Elk, Mule Deer, Bear & Wolf Hunting Blog

One Door Closes as Another Door Opens

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:29:00 GMT

Trophy species “application season” ends today, but “controlled hunt” application season opens tomorrow. That’s right. You don’t have to miss out on all this “hunt application” fun just yet, there seems to be plenty of season left and plenty of opportunity to donate that tag application fee money in several states!

It sure does seem like more emphasis and social media talk revolves around “the draw” than even the hunt anymore. Seems rather sad to me but it is the way our (the hunting) culture has evolved and is simply part of the process, so put in for those trophy species (Moose, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goats) today if you haven’t yet, then prepare to explore all the opportunities to apply for other big game (elk, deer, bear, and antelope) species beginning tomorrow.

Idaho’s controlled hunts application season begins May 1 and runs through June 5 this year, so since it is on your mind, may as well get your application in early this year. Now might also be a good time to look into youth hunting opportunities as well.

Remember, if you are unsuccessful in the controlled hunt draw, you can always reach out to an Idaho outfitter, us or others, who have guaranteed tags and hunt with one of us.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Another Official Idaho Opening Day

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:49:04 GMT

April 1 marks the “official” opener of Idaho’s “hunt application season”. It is the time of year that dreams are made of.

Think about it, you are another year older, have had “unsuccessful” draw results for years, surely this is your year, right?! Well, you won’t know if you don’t apply.

April is the month to apply for Idaho’s “trophy” species: Bighorn sheep, Mountain Goat, and Moose. These are, as in most western states, a once in a lifetime hunt if you are successful in the draw for a tag, so be sure to put in your application for Idaho trophy species this month. This may actually be your year top draw that coveted tag!

Happy Hunting!

Last Day to Apply for Idaho Nonresident Elk and Deer Tags

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT

This is the first year that Idaho has made nonresidents put in for the formerly OTC (over the counter) general season elk and deer tags and now, today is the last day you can put in for those hunts.

Obviously, this is just the first “go round” but for sure, all the good and desirable areas will be gobbled up in this first draw period. Keep in mind that this first draw does not apply to trophy species: moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep. That draw will still be in April as well as traditional controlled hunts draw will take place in May. This application process is simply for the general season elk and deer tags that you used to be able to buy over the counter.

So, if you are planning on hunting Idaho in a DIY capacity, be sure to log on to the IDFG website TODAY, so you can get your best chance at hunting Idaho elk or deer in 2026!

Good luck and good hunting!

Nonresidents Must Apply for Formerly OTC Tags this Year in Idaho

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 21:27:48 GMT

Seems the only constant in life is change and that adage seems to hold especially true in the hunting world. It seems to me that meetings are held and changes made “just because” every year and this year is no different!

Starting today, December 5, 2025, nonresidents who want to hunt elk and deer in formerly OTC units will need to apply for those tags. The application period runs from December 5 to 15, 2025 with results being posted in early January 2026.

We will be sending at least 3 emails in this period to remind you to get your entry submitted. Not to be a pain, but because we often get busy and say, “I’ll apply tomorrow”, then the 16th shows up and now you are stuck hunting with an outfitter who still has tags instead of being able to hunt on your own. So, think of these emails as simply “gentle reminders” to stop procrastinating and apply for those tags you think you want to be able to continue your tradition of hunting in some of the lower 48’s most amazing country…Idaho!

Finally, if you want help, advice or just to vent about the drawing process, please contact us and we will be happy to assist or simply listen.

Best of luck in the draw and most importantly, always remember to take a kid hunting with you!

Got Tags?

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 20:03:01 GMT

Idaho draw results came out last week and I imagine most western states have drawn by now and most people drew the all too familiar “unsuccessful” tag.

If that is the case, come check us out in Central Idaho’s Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area. We still have a few openings and tags available.

Wild Idaho Outfitters will be guiding hunters and packing drop camps in our 21st season in ”The Frank”. It is an experience you will either love or hate. There seems to be no in between. So, you may as well give it a try if you were unsuccessful in the hunt draws. If not with us, maybe there are other Idaho outfitters still holding some tags and spots. Give ‘em a call.

Don’t sit on the couch this year “wishing” you could hunt. Get out and do it!

Good hunting and as usual, take a kid with you!

Rut Mule Deer Hunt Opportunity

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 20:49:00 GMT

By some strange twist of fate, oversight, or whatever you might want to call it we are down to the wire and find ourselves with 2 tags for a 2024 Controlled Mule Deer Hunt for 2 in November.

If you and a hunting companion have the time and desire to hunt mule deer during the rut in Idaho, please reach out to us ASAP and let’s get you set up to hunt with Wild Idaho Outfitters in the “Frank” this year.

This 2x1 hunt must be booked by Monday, September 9 and is offered first come-first served so don’t delay, book today!

Available dates for a 2x1 guided hunt are October 31st – November 6th or November 7th – November 13th. Or you can do a DIY Drop Camp hunt on your choice of dates between November 1st and 18th.

Why book an Idaho Spring Bear Season Drop Camp?

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Winter of 2023 is a LONG one! Most are itching to get out, longing for spring. We are thinking about camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting. Winter has been a drag on physical and mental capacities.

Maybe you are dreaming of getting away from electronics and crowds and going hunting, and hunting season is a lifetime away. But is it? What about an Idaho Spring Bear Drop Camp??? It’s as close as a few weeks away, not months! How about a horseback ride to be dropped in a fully set up camp deep in the wilderness? A camp surrounded by beauty with a dry canvas tent, warm wood stove, cots, pads, cook stove, dishes, and pre-set bear baits! Complete with no cell service, no electronics, or any people in sight for a week or even two!

You can spend your days exploring and fishing, spot and stalking for predators – coyotes, mountain lions, wolves, and bear. In the evenings you can hunt a bear bait. You’ll be surrounded by mountains, big skies, flowers bursting forth, and wildlife, including deer, elk, and moose. At night you can see stars like you’ll experience in few other places. There is certainly no light pollution! You can not only see the milky way (80% of Americans are unable to see the Milky Way Galaxy from where they live) but also zillions of stars and so many constellations you'll want to brush up on them before you arrive! You'll experience the subliminal relaxing scent of the pines as well as the calming sight and sound of campfires and rushing creeks.

You can fully slip into what we affectionately call “Mountain Time”! Idaho Spring Bear in a drop camp means you have no timelines! You can sleep in, eat breakfast at noon, hunt until 10pm, stare into the stars and/or the fire until 2 in the morning! Or you can leave before daylight and climb an open ridge, scan the country fervently with your optics and put the stalk on a predator. Our area is loaded with color phase bears, beautiful blondes, cinnamons, chocolates, and inky blacks with chevrons. Our area is not easy but rewardingly rugged - well worth the time and effort.

So, despair no more! Winter is a week away from being over! Spring is here! Get out of the office, get off the couch! Make plans to get out in the woods sooner than later! You can hunt now AND this fall! Lose yourself for a week or more with no one telling you what to do, no hustle, no bustle. Listen to a silence so big it’ll make you feel insignificant. Your only limitation will be yourself!

Merry Christmas from Idaho!

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 23:03:00 GMT

As the sun set on a crisp evening in our upper camp overlooking the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness on November 18, the realization hit that our 2022 Idaho elk, deer and bear season had just come to an end.

This past month has flown by and as we inch up on the end of 2022, we can’t help but look back at an amazing year with complete gratitude for the friends and adventures we got to experience and look forward to many more in the future.

We are always grateful to see the many friends we have made over the past 18 years guiding in Idaho returning to hunt with us and just as grateful for the new friends we make each year.

We are especially grateful for the support crew of incredible people that have been coming together at Castle Creek Outfitters and Wild Idaho Outfitters to help make your Idaho adventure as successful and comfortable as possible.

It is always a bittersweet moment as generally we are tired from almost 3 full months in the backcountry and yet incredibly grateful for all the great and wonderful people whose paths crossed with ours in pursuit of their Idaho backcountry adventure.

This season was no different, and as we get together with friends and family to celebrate this Holiday Season, we hope you can look back on your time in Idaho with, if not a smile, at least not a grimace.

Merry Christmas to you and yours! We hope to see many of you on future Idaho adventures!

Looking ahead to 2021

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 11:00:00 GMT

As the sun set on the 2020 Idaho elk and deer hunting seasons, and since our emails were down, we took some time to reflect on this past year and the craziness that has consumed 2020, the thought that always puts a smile on our face is looking forward to next hunting season and next year’s backcountry adventures!

With tags sold out in most of the popular Idaho hunting zones already, no apparent end in sight of this “pandemic”, and a hostile political environment such as we have never witnessed before, what lifts us out of some of this doom and gloom is to set our sights on next year’s hunting seasons and outdoor adventures where we get to rekindle old friendships and discover new ones.

With all the negativity in this world, one thing that is consistent is our ability to still get out and enjoy our public lands, do a little hunting, hiking, horseback riding, fishing or simply enjoy the great outdoors for what they are…outdoors and not a quarantined hut somewhere in the middle of the city living vicariously through the internet and cable TV.

Now I know that most live in something far larger than a hut, but the point is that (in my opinion) nothing beats the real thing when it comes to outdoor adventure like watching the sunset from the top of a mountain or hearing the forest come to life as the sun rises on a brisk morning in some backcountry locale or listening to the water in a stream flowing gently in a mountain meadow covered with blooming wildflowers or watching the flicker of the flames in a campfire or hearing the sound of a bugling bull elk on a crisp fall morning or enjoying the hoofbeat of good livestock traveling a mountain trail, sometimes even imagining that we can hear our own heart beats as we feel it pounding in our chest as we crest that “next” ridge top. None of these sounds can be experienced in the city. One must get outdoors to enjoy this variety of symphony played by nature.

We just pulled our last camp and yet are already talking to our guides and “regulars” about next year’s dates for not only guiding, but our own outdoor adventures. We hope you are too and that you consider joining us in Idaho for your 2021 backcountry adventure!

George

Idaho Controlled-Hunt Application Period Now Open for Elk, Deer, Antelope, and Fall Bear

Fri, 01 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

The tag application period in Idaho for controlled-hunt elk, deer, pronghorn, and fall bear tags runs from May 1 to June 5. Successful applicants will be notified by July 10, and tags must be purchased by August 1. Tags not purchased by August 1 will be forfeited to a second application period, which runs from August 5 to August 15. Idaho does not use a bonus/preference point system. As a result, hunters have more or less the same odds of drawing a controlled-hunt tag the very first year they apply as they do any other year.

To apply, residents and nonresidents must have a general hunting license, and pay an application fee of $6.25 for residents and $14.75 for nonresidents—per species. Unlike many other states, the cost of the tag is not paid for in Idaho until the applicant has drawn. Hunters who have already applied for a moose, bighorn sheep or mountain goat controlled hunt this year may not apply for any other controlled hunt (during the same year).

Worthy of mention in the Idaho tag-allotment system are “unlimited controlled hunts” for mule deer. These tags are available for late-season, rut hunts (November 1 – 18) in Frank Church Wilderness Units 20A, 26, and 27, and for an October hunt in unit 73. Hunters may only apply for these tags during the first controlled-hunt, application period, and some unlimited controlled hunts are designated as first choice only. Wild Idaho Outfitters operates in Unit 27, where these late-season tags (Hunt 1017) have offered outstanding opportunity for large, mature bucks in the past. Nonresident tags are limited to 51 tags for this hunt however, so it’s not truly unlimited. Another option is “outfitter allocation tags” for the same hunt, which Wild Idaho receives from Fish & Game, but they are in short supply due to high demand. There are no controlled-hunt elk tags or bear tags for Unit 27, as they are all sold over the counter.

Any of the November mule deer, controlled hunts that offer only 5 tags is going to be a good one to draw. (In controlled hunts with 10 or fewer tags, not more than one nonresident tag may be issued). There are also some very good controlled-hunt muzzleloader only mule deer tags offered in Idaho. Nonresident deer and elk tags are also valid to take black bear, mountain lion, or gray wolf instead of a deer or elk, if a general season is open for that species.

For detailed information and statistics on Idaho controlled hunts click on this link: https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/big-game

The Wyoming deer and pronghorn tag application period closes June 1 and results come out June 18. The state of Wyoming allows you to purchase preference points only for deer, pronghorn, elk, moose and sheep from July 1 to November 2.

Good hunting,

Joe Cavanaugh

The Value of Drop Camps

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 11:00:00 GMT

There are three basic strategies for setting up a hunt out West: hunt from an outfitter’s fully-equipped camp with a guide; hunt from an outfitter’s drop camp without a guide; or, organize a full DIY hunt, using your own camp equipment. Drop camps sit smugly between the other two set-ups as far as pros and cons are concerned, and they just might provide you the best overall value of the three.

Cost is the primary consideration for most people who choose to hunt from a drop camp. Obviously, a drop-camp hunt costs considerably less than a fully-equipped, guided hunt, and they cost more than a full DIY hunt. The money you save on a DIY hunt over the cost of a drop-camp hunt is somewhat misleading however, as it does not take into account the initial cost of equipment. The outfitter absorbs the cost of the tents, stoves, cots, and tools for drop camps and guided hunts, whereas the DIY hunter must invest considerable funds in equipment from the get-go. Dividing the cost of the equipment by years of use is a difficult equation, though basically, the more years you use the equipment the more money you save in the long run.

Non-resident DIY hunters must also deal with transporting the camp equipment across country in a vehicle. A fully-equipped, 2-man camp plus hunting gear for 2 fills a pickup to the brim, if tightly packed. Throw in a couple of bulls on ice for the way home, and you’ll be loaded down to say the least. And, then there’s the task of transporting your camp and gear from the road into the backcountry. Without pack horses, you’ll be confined to setting up camp next to your truck. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though in theory the remoteness of a drop camp offers better hunting opportunity.

One often over-looked value of both drop-camp and DIY hunts is your feeling of accomplishment when you do tag a trophy. On a guided hunt, all of the scouting, most of the actual hunting, the field-dressing, and quite often the skinning and butchering are done by the guide and camp staff. When you’re the one who figured it all out, and you did it all on your own, it just plain feels better in the end.

Though hunting on your own may feel rewarding to some, cooking, washing dishes, and doing menial camp chores rarely feels rewarding to anyone. Having someone to take care of the camp chores while you focus solely on organizing your gear in the morning, and then having a hot meal to come back to in the evening are undeniably huge factors for choosing a guided hunt over a drop-camp or DIY hunt. Nevertheless, the independence to do things your way, and especially the freedom to make decisions on your own are important considerations to some individuals, like me for example. This includes decisions on what time to get up, which direction to head out of camp in the morning, or how long to wait before taking up a blood trail. Some hunters appreciate the freedom that an unguided hunt in remote country provides.

Before going full DIY however, you might consider how much you really enjoy packing meat. I’m capable of packing a buck out of the woods on my back, if it’s not more than a 2-1/2 hour walk. But not a bull elk! I might add that I consider hauling dead meat a rather unpleasant chore, especially if it’s much over an hour’s walk or if there’s considerable uphill slope. Drop-camp and guided hunts offer the outfitter’s services to get your meat out of the woods, either by man power or horseback, or both.

If you’ve never hunted out West, it might be advantageous to book a guided hunt from a fully-equipped camp for the first year or two, and then hunt on-your-own from a drop camp while you acquire the equipment and knowledge to go full DIY. If you’re already experienced at hunting, camping, and butchering, you could go directly to drop camps. We have clients that book drop camps year after year who are quite satisfied with their overall experience and success.

Drop-camps have a lot of advantages. They cost less than guided hunts, and don’t have the overhead of a DIY hunt. Drop camps give you access to remote country, and the means of getting your meat back to civilization. Perhaps the best value of a drop camp however, is the sense of freedom and fulfillment you get when you’re out in the wilderness on your own.

Good hunting,

Joe Cavanaugh

Old Glory is flying in the Frank

Fri, 02 Sep 2016 19:00:00 GMT

If Old Glory is flying in the Frank, it can only mean one thing: the 2016 Idaho fall hunting seasons are open and underway for all to enjoy. We have begun with our fall bear hunting season here in the backcountry units. Most of the Front Range Units’ archery season opened on August 30.

For all those who are headed out to the hills to enjoy some fall hunting, be safe, have some fun, enjoy your public lands and please never pass up an opportunity to be cordial to or help a fellow hunter while in the backcountry. Take the time to watch a sunrise and/or sunset and enjoy the entire experience our public lands system affords all that are willing to escape the confines of our cities’ concrete jungles.

Happy hunting from the gang here at Wild Idaho Outfitters!

The 2016 Idaho fall hunting seasons are almost here

Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:56:00 GMT

We are just a few short days away from the 2016 fall hunting season here in Idaho. August 30 is the opener of most fall bear hunting units along with statewide general archery season for elk and deer.

Here in Central Idaho’s wilderness backcountry units, we are fortunate to enjoy a two-month long rifle season, so our first opener is bear season and we are getting ready. Our first baits have now been set, camps are getting readied, and firewood is being cut and stacked and come next Tuesday we will welcome our first fall 2016 hunters here at Wild Idaho Outfitters.

We certainly hope that many of you will be taking to the woods this fall to enjoy the many wonders that this great state and country have to offer as far as outdoor fall activities. Hunting, fishing, berry picking and simply sightseeing all seem a little more enjoyable as the summer crowds return to the cities and the mountains seem to just welcome those who come to visit. The weather around here has been amazing and as the autumn approaches and the mornings get a little more brisk, we find ourselves longing for the high country, those amazing wilderness sunsets and the camaraderie that can only be found in hunting camp.

Now that farm chores have finally gotten done thanks to the best brother-in-law money can buy, we can turn all our focus to meeting new friends and welcoming back old ones to our hunting camp back deep in the Central Idaho Wilderness.

This year we are very blessed to have so many return hunters that we are simply grateful and humbled. We find some of our best and most successful hunts are with our return hunters as they have seen the country and our operation and know what to expect and how to prepare for a successful Idaho wilderness hunt.

So, as the days get shorter, the mornings a little cooler and the mountains a bit more colorful, we do hope you will head out to the mountains, rivers and lakes and enjoy your public lands. Remember too, as you head to the woods, take a kid along. If you don’t have any, borrow a few…I hear they come cheap this time of year.

See you in the woods!

Photo: Heading in to set our first bear bait of the 2016
season with my A team of Wyley and Kelly (Tia opted to
stay home and play in the neighbors tree house).

Looking Forward to Idaho Units 27 & 28 Fall 2016 Hunts

Thu, 18 Aug 2016 02:00:00 GMT

It seems like just yesterday we were pulling out of spring bear camp and here it is now the middle of August. We are only days away from setting baits, 2 weeks away from fall bear season and one month away from all our fall combo hunts.

If you are hunting with us this fall, thank you! If you have any last minute questions please take the time to call and visit with us.

Also, if you are hunting elk or deer with us and have not started some sort of exercise program, you still have plenty of time. Even walking a little more than you usually do is really a good idea. The “Frank” is a place that can be very humbling. Keep in mind that our fall camp is at 8,300 feet so altitude can be a factor and building lung capacity by exercising is your best defense. Again, if you have any questions as you prepare for your hunt with Wild Idaho, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The picture on the left is a great view of the Twin Peaks and the skyline that create the southeast boundary of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. It is behind those peaks that all the magic happens this fall with Wild Idaho. We are glad you are joining us. We hope your adventure here in Idaho is a truly memorable one.

If you are not hunting with us, but are hunting somewhere in the west, good for you for getting out and enjoying your public lands and fishing and hunting opportunities funded entirely by you the sportsman!

It is true that sportsmen and -women are the conservationists and as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation espouses, Hunting is Conservation.

10 Reasons Why Idaho is THE Best Place to Hunt in the West in 2014

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:28:00 GMT

1. Tags…Idaho has tags

2. Game…Idaho has always, and is doing even more so now, producing good QUALITY elk, deer and bear, and now we can even hunt wolves.

3. Opportunity…Some of Idaho’s backcountry hunts run for over 2 months giving you more than just that 1 week window in October to hunt and maybe even having to choose between hunts because you were fortunate enough to draw that “coveted tag” after “only” 15 years of trying in another state.

4. Opportunity…Many of Idaho’s hunts allow for multi species hunts during the same time. I personally do not know of any other western state where you can hunt elk, deer, bear and wolves all at the same time and in the same area…and have a realistic chance at harvesting multiple species.

5. Tags…Did I mention tags? Idaho is still offering OTC deer and elk tags first come, first serve. Some states have gone to “draw only” for all tags and species. Because Idaho has had such a bad rap from the wolf issue, hunters have NOT been coming here. Well, we can NOT rule out man is the ultimate hunter and with hunt tags going unsold for at least 5 years now, and wolf hunting and trapping going for the last 3 years, Idaho is seriously beginning to see an uptick in both numbers and quality of elk and deer in its backcountry units along with its front range units where wolf control has been more aggressive since the beginning.

6. Opportunity…When you buy an OTC deer tag, that tag is good all over the state, not just a specific zone. You can hunt early season mule deer in September and if not successful, you could end up hunting late season white tails in December.

7. Opportunity…In Idaho you still don’t have to “choose your weapon” as you do in several western states. You may purchase your archery stamp and hunt an entire month in most areas and again, if not successful, add up to another 2 FULL months of rifle season to your hunting season. Can you show me another state that allows this for trophy quality mule deer and elk?

8. Opportunity…Bear hunting in most western states has gone to draw only and is very restrictive. Here in Idaho you can buy OTC tags (are you sensing a pattern here?), and hunt with dogs, over bait or spot and stalk. Your tag for spring bear season, up to 3 months long, is still good in the fall for up to 2 ½ months of fall bear hunting…while you are hunting other species (again are you sensing a pattern here?).

9. No points system…Yes that is a benefit! Idaho is the last place left (that I know of) that one could really actually draw a tag for trophy species including big horn sheep, moose and mountain goats. Idaho has shorter waiting periods (2 years) and if you don’t harvest, you can try again!

10. No points “creep”…Let’s face it. Some hunts in other states could take 15-20 years just for an “opportunity” to hunt; and that’s if you started the process today! Hunt Idaho every year. Year after year! You could spend that time “waiting” by sharpening up your hunting skills for that day when you do draw that special tag instead of sitting on the sidelines hoping “next year will be the year.”

Good Luck in you hunts!