Mule Deer Hunting on Horseback | The Trapper Buck

Every hunt brings with it unique challenges and moments that stay with me long after I return home. For most hunts, I find that the harder the terrain or chase, the more memorable that event becomes to me. I am also a slightly superstitious hunter, so when certain things occur on a hunt, it leaves another mark on my memory bank. The mule deer hunt in late 2022, in the wilderness area of Wyoming was all of the above and remains one of the most vivid hunts for me in my career. It was the first time I had ever been hunting on horseback.

The Pain is Real

I am not sure if anyone can go hunting on horseback without fully being prepared. Now for almost all my hunts, I put in the hours to train physically and mentally for what lies ahead. Whether that is biking, so my legs are ready for climbs, or hiking with a heavy pack for those backcountry adventures that come my way. But horseback, without owning a horse, I did not find a way to properly train for this one.

After settling into camp with the writers and other guests, we all listened intently as our outfitter explained how we would be hunting on horseback over the coming days. Morning one, full of excitement for our first march into the wilderness just east of Yellowstone, we unloaded our horses and climbed about for our first uncomfortable trek in the darkness. Riding on an unfamiliar animal, in total darkness, in terrain that you cannot see, is a new level of trust that I was not prepared for. However, this fleet of animals was like soldiers marching in a line, they knew where they were going and didn’t let us down.

Hours on our horses, in cold, windy weather, and my body started to feel it on day one. Not my back, not my backside, but my knees! Who knew that something that has never given me problems in my life would be the first thing to force me to ask for a break to dismount and stretch out. Every 45 minutes or so, our amazing guide would let us stop, take a couple-minute break, and then resume. I guess for future hunts I really need to take my preparation to a new level. FYI, any friends who have horses, I don't know if I'll go hunting on horseback again, but you may hear from me in the future for some riding lessons.

Patience Isn’t Always the Best Method

Those who have hunted with me know that I am not one to pass on game, and luckily my hunter partner was not either. Many people told me as I was getting into hunting to be patient, observe the game, be picky, and more. Well, I don’t listen well all the time, and it has paid off for me. My first ever whitetail hunt in late 2017, I saw a buck at 4:00 pm, crest a ridge away from me. An hour later as we were getting up to god find another spot to glass, he walked right back over the ridge. Needless to say, he was the first buck I saw, the largest I had seen, so he was my target. Success, only 3 hours into my hunting career. Was he a giant, no. But to me, he was perfect.

Fast forward five years, and while I have learned to observe game a lot more when you are in situations where the game is not prevalent, your chances to be picky drop significantly. That was the case here in Wyoming. My hunting partners took a great 4x4 representative mule deer on day one. I was up on day two. Yes, we had four days to hunt, but rewind to my first story about the pain of hunting on horseback in the Wyoming wilderness, and my motivation to get this done on day two was quite high.

After another morning of mounting up in total darkness, and nearly 3 hours of hunting on horseback, climbing along a ridge to get to a glassing spot, we laid eyes on our second buck of the trip. Knowing it was early in the day, we had time to do what we needed to do if we harvested the buck, and we could possibly not be riding out in pitch black, in grizzly country with a mule deer on our pack mule. YES was my response when my guide asked if I liked the buck. It was a mature buck, with a very dark face, and I was in a position to get prone and take a very steady shot. So yes, I really liked this buck!

A Little Good Luck Charm

As we grabbed the gear, rifle, spotting scope and my pack to get set up for the shot, my hunting partner happened to look down as we were retrieving our gear from the horses. He kicked around at the ground and then pulled up something in his hand. He got my attention and showed me two old traps that were buried right under where we had parked our horses. I am a firm believer in the theme that things happen for a reason, and this was a good luck charm for me. He confidently said, “You’re going to get this buck, and we are calling him the Trapper Buck.” Well luckily, he was right! The buck was down, we had lots of work ahead of us, but it was day two, tags were full, and we sat on the hillside in pure sun, enjoying everything that this hunt had brought us.

Whether it is the pain, the challenges, or the pure luck that often accompanies these types of hunts, every obstacle we faced was met or surpassed by moments of pure joy, the beauty of our surroundings and the memories that are made in every hunting camp. Isn’t that what keeps us all coming back every year?

Read Petersen's Hunting Story: The Trapper and the Prince in Wyoming's Beautiful Backcountry