First Horseback Hunt????
Moose
Hey guys.. I have booked my first horseback hunt in British Colombia in 2015.. I am beginning to get alot of my gear together so i dont have to pay for it all at once.. I have a few questions..
I am going to get a badlands duffle for airport travel.. One of my questions is, do they just strap that duffle to one of the horses? Or do i need a specific bag/Pack for the ride in and out?
I have also heard pack frames are no good on horseback hunts bc you need to be able to wear the pack in the saddle.. How large of a day pack do you suggest for a horseback hunt? I am looking at the Tenzing 2200 and eberlestock x2..
This will be a 10 day moose hunt but I am also doing a bison combo if I can get the moose done in the first 6-7 days..
Did you book with Mike and Dixie?
A duffle works good for a top pack I would fit your sleeping bag in it as well. I would not worry about a big back pack for your day pack. Big enough to carry your clothing layers, water, lunch ,headlamp. Your guide will have spotting scope, tarp and other incidentals you may need.
Yep I booked with mike and Dixie. Deposits paid and now i have to wait 2 years lol. My hunt will be the last 5 days of sept to catch the peak/end of the rut and then going to try for bison as well.
First congrats it will be a hunt u never forget,I wouldn't worry about where the duffel goes that the packer job he will take care of all that honestly that's what ur paying for and yes u are correct a frame-type pack wouldn't work very well and very uncomfortable I use the badlands 2200 and it sits nice on the cantle of the saddle so I really don't have any weight on my shoulders going down the trail enjoy your trip take lots of pics to share, see u down the trail,Mule
Maybe the Kuiu 1850 pack without the frame? JJ
Just completed my first horseback hunt...Bighorn Sheep in BC. I actually had a bit of an aversion to horses but the hunt went without incident and would not be afraid to book hunts with horses. With that said...Your duffle will be fine. As far as a pack goes, you are correct, you don't want one with an external frame. I used a Mystery Ranch Metcalf with the NICE lid and it worked perfectly. I would say 2200 as a minimum and 4000 as a max. For me, the 1850 wouldn't be big enough for a hunt like this.
I go on a horseback hunt every year and I use a Badlands Super day, you will not have to haul meat out the horses will do that for you. I have the Eberlestock X1A1 and X2 also I would not take the X2 because of the frame. Get yourself a good bow sling and soft case also
I'd suggest two smaller duffels and try to even out the weight in them. Any packer will appreciate that. Or just bring a second one and split your stuff up before pack in.
Yes pack frames aren't user friendly on a horse. You'll want something that sits high so it doesn't rest on the cantle (rear of the seat) which will give your horse saddle sores eventually. I'd ask the outfitter if your guide will be pulling a pack animal every day in which case you could disregard that. 2200 to 3000 c.i. should be adequate.
Good luck BC is heaven on Earth.
jte: Perhaps you've already worked out a way to carry your bow, but if you haven't, PM me and I'll send you my journal from a recent BC moose hunt.
I've learned a lot of things the hard way, so perhaps you can avoid my mistakes by reading what worked (and didn't work) for me. - Bruce
I use a badlands diablo for my daypack and would think thats all you need for a guided hunt.The pack I use for flying is the backlands duffle that you can put your bow inside of;forget the name.That pack is awesome for flying to hunts with your bow.It carries everything you need and your bow.I bought my from hunthardcore.com;Dan.When you get to the horses,they will empty your stuff to put in panniers to even the weight.You could bring along a couple small duffle bags for separating your clothes from your hunting items once you get off the plane.That way when you get to camp its easy to find everything,and its easy for them to pack the horses if you broke down your main pack from the flight into smaller duffles.These are what I use on my trips and they work great
the packers will split the weight into panniers, so if you don't just have one big bag it makes it a lot easier on them. They should have a scabbard for your bow too. Enjoy the hunt!
Go take riding lessons right before you go, even if you think you know how, your butt will thank you.
Small pack is better in a saddle, keep it off the top of the cantle.
