3equines
Posted : 9/18/2012 6:07:06 AM
My husband and I brought 4 equines: Sweet Pea, Peach, Sally Mule and Thunder. One of his friends and their wife joined us for 5 days, they brought 3 mules and 1 horse of their own..... My husband and I were in the backcountry for 10 days.... I didn't have as much time to do fancy food prep, with a full time job and farm to run, but did throw in some dehydrated veggies to add to soups and stews. Packed in all kinds of good stuff though - fresh eggs, meat, spuds and onions all form the farm. Flour, sugar, baking powder and shortening for Dutch Oven baking. We never seem to lose any weight out there.... It was quite warm, I think there had been hotter days in the past but we had some warm nights and most of all no rain, and very dry.... Did not get to see wolves but there was wolf sign and sightings had been made by other hunters out on the far ends of the ridges about the same time the elk quit talking..... a little spooky, knowing they are out there. I am not a supporter of wolves. I have had a Malamute/ Wolf hybrid turn on me and I do not have any romantic notions about the nature of these animals. They are a top predator, and ruthless. Most of the introduction attempts have resulted in wolf populations that far exceeded the initial propostions along with migration patterns much broader than foreseen..... The bear was not a big guy, maybe on his second year.... my husband was putting the sneak on it just to see how close he could get, at 30 yards he decided to nock an arrow and made a good shot. Bear meat is similar to pork and makes nice sausage and hams. I wish there had been more lard, the fat is great for pie crusts, but he wasn't a big bear and it has been a bad summer for all in that part of the country. Plants that usually stay green through the summer are all dried up, and the food chain is struggling from there on up to the big predators. Hubby caped out the bear pelt nicely with head, ears, paws intact, will make a nice little rug.