Keep Yourself and Your Horse Safe During Hunting Season

Hunting season…that’s just a few weeks in the fall, right? Wrong! In some states, small game like rabbits may be hunted year-round, so theoretically the wooded area lining your trail ride route could harbor gun-toting hunters in every month. Staying off the trails is obviously the safest choice, but you don’t have to give up all trail riding. Get information, do some planning, and make choices that will keep the activity as safe as possible for you and your horse.

The first step is to check with your state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. Ask for a detailed list of species and seasons (both firearm and bow) for your area. Game specialists at this office should also be able to advise you on the best time of day to ride. For example, deer hunters tend to be out early in the morning and are probably on their way home well before noon, leaving the midday hours open for trail riding. Some states restrict hunting on parts of some days, such as Sunday afternoons, and these would be ideal times to ride.

Stay visible and identifiable. Wearing blaze-orange hats and vests is a good precaution. Hunting catalogs offer a variety of items that you, your horse, and even your dog can wear to make you stand out against the natural backdrop. For low-tech protection, get an extra mesh vest in orange or another highly visible color and fasten it around your horse’s neck. Loop-and-hook fasteners will allow the vest to tear away if it gets snagged on brush or trees as you ride. If you sing, whistle, or talk while you ride, this may help hunters determine that you are not a target.

If you have a choice of where to ride, stick to areas with good visibility such as cleared meadows and well-established trails. Avoid riding along treelines or in dense woods where sight lines are blocked. During waterfowl hunting seasons, stay away from ponds, marshes, and other wetlands.
Staying safe is your main goal, but remember to be courteous as well. Hunters with land-owner permission have every right to be in the woods pursuing their sport of choice. When you ride in or near hunting country, try to stay out of the way of hunters and avoid spooking game. Choose times and locations that are least likely to bring you into contact, or conflict, with hunters.