hunting/shooting from horseback?

[joej]

19farmhand78 and subsonic - that about sums it up for me also - I almost posted yesterday but decided against it but between you two I think you've covered the basics for someone piling up on the ground just because that 1600#'s of attitude spooked at the wrong moment, as far as the rider is concerned. You can add a train whistle in that group.

Tucking the reins around your gun belt for a dismounted shot might not be the smartest idea either but your rifle or revolver has to earn its character marks somehow and shooting from a horse can be a memorable event that will leave marks on both you and your firearm – as Dick implied, you can experience a wreck at any time for any reason if you’re on horseback.

If only someone had a video camera when some of this sh*t happens, it would be just priceless for getting belly laughs. I remember one article/post about a guy holding the lead rope on 3 loaded pack horses that were acting skittish when a pack of 5 wolves showed themselves about 150 yards away – his partner fired one shot and all hell broke loose – what a rodeo that must of been – I still laugh when I think about it.

[usajon]

found this.

" Ross Seyfried says it best in the forward to Gun Notes Volume I"

" Keith was the best shot I have ever known. He was perhaps the only man who ever existed that was a complete master of all three shooting disciplines. Keith could push a rifle, shotgun or handgun to its limits. To those who wonder if his feats were fact or fiction, I can say without reservation they were fact. I watched him shoot. Even as an old man, he expected to be able to make the difficult or impossible shot. While sitting on his horse at eighty yards distant, I saw him shoot a porcupine offhand with his 44 magnum. Many men I know could have made the shot, but only one would not bother to look back at the result. Elmer Keith knew the bullets had hit when the hammer fell. Elmer Keith "was there". "

[sixshot]

One of my all time favorite quotes! I tell that story quite often to the young guys who think Elmer couldn't possibly do all the things he told about, hearing it from former world champion & also world champion gun writer Ross Seyfried usally puts all the dumb remarks to bed.
Still, shooting from horseback can be a real experience, I've watched it more than once. Elmers horse was probably as deaf as he was, but for sure the grand old man (the prophet) was a shooter.
I've never been able to help anyone who fired from horseback, usally laughing so hard I need some one to help me off my horse....I usally root for the horse!

Dick

[jwp475]

I shoot off of my horse and I know that she ain't deaf. She obeys too many voice commands to be deaf. Well trained, but not deaf. For a horse to do things for you that the horse is afraid of, the horse has to trust you, that is for sure and for certain. To shoot off of a horse that is young and/or spooky is when train wrecks occur.

[bigmuddy]

Cowboy Mounted Shooting has inspired books to be written to train horses for gunfire. I had one that was not afraid of it, but still never had to shoot off his back. Also there are now ear plugs made for horses....

I have gotten amazingly close to white tails while on horseback. The way they adapt I bet that would change if I started shooting at them.

With said remember there are only two things that scare horses.....things that move and things that don't.

Dan

[subsonic]

We found out another thing about horses. Some will pull a downed elk much faster than others once hitched up... !!!! But they can be hell to find later..... and usually the elk is gone.

[jwp475]

Unless a horse has been desensitised to dead animals they do not want to be near them. The first time that they are exposed to a dead animal is a real experience

[Robster]

Great thread!! I have found that most things stated above are spot on. Sure I carry while riding, but I sure as heck am NOT going to shoot off the horses back. Neighbor was riding and had a coyote following her. She wants to get her pistol permit which is great, but I hope she does not think she will be shooting at them off of her horse.

I also found that I see more, and get closer to deer on horseback than on foot.

[jwp475]

Why not shoot the coyotes from the horse?

[joej]

Because not very many horses are trained like yours JWP475.

A couple years ago my son in law’s brother was riding horseback during deer season with a 30-30 when a coyote showed himself about 50 yards away. He took the shot at 110*, so the rifle barrel was pointed away from the horse’s head – didn’t matter, the horse crow hopped, reared up and took off while the rider dropped his rifle in an unsuccessful attempt to stay in the saddle.

He piled up pretty hard and my son in law laughed for a week after witnessing his older brother fly through the air with the greatest of ease and wound up in a heap on the ground. Still a topic of discussion during deer season or whenever the opportunity to bring it up presents itself.

[jwp475]

Fair enough. I can see that being a popular topic for one, but not so much for the other

[sixshot]

In our local paper last week a guy was killed when he got bucked off a horse, he wasn't shooting but somehow got in trouble & landed wrong, killing him.
I've never met a person in my life thats ridden horses or mules for any length of time that hasn't been bucked off a time or two, it just happens, for me its usually been while hunting & I've got caught in an awkward position.
One time many years ago a neighbor called me & ask if I wanted a big mule, he said I could have it for free, I should have known! The mule had belonged to a sheep outfit & when they pulled out they left the mule to fend for itself all winter. His head was huge, I swear he could eat grass & never bend his neck.
I loaded up the mule & took it home, had it wormed, he was bad wormy! Later in the spring I decided to see if I could ride him. I had some pasture along the interstate where I kept my other horses.
I ask a friend to go along & he could at least snub him from the ground long enough for me to get in the saddle. As I was about to mount up my buddy said, look over there, I turned around & a couple of the neighbors were setting up lawn chairs, yowee!
I stepped up & the mule spun with me, jerking the rope out of Ed's hands & now its me & one mad mule. He bucked, he spun, he reared up, he galloped full speed straight towards a barbwire fence, some how I noticed a couple of cars that had stopped along the interstate. I wanted off pretty bad but was way too busy at the time, I was clenching him as hard as I could with my inner thighs. The noise's he was making was enough to scare Larry Mahan, I was wanting my mother but she couldn't have saved me.
The mule finally started to wear down, we were both exhausted, all the time I was riding I could hear Ed yelling jump off, jump off, jump off. This was a very large mule, probabably 1250 lbs & he was full of fight, a fall or jump would have meant a serious injury. I was lucky, he finally came to a stop & I bailed off & he started bucking again but didn't last long.
Me & that mule had several go rounds over the years, he never got me off but he sure made me sore a few times.

Dick

[Robster]

I have to say, you really know how to tell a story Dick, I had the whole thing pictured in my head as I read it.

Great story

[dmize]

I cant remember the name but that sounds like a John Wayne movie I saw.

[joej]

It’s always great to watch an impromptu rodeo, as long as you’re not the featured star. I’ve seen a couple pretty good backcountry rodeo’s and I’ve tried earth burrowing from a flying start a time or two but have been fortunate not to break any bones and I’ve always been with someone who could retrieve my horse – unlike some here.