We’ve spent all summer getting ready for hunting season. We’ve practiced with our bows, sent rounds downrange, confirmed zeros and made sure our gear is dialed. We’ve studied maps, checked trail cameras and dreamed about filling the freezer and notching those tags.
But there’s one more member of the hunting team that also needs to be ready.
What about your horse or mule?
When you notch your tag and the real work begins, have you put in the time to make sure your equine is prepared to pack it out?
A good pack animal isn’t made after the shot. That preparation starts long before hunting season.
Put in the Miles
Packing game out of the mountains is hard work. Your equine needs to be physically prepared for the country you’re asking them to travel and the weight you’re asking them to carry.
Throughout the summer, I’m putting miles on my stock. We climb hills, cross water, travel through rocks, over logs and navigate the same types of obstacles we’ll encounter during hunting season.
This year, my four-year-old mules Lexi & Lynx have spent over 150 miles each on the mountain and have attended numerous clinics in preparation for the real job. They have carried loads, led the pack string, worked cattle and learned how to confidently navigate the trail. The experience needed to safely pack meat doesn’t happen overnight. Every mile is another deposit in the confidence and reliability bank.
Don’t Let the First Load Be an Elk
Before hunting season, get the pack saddle out and use it.
Your equine needs to learn how to travel with panniers, how to account for the additional width of a load and how to negotiate trees, rocks and tight spaces without panicking when something bumps or catches.
Gradually increase weight as fitness improves and always pay attention to saddle fit and load balance.
I’m extremely particular about balanced loads. I want each side within about a pound of the other. An improperly balanced load creates unnecessary work for your equine and increases the chance of your saddle and load shifting or rolling.
Carry a pack scale and use it. You don’t want to spend your pack out searching the mountainside for the perfect rock to balance your panniers when you should be heading down the trail.
Introduce the Sights and Smells of Success
We also need to remember that harvested game can be a completely new experience for an equine.
Blood, hair, hides and fresh meat smells different. Antlers sticking out from a load look different. A horse or mule that calmly carries camp equipment may have a very different opinion when you walk toward them carrying an elk quarter.
Trust me, you want to introduce those things before you need to pack them. Let your stock smell and investigate hides, meat and antlers in a controlled environment. Build confidence slowly. Eventually, introduce those items around the pack saddle and incorporate them into your training.
You want your equine thinking, I’ve seen this before, rather than trying to teach the lesson miles from the trailhead with daylight disappearing. You will also determine, who is willing to safely pack meat and antlers as not every equine is suited for all jobs.
Prepare for the Whole Hunt
We spend so much time preparing for the opportunity to take the shot, but pulling the trigger or releasing an arrow isn’t the end of the hunt.
In many ways, that’s when the work begins.
So before opening morning, take an honest look at your equine partner. Put in the miles. Fit your tack to the equine its going on and practice with loaded panniers. Introduce the sights and smells of harvested game. Make sure your horse or mule is physically fit, mentally confident and handy enough to safely do the job.
Because when you finally notch that tag and there are hundreds of pounds of meat on the mountain, you’ll be grateful you prepared your equine with the same dedication that you prepared yourself.