Single Riding Horse for 3 days In

[Pony Soldier]

I typically packed in a pickup load of timothy bales before season. The toughest part was building a fence to keep the grazing cows out of it. It helped to tarp it for further protection. Find a place that is out of sight and out of mind.

 

[Eastman528]

I don't have experience doing this exactly yet but I have similar intentions so I think I understand your perspective behind this. I mostly intend to ride one lead one for now but do have interest in riding one out solo particularly for quick light scouting missions, I will still likely take at least 2 for now because I am needing to get our younger ones exposure but as I am currently looking to acquire a mule/horse for myself having one that isn't herd sour is a priority.
I think as you mentioned coming at this with a backpackers mentality and already having horsemanship experience should make it pretty seamless just about getting out there and figuring out what works for you. I intend to do my best to stick with my lightweight backpack hunter mentality at least for scouting and early season trips but utilizing the horses to gain experience and cover ground. I don't mean this to be demeaning but allot of traditional stock people I know cant quite wrap their mind around just how light weight a person with the right gear and experience/comfort level can go. I could take my whole setup for a weekend scouting trip and still come in less than some individuals put on their riding mount alone.
I do think weight distribution is important to not restrict the animals movement as well as yourself. I would much prefer to not be wearing my backpack if at all possible or at the least not have much weight in it. Obviously you add in a hunting situation and the possibility of coming out with meat etc. I think for anything other than day hunting I would prefer to have a second pack animal. This is also good failsafe if something were to happen to one you could still get your gear out.
I plan to elk hunt with my horses this fall likely solo and I will spend some time working with my horses on leading them both down the trail. I like the looks of the gear others have posted and I have been looking at options as well but for now I will just be using the standard decker and riding saddle panniers along with cantle bag etc. on riding saddle its nice to be able to have something to roll a jacket up into or water bottle holder. If I get a chance I will post pictures and would be interested in seeing what you come up with or what others have for a setup.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I think many of you are making this way too complicated. In all honesty my ranch is the equivalent of your camp.when I put in a camp I limited myself to 3-5 hunts - over and over.

Now I leave the house each morning with one horse and go to a differant place nearly every day. Each day I cover 5-20 miles for about 35 days. What I carry is a handgun, saddle bags, rifle, riding coat and chaps and a hat. Oh and I forgot mitts and an electric chainsaw.

Depending on tracks, I may tie up my horse for 4-6 hrs and follow the tracks on foot. If I don't kill anything - the next day I go where I figure they were going the day before. If I kill something I come back the next day with a second horse, quarter the elk up, load the horses and walk out to the truck.

Each day is horse recon plus 1 or 2 foot hunts. I usually leave my horse in a fir thicket when I walk. I try to pick spots that have minimal chances for falling snags or getting shot.

I figure a good season is 350-400 miles and an elk. I'm fortunate and often my son, partner or wife comes along and I have somebody to talk to or conspire with.

I have held onto the horses while I shot or held them while the others shot.

It's not hard. If you put in a spike camp it tends to get complicated and takes more stock to get comfortable.

Keep it simple. Horses will point elk and elk will point horses so you can shoot.

 

[roosiebull]

This is a helpful thread, I just bought a horse, and have been thinking up things to do with him. Next spring I want to do a few day camping trip in hells canyon, just go disappear for a few days up there.

I want to get a spring bear tag over there too eventually, so it will also be a scouting mission. My wife’s family has a bunch of horses, so if I end up doing a hunt on horseback, I’ll borrow a second… ride mine, lead the other

There are a lot of logistics that aren’t clear to me yet, but I’m looking forward to some new types of wilderness trips, hunting or not.

 

[Pony Soldier]

When I worked in Hells Canyon in 75 there was quite a trail connection to Enterprise Oregon. How much of this has survived I have no idea. I did one recon trip from Riggens on the Rapid River trails and was impressed. Most of what I did on the Oregon side was by jetboat or helicopter so I can't help there.

She is pretty steep and kindof snakey. I do remember 114 on the 4th of July. I don't think you could explore it all in a lifetime.

 

[roosiebull]

When I worked in Hells Canyon in 75 there was quite a trail connection to Enterprise Oregon. How much of this has survived I have no idea. I did one recon trip from Riggens on the Rapid River trails and was impressed. Most of what I did on the Oregon side was by jetboat or helicopter so I can't help there.

She is pretty steep and kindof snakey. I do remember 114 on the 4th of July. I don't think you could explore it all in a lifetime.

Yeah, I want to do it when the canyons turn green (probably early/mid May)

A buddy and I made a trip over there a few years ago and made some hikes in there, but it seemed like the perfect place to camp with a horse. Nice trails, water is easy, and very easy to get away.

I certainly don’t doubt it’s snakey, but that time of year it was still very frozen in the mornings, got nice mid day, and I was looking pretty hard in the lower country on our way to no avail.

 

[Scorpion]

Here’s camp for two guys on one horse - all lightweight backpacking gear. Enough food for 7+ days.

You could easily substitute saddle panniers for the pack saddle that we used. We led them in 6+ miles to camp and then day hunted. Rode them when we borrowed saddles from the other horses that weren’t being used as the old guys loafed around camp.

It worked really well for us. Ironicallly enough, we ended up killing an elk in a different area without the horses and convinced a llama guy to pack it out for us.

 

[WyoHuntr]

I've done it several times. More hunts than scouts. I hate to say it, but most horse hunters don't really grasp the lightweight mentality. When everything is dyneema, titanium, and carbon fiber, a load out on one horse is doable. That is provided the horse is a brick sh**house (which mine are).

I load the saddle bags with my bulky but light gear (coat/down/dyneema tent/etc). I tie my electric fence poles & tent poles on the back of the saddle. I tie my Davis Tent saddle panniers over the pommel if Im hunting, or use pommel bags if I'm scouting. I put heavier bits in the pommel bag. I cinch the bottom of my backpack bag tight and highload some gear.

Only pic I have is wide angle,(looks bulkier than it is), and doesnt show my current gear. I prefer some big 'ol Outfitter Pack Station bear cloth saddle bags. I ditched Mountain Ridge panniers. They were not light / not compact / not big enough... not to mention my other MRG pack saddle panniers were popping stitching on the straps. I switched to Davis Tent panniers because they are light, a good size, and has a center strap to hike up the panniers. I use some light nylon Outfitter Supply hobbles. I prefer electric fence so the horse can feed at night. (Plus it doubles as my grizzly protection).