Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Alaska, Horse or ATV

HI,
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<br>I would like to hear the opinions of the people here who have experience. Would I be better with a Atv or a Horse in Alaska, the SE which has thick forest. I really do not have much experience in either, but will learn when I move there in around 4.5 years and want to see which would be better and prepare for it now. Thanks,Kev

Kev,
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<br>I no next to nothing about horses. There seems to be darn few horses in S.E. Alaska though. I'd wonder about the availability of 'horse supplies' around here.
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<br>ATV's though, are quite popular.

I allays wondered 'bout horses in Alasker. Gotta have hay, an' growin' it here in Wyomin' ain't a shur thang. Maybeso alfalfer grows good with them long summer days up thar. In Wyomin', the sayin' goes thet you own horses fer 3 months outta the year an' fer 9 they own you. Mus be worser in AK.

I guess all depends on where in Alaska you plan to hunt. In the interior of Alaska ATV's are very popular, but one is limited to those areas where trails are available. Then there are areas that are only accessible by boat or by aircraft. One can always load an ATV on a boat and take it across the river, and some hunters do that. Other hunters fly into the hunting grounds. But hunters do very well in the interior.
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<br>However, I know of a few people who use horses for hunting. One of these is a guy from work, who leaves his ATV home and rides horses in hunting areas where all motorized modes of transportation are not allowed. In these areas one would have to hike in and out, but horses are allowed. Since "hunting on horse" is not very common, a horse rider should be able to reach great hunting areas. You will have to find out what would be the best mode of transportation for the areas you plan to hunt, then decide what to buy.
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kev -- if you're planning to move to SE Alaska, don't even think about a horse. I left my mustang in Wyoming when I moved up, because there is no place to keep him, no place to use him, and no way to feed him. The trails into the high country are built over such soupy country that major stretches are made from yellow cedar -- not something horses handle well. The timber and brush is so thick that you mostly aren't riding off trails, until you get into the alpine. Much of that is simply too steep for horses. There is no -- as in not any -- agriculture on most of these islands, so hay and other feed would have to be imported from Washington or Oregon -- at prohibitive prices. If you could get feed, buying a place large enough and flat enough to keep a horse will be extremely costly -- around Ketchikan, at least $300,000 and probably more.
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<br>In a few words -- SE AK is NOT horse country!

I am aware that some outfitters use horses in Alaska. A friend of mine went on a successful moose hunt up there 3 years ago, and it was a horseback hunt. BUT, from what I understand, keeping horses in Alaska is an expensive proposition. For an individual, probably not worth it. ATV's and snow mobiles make more sense.

I had a couple horses I bought for a guide and used them N. of Anchorage. They worked out great. There were far more horses in that area than I would have imagined. They are an expensive proposition up there though.
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<br>Look for a good tempered horse with big feet. I stuck one in the wet tundra several times and had to grag her out with another horse! It's like walking on a floating carpet and if the horse gets excited and punches its hooves through, it's a real easy dismount . Just step off as their chest will be at ground level.
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<br>Also, I learned not to tie bells to the horses when you turn them out. Bears kinda thought that was their dinner bell. The horses managed to dodge them, but they were pretty freaked for a while. Horse and bear tracks EVERYWHERE through camp.
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<br>Overall, they can work out very nicely, but it seemed that you could get weasels (small track rig) into most of the area that the horses could go.