Assure Your Mules are "Hunter Safe"

by Susan Dudasik, Salmon, ID

From the September 2003 issue

Hunting season will soon be upon us and all over the country hunters will be flocking to the foothills and mountains, in search of those elusive elk and deer. During this time many hunters ride mules and horses to their destination, but once there they tie them to a tree or turn them out to graze while they are hunting.

When standing among the brush and trees, most equines are hard to make out. To help keep your animals from becoming a hunting statistic there is one simple, but major, thing you can do; add some bright orange ribbon to their manes and tails.

Imagine a hunter looking through his binoculars. He spots ‘something’ moving in the trees but can’t quite make it out. Suddenly he spots a bit of bright orange in the center of his target’s neck. Wow! Close call. It wasn’t an elk, but a brown mule tied in the middle of a clump of trees.

For safety reasons most hunters wear bright colors, like orange or yellow, but they don’t always remember to mark their stock, thus making them a target for an inexperienced hunter.

The simplest way to protect your anmals is by adding bright colors. Some horsemen use bright orange or hot pink halters, while others use non-toxic paint to put orange brands, numbers or designs on their animals. Some even paint their phone number on their stock in case they get loose. Even hobbled, mules have been known to cover great distances. The larger area of color, the better.

Today there are a variety of fluorescent orange equine products, from fly sheets and masks to leg boots and hobbles, as well as fluorescent orange halters, bridles, saddle bags, pads and stirrups. Or, you could simply make your own by spray-painting various parts of your equipment.

Other advantages of using bright colors on your mule are that he’s easier to locate when you return from your hunt, and it can also serve as a beacon for a lost hunter.

If you are a trail rider and use areas that are popular for hunting, you should also make yourself and your mule as colorfully visible as possible.

Wearing a fluorescent vest and hat cover, as well as using bright colored saddlebags, pads and tack will help distinguish you from any elk or deer. Another good idea is to attach a bell to the saddle cinch’s dee-ring. This way you can be seen and heard. It may be a bit of an inconvenience to wear florescent clothes and tack, but remember, hunters are only allowed to use the area for a few weeks each year, whereas most places are open to riders year-round.

Even if you don’t take your mule into the hunting area, if you live near a popular area and your pasture borders on that land, it would be a wise idea to still ‘orange-up’ your mules by putting ribbons in their manes and tails or adding colored markings. With just a little bit of color you can keep your mules ‘hunter safe’ throughout the hunting season.