Does Anybody Hunt on Horseback?

[Ridgerunner665]

About the sneaking up on the deer while in the saddle...

Deer here are not used to being hunted from horses (or mules)...they don't pay the least bit of attention to them.

 

[Mark Whiteman]

As a city guy I have to tell you what you've got with that fine country and animals is the closest thing to heaven. The most riding I did was at Scout summer camp, most of the day every day for a week. Got the merit badge. 2 years in a row (they had an extra slot)! And the bruises! Never hunted with horses or mules but anything beats humping an animal out on foot in the mountains. They're steep enough in the PNW to make you think twice. I am envious, guys. Can't help it.

Deer and Elk are funny critters. A buddy was bent at the waist nosing thru dense Reprod and came nose to nose with a bull and 2 cows grazing on new growth. Didn't mind him a bit until he stood up straight. Poof!

 

[TCB in TN]

For several years, my wife, her Dad and stepmom, and me have went down to East Fork, Big South Fork or Zenith along about the end of October...but for the past 2 years I have been unable to go because of work, and I won't be able to go this time either...they (her Dad and stepmom) are leaving next weekend I think...going to Zenith.

In the same boat myself. Began teaching a couple of years ago and haven't had time to get there since. I have took my horses to the little fall show at East Fork a couple times, but overall don't have much time to ride. It is pretty county and I sure miss it.

 

[dogrunner]

Used to be a common thing here in Florida fifty years ago or so but as hunting acreage has gotten smaller it's become increasingly uncommon, tho still, on occasion you'll find someone doing it. One group I'm familiar with has at least one rider to cut off dog driven deer in the Ocala Forest, and mostly I've seen him armed with an ancient A/5......but as I said, with the growth here it is a dying practice, as is the dog hunting.

Of great advantage in palmetto flatwoods where one can 'bust' thru palmetto clumps or lead dogs into really thick areas.

Had a friend who used to do it and he's killed deer with a pistol at full gallop when they spooked across a pasture. One REAL plus is that you avoid snakes tho, and that's a super benefit.....you can spend time looking for game rather than trying to avoid gettin' bit.

 

[Harve Curry]

Ridgerunner665, " About the sneaking up on the deer while in the saddle...

Deer here are not used to being hunted from horses (or mules)...they don't pay the least bit of attention to them."
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I wish it were that way in the southwest, only a couple of times has it happened to me. Usually game is moving far ahead of my horses noisey tracks. When I do ride up on deer, elk, coyotes it's not hunting season and the wind or something was in my favor.
I was watching my gelding yesterday morning as I watered the horses in a mountain tank (pond). There was 5 deer watering on the far end with a nice buck among them. I could barely see them myself in the dim light but Oscar stared straight at them while another mare just drank. The deer moved off quickly as they'd seen us first even though I stayed between the horses.Then Oscar drank. He has pretty good eyes.
If you read their actions it can help let you know there's game around, or had just been there. A couple of us rode up on water, the mules and horses wouldn't drink and it was a 100 degree day. The mules were skitish as all get out, lots of cactus all around and they would not stand still. We were headed for a real mess so we just started riding out and ran into a mother bear and two cubs, the cause for the disruption. Lucky for us the bears ran off and we just kept the animals at a brisk walk in the opposite direction.
Sadly motorized 4wheelers have pretty much replaced horse and mule. The forest service even used to use mules and pack strings, those Rangers were pretty savy to horse and mule mountain riding or they would not have lasted a week. But now hardly any of them would be adept at it. Hooking up a 4 wheeler trailer to a PU is about it.

 

[Decker]

No better way to hunt the back country than with good stock. But leave the shooting off the critters for hollywood. As mentioned eearlier, that muzzle blast is rough on a critter, i wouldn't intentionally muzzle blast my hunting partner, be it 2 legged or 4 legged.

If you have never broke a horse or mule before, and don't already have a broke one to ride with, I would really recomend buying something that already has a good start on it. I start all of mine by packing them for a year or two behind the broke horses, doesn't hurt my creeky old bones near so bad when a colt roles over on my sleeping bag instead of me and my rifle.

As far as packing, there are some good reads out there, but going with someone who already knows how and learning hands on is pretty hard to beat IMO.

heres a link to a pic from elk season last year or year before.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y100/rubymuledeer/100_0897.jpg