usajon
.30 Stingray
Posts: 326
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Post by usajon on Sept 29, 2012 9:56:42 GMT -5
years ago a friend was horseback riding with his wife out in western Maryland woodlands and stated they came across some deer here and there, He said they did not really notice them. he wondered if the horse/man combo was to look natural to the deer...wondering if anyone can clear this old story up for me, and if you have hunted from horseback..how close can you get..report shake the horse up..etc.
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Fowler
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,671
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Post by Fowler on Sept 29, 2012 10:20:17 GMT -5
It would take a very steady horse with a real jackass on his back to try something like this. It works great in old westerns but they are not shooting anything but blanks and even if they miss the target the bad guy is still going to fall dead. Might sound great in theory but don't try it...
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usajon
.30 Stingray
Posts: 326
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Post by usajon on Sept 29, 2012 10:41:59 GMT -5
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Post by boxhead on Sept 29, 2012 15:18:13 GMT -5
I, one who had not been on a horse in 28 years, did a 10 day fly in horseback hunt in NE British Columbia (outside Toad River) a few years ago. At least a few times I got off the horse and walked it towards a rutting bull moose as I moved behind it to well within 100 yards of a bull. Throughout the hunt the horses always let us know that moose or grizzly were near. Uncanny.
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Post by Tom Richardson on Sept 29, 2012 21:24:23 GMT -5
You can shoot from the back of any horse.
Once.
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Post by zeus on Sept 29, 2012 21:58:59 GMT -5
I never shot from them but was able to get very close to deer in the MS briar thickets with them. Don't know why they didn't run but they would let you get close some of the time.
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Post by subsonic on Sept 29, 2012 22:11:03 GMT -5
Game animals associate the sound of 2 feet with humans. I have ridden very close to game animals - mule deer in particular. Of course it was while hunting Elk! The outfitter that we hunt with (he is a family friend) shot a cow elk with his 7mm Mag rifle from the back of his horse while we were hunting together. I would not try it... but he's been riding since he could walk and knows the horse he was riding is not scared of gunfire. The horse I was riding jumped 8ft sideways when I got out my rain gear. While I was on his back  The sound of a horse walking through timber is not unlike the sound of a bull elk. |
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Post by towboater on Sept 29, 2012 23:53:33 GMT -5
A horse can be trained to not be afraid of gunfire. Horse might be deaf after the training though.
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paulg
.375 Atomic
Posts: 2,420
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Post by paulg on Sept 30, 2012 7:40:16 GMT -5
You can shoot from the back of any horse. Once. ;D ;D ;D That's funny. If you haven't read Elmer Keith's book "Hell I Was There", you should, he has some good advice about shooting from horseback. |
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jwp475
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,101
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Post by jwp475 on Sept 30, 2012 11:11:34 GMT -5
It would take a very steady horse with a real jackass on his back to try something like this. It works great in old westerns but they are not shooting anything but blanks and even if they miss the target the bad guy is still going to fall dead. Might sound great in theory but don't try it... I wouldn't say that I have shot from horse back on more than one occasion. Some horse don't mind at all, others do. I once shot an Elk from horse back, without drama |
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Post by sixshot on Sept 30, 2012 11:56:11 GMT -5
Some times you can get quite close to game on horse back but not usually elk. I've rode up on them many times & surprised them but they will generally either take right off or mill around for a couple of seconds until the lead cow makes up her mind & then they change counties.
A horse is very good at spotting game, some of them are absolutely amazing. Look at the size of a horses eyes, thats why they spot game so well, plus they've got ears like a girl I used to know.
Shooting from the back of a horse has been done many times, not by me, I always get off & either tie up or hold the reins in my hand, I've walked a long ways a couple of times when the horse spooked & took off. One time when I finally reached the highway a motorist had stopped & caught my horse, the reins were broke so I rode using the lead rope all day.
What if you shot from horse back & the horse started bucking or sunfishing, what do you do with your rifle? You can have a very bad wreck shooting from horseback, you can also have a very bad wreck just riding a horse.
Dick
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usajon
.30 Stingray
Posts: 326
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Post by usajon on Sept 30, 2012 12:06:20 GMT -5
It would take a very steady horse with a real jackass on his back to try something like this. It works great in old westerns but they are not shooting anything but blanks and even if they miss the target the bad guy is still going to fall dead. Might sound great in theory but don't try it... I wouldn't say that I have shot from horse back on more than one occasion. Some horse don't mind at all, others do. I once shot an Elk from horse back, without drama what sort of gun/caliber was you shooting/time of day ? |
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jwp475
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,101
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Post by jwp475 on Sept 30, 2012 12:25:30 GMT -5
I shot the Elk with a 30-06, about mid day if memory serves. I have shot a few snakes from horse back with a handgun (38 splc. +P and or a 45 ACP 1911. I shot off the side of my horse not over his/her head in general. I have also gotten off and held the rains to shoot.
My horse is not afraid of the noise, I can pop a whip right by her nose and she doesn't blink
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Post by 19farmhand78 on Oct 1, 2012 7:50:32 GMT -5
A hunting buddy of mine raises mules, and most any of them I would be comfortable shoot from. A mule show I went to once with him had a hunter class, you had to shoot , mounted, standing/shooting over it's back, and shooting under it's belly. Watching that show told me to make sure you have your animal adjusted to the gun blast.
Now when riding with my wife on horses, I have yet to meet a horse I trust enough to shoot from.
Our horses get spooky when deer are around, but that my just be our horses.
19FarmHand78,
Nathan
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Post by subsonic on Oct 1, 2012 10:33:12 GMT -5
Yes, some horses are certain the they can be eaten by:
Bales of hay
Golf balls
Rain coats
Deer
Squirrels
And most importantly, nothing at all or something you can't see that the horse sees, that isn't there anyway.
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