Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Getting in Deeper

Now That this is up, how many of you hunters use Horses, or ATV's? Either to get in a little deeper, before starting to backpack in even further. Or to go back in and bring out the game. Also how does your state's trails system work with your hunting public lands? Private lands, when your offered?<P>Phil

I love using horses to get where I want to go. I bought them for hunting. Man are they a lot of work. Worth it though. <BR>My goal is to never backpack hunt again if I can ride. Nice site!Brad

Brad: Keep coming by! I don't have any horses, but like to ride when I get the chance. Just got back from Alaska a few months ago, where I had my first chance to do some real mountain riding in years. I live in a metropolitan area of Southern California. So horses would be too large of an expense for me, and would have to be trailered for any real riding. Just bought a new ATV last week. A Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O. Duck's Unlimited. Hopefully I'll get quite a bit of use out of that this year. What, and where do you do your hunting?<P>Phil

Greyghost, that Polaris is a nice machine. I have a Honda 400 Foreman and the Polaris is more comfortable to ride. Much nicer suspension. Still like my Honda, though. Have a few hunting buddies that run Hondas, they're like the ole Timex, take a lickin, keep on ticking. badger.

Badger: This is my first ATV, so I'll have to take you word on them. But I know what you mean about the Timex's. I have a whole desk drawer full of them, some as old as 10 years, still running on the original battery. Wish everything was as good a quality. I keep breaking the bands. What kind of areas do you get your ATV's into, and how far in do you go.<P>Phil

My wife and I are avid riders. We ride 2-3 times a week(we live near 40+ miles of trail and ride from the house). She rides a Sportsman 500 and I have a Big Boss 6X6 400 two stroke. I have had mine for about 5 years now. We just picked hers up in the spring of 2000. <P>Up here in Alaska the Riding is very accessable. There are many trail systems. You must get out of Ancorage to ride though. <P>Hey Greyghost,<P> Where did you ride when you were up here? What did you ride? How do you like that H.O. engine? My wifes 500 is a dog compared to my 2 stroke. I was wondering how that H.O. engine runs.<P>6X6

I love the irony of this site. Rick's got to be a Bush fan. A uniter and not a divider. We'll see how long the honeymoon lasts.<P>Around here when you put horses and ATV's together you can end up in a bigger fight than the old sheep against cows wars.<P>Most serious elk hunters around here either own or have easy access to horses and swear by them. I've kind of backed off elk the past several years and mostly chase deer and antelope now. <P>We've got a Kawasaki Prairie 400 which we bought new in '98 or '99. I selected it as it was rated the "four wheeler of the year" at that time by some industry rag or another.<P>It's been a great machine for us and has recovered a whole bunch of critters. On one hunt it hauled three antelope and myself across the sagebrush and on another, two very large whitetails and two "not skinny" brothers up and out of a canyon.<P>We usually just trailer it to a convenient location and then drop it and the trailer unless we need it for recovery.<P>Access to forest roads and trails has been very good here, but, pressure keeps on coming from people in the real world, like New York City and Washington DC, who know what's best for us, to limit access. <P>Most really good areas around here are private land and ranchers accept their use as long as reasonable care is taken in their use.<P>We keep talking about getting another one so we'll each have our own for spring turkey season but, so far, we haven't used or needed the one we have for that. <P>Ours actually sees more use pushing a snow plow around the neighborhood than anything else.

6x6: That 2 cycle is going to have the instant power, that you'll never be able to get from a 4 cycle. The 2001 H.O. is supposed to have 20% more power than the 2000 H.O.. Haven't had a chance to really take it out and run it yet. As far as where I rode when I was in Alaska. I don't really remember. It was some ranch about an hour from the Denali Princess Lodge. Half way between Anchorage, and Fairbanks. It was only for approx. 7 hours, but the scenery was beautiful. Had some big black, even the wife enjoyed the ride at 60. May be I'' post some pictures later on.<P>Phil

TwoDogs: I envie all you people that have easy access to trails, ranch land, and hunting. For me any kind of outing like that takes allot of planing, and most of the time, taking time off from work.<P>Phil

I know what you all mean about a horseback hunting. Had one all setup, and then had to back out. I was talking to a guide from a ranch in Alaska, around the Denali's. He was booked for 2 years, but said he might have a cancelation. But he would let me know in a couple weeks. That was around December 1st, He called back just before New Years, and said it was mine if I wanted it. But I had to come up with a 50% downpayment to hold it. The total price was $8,500. That was for a 14 day horseback hunt for Moose, and Grizly. One on One, 150 miles in, and the same out. For fall 2001, the only drawback. It didn't include airfare from Fairbanks to the main camp, or bringing out the meat. I had to let it pass, work really slowed way down. Just my Luck! You guy's helped me find it, and I want to think you all for that. Maybe another year.<P>Phil

Greyghost,<P>I use my Foreman primarily on our hunting lease (1300 acres) to get around & haul stuff. Terrain varies from disused logging roads (Red Georgia clay) to swampy bottoms to "make your own tracks through the bush". You will find that the average ATV will easily shoulder past or push over young saplings up to about 1.5" in diameter. The trees will just pop up again behind you. Heaviest load carried so far was my wife & self on 4-wheeler, 400lbs corn, 1 tripod stand, 15 gallons molasses, 2 adults,& 5 kids ages 4 to 12 on trailer. Trailer weight unladen approx 300 lbs. Handled up quite well over varied terrain. Have also used the Honda to help pull a Dodge Dakota and a Ford F-150 out of a ditch (Two separate occasions, of course. ) badger.

I own a Honda 350ES 4x4 which is a very nice machine. I use it for work and hunting and looking around on my ranch. It is not as fast or as good in the mud as some of the 2 strokes, but, and this is a big but, it is much more reliable, long lived, and costs less to fix if it should break. With my fat butt on it it will run 50 mph on pavement. Plenty enough for me. I am not knocking someone else's choice of ride, but you need to consider how much you use it, how hard the conditions are, and how much time and money you want to invest in maintenance or repairs. I would like the new Honda 500 Rubicon, but honestly do not see the need for it in my operation. As for load carrying ability, if you ride with some common sense, they will carry more than you want to load on them. Good Shooting.

Badger: I was in Georga for about a month when I took my Airborne trining. Didn't mind the red clay that much. But those Magnola Blosoms in the rain. Smelled like you were in a candy factory. My great ancestors had a plantation there way back when. Always wanted to go back and try to locate some of the long lost relatives. My Grandfather bless his his soul, was disinherited for marying a woman the parents didn't approve of. Or maybe it was vise versa. Anyway they moved to Missippi, then Oklahoma in the "20's", and California in the "40's" worked for the railroad for 47 years. Who's neck did you have to break to get a 1300 acre hunting lease. Damn what a dream.<P>Spent most of the afternoon finally getting the picture posting thing down.<P>Phil

If it Flies it Dies: I would give anything to be in some of your guys places. Just walk out the door, and have the wide open spaces. Before I bought my Polaris, I was looking at their 6x6. Now that's a bike. All 6 wheels are drivers, either 4 or 6. The same independent suspension as the 4x4, and can carry 800 pounds in the box. Then they also have a Sportsman 4x4 with a diesel in it. Bet that thing can do some pulling.<P>Phil

Greyghost,<P>we lease the 1300 acres. Have 13 members, of which I only see about 5 on a regular basis. We have whitetails, turkeys, hogs, black bear (no open season on bears, although they tear the heck out of our feeders ) armadillos etc. Hers a pic of the Honda with a tired doe taking a "rest" on the back. badger.<BR> [img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1505453&a=11365009&p=40195140[/img] <p>[This message has been edited by badger (edited February 05, 2001).]

Badger: That's a pretty good looking setup. Looks just about the same size and color as mine. Got a Zieman trailer to go with mine. Wouldn't fit in my little Mazda P/U. The dealer called me Friday night, and said a couple of my friends came in for a quote. Didn't say if they were going to buy or not. But he said for me to come down this next coming Friday. That he had a thank you gift for me. A gun case and mount. So that will save me from having to buy one option.<P>Phil<BR>

Hi All !<P>Just thought I'd weigh in here...<P>I train and compete with German Shorthairs(Field Trials) and therefore have Tennessee Walking horses(2 one for me.. one for my wife). <P>To condition my dogs we do something called roading.. in that we put the dogs in a harness and then let them pull against the horse or 4-wheeler.<P>Given the above you can tell I have both.. though my 4-Wheeler is a very basic model(Polaris Trail Blazer 250) that I bought primarily to condition my dogs(called too lazy to saddle a horse up... plus I can road ALL my dogs at once on the 4-wheeler)<P>I have always cussed them damn 4-wheelers when I'm hunting on horseback.. I don't care which brand type whatever you ride.. then make WAY more NOISE than a horse does.. Anyway.. my biggest complaint is with people that don't obey the LAW.. and think that because their machine can go anywhere they have a right to...<P>Ok.. that's off my chest... I understand that a few bad apples can really spoil things for those of us that obey the law.. I see alot of the trouble due to lack of clear understanding of the law... Here in NM it is for example AGAINST the law to drive a 4-wheeler off any road on:<P>BLM Land<BR>State Land<BR>National Forest Land<P>Unless.. you have a downed animal. This is the same for a vehicle. Horses on the other hand are not so limited for obvious reason IMO .. they simply do FAR less damage to habitat...<P>So, I hunt big game on horseback.. nothing could be better IMO.. not only that but if you have a really good horse.. he could save your life if you become disoriented.. as I have .. you think your GPS is reliable? you should see my horse find camp :-) he's a terrific animal.<P><BR>Anyway, I hope this forum goes well. .I look forward to discussion about both horses and ATV's....<BR><P>------------------<BR>--Steve

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU RIDE. JUST RIDE!!!<p>[This message has been edited by BigBoss6X6 (edited February 06, 2001).]

I mostly ride in the forests around my home. I live 1 mile from the Black Hill Nat. Forest. Deer, Elk, and even turkey hunting. I spend more time scouting country in the spring and summer also. Their is something about being on top of a horse that makes me feel good. I would like to get into some good flyfishing on my horse, but everything here is too accessable. Brad

Greyghost: I dunno about you wanting to live out here, it is 12 miles to the first store, and I live in the populated part of Texas, theoretically, at least. 25 miles twice a day to take kids to school and pick them up. Speaking of electrical outages, we had an ice storm through here starting Christmas day, had NO, repeat No electricity for 14 days at my house. God that was fun. Not. All electric house, including well, but we did have a good wood burning stove, called an Earth Stove. Finally got a generator and returned to some sembalnce of normality. Makes me really respect our settler/ancestors.<P>However, I love it, but the damn neighbors are too close, can't be much more than 1/4 mile to the next house. Course, I do have my 200 yard range in my hay meadow, about 100 yards from house. Guess they will have to live with the sound. Good Shooting.