On yer back on in the saddlebag?

I have a day pack or a fanny pack that I tie on behind the saddle. I keep a .22 pistol in my horn bag but it stays with the horse. I don't like riding with a pack on, I can't lean back on the downhills very well that way.

  I hunted on horses in AK for a few years- we always carried a 44mag with Elmer Keith loads on self! any pistol not great against bears BUT better than nada- also gun in pack ain't any good aftr unsceduled dismount. i had 2 holsters one could be worn either straight or cross draw and was angled for comfort- other was made for chest and attached to belt as well both comfortable. small day pack went on horn with TP- snacks_ ex ammo etc but pockets had stuff i had to have if I had a wreck.

I always take my hunting weapon off but if that horse can bang up my heavy barreled stainless .22 in a horn bag I'm going to be needing a new saddle and a few other more expensive things too.

  i don't know about a hog leg- but i always carried a 44 mag on chest when hunting in AK- (see new issue of Trail Rider mag) and also-a samll knife-leather man- matches etc in case i was unhorsed in an evil situation-in day pack I carried a few more things -snacks-more tp-( I'm not really anal)-ex ammo and knife-Binocs( if not on neck) and you know i ain't been hunting in AK for 5 yrs and need to go look at my packing list as horse trips there a bit different then in America.

A buddy was leading his saddle horse when the unloaded pack horses decided to stampede to the water hole and broke loose from the wrangler. Jerry's horse took off with his Model 99 in the scabbard. When he caught up to the horse the rifle was gone.

They looked high and low for two days for that rifle and couldn't find it. Later on the way out of that basin his 10X beaver hat got blown off. It didn't lose altitude for over 400 yards. He was to dejected to turn the whole rig around to try and catch his migrating hat.

He found them both in the spring. The gun was all rusted up and turned into a wall hanger. The hat hat a bullet hole in it and then two places where someone had cut ear holes in it so they could put it on their horse, most likely for a picture.

 

I was in the same vicinity working for the same outfitter a few years later. Steve and I had gone down to another camp to get a pack saddle and the other wrangler, Al, and the hunters had left to go spike out for the night. They had all the food, we were bringing the tents and sleeping bags.

They took a short cut down a lousy trail. We went the longer safer way around a ridge. They got into a herd with a nice 6x7 bull in it. Shooting ensued. The bull got away and so did most of the horses. They ran all the way down to the main camp scattering binoculars, cameras, and other assorted stuff the whole way back.

We eventually caught up to them and settled in for the night. The next day Steve went for the horses. Most of the gear was never recovered because it snowed that night.