If you have never used horses to hunt elk or deer, you should give it a shot;  it is one of those “ life experiences” of a lifetime!   

My  first such experience was set for a Mule deer hunt in the Steens Mountains of S.E. Oregon. “Let’s rent a couple of horses so we can hunt the East Rim of the Steens,” my hunting partner and I decided. We thought it was a good idea.

We did a little research and were able to find and rent a horse trailer along with a couple of "hunting" horses near my home in Portland, Oregon. We were growing more confident as we watched the horses easily load into the trailer. The trailer looked like it was built in the 1930’s, but it only added to the thrill so we didn't care.

The sun still hadn't set by the time we left Portland for the Steens, but we were losing light quickly when we got a flat and had to stop in Hampton, Oregon to change the tire and let the horses out to stretch their legs.  And don't you know, the spare was the wrong size. But that was nothing compared to when one of the horses bolted loose from its tether.  It took nearly and hour to catch that horse and get the trailer back on the road to the Steens on the East Rim.

I'd never owned a horse, but I had done enough riding over the years and felt confident about hitting the mountains. The biggest problem with rented horses, or “valley horses” as most ranchers call them from the eastern part of the state of Oregon, is that they are not adapted to the rocky terrain and steep inclines, or acclimated to the 7500' altitude. Ultimately, the horses were slow and had a nasty habit of tagging the barbwire fence on the path next to it. I do believe we could have walked faster to get to our destination. This first real life experience with rented horses was memorable, but it was also the last time I ever rented horses.   

Actually, the experience of using horses on hunting trips is exciting and can be a great experience, but after the Steens hunt I made sure my next hunt using horses would be much better.

My Uncle Dave had a couple of hunting horses he used within the Heppner area, up near Texas Butte, to get-in and pack-out his elk.  After my Steen Mountain hunt, he said, “Frankie I will give you a great deal on these horses..."  What an opportunity to get a couple good horses to hunt with. My favorite was Czar , a ½ Arab and ½ Quarter horse gelding. He turned out to be a great mountain horse -for any terrain; give him his head and he knew what to do. I also found a great deal on a two horse trailer and bought that.  

Now I'm ready for another hunting experience of a lifetime... I hear a Snake River Elk hunt calling.