Fisrt Wilderness Hunt for me

P-nut

New Member
Dec 7, 2015
25
0
Opp, Alabama
First Wilderness Hunt for me

Hello all,
I am new to the forum. I am planning my first ever Wilderness hunt with Livingston Outfitters in Cody, Wy. in October 2016 (Rifle), if everything goes good with the draw. This is something I have always dreamed about and it is a 20 year Anniversary gift from my wife. I am hoping to learn a lot of insight from the forum. I am from South Alabama and hunt deer and turkey and love it. My last hunt out west was in Pagosa Springs, CO in San Juan National Forest back in 2003 which was my first. We stayed in a cabin not far out of town. This however will be very different and I am looking forward to the challenge and experience. God Bless..

P-nut
 
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480/277

Very Active Member
Feb 23, 2013
629
1
Soon as you step foot in Wyoming, get on cowboy time, relax , enjoy and take it all in !!!!
Good luck
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2014
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You will have fun. Ride a horse and start doing cardio ahead of time if you aren't already. Good luck!


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Rory

New Member
Feb 15, 2016
12
0
East Central Illinois
I'm 58+, no weight or real health issues...except for arthritis in my lower back, along with spinal stenosis. I'm also allergic to bee stings. Since I have consistent level 3 to level 4 pain in my lower back, I was concerned about my endurance for my outfitted 2014 BC, Canada / Purcell Wilderness elk trip. I went to my Dr. who referred me our a local pain clinic, and I had injections in my lower back, two weeks before the trip. GOOD THING I GOT THE INJECTIONS ! 25 miles one way on horse back, interspersed with more riding + walking 35 miles during that hunt + the 25 mile ride out...never felt a thing, and the injection benefits lasted another 4 months. Things I learned: Be prepared for the constant wash board type of repetitive jolts to your back that occur when a horse is trotting. Be prepared for your horse to bolt. When horses get stung by ground hornets ( there were 7 nests we came across along the trail, on the way in ) horses inevitably bolt - albeit ours only enough to get away from the hornet nests / holes. NEVER let go of the saddle horn - always have one hand with a good grasp, and remain alert. Take allergy medicine / benedryl (sp?) syringes if you are allergic to bees ( I did not. In fact, I never gave a thought to them being "in the mountains.") I was lucky, out of a pack string of 8 horses and 4 humans, I was the only living thing that did NOT get stung. Believe me, I went to great lengths to avoid being stung. DON'T put your feet too far into the stirrups - pay attention to your outfitter when he gives you your horse instructions. NEVER take your eyes off the trail ahead. When you do, you will get smacked in the face by a low hanging branch or be jabbed somewhere by a protruding, sharp limb. That injury can be catastrophic. DO be prepared to lift your legs out of the stirrups as your horse closes the gap between trees, rocks, etc., on the trail. Failure to do so will result in a severely bruised (or worse) foot or leg. DO reign in your horse if he wants to trot, etc. Show him you are in control. Be mentally prepared for wilderness accomodations. A wilderness cabin - if you are in a cabin - is often not very tight. It has suffered bear intrusions, damage from storms, and it is like every other wood structure - rodents get into them. I had the luxury of a two pound pack rat running across my chest on the first night in my "suite." Beyond that, let your outfitter know what you NEED, as well as what you want. I'm a picky eater. Since I had successfully hunted with this outfitter on two previous occasions, he knew I was picky, and he accommodated me with the food I preferred - which was delicious. That made the down time more enjoyable, and I slept well. Let your outfitter know how you want to hunt, how hard, and what class of animal you are willing to settle for. Don't try to look at your outfitter's butt and try to read his / her mind...communicate! Remember that communication works both ways.

As far as getting ready, cardio ability is a given prerequisite. Additionally, I spent months with a focus on lower body (legs, thighs) and core (back & abdominal). More than one kinesiology / sports studies Doctor has told me that most people forget about the importance of core. It is as the name suggests - the core of your strength and support - the core supports all other muscles and your skeletal structure. Consult a knowledgeable professional and work on your core, a lot. Hydrate as soon as you walk out the door to start your trip. Make sure you have Gator Aid, etc. in your pack and at base camp. I suffer from debilitating abdominal and bowel cramps when I dehydrate - and it doesn't take much. The Gator Aid replenishes the sugar and electrolytes and quickly rids me of my symptoms. l rationed it and used it on my hunt. Pack a GPS, and a compass, (and a SPOT) and know how to use them. Don't rely completely on your guide. On another wilderness hunt, my outfitter's guide - built up by the outfitter to be quite the outdoorsman - failed to bring either with him. When we became temporarily lost in a heavy Wyoming snow storm, the guide asked ME which way was north. When I asked if he had a compass, he said no, he always relied on a prominent mountain peak for his reference. A lot of good that does in the frequent snow storms at 10,000 feet ! I pulled out my compass, and he did not believe the NORTH indicator - I had to convince him of my practice and familiarity with the compass. In that same storm, I had my snow / rain gear in the bottom of my pack. Don't do that ! I was wet by the time I got it on. Consequently, I was mildly hypothermic by the time we found the horses and rode the three hours back to camp. Luckily, the cook tent had a good fire in the stove and I got warmed up. Along that line, wear moisture wicking / breathable nylon, polyester or wool undergarments, etc. I have invested in cheap "packable" down garments to supplement my September bow hunt. I also take a homemade trauma kit, with a combat tourniquet, supplies to dress a sucking chest wound - you know, in case someone gets shot or cut - and a few other things to treat serious wounds. No, it does not take up much space in the pack. My philosophy - never put your life totally into the hands and preparation of another. That was a long one, but I hope it helps. Stand tall, shoot straight, and speak the truth ! Stay safe, everyone.
 

480/277

Very Active Member
Feb 23, 2013
629
1
Mules give a much better ride than a horse. If there is a mule in the line, grab it.
 

RICMIC

Veteran member
Feb 21, 2012
2,016
1,796
Two Harbors, Minnesota
P-nut; All good advice given so far. Outfitters will generally tell you that there biggest complaints about clients is that they are often out of shape, and can't shoot. Start now on an exercise routine that you can live the rest of your life with, and concentrate more on staying healthy and uninjured over becoming buff. Just because you can shoot a deer at 100 yards from a box blind, don't assume you can shoot an elk at 300 yards just because it is bigger. Once your rifle is sighted in and you find the best load for it, then leave the bench behind and shoot from various real life shooting positions; over a pack, over a log, sitting, shooting sticks, etc. Find you max 100% effective range for off hand shots, as they do occur. I have shot all three of my 6x6 elk at under 60 yards after miles long stalks. Things can happen real fast out there and you may only get one chance. The guides job is to give you the opportunity, but you have to do your part. I have a 18" steel gong that I use for my training target. If I can't ring that gong in practice every time, then I won't shoot that far.
 

Squirrel tail

Member
Aug 28, 2012
56
0
Dillon MT
1+ on learning how to ride your butt will be thankful and there is a reason most everyone talks about being in shape. treat your guide nicely and he will do his best. Part of that is giving him your expectations which helps both of you.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
8,363
4,752
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Dolores, Colorado
Lots of good advice so far.

I have done over 25 wilderness hunts riding horses (and mules) to camp. In 2011 I celebrated my 70th birthday on a hunt into the Teton Wilderness in Wyoming, 33 miles/9 1/2 hours. My suggestion would be to do some riding before you go. Go to a stable or such and ride, as many times as you can. A good outfitter will have good wranglers to fit you stirrups correctly, be sure you can stand up and have about 1" between you butt and the saddle. Straightening your legs and standing in the stirrups will do wonder for your back during the ride. Carry your rain gear on you horse, you might need it.

Your outfitter will provide you with a list of gear to bring and probably have a weight limit on what you bring. My suggestion is not to take your rifle on your horse on the ride to camp, pack it in a hard case to be carried in by the pack stock. The outfitter should provide you with a scabbard for your rifle while hunting and also saddle bags for lunch, extra water, etc. Remember to take some real good sunglasses. I will get really bright above the timberline.

Above all have a great time and take lots of pictures.
 

Finsandtines

Very Active Member
Jun 16, 2015
586
177
Florida
X 10 on getting in shape and riding a horse before you go. I rode for an hour and a half twice a week for a couple weeks prior to my first hunt this year and it helped a bunch! Ask them to let you practice your mount/dismount. The girl also made me practice doing an emergency dismount and taught me a ton of things about horses I had no idea about. Also recommend getting familiar with the different horse gaits. This was huge, my horse decided it wanted to race the others from the back and galloped for the last thousand yards or so of our ride back to the trailhead. Good thing I was somewhat acclimated. Be prepared for anything! Take tons of pics and savor every second of it!
 

marcusvdk

Veteran member
Dec 13, 2011
5,397
1,662
Michigan
X 10 on getting in shape and riding a horse before you go. I rode for an hour and a half twice a week for a couple weeks prior to my first hunt this year and it helped a bunch! Ask them to let you practice your mount/dismount. The girl also made me practice doing an emergency dismount and taught me a ton of things about horses I had no idea about. Also recommend getting familiar with the different horse gaits. This was huge, my horse decided it wanted to race the others from the back and galloped for the last thousand yards or so of our ride back to the trailhead. Good thing I was somewhat acclimated. Be prepared for anything! Take tons of pics and savor every second of it!
Great advice on the horses
 

mntnguide

Very Active Member
Well after having guided deep wilderness horseback hunts for 8 years...here is my condensed thoughts for your hunt....The points stressed by others above are very spot on and you should do your best to accomplish them as best you can. Being in shape is only for your benefit and will just make your hunt more enjoyable for YOU! Being that you are going to be doing a ton of horseback riding in that country, you will really be happy if you do get on a horse some before the trip, because riding puts pressure on different muscles and you will get sore almost no matter what, so the more comfortable riding you are the happier you will be. . It was not uncommon for me to cover over 20 miles of hard steep riding in a day of hunting, and I have seen plenty of clients be in severe pain but they always push on, but just saying, you will be happier if you are not hurting if you end up riding hard and far every day. . My BIGGEST pet peeve is when a client shows up unable to shoot his gun well!! a 300+ yard shot in this big Wyoming country is almost a guarantee sometimes, and if you are not comfortable shooting at longer ranges, you might end up watching your big bull disappear forever instead of having your hands on him. Shoot shoot shoot and shoot some more before your hunt. Get comfortable in weird positions and practice off hand shots..Its pretty common to run into elk while riding horses, in which case you are going to be jumping off your horse, grabbing your gun and probably not have any time for a rest. Another thing if possible, once you GET to camp, shoot at a paper plate or something at 100 yards to make sure you are still on target before your first day of hunting. Horses are horses and they will bump trees etc...so you want to make sure your gun is still dialed in. Also, if you plan on riding with a daypack, you dont want a big backpack cause they suck to ride with all day long, and you also shouldnt be putting much into the saddle bags on your horse aside from your lunch and a water because it is hard on their kidneys, so you dont want to pack much weight into them. More than anything, have a great time and shoot a big bull!!
 

B&C Blacktails

Active Member
Mar 1, 2015
237
0
I'm excited for you, first time in the wilderness. Brings back memories.

Above all else get into shape as best you can, shoot often and watch your footsteps. My biggest pet peeve in guiding hunters is LOUD FEET and loud zippers. Think soft.

Good luck