Thread: Off for a ride...

Originally Posted by Gibo

Why am i always included in the old boy shinanagans?

Isn't it obvious Gibo. We need someone to fetch the Waikato.

Originally Posted by Scribe

No we used to tie them behind the Landcruiser and run them out to the hunting area but the long rope was to tether them out on the tussock so while we were flycamping they could get a bit of a feed.

That clearing where you have your horses must of had some dwelling on, or near it, looking at the shelter belt of pines.

Goes to show how times have changed...nowadays we use a short rope to lead the horse and a long one to tether, that way we make the horse carry the extra rope instead of it dropping in loops around our feet.

The clearing is actually an old pa site about a third of the way to the top...what you see as a shelter belt is the first row of trees of a forest over a very steep slope...soon they will all be gone.

This is the photo of up top...horizon (Mayor Island) is on an angle due to curvature of the earth or me holding camera on angle

This might sound like a dumb question and I know for a fact that my Grandad was in 'The Mounted Rifle Brigade'.

But how do the horses react if you fire a shot at a deer? Or do you dismount tie the hag up then go for a hunt?

Originally Posted by Dundee

This might sound like a dumb question and I know for a fact that my Grandad was in 'The Mounted Rifle Brigade'.

But how do the horses react if you fire a shot at a deer? Or do you dismount tie the hag up then go for a hunt?

You get one clear shot from the mounted position...your next shot will depend upon how much distance has been put between you and your rifle.

Originally Posted by Dundee

This might sound like a dumb question and I know for a fact that my Grandad was in 'The Mounted Rifle Brigade'.

But how do the horses react if you fire a shot at a deer? Or do you dismount tie the hag up then go for a hunt?

That was always a dilemma 'dundee' The fact is that deer will let you ride right up to them. I guess they don't recognise the horse rider shape as a dangerous combination. So taking a shot was always a temptation, but I never had a horse I could shoot off and mine would have headed for the tall timber if I did. I knew guys that could shoot off their horse.

Also ours were equipped with pack saddles, not riding saddles and if your lost your balance you would end up impaled on one of the 4 U shaped, sharp metal hooks they were quipped with.

Mostly it happened like this, see deer, panic, jump off, drop reins, shoot deer, carry deer back to vehicle and then drive one hour back to last gate to catch runaway horse.

If you dismount and loop the reins through your right arm and then take the shot, it is like a double kick from the recoil...if you loop the reins through your left arm and your rifle is a semi, there is a good chance of shooting your horse with the second shot.

Thanks guys Those horses in WW1 must of been used to the gun fire I guess.

Originally Posted by Dundee

Thanks guys Those horses in WW1 must of been used to the gun fire I guess.

When I was farming in Alfredon mate I shoot a lot of deer from my horse, never had an issue

Originally Posted by BRADS

When I was farming in Alfredon mate I shoot a lot of deer from my horse, never had an issue

Sweet did it wear earmuffs?

Originally Posted by Dundee

Sweet did it wear earmuffs?

Na he was just a quiet bugger his name was "spook" but I never figured that one out
There was a few horses on that station that weren't rifle friendly, and some that didn't like dead stuff on them

Originally Posted by Spook

You get one clear shot from the mounted position...your next shot will depend upon how much distance has been put between you and your rifle.

Had me full on laughing out loud :thumbup:

Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2

Originally Posted by BRADS

Na he was just a quiet bugger his name was "spook" but I never figured that one out
There was a few horses on that station that weren't rifle friendly, and some that didn't like dead stuff on them

Ha ha thats pretty appropriate for this thread.

Been out to Dugs since the snow?

Originally Posted by Dundee

Ha ha thats pretty appropriate for this thread.

Been out to Dugs since the snow?

Trying two get the crutching done there at the mo

Originally Posted by Dundee

Sweet did it wear earmuffs?

Horses tend to pick up on deer before you do so are facing directly at them with their head held high and ears up and forward making a shot over the head a bit tricky. A high powered rifle will literally flatten them, I as sure as hell wouldn't fire my STW over the horses head...using flat-bang rifles like 30-30, .375, 44 mag, .357 or something similar wont startle them as much...I have yet to see someone take a crack with a muzzle brake from the saddle. Most times I use the horse to get me to my hunting area and then tie it up and go for a stalk.

Thanks spook