I would use the horses and get into the wilderness.I hunted up there several years ago and after the first weekend it gets pretty hard to see any mature bucks. I'd look for the brush patches and try to drive them out.The Warner Mts. are not what they used to be.We backpacked into N.Emerson lake a couple of summers ago and scouted for deer on Eagle Peak.Hardly saw a deer,and that country is awesome looking.There are some good bucks taken every year. It's just putting the time in and being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.