Originally posted by CharlieWhiskey
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I don't think you will get an outright ban to horses. It is pretty unfair and disrespectful to others using the land of they are driving deer by horseback as a hunting method. You might get a ruling that horses need to stick to the trails but that also creates a slippery slope. If they ban horses from going off trails what really keeps the horseback riders from requesting the same thing of us. It is the NPS so they already don't allow off trail hiking on most of their parks. It is just another frustration of public land hunting as it is open to everyone. Unfortunately that even includes the ones that are disrespectful towards other attempts to use the land as well. It would be great if they were only allowed to be used as a form of transport to and from the hunting area. -
2 hunters on horseback destroyed my hunt in devils canyon opening last year. Afraid there probably isn't a lot we can do. I will also complain to the NPS as Log has suggested.
In my opinion hunting on horseback on public land the way that they are doing takes away the fair chase. I saw guys using mountain bikes yesterday, they used them to get from point A to B, not to run deer. It could be as simple as no hunting from a horse.Comment
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For what it is worth....NPS response to my complaint about the horses:
Here is the link to contact them:
Last edited by chastings77; 11-19-2018, 09:46 AM.Comment
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Maybe something will come of it. I would be completely happy with the no hunting from horseback idea even if it is exclusively deer hunting from horse back as the idea of driving deer with a horse is the main issue. I wonder if him knowing the owners is a good thing or a bad thing. Although I think it would be hard for him not to know them as it is a giant cattle ranch.Comment
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Kind of what I was thinking. If it’s been a problem for years, and he’s worked here for years, and knows the owners, then it’s reasonable to say that he’s not even going to talk to them. I’m sure if they have a good relationship he gets to access backcountry through their land, and since the horseback thing is technically legal, he’ll say nothing. Not hating on the man’s character, but we are outsiders here temporarily and don’t really do anything for the area, and they are the locals.Originally posted by RShockley View PostComment
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In other news, I’m packing up and heading out. I’ve exhausted myself. I’ve seen a ton of does and more deer tracks than any other piece of country I’ve ever hunted, but haven’t laid eyes on a single buck. I have a lot to learn about Mule Deer...Comment
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It is the Scharbauer Ranch. They own the Midland Meat Company.Originally posted by TWarren View PostComment
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I have some friends there right now hunting the Devils area. They haven't seen any horses so far, but they have seen their tracks all over the place.Last edited by Grizz83; 11-20-2018, 10:44 AM.Comment
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They will see plenty of horse tracks in the devils canyon area due to the trails coming from the Plum Creek equestrian area. Seems to be the most heavily traveled area for the horse riders.Originally posted by Grizz83 View PostComment
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I'm all for restricting horses/mules to a specific area just like motorcycle/atv during season.Last edited by agwrestler; 11-20-2018, 12:36 PM.Comment
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My email to LM:
"For the last 4-5 years, there has been a group of ~6 hunters on horses negatively impacting the hunting experience at Lake Meredith. Last year (2017) and the two years before (2015-2016), they set up a wall tent in the canyon south of Evan's Canyon right before mule deer season opened, and rode their horses through all of the canyons attempting to push deer and get a shot, with little respect to any other hunters that were attempting to hunt the same area or spot deer. This year they did not set up the wall tent, but last Friday morning, I was hunting north of Plum Creek, and a group of 6 riders pushed every canyon from Plum Creek north to Evan's. I was on the canyon south of Evan's when I spotted them to my south, and moved to Evan's in an attempt to avoid them. Shortly, they showed up at Evan's and pushed the entire canyon before I was even able to begin hunting it.
I have talked to other hunters that hunt down around McBride and Mullinaw, who have witnessed the same behavior. I understand that this is a public area, but in my opinion, the public access is being abused by those that are hunting off of horses. Even though the NRA is 44,000 acres in size, there is only a portion of that area that is huntable for deer. Horseback riders riding through these areas and blowing the deer out ruins the hunting for everyone.
I encourage you to consider putting restrictions on the use of horses for hunting during the deer hunting season. Their actions are negatively impacting both the experience and success of those of us that do not have access to or want to use horses."Comment
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Where did you send that Log. I will write up something similar and get it sent. The more they hear it the better chance we have to make a change. They really are ruining the experience for everyone including others who hunt from horses.Comment
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The link chastings77 posted earlier.Comment
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Any whitetail on Meredith?
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