One horse per one hunter

KINGSNAKE

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Mar 9, 2014
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Western IL
Does anyone elk hunt with only one horse per man. Do you spike camp or truck camp. When you shoot an elk do you walk out with the elk meat on your horse. I would like to hear how your system works for you.
 
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Joined
Apr 1, 2016
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Eastern Washington
Personally I use 2 animals, one for packing and one for riding. If I were limited to 1 I'd take the pack animal and hunt the exact same country I do know. I'd pack the animal the same way as well, one pannier has the cooler with perishable food, the other pannier has dry food/non perishable food, and top pack the tent and bed roll. That keeps leaves me in good shape for a weeks worth of back country hunting. In the middle of the day when thermals are crazy, water the animal and put them on good graze for a couple of hours. When you get kill an elk, take one trip to haul meet and another trip to pull out your camp.
 

crazyhawksfan

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Jun 29, 2015
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We've been just using 2 or 3 and we are 4 guys. Usually we all still end up hiking in with a fairly loaded pack but can get most the bigger heaviest gear on the horses. When an elk is shot we easily can pack it out in one trip. Then another to retrieve base camp.

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We're planning one horse per hunter or an extra for just packing. We'll probably walk them out.
 

wyosteve

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Jul 1, 2014
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Just my .02, but it would take a hell of a horse to pack out a complete elk including horns. I've seen it happen one time and the pack out was about a mile all downhill. No way would I try it in rugged country for any distance.
 

xziang

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Oct 8, 2014
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Nebraska
Yeah, one per guy....we just walk them in and out with packsaddles on.
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If I ever had the chance to use a horse/mule this is more than likely what I would do too. Not having to carry a heavy pack would be awesome. Then if you down something well, you got to carry a heavy pack out while the horse/mule gets the meat. This is all theoretical though for I don't see myself using one anytime soon. Anything to help you move faster easier is a plus.
 
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Just my .02, but it would take a hell of a horse to pack out a complete elk including horns. I've seen it happen one time and the pack out was about a mile all downhill. No way would I try it in rugged country for any distance.
I've packed the black mule with hind quarter, both shoulders, and horns of a 5 x 5 without issue. Shot the bull and packed it to camp 4 miles (gained about 415 feet of elevation and then lost 523 feet going downhill to camp). I took a couple of hours to sleep then loaded her back up and took the meat 5-6 miles back to the truck (a gain of 2,100 feet in elevation and a drop down of 822 feet). She's not a draft animal but at a steady pace she'll get the ground covered.
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mntnguide

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Apr 27, 2012
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WY
Ive packed numerous elk on 1 horse/mule many times. They can handle it just fine as long as it is not a Pony you are using. Just debone the elk or short quarter it. Goes very easy. All the years ive packed, ive never put enough on a pack animal that they didnt pack it for miles. I had a mule that wasnt on our "good" side by end of season pack 2 giant soaking wet wall tents that each weighed well over 100lbs for 18 miles, and he packed it just like he was hauling a normal 60-80lb load. You would be amazed at what they can carry if you pack them correctly and use the right hitches to secure a load.
 

MesaHorseCo.

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Feb 8, 2014
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Colorado
One per hunter is fine if you want to lead em in. If you use saddle panniers instead of an actual pack saddle, then youve got a saddle horse once your back there. I have loaded 3 peoples gear and food on one packhorse so everyone had a horse to ride, and it didnt bother the horse at all, but it was mostly backpacking style gear, in the summer. Did manage to load some pork chops and corn on him too.
 
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KINGSNAKE

KINGSNAKE

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Mar 9, 2014
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Western IL
High country 1 that is the system I was thinking about. Do you pack any grain for your horse of do you just graze them on the mountain?
 
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I use the same type system as Highcountry EXCEPT I load two horses with gear in saddle panniers and my 80+ year old Dad rides the third horse.

I pack grain. I turn my horses out at night in hobbles, one with a bell hanging from a leather strap around his neck.. as soon as they clear camp, I put a couple lbs of grain under each tie-off on the picket line. They come back to camp after grazing. I hear the bell throw a headlamp and pair of boots on, hook each back up and go back to bed.

I've actually woke up in the morning and couldn't remember if the horses had come back, but they had. Funny thing is they always return to their own picket spot.
 
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