Thanks Ray. Know the area fairly well having driven it and called coyotes over the years.
Was invited south of W. ten miles for spring turkey hunt in '12. While wandering around looking for birds. Heard a noise to my lower left and as I turned around a 5pt bull jumped a fence about 15' to the side of me. Don't know if he ever saw me or not. I was in a ghillie suit next to some brush the same color. Sure got MY attention though! Trail he was running up wasn't even ten feet from me. Bull was alone. Glad I was on foot and not forking a bronc!

George

Wow. Congratulations (I think...?) on your successful (I think...) hunt. Even if it didn't turn out to be perfect, you'll never forget it, and you got to share it with your son, and he with you.

I'm not much of a horseman, so this thread is a great chance to learn from more experienced riders and hear their opinions. Thanks to all of you for that.

I just received a CD from Robert at Triangle-X ranch. It has some great photos that will certainly enhance the album my son and I put together.
Interestingly, the CD even has photos of the helicopter that took my son's best friend out of that wilderness, to the hospital, after a very serious injury due to a spooked horse.

Horses = Wrecks; it's just a matter of who and when. So do cars, bikes, skateboards and the stock market.
As a life long rider, I admire someone who signs up to ride somebody else's horse up the avalanche field in the dark. I've been blessed with some good mountain horses and some good arena horses and never had a problem that cost me too much pain.
Stirrups: riding in hunting boots even makes me nervous. Ray is "right" in my book, feet go in plumb to the stops. However they must come out as easy as they went in!! Not possible in small stirrups, traction soles etc. I still have a box of stirrups for all occasions. Large "Roper" stirrups work well for hunting boots but one has to lift the foot out, not drag it out and that choice is hard to make when your getting your --- bucked off in the dark timber. Like most things worth doing, you have to think and plan for the worst, hoping it never happens. I like the old heavy cast iron oxbows with the guard that keeps them from flipping forward. The favorite pair I have is well over 100 years old. The weight holds them down and the surface allows a bit of sliding out to happen. I ride that stirrup all the time but that is in Cowboy boots, rubber soled but still that shape. If I had to ride in my hunting boots, out would come the wide deep ropers before I headed to the high country.
Never had a guided hunt either on foot or horseback and doubt I ever will. If I do it will be on foot. Ain't ridin' somebody else's pony up the mountain. Maybe my brothers mule but blood is thicker than logic.
Glad you both came home safe and you had the adventure together. "Father and Son" covers a multitude of sins as it were.
Best regards,

And in conclusion, Triangle-X has shit horses and are to be avoided.