I'm interested in taking my QH west this year to hunt elk. He has packed deer in the past with no difficulty, and he'd likely make himself useful during an elk trip.

I'm wondering just how you all use horses on such a trip, as it would be my first. Do you camp at the trailer (with hay, a place to sleep, etc.) ... do you pack in several miles ... do you "spike camp" for a night or two, returning to camp to refresh supplies?

It's a general question, I know, but I'm interested in the "general" topic ... any thoughts?

DT- we hunt off 2 mules and pack our 1/4 mare. are you taking one animal or several ? Ya gotta camp where water is avail. in co. don't bring hay that isn't cert. weed free. we're selling our mules and goin back to simple cause it takes xtra time early and late to take care of em. we have enjoyed the mules as much out here on the plains huntin deer in the canyons. if ya go into another state ya need a cogins test b-for ya can jump the st lines. they are a great hoot to hunt back in on em. best thing ya can do for urself or the horse is teach em to leg teather. theres a buch of great books on the subject if ya want to read. jc

Pack in 10-15 miles and hunt out of spike camp. Ride to an area early, tie up and glass to get a plan or hike from camp 2-4 miles and use the stock to pack out downed game. Generally use 6 horses or mules for 4 hunters. Gianni

My answer would be, all of the above. My favorite though, is to pack in far enough to get away from the road hunters and really enjoy the wilderness experience. Not to forget, make some plans in case you get lucky. Even if you don't have the luxury of a pack horse, you can make do with one of those over the sadddle meatbags.
Grizz

We camp at the trailer, hunt mostly on foot, and pack out critters on horseback. Get yourself some over the saddle panniers. If your horse is level headed and trusts you, which it sounds like he does, he will pack elk with no problem. Remember, two quarters can easily go close to 200 pounds. We also do some riding out of camp just to take a little rest. Easier that way to haul hay and water, plus if the weather goes south can load them up for shelter. Pay attention to earlier posts re weed free hay and coggins, plus a travel permit or brand inspection. Its a hoot! I'd much rather hunt on horseback than on foot. BTW, I use walking horses and MFTs. They do the job just fine, as would a good quarter horse, morgan, standard bred, etc. Hope you enjoy it, and stay safe with lots of orange.

In Wyoming you won't be able to hunt in the wilderness area, unless you move across the border for a year and then hunt the next season.

Only Wyoming residents or those guided can hunt in Wyoming's wilderness areas. Most of the non-wilderness areas are full of 4wheelers.

It would be worth trucking up to the Bob Marshall in Montana or the River of no Return.

If my parents guilt me into moving back to Wyoming when I retire from the Navy instead of Alaska. I will put in for pronghorns, deer, elk, bear, sheep, moose, and goat in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.

Idaho non-residents can only apply for 1 of the following moose, sheep, or goat. I guess the answer is apply for goat until you get drawn then switch to moose, then switch to sheep. Most folks just apply for sheep.

Another side note is rifle hunters in the wilderness areas can usually hunt the elk rut!

My favorite mode of hunting horseback is to take a saddle horse and a pack horse and travel fairly light, everything I need on the pack horse. I can be more mobile that way and find the elk then start hunting..I usually hunt with a partner and he does the same..It can get pretty lean until you shoot something, but todays packaged meals work fine, and you can live a long time on Frijoli beans, flour, shortning, bacon, be sure a pack a small pressure cooker and go early to beat the snow.