# Todays Ride to Elk Camp



## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

Went with hubby and hunting buddies to set up Elk Camp today. It was a 20 mile round trip. A lot of the ride is right along the face of the mountain and the trail is very narrow with a very steep drop down the mountain. It's not a good thing when you see the trail slough off down the mountain as the horses in front of you go along. This is the trail hubby has been riding for years. And in the dark a lot of times!!! I was a bit nervous on the way up since my horse has never been on that trail and is an OTTB with lazy feet. However, he did amazing and I had no need to worry. Oh until he got a lead rope from a pack horse caught under his tail. Then he lunged up a rocky hill trying to shake the rope while pulling the pack horse with him. I lost both stirrups and decided to bail before I fell off. I managed to grab the rope and everything settled down pretty quick. Guess I know what we'll be working on in the round pen this week. 

Oh we also had one horse slip of the trail with his back end and throw his rider down the mountain in his attempt to get back up on the trail. Luckily it was in a spot with several trees so the rider managed to catch himself before he went to far. He and the horse were fine.

All said and done it was a great way to spend the day I on the way back I discovered I had gotten over being nervous and anxious about the narrow trail.

This photo is of the flat before we started our 3300 foot assent to camp. We ended up at roughly 9000 feet.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Isn't Elk hunting fun?

I guess after all my years of packing in for elk hunts. Most trail rides seem pretty tame. I took the horses out yesterday for a ride, A friend brought a couple that are his friends along. So I had two strangers, I'd never met. If I had know them a little bit, I guess I might have chosen a different trail to ride yesterday. The trail I chose was overgrown, many blowdown trees, Lots of knee knockers. The poor gal who came along, got poked in the scalp with low hanging branches, banged a knee and in general was scared for the entire ride. She did say that the ride had accomplished one thing. She was no longer afraid of falling off. I should have chosen a good bike trail that is well cleaned and trimmed for this couple. But what fun is that?


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Painted Horse said:


> Isn't Elk hunting fun?
> 
> I guess after all my years of packing in for elk hunts. Most trail rides seem pretty tame. I took the horses out yesterday for a ride, A friend brought a couple that are his friends along. So I had two strangers, I'd never met. If I had know them a little bit, I guess I might have chosen a different trail to ride yesterday. The trail I chose was overgrown, many blowdown trees, Lots of knee knockers. The poor gal who came along, got poked in the scalp with low hanging branches, banged a knee and in general was scared for the entire ride. She did say that the ride had accomplished one thing. She was no longer afraid of falling off. I should have chosen a good bike trail that is well cleaned and trimmed for this couple. But what fun is that?


Sounds to me you just let them in on what a horse and they themselves can really do.


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

We do a memorial ride every year for our dad , who was a great rider and packer, donating his efforts to the first service maintaining trails and wilderness emergency cabins. We spread his ashes on violet hill as he requested and we revisit every year in August. This year it was just the two of us so we went a different and more challenging route on the Pacific Crest Trail around the back side of Devils Peak. Yikes! It was about 6000 ft and sheer drop on one side, at least 1000 ft. and a very narrow Our youngest horse balked about 1/4 mile from the end of the scary part so my friend had to get off and lead him. I was so worried about startling my horse, I didn't get a picture !!! But what fun! And two nights under the stars at that altitude was awesome. Nothing like it!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Barrelracer00 (Sep 9, 2012)

Oh my that would scare me SO much! I'm afraid of heights, even though I trail ride on mountains alot. Narrow trails? No thank you! Glad you had fun though


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## TrailheadSupply (Sep 6, 2012)

I'd have to agree with Darrin's statement ......"I guess after all my years of packing in for elk hunts. Most trail rides seem pretty tame." All those miles pulling my pack string and or riding my horse where most mountain goats wouldn't go. You forget that the average person has never experienced rides which seem normal to me.


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## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

*Photo Update of Elk Hunt*

Here's hubby with his Bull. Scored a 355. The ride in to get the elk was more fun than the ride to camp. I can honestly say my horse and I have learned more in a month than we have in 6 years of riding together.


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## huntfishnride (Jan 25, 2012)

Glad to see you had a successful hunt. Great Bull.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Yea, we only think we have mountains here......beautiful country.....and I'm still waiting on the invite....hint.....hint....:wink:


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Congrates on the bull. It's great when somebody draws a limited entry tag.

I have to agree, My horses and I always do better during and after the hunting season. Instead of plodding down a well maintain trail with the mountain bikers and hikers, They have deal with steep mountains, blow down trees, rocks and ledges. Often with more weight than they carried all summer, what with hunting cloths, lunchs and rifles etc being tied onto the saddles. The occassion hunter bailing off and shooting at game, The excitement of game busting out of cover and running off, having to carry new gamey smells and blood. Having to be high lined all night and trying to find enough to eat on the mountain side.

Yep. Its good experience for the horses to learn to work.


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## LesandLily (Oct 8, 2012)

BoldComic said:


> Here's hubby with his Bull. Scored a 355. The ride in to get the elk was more fun than the ride to camp. I can honestly say my horse and I have learned more in a month than we have in 6 years of riding together.


 Beautiful bull! Well done. I so miss elk hunting every year!!!!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I showed your picture to my husband and I think he is ready to move to Utah now.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Nice elk. Any more tags?


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Nice elk!

I'm a freezer meat hunter (go after dry cows) rather than a wall hanger hunter, but I always like to see someone get a nice bull.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

It's pretty much end of the season for rides into the high country. It's the last weekend of the deer hunt. With the snow we got this week, this is probably the last time this year I'll venture up high.

This is at 11,000 foot.









Most everything has frozen









It was a blue sky sunny day that had the snow melting.


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