Lost Horses

HorseHunter · Jul 19, 2004

Hello, after a full year of reading all of the posts, I finally have decided to post my first message. I'm hoping that someone on this site will be able to help me out. A friend of mine lost two of his horses in the Grandaddy Lake area of the High Uintah's on July 7.

My friend was able to spend three days looking for them the week that they were lost, and we just returned home last night after spending three more days this past weekend searching. However, we haven't had any luck. Our best guess is that they followed the trail back to the Grand View trailhead and someone has picked them up.

One horse is a brown and white paint gelding and the other is a black gelding with four white socks. The paint was hobbled (but hopefully was able to get them off) and both were dragging lead ropes. Only one horse is branded - "quarter-circle Y" brand.

We're hoping that someone out there has seen them or knows of someone that found them at the trailhead. Otherwise, making it to elk camp this fall will be a little more difficult than it has been in the past.

If you have any information, please post a message or send me a PM. I'll try and post some pictures in the next day or so when I get them from my friend.

Thanks.

Taqukaq · Jul 19, 2004

Look for the best graze with in a mile of the trail head. I have had horses go on strike from hunting camp in the past, I got two back after 90 days. (Winter snows pushed them down)They were borrowed

They got the whole hunting season off and I was able to return them to the guy I had borrowed them from with them really fat. I got my doubts the one could loose the hobbles. A hour or two of air time can be cheaper than a horse. They could be an easy spot from the air if there are small meadows scattered in heavy timber around the area in question. I have hunted in different country with stock for about 26 years and I have never seen a horse go any where but back to the camp or truck but once. The one time they didn't they went out to the trail head, past the truck and headed down the road towards home. It was 35 head, got them turned around on the main road towards home and took them back to camp, that was right at a 70 mile round trip to get tham back in. Just keep looking they will show up.

~Jeff~

HornyMan · Jul 19, 2004

I'm a commercial pilot and can help if you are looking at doing it from the air.

Packout · Jul 19, 2004

Did you call the Brand Inspector?? Lanny DayBell in Mapleton is a good brand inspector, great guy, and can help you. You should also send a friend to the auction in Spanish Fork each Saturday for the next month, just to see if the horses show up there.

I agree with the previous post, except that I wouldn't doubt the horse could loose the hobbles. Rush jobs, new hobbles, or broken hobbles have set many a horse and mule loose. Besides, two of my horses can run faster with their hobbles on. Best of Luck Finding them.

Taqukaq- Do you happen to outfit up towards Two Ocean Pass in WY? I was leading our string out of the Thorofare 3 years ago and an outfitter had his stock belled in the meadow 1/4 mile off the trail. About 5 miles further down the trail I hear bells and there came 30-40 head of mules and horses. Caused me a minor wreck as my animals wanted to go with the runaways. The rider came along 1/2 hour later and he didn't catch them until past the trailhead, another 20 miles down. 70 miles of round trip sounds like that country.

Taqukaq · Jul 19, 2004

Did I look like this?

That tale started on the upper middle fork of the Flathead river in the Great Bear Wilderness Montana and I picked them up along hwy 2 along the border of Glaicer National Park

Packout · Jul 19, 2004

No, that didn't look like him. The guy I saw wasn't smiling and didn't have 1 mule out of the 20+ that looked as good as those in the picture. haha I think I'd buy that horse you're riding, not many get used enouch to make them good.

"Ya ain't never been kicked 'til you been kicked by a mule."
"A man who claims a mule tried to kick him is a liar. Mules don't miss."

Taqukaq · Jul 19, 2004

I been kicked, but only once. I was sent through the air and slammed against a lodgepole pine and all due to my own foolish behavior.
Middle Fork of the Flathead River Montana

Nice slick summer coats here

HorseHunter · Jul 22, 2004

Got a call last night from my friend saying that someone had found his horses. They were found right next to the lake where we had been camped when we were searching for them. The one was still hobbled but they had to be cut off.