How can an American learn to hunt on horseback?

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AlongCameJones

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How can I find out if horseback hunting is even for me? Where can a person get lessons? What does he need to know about it? Is it within his budget? I'm interested in learning how to properly use pack animals and saddle horses for deer hunting in the Lower 48 as a DIY hunter. This topic doesn't get much coverage in hunting publications and in the hunting media. I'm not sure if the American equestrian circles even cover horseback hunting in great depth. A horse or a mule is an outdoor tool and one needs to learn to use it properly like a gun, a blind and a gut hook.

This notion of mine behind horses and mules is to greatly reduce human workload in the field and because motorized vehicles (ATV's and such) are often prohibited or cannot access certain terrain.

I only found this on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDPTCH17HRU

Any experienced big-game hunting horsemen are welcome to chime in here.
 
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jmr40

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I think you'll get more information on a horse forum than on a hunting forum.

Another option to look into is using Llama's. They are a little easier to work with and make good pack animals too.
 
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AlongCameJones

Moderator
Llamas cannot support an adult rider I read.

It seems that big-game hunting and horsemanship in America today are largely disconnected. I've tried a few horse forums, but nobody there knew squat about American big-game hunting. Many of these horse forums are British-based. I've heard mules are good for pack and saddle too. Horseback hunting might be too expensive these days for most American hunters. There might also be very little interest in it.
 
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AlongCameJones

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I read this

https://www.petersenshunting.com/edi...hunting/272406

I've watched a few videos on horsemanship, and aluminum stirrups are highly-recommended. I think one can get away with cowboy boots or riding boots in low, flat whitetail country. If one is hunting horseback, one is not expected to have their boots on the ground for long anyway. They might have stirrups specially designed for a hunting boot too. What did the American cavalry wear? Any boot good for mounted soldiers should be good for a mounted deer hunt I should think.
 
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Double Naught Spy

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Do yourself a favor and just book a guided horseback hunt in the high country such as Montana or Wyoming. Talk to the guide, somebody that does this for a living, about what you need to do in advance and the gear you need and go on your hunt.
 
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Hawg

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Climb on back of a horse. Fire a round. Pick yourself up off the ground and forget it. Think about what gunfire does to your ears without protection. A horses ears are a lot more sensitive.
 
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mulespurs

New member
Who says that this is hard?

I don't know what is so hard about this. I have raised and trained mules and horses. Today I raise mules. Mostly you just have to ride.

Just realise that you are riding on a powerful animal that has a brain and you have to harness that in a direction that is useful to you. If you just sit on top and don't understand an equine then you better walk or ride an atv.

I hunted pheasants on a saddle mule following a pointer. Not only did I have to manage the dog, but also the mule and myself. It took a while to manage all that but when I did it was pretty satisfying.

I will not shoot off an equine just because I care. Would you like it if someone torched off a highpower rifle right over your ears? i think not.

My advise is get off and then shoot. I target shoot near my mules quite often and they don't mind the noise at all. But by all means practice before season.

Both the riding and the shooting. As I get closer to 70 years of age I apreciate that I can ride and still enjoy hunting with less physical effort, maybe not have a heart attack. But even if I do it will be doing something I enjoy.
 
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