use them a couple of times a year and it's not fair to the horses either. Absolutely love packing into camp for a week! I have missed it the last few years
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Re: equine partners

Postby Indian Summer » 11 29, 2017 •  [Post 4]

Can you tell they have personalities? I've never met a horse I can't get along with. Even the tough ones seem to lighten up for me. This year one we leased was a big boy who refused to take the bit. I saw partners struggling so I went over and said let me try. Took about 3 seconds. The one guy who worked for me in Montana said "He's the horse whisperer " Haha. It's true! Guides used to come up all out of breath.... "We can't catch Sarah mule" Go down and mule is huffing and puffing. I just hold the halter in my hand look them in the eye and sayvwe can do this one of two ways but you ARE going to work today. Then I walk over slip the rooe over their neck and slide the halter up their nose. Guides are like What the ___! We've been chasing that bit___ for 45 minutes! :lol:
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Re: equine partners

Postby Indian Summer » 11 29, 2017 •  [Post 5]

Horses become friends in the hills.
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Re: equine partners

Postby ElkNut1 » 11 29, 2017 •  [Post 6]

Horses & mules can be great as long as someone else owns them! (grin)

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Re: equine partners

Postby Kentrek » 11 29, 2017 •  [Post 7]

Weve always had horses...the mule is awesome....both are great but i know for sure my next critter will be a mule... amazing to watch them work and actually THINK as they pick there route ....

I think a horse and two mules would be about the perfect team
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Re: equine partners

Postby Indian Summer » 11 30, 2017 •  [Post 8]

Kentrek... like Saddlesore says pick your mule with care. I've owned and packed dozens of them. You know that saying "stubborn as a mule"? Well the guy that coined it wasn't happy! They can be mans best friend or your worst nightmare. If you go look at one take a bloody elk steak and see what happens when you hold it under his nose and go from there.

How about Yosemite Sam's saying.... "When I saw woah mule I mean WOAH!!!" Haha The opposite is true too. When I say GO mule I mean GO! Nothing worse than packing a "pull back" as we call it. Especially if "draggin' ass" means this many of them! ;)
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Re: equine partners

Postby Tigger » 11 30, 2017 •  [Post 9]

I have ridden horses once and mules once on back country pack in trips. As Elknut says, best if someone else owns them.

I will say this, it amazes me that more people don't get seriously injured riding in the mountains. Not the experienced ones, but the knucklehead greenhorns. If I ever go on one again, I am going to ask for the horse/mule that is almost dead. 35 years old? yep, that is the one I want to ride.

In my very limited experience, mules were way, way more sure footed than horses.
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Re: equine partners

Postby Lefty » 11 30, 2017 •  [Post 10]

My daughter and wife have horses.
And a few really good horses.

My early experiences with horses was getting bit, kicked, and thrown. I wasnt smart enough to know that when someone invited us to ride their horse, because they need some trail time,..

Im with Elknut on this one completely.
Post by ElkNut1 » 11 29, 2017
Horses & mules can be great as long as someone else owns them! (grin)
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Re: equine partners

Postby elkstalker » 11 30, 2017 •  [Post 11]

I'm with Paul too! Thankfully my legs can take me most places I want to go.
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Re: equine partners

Postby Indian Summer » 11 30, 2017 •  [Post 12]

In my experience some will take advantage of you if they know you lack experience and are intimidated. And believe me they know. For starters they will eat non stop. If you let them you have failed the test and they own you. Horses and mules never give me a hard time. As soon as they attempt to pull one stunt I put a stop to it immediately. After doing that about three times they say oh well no funny business this week. I'll ride them anywhere night or day bare ground or snow. I enjoy their company.

Are you guys afraid of your ladies too? If so you can use the same method to tame them. :lol:
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Re: equine partners

Postby Lefty » 11 30, 2017 •  [Post 13]

I dont enjoy horses enough to hunt with them. I want to hunt not be a wrangler. I wouldnt be surprised next year "Monet" will be in camp
I will say that if I was still and easterner or flatlander a hunt with horses would help make the hunt more "western".

Joe I got the horse thing down. My daughters one horse is too smart, at 850 lbs she ran the neighborhood. She was top mare.
Nose to boot,
nose to boot,
nose to boot,
Heck now that horse even likes me.

Wish I could train my wife that easy
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Re: equine partners

Postby Swede » 11 30, 2017 •  [Post 14]

I am with Elknut and Lefty. All of the horses I want to take to camp are under the hood of my pickup. A neighbor lamented that her horse just ate all the time and was costing her too much. I jokingly suggested it would make good bear bait. After that comment, I think she began to love her horse again. I felt like a good Samaritan seeing her reignited appreciation for the fat horse.
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Re: equine partners

Postby Kentrek » 11 30, 2017 •  [Post 15]

Indian Summer wrote:Kentrek... like Saddlesore says pick your mule with care. I've owned and packed dozens of them. You know that saying "stubborn as a mule"? Well the guy that coined it wasn't happy! They can be mans best friend or your worst nightmare. If you go look at one take a bloody elk steak and see what happens when you hold it under his nose and go from there.

How about Yosemite Sam's saying.... "When I saw woah mule I mean WOAH!!!" Haha The opposite is true too. When I say GO mule I mean GO! Nothing worse than packing a "pull back" as we call it. Especially if "draggin' ass" means this many of them! ;)


Now thats a string !! I gotta lead i hope on a ranch that does alot of work with mules....really hoping to go over there and spend some time with em and get more educated.... ive had lots of offers on mystery mules and ive been avoiding it.....i really wana a well taken care of,experienced, animal....

Ours almost has the personality of a lil dachshund ....it sure is nice
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Re: equine partners

Postby Elkhunttoo » 12 01, 2017 •  [Post 16]

Nice string!!! Brings back a lot of great memories seeing pack string photos.

I let a guy barrow one of my horses a few weeks ago, I wish so bad I could of went with em
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Re: equine partners

Postby Roosiebull » 12 03, 2017 •  [Post 17]

I have been getting the desire to get a hunting horse. my wife's whole family are horse people, I have a brother in law who's job description is "wrangler" he used to be a bull and bucking horse rider too.

i'm in a good position, because on my own, I couldn't pull it off, I work out of town and am gone a lot. one of my sister in laws and my inlaws do trail rides in the summer, and carriage rides in the winter at a ski lodge.

my plan is to buy a horse (I really like paints) and let them use it during their work seasons, and I will pay for feed all year, and I can use it in the fall to hunt. I will have a good broken horse to use, and a horse to ride whenever. it's the only realistic way for me to own a horse.

as long as it's not afraid of the smell of dead game, it will be fine, I will not be shooting off of it.

right now it's just a thought, but one I like. I can pick up a single horse trailer for reasonable money and be ready to go...time will tell.
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Re: equine partners

Postby saddlesore » 12 03, 2017 •  [Post 18]

Couple things.
The best color in a horse or mule is Broke.

Buying one horse is not the best thing, Everyone says that,but end up with two at least two.When you are up to 6,you know you are addicted.
Most fellows that are down on horse or mules have never worked a good one or don't know how.

In thick blow down or on a side of a mountain is no place to try to get a horse or mule accustom to blood.You get a green hide or several feet with about a foot of leg attached from you elk kill this year and hang it in the stall next to where the horse or mule eats.They won't go in for a few days,but they won't starve themselves either. In a week they won't even pay attention to it. Don't get mad at the critter because you didn't do your part of the job

It is pure BS about rubbing blood on their nose. You end with with a pi$$ed off mule with a bloody nose.Same with Vicks vasalien. You end up with a mule that smell as like it ii doctored for a cold.

Mine are getting each a fresh deer hide hung in there this week
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Re: equine partners

Postby Roosiebull » 12 04, 2017 •  [Post 19]

I appreciate the tips from someone with lots of experience hunting with them saddlesore, thanks!
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Re: equine partners

Postby snowbank » 12 10, 2017 •  [Post 20]

There needs to be an eqal trust with you and your horse. Be sure to spend time with horse before season. It starts out easier with a partner. After a couple of trips both of you will know what to expect. After that try it alone. I often ride in and pack out. Most horses will pack wrapped quarters, I have never had a problem with quarters hide to the horse. I have had a some snorty horses in loading whole deer into a saddle. It's quite a task with a big buck by yourself.

I don't think the blood bothers them so much as the hide and smell. After you get past the first one they all seem to accept it unless you have a rodeo event. I had one gelding that fell down everytime he had to jump a log while loaded with meat. After 30 years I sold him and haven't had a wreck since. I must say that he carried three deer once and once a whole small rag horn. I too learned from those events and I wouldn't suggest a repeat.

Mtn. Lions and horses are also a memorable experience that should be avoided. I knew someone that packed a whole bear once and that was not a repeatable event. The horse jumped a tree and the paws were not tied down. Everytime the horse bucked the bear spurred him. Something to see but not to be attempted.

The bottom line is that on foot you can comfortably hunt 4-5 miles and get back to camp. I comfortably hunt 15 - 20 miles a day. When in a storm or the dark the horse will take me home nomatter how tired I am or injured.

It's not for everyone but it's another tool for the serious hunter. Especially now that most areas are closed to motorized equipment.
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