Re: Trapping on horseback?
[Re: Chamacat]
#6513470
04/08/19 11:15 PM
04/08/19 11:15 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,140 Texas Hill Country
Cedar Hacker
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,140
Texas Hill Country
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Yep..I've done a bunch..Make sure your horse is OK with a cat on it... Make sure your horse is OK with any type of animal or hide on it. Same goes with lure that it can smell. Especially on a freezing misty morning.
Sit on your horse on top of a ridge, look out across the country and tell me there is no God.
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Re: Trapping on horseback?
[Re: AuthorTrapper]
#6513503
04/09/19 12:23 AM
04/09/19 12:23 AM
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,110 Bonner County, Idaho
Wild_Idaho
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,110
Bonner County, Idaho
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In the true story autobiography book I'm reading about trapping in the British Columbia wilderness during the 1930's, called "Three Against the Wilderness," Eric Collier traps almost exclusively off horseback.
Real name Eric The sharpest hammer in the box of crayons.
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Re: Trapping on horseback?
[Re: AuthorTrapper]
#6513523
04/09/19 01:07 AM
04/09/19 01:07 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,046 Homer, Alaska
Spek Jones
"FATHER"
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"FATHER"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,046
Homer, Alaska
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I use horses for spring beaver, but I take a pack horse along. It would be a lot harder if I had to tie everything on my riding horse. It would greatly limit what I could do. As far as the spooky horse thing, if I'm breaking in a green pack horse I'll take along some poly feed bags to drop the beaver down in before loading them on the horse. Trying to keep a balanced load with beaver takes a little doing. If you catch say a 40 lb beaver you have a weight problem. I save the carcass and all, so skinning them in the field doesn't gain you much. To deal with that balancing problem when I leave camp I put five, roughly 5 lb rocks in each pannier. Then by shuffling them from side to side you can balance the load on a pack horse to keep the saddle from turning, and also avoid messing up the horses back. Travel very far with a saddle out of balance and you will sore back a horse. The same applies to your riding horse. If you hang a little extra weight on one side of the saddle you can off-set that some by sitting with a little extra weight in the off stirrup. But if you have a 40 lb beaver hanging off the saddle horn on one side you can't carry enough weight in the off stirrup to counter-balance that. So you can sore back your riding horse pretty easily. You mess up ones withers and they will be out of commission for a long time. It's can be a hard wound to heal and sometimes may take a year or more before you can use them again. About six adult beaver is max load for a pack horse, especially if you have very far to go. You can throw rocks away or add rocks or what ever you have to do to keep the saw-buck in the center.
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Re: Trapping on horseback?
[Re: AuthorTrapper]
#6513607
04/09/19 07:49 AM
04/09/19 07:49 AM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,842 central arkansas
the Blak Spot
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,842
central arkansas
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Gary Jepsons coyote dvd and coyote/bobcat snaring dvd show horseback trapping. In the snare video he goes over using horses, feed, how many miles to cover, and how to hang the animals, etc
the just shall live by faith
member FTA, ATA, EAFT 1776 - the year we told a tyrant we weren't to be under a dictator Caveat ater macula
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Re: Trapping on horseback?
[Re: AuthorTrapper]
#6513630
04/09/19 08:36 AM
04/09/19 08:36 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,154 Tug Hill, NY
Redknot
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,154
Tug Hill, NY
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I used a mule of mine trapping and it was enjoyable. As others mentioned above, make sure you condition your horse/mule to the sights and smells of trapping. I thought I did a pretty good job of that until my mule reminded me that I did not introduce her to the sounds of trap chains bouncing around on her. She walked sideways a lot trying to figure out that noise. She got over it, but let me know I did NOT cover all the bases.
Whatever you miss in training your horse will let you know about it...It was still a lot of fun and worth the time...
~Illegitimi Non Carborundum~
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