What does the newbie to Western deer hunting via horseback need to know?

I have had deer hunting experience on foot with a guide. Before I die of old age, I want to do a a doe hunt, DIY style on public land or in wilderness, on horseback in a lush, green forested area of the American West. I will need to rent maybe three horses, one for saddle, one for carcass hauling and one for packing gear and a trailer and a truck to haul them as well as saddle and tack. What are some of the best states in the West for doing this sort of thing? Arizona? Idaho? Montana? New Mexico? Oregon? Utah? Nevada? California? Wyoming? The Dakotas? Oklahoma and Texas are mostly private land and devoid of lush green forests. They don't seem ideal states for horseback hunting adventure in Gods' Country. It's not just scoring the deer, but being in pretty country.

I have no horsemanship experience but do have tent camping experience. All my outdoor cooking stuff will need to be carried by pack animal. I will have to learn how to live like cowboys on a trail drive. I will need to learn about horses for sport hunting, riding and hunting gear for this game. Any good learning resources?
 
I would not make that trip without someone going with you that has horse riding and packing experience.
 
I would not make that trip without someone going with you that has horse riding and packing experience.

The only trouble is, I don't know anybody personally who does this sort of thing. I'm not a member of the landed gentry and I own no horses. A guided horseback deer hunt can go from anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 (4/5 days) and is subject to the availability of open slots. This sort of game is probably largely for moneyed people. One could probably save their pennies and pony up for such once-in-a lifetime hunt, though. The other thing is, I want no bucks, only does. Maybe a rented ATV is the best way to take deer on the cheap. The ponies sound more romantic but doing it the ponies way can be quite pricey.
 
Large areas of the west are devoid of lush green forests, but the vast wide open spaces have a beauty all of their own, to an easterner I enjoy the scenery of a sagebrush canyon as much as an Appalachian oak ridge. If you don't have your own horses do yourself a favor and work overtime until you have the $5000 to hire an outfitter, you will enjoy the experience a thousand times more, will have zero worries, and won't won't get your teeth kicked out by the perfectly tame horse that the amishman out the valley rented to you.
 
Have you considered a drop camp? There are many western outfitters that specialize in taking you and your equipment to a specified place and dropping you off. At the end of your hunt they’ll retrieve you, your gear and your deer if you kill one. Some even provide the camp, others just the transportation.

Not all states out west offer antler-less (doe tags). You’ll have to research that one.


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Have you considered a drop camp? There are many western outfitters that specialize in taking you and your equipment to a specified place and dropping you off. At the end of your hunt they’ll retrieve you, your gear and your deer if you kill one. Some even provide the camp, others just the transportation.

Not all states out west offer antler-less (doe tags). You’ll have to research that one.


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I don't like the idea of camping all alone in the woods and sleeping by myself even with a gun. I want some companion animal with me for comfort. I would prefer to have a large dog or two out there with me for a sense of security. Dogs will bark like crazy if some wild animal comes near. They will also deter unsavory humans. Even having a couple of horses at a dogless camp would give me comfort. Horses will spook and raise hell if some thing or somebody threatening comes near camp. Animals will cause commotion and wake up their master in the fart sack. They kind of act like a security guard. The woods are creepy. Bears, wolves, cougars, psychos...Bigfoot? Who knows. When soldiers are in the field, somebody pulls night watch. Cowboys always had a night watch on a trail drive.
 
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Not to be a downer, but if you don’t know horses, a hunting trip with 2 or more is not where to start. Horses can be their own pain (and yours) in wilderness. And, you don’t need an extra horse to carry a deer. Not gonna be much extra weight there. I think your imagination has gotten the better of you. If you want that experience, better go the outfitted or drop camp route. Good luck.
 
Find a buddy, get an outfitter to take you to a drop camp, and rent a couple of his broke horses, mules would be better. It's pretty inexpensive, and fun.
 
If you truly desire the western horseback experience, a dropcamp is the answer. You’d be taking on far more than you know if you lack riding, saddling corralling skills. You don’t need a horse to access does in the high country...but you will need to be able to get there and be prepared for dragging (or I much prefer quartering a deer) if you have to move it any distance (most western states allow this provide you keep-proof of sex attached). Starting point is to find which states will even let you shoot a doe. Next, you’ll frequently need to draw a tag if they’re not over the counter. Finally, you need to understand the premium nonresident tags bring in many western states.

I’ve hunted high country in a number of western states. If that’s your goal, spend some time getting in better shape. I’d also suggest spending a couple days at altitude before hunting to become acclimated to the thinner air. Although I lived out west for decades, it takes me several days before my body acclimated when above 7000.’ Altitude sickness gives me headaches/ flu like symptoms.
 
Find a buddy, get an outfitter to take you to a drop camp, and rent a couple of his broke horses, mules would be better. It's pretty inexpensive, and fun.

No. I'll probably just hire a guide or outfitter to do day hunts only from a stand. No overnight camping in the woods. If I were rich, I would probably invest whatever money is needed to do the horse thing properly. Take horsemanship lessons, own my own ponies and such. I'm no athlete to be hoofing it much for deer.
 
All I can say is if you are going to horse back hunt stay out of “lush green forests”. Defeats the purpose.

Plus, the only place that exists out west is the People’s Republics of Kalifornia, Oregon, and Washington.
 
All I can say is if you are going to horse back hunt stay out of “lush green forests”. Defeats the purpose.

Plus, the only place that exists out west is the People’s Republics of Kalifornia, Oregon, and Washington.

My first and only deer was taken by me in a "lush green forest" of Trinity, CO., CA in 1996.
A few gentle rolling hills in the woods (a private ranch) but no vertical cliffs to climb. No rough brush. No snakes, warm in the afternoon but not burning up in mid-October. Damp in the morning and slightly cool. You might say balmy weather.

I prefer to hunt in an area that's not too hilly, not too hot and dry, below 2,000 feet, not rattlesnake-infested and not cactus-like. Will tolerate light-to-moderate rain but not freezing snow. I'm a fair weather and mild terrain sort of outdoors-man. A California flatlander of upbringing. With my asthma, I must be cautious of exertion and high altitudes and extreme temperatures.
 
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My first and only deer was taken by me in a "lush green forest" of Trinity, CO., CA in 1996.
A few gentle rolling hills in the woods (a private ranch) but no vertical cliffs to climb. No rough brush. No snakes, warm in the afternoon but not burning up in mid-October. Damp in the morning and slightly cool. You might say balmy weather.

I prefer to hunt in an area that's not too hilly, not too hot and dry, below 2,000 feet, not rattlesnake-infested and not cactus-like. Will tolerate light-to-moderate rain but not freezing snow. I'm a fair weather and mild terrain sort of outdoors-man. A California flatlander of upbringing. With my asthma, I must be cautious of exertion and high altitudes and extreme temperatures.

Like I said, such places exist in the PRK.
 
You killed 1 deer 20 years ago? What attracted you to this forum?

I'm getting hungry for doe venison if you can believe that. The horrible taste of the yearling buck I bagged back in the 1990's turned me off from deer hunting for many a year but the hankering has slowly crept back into my blood. It's a kick, an infatuation.
 
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If your yearling buck tasted horrible it was caused by something other than just being a buck, or a yearling. I’ve lost count of the number of deer I’ve eaten over 50+ years of eating them, and the only bad ones I’ve had were in the beginning, when I didn’t understand the importance of quickly getting them field dressed and cooled off. I’ve probably eaten as many bucks as does, lots of them older bucks, and when I learned to do my part all of them were delicious.

Maybe you should take up bird watching, after you master the horse riding of course. o_O
 
If your yearling buck tasted horrible it was caused by something other than just being a buck, or a yearling. I’ve lost count of the number of deer I’ve eaten over 50+ years of eating them, and the only bad ones I’ve had were in the beginning, when I didn’t understand the importance of quickly getting them field dressed and cooled off. I’ve probably eaten as many bucks as does, lots of them older bucks, and when I learned to do my part all of them were delicious.

Maybe you should take up bird watching, after you master the horse riding of course. o_O

The yearling buck had acorns in its belly. Legend has it this spoils the meat. It ran off when shot behind the shoulder. Adrenaline. Ruins the flavor. Boy deer are tough. Girl deer are tender I have been told. I will forgo the horses unless the hired guide has them as part of the deal. Several people on several forums have turned me off to the notion of horses for a DIY hunt. I don't own horses and it would be quite pricey to take horse lessons, rent horses, rent saddle and tack, rent a trailer and a truck and they can be a lot of trouble in the boonies to a greenhorn of horsemanship. I've decided to let an experienced guide deal with the horses if he has them or just ride on an ATV, maybe.

The yearling buck was immediately gutted, skinned washed out and quartered by my guide and his two adult sons at his ranch and packed into several of my large ice chests filled with ice. A game butcher did the rest.
 
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The yearling buck had acorns in its belly. Legend has it this spoils the meat. It ran off when shot behind the shoulder. Adrenaline. Ruins the flavor. Boy deer are tough. Girl deer are tender I have been told. I will forgo the horses unless the hired guide has them as part of the deal.

The yearling buck was immediately gutted, skinned washed out and quartered by my guide and his two adult sons at his ranch and packed into several of my large ice chests filled with ice. A game butcher did the rest.

Acorns in a deer’s belly spoils the meat huh ? Shooting them behind the shoulder contributes to this also ? I’ve been doing this all wrong !:(

Any of y’all need any good deer rifles ? Maybe a good bow ? I’m gonna quit while I’m ahead !:D:D:D
 
Acorns in a deer’s belly spoils the meat huh ? Shooting them behind the shoulder contributes to this also ? I’ve been doing this all wrong !:(

Any of y’all need any good deer rifles ? Maybe a good bow ? I’m gonna quit while I’m ahead !:D:D:D
Trade them for a shotgun and a good retriever (one who won't balk at picking up doves or pigeons) and go for doves, ducks and fowl maybe? Hard to screw up the flavor of birds.
 
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