Packing meat on horses

born_2_hunt · Aug 25, 2014

Packing meat on horses

Looks like I'm taking the inlaws horses on a elk hunt at the end of September. They are great horses and I ride them quite a bit but neither of them have ever packed meat.

I picked up some saddle panniers just need to know what I need to do to get them prepared so I don't have a rodeo on my hands.
I was planning on getting some fresh elk scraps or leg bones from the butcher to try and get them used to the smell of fresh blood.

Any other tips or advice would be appreciated.

DW · Aug 25, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

2 tricks the old timers swear by either fill their noses with elk blood on the kill site or fill their nose with vicks vapor rub. If there good broke honest horses I doubt you'll need to do either. I had a gelding that would go a little skitzo when he saw me covered in blood. I didn't like him much and I spect he figured he was next!

DW · Aug 25, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-14 AT 06:11PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-14 AT 06:10?PM (MST)

1 more thing....bone em out! U don't like carryin extra weight and neither do they! It don't take that long. You bone em out and keep the left 1/2 of the elk in 1 pannier and the right in the other. That'll keep yer load balanced, the biggest issue green packers have. If yer packing in a camp buy a $50 pack scale and always balance yer load. You like to read, "horses hitches and rocky trails". Short book, easy read, to the point! Packers bible!

nvthrt · Aug 25, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

+1 on the blood in the nose trick. Another thing is try and get them used to stuff brushing on the paniards, Take them out in the thick stuff before you head out with them full of something not valuable. I had one even after 10 years something would brush the sides hard and he'd get a little flinchy.

zekers · Aug 25, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Make sure the load is tight to their body. I've had them get jumpy seeing an elk rack out the corner of their eye.

DW · Aug 25, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

>Make sure the load is tight
>to their body. I've
>had them get jumpy seeing
>an elk rack out the
>corner of their eye.

+1 Tines up like u see in the pictures with a stick tied to the beam at the war tines. Had a guy in another camp lose his horse when it was stuck with an elk tine cause it was wide enough to go around the horse skull plate up with beams pointed down. Horse spooked took off stumbled and stuck himself!

Packout · Aug 25, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-14 AT 09:43PM (MST)[p]Saddle panniers are a tough way to pack if you have never done it before. I'd recommend you have 50lb scale with you because you need the load equal on each side. You'll have to cinch them down tight and it is best to have a breast collar. We bone them into game bags and keep each bag manageable. Load and unload each side some at a time to keep the panniers somewhat equal. Finally, I hate packing saddle horses with the tines back or along their side. This is how we do it and it has worked for years packing out dozens of bulls.

We blindfold them if we have to, but I don't like to pack animals which don't like to pack. You'll know what I mean if you have a rodeo or 10.

This horse had more than 200# of boneless meat and the 25-30# rack. That was a haul of dead weight.

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www.sagebasin.com
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smitty · Aug 25, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

In all honesty, you better figure out whether they'll pack meat before you get there.

Some horses will haul, some flat out won't.

Been there. Done that. It can get serious real quick.

People think that horses will do anything and everything you want them to. Some will. Others will trample you into a bloody mess to get away.

We've had a couple that would haul anything, anytime, anywhere. But we've also had a couple that would kill you to get away.

Be ultra careful.

Gator · Aug 25, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Deer/Elk skin with scent on it hanging on the corral get them use it quick just put the feed right beside it. I used old cow hide and just put elk in rut scent works fine.
I use large logs that they have to step over also to water and feed and they get use to those quick too.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

born_2_hunt · Aug 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

LAST EDITED ON Aug-26-14 AT 07:58AM (MST)[p]Thanks for the advice guys! I think with a little prep before hand they'll be fine. The horse that'll be packing is 25 and not much bothers him. The only thing he cares about is food. But they are animals and have a mind of their own and you never know how they are going to react to certain things.

I didn't really plan on packing the head on the horse just because I feel that's where they might get a little freaked out. There'll be two of us and the other guy can pack out the head.

Should I move the meat away from the carcass before bringing up the horses and loading it?

DW · Aug 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Wouldn't hurt but if someone's cared for a horse well enough to get him to 25 he's probably been thru enough to call him "kid broke" or "bomb proof" doubt your going to have an issue. Just remember your in charge and don't let em buffalo ya!

Phantom Hunter · Aug 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Just thought I would chime in. We have packed quite a few elk out in saddle panniers over the years. Always get your horse used to carrying a load in the pannier BEFORE going to the elk woods. Load the panniers with sacks of feed, hay bales, whatever just get them used to it. Vicks or Carmax in the horses' nose before your hands get real bloody will help. We always load front quarter plus neck and rib trimmings in one game bag, then a hind quarter and backstrap plus tenderloin in a game bag. We then roll the elk over and repeat. That way one horse can carry a front half and the other a back half and the sides should be real close in weight. Very important to have both sides equal in weight as has been stated. Another thing we do is add a third strap to the pannier in the middle if it does not have one. That will help cinch the load down tight. Be sure to watch trees and strong branches on the way out. A stob sticking out from the tree can rip a pannier and/or start a rodeo. Good Luck

born_2_hunt · Aug 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Got another question. The area I'm going to hunt is a large piece of blm that is nearly landlocked. I've backpacked it in the past. There is a set of corrals and tack shed on blm property. I assume it's a cow camp of some sort. I plan on camping there and keeping the horses in the corrals.

If someone is running their cows up there can they kick me out? I would think it's fair game since it's on blm. Anyone have any experience with this?

TOPGUN · Aug 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

>Got another question. The area I'm
>going to hunt is a
>large piece of blm that
>is nearly landlocked. I've backpacked
>it in the past. There
>is a set of corrals
>and tack shed on blm
>property. I assume it's a
>cow camp of some sort.
>I plan on camping there
>and keeping the horses in
>the corrals.
>
>If someone is running their cows
>up there can they kick
>me out? I would think
>it's fair game since it's
>on blm. Anyone have any
>experience with this?
>
>
>
>

I believe it would depend on if the property was leased by them for grazing rights, etc. If that's the case and they came up and wanted to use it, I think they have fulls rights to ask you to move out.

Packout · Aug 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

I have 20 and 21 year old horses that are the best riding horses I have ever had and they will pack camp- but they'd rather throw themselves off a cliff than pack meat. I have other horses to pack the meat. Age might help, but then again it might not. Good advice to pack him around the pasture before the hunt. You could take some raw hamburger, put it next to his nose, and see how he reacts. For some reason deer aren't too bad, elk are worse and moose are the worst to get horses to pack- so the burger might not tell exactly how he will react, but it will give you an idea.

Be careful not to over-work him- 25 years old is old and you need to be careful how much you load on him, especially if he is more of a pasture ornament than a user.

As for the corral, the lessee has first rights to the corral (maybe even the only right to use). The purpose for the corral is to gather livestock off the lease. Leave a halter on the horse and a lead rope on the gate. Any half-decent cattleman would just tie him off to the side while they used the corral.

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www.sagebasin.com
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born_2_hunt · Aug 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

He gets ridden in the mountains weekly so he's in decent shape. He is old and I'd rather load up his younger brother but there is a reason we call him "Wild Eye Joe". He can be a little spooky at times.

I'm gonna see how they do with a fresh elk hide here at home and go from there. Bow season starts this weekend so I should be able to get one from my butcher.

Thanks for all the helpful info and hopefully we can stick a bull or two to pack out.

DW · Aug 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Best thing to do with wild eyed joe is get his head low and keep it there. He'll b no trouble if he's tired.

DW · Sep 24, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Gotta b gettin close b2h,good luck! Be safe!

Idahoron · Sep 25, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

I would be very careful trying the old blood in the nose trick. You could end up with a front hoof strike between the eyes. I had a couple ribs broken this way. Ron

duckslayer · Sep 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Having packed a lot of meat on horses with saddle panniers box panniers and canvas bag panniers on a pack saddle with almost different horses every year. I'd say don't worry about it. Horses will stay calm if you are. I also don't care how much I trust a horse if it is a trophy animal I would never put the rack on the horse because there are way too many things that can go wrong. Keep everything tight and stay calm and you'll be fine. One thing that really seems to work for in experienced horses is having them by the animal while you quarter it out. after a minute of smelling the blood and relaxing they lick their lips start to eat and don't think twice about you putting bags on their back. Just my $0.02

zia · Sep 26, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Just be careful, go slow and be patient. Pay attention to what the horse tells you, wrecks happen in the blink of an eye! This horse has packed over 50 bulls and I still treat each one like the first.

Horniac · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

"1 more thing....bone em out! U don't like carryin extra weight and neither do they! It don't take that long. You bone em out and keep the left 1/2 of the elk in 1 pannier and the right in the other. That'll keep yer load balanced, the biggest issue green packers have."

For those of us who hire you horse experts to pack out an elk, is boning the quarters out always preferred over leaving the bone in? Obviously it's lighter, but I was under the impression some packers like the leg bones in because it is easier to handle, load, and tie-down on their pack horses...

Thanks,

Horniac

DW · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

That was just my personal opinion horniac. I'm sure everyone's different.

mtmuley · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

If you take stock in to pack meat that have never done it before, expect a rodeo. Gentle or not, they won't like it. mtmuley

zia · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-14 AT 06:46PM (MST)[p]i think it is much easier with the bone left in especially if you are packing on a decker pack saddle or a riding saddle. Here is how we sometimes pack the front of an elk rigging a basket hitch on a riding saddle.

nfh · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-14 AT 06:54PM (MST)[p]I keep the hide on the quarters to keep pine needles from dropping in the pannier. Make sure antlers can never jab the animal... Lots of ways to pack out heads. I would never put a rack straight up or have stick out 90 degrees. That is asking for major problems.

I pack front quarters/tenderloins/backstraps and head on one mule/horse And back quarters on the other since they tend to weigh more.

I will run a rope from above the knee of the quarter to the front of the pack cross buck. To help the back quarters from shifting. Going the extra mile when you have miles of down hill helps. Going down steep terrain things tend to shift so much

Getting ready to tie the head down. No points are touching. I ride a narrow trail for 17 miles. Some guys stick the horns to the side and they stick out 3 feet. not a good idea. And I know I know this picture the elk head looks funny. I got a ton of crap for it before but when I was cleaning the head before packing a big ol sow grizzly was getting aggressive and it was time to move out.

Sometimes a rack can be narrow. so I tilted this one back slightly. I always pack some rope/twine to help strap the rack down. doing that on both sides will help the rack shifting.

born_2_hunt · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Just got back yesterday. My buddy and I both killed bulls. The horses did great! No rodeos. I just let them smell me after I got the elk boned out then rubbed some blood in their noses. They didn't react much to it so we loaded them up. They even packed the heads fine.

Packed both bulls 7 miles to the truck no problems what so ever. I've never hunted off of them so it was definatly a learning experience for all of us including the horses. They had never heard elk bugle so they were a little skiddish when we had multiple bulls going off at once but they were fine after the first day.

The horses were a lot of work but well worth it.

DW · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

That's awesome b2h! Glad it all worked out! Tough to beat good broke horses on a hunt! They're extra work but they save u way more work than they cost u!

DW · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

>LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-14
>AT 06:54?PM (MST)
>
>I keep the hide on the
>quarters to keep pine needles
>from dropping in the pannier.
>Make sure antlers can never
>jab the animal... Lots of
>ways to pack out heads.
>I would never put a
>rack straight up or have
>stick out 90 degrees. That
>is asking for major problems.
>
>
>I pack front quarters/tenderloins/backstraps and head
>on one mule/horse And back
>quarters on the other since
>they tend to weigh more.
>
>
>I will run a rope from
>above the knee of the
>quarter to the front of
>the pack cross buck. To
>help the back quarters from
>shifting. Going the extra mile
>when you have miles of
>down hill helps. Going down
>steep terrain things tend to
>shift so much
>
>
>
>Getting ready to tie the head
>down. No points are touching.
>I ride a narrow trail
>for 17 miles. Some guys
>stick the horns to the
>side and they stick out
>3 feet. not a good
>idea. And I know
>I know this picture the
>elk head looks funny. I
>got a ton of crap
>for it before but when
>I was cleaning the head
>before packing a big ol
>sow grizzly was getting aggressive
>and it was time to
>move out.
>

>
>
>
>Sometimes a rack can be narrow.
>so I tilted this one
>back slightly. I always pack
>some rope/twine to help strap
>the rack down. doing that
>on both sides will help
>the rack shifting.
>

Anything can happen with horses on these hunts. But an fyi I know a guy that lost a horse when it spooked and ran off and fell with the horns straddle in em like that middle pick. Better to have that stick between the horns laying on their back like others posted. Jmo

DW · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Guess they liked it!

DW · Sep 28, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Didn't see where u said u were huntin. What part of what state? Just curious if I've been there. And how did the cabin/corral deal end up?

born_2_hunt · Sep 29, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

Somewhere in Colorado ;-) Using the corrals worked great. We got back from packing my bull back to camp and noticed someone had been there and had rounded up their horses they had up there grazing.

That night the lease holder paid us a visit. Apparently his Mexican helpers had told him we were using his horses. But he soon realized we had our own. He had no issue with us using the corrals and tack shed. He even gave us permission to cross his property to make the pack out easier.

We left it better than when we showed up and packed some trash out and fixed some fence.

DW · Sep 29, 2014

RE: Packing meat on horses

I kinda thought they looked like colorado elk! Congrats again sounds like a helluva time! I leave in a wk to do the same 6 of us all bull tags. Can't wait!