Elk, Mule Deer, Bear & Wolf Hunting Blog

Fall Bear Season Is Looking Good

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:00 GMT

If you haven’t made plans for fall yet, maybe a fall bear hunt in Idaho’s famous Frank Church Wilderness Area is just the ticket. Cameras on our spring bear bait sites were loaded with color phase bears this year.

We weren’t sure if it was the mild winter or simply the bear population just continues to grow, but the fact is, the numbers and color variety both on camera and killed this spring was incredible. The bears were out and hungry. We left far more on camera than were harvested so fall is looking extra good this year as well.

We have room for just a few fall bear hunters this year. Could it be you? Contact us to book your hunt.

Happy Hunting and as always, take a kid along!

Save Big on Idaho Spring Bear Hunts

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 09:00:00 GMT

This year marks our twentieth season here in Idaho and we are celebrating with 20 percent off on our Idaho spring bear hunts!

We love what we do and love sharing the woods with hunters from all over and hope to continue for another 20 plus years of guiding bear hunters. Can you even imagine saving 40 percent on a bear hunt to celebrate 40 years when that happens? Ha ha

We truly love spring bear season because after driving tracked machines in a sea of white all winter chasing wolves and mountain lions, the woods finally begin to come to life with signs of remerging plant life, early wildflowers beginning to bloom, the river opening up as the bank ice recedes and we get the horses off winter pasture to begin the bear baiting process.

As we get out and set the baits in April, we get to see all that nature has to offer and truly enjoy the experience as we look forward to sharing our love of the backcountry with those willing to invest in an Idaho spring bear hunt with us.

If you have been considering a spring bear hunt, but have just been waiting for the right time, maybe now is that right time to join us here in Idaho and save 20 percent!

Contact us today and let’s get you scheduled for your Idaho spring bear hunt! We still have some openings in May and June of this year.

Happy Hunting!

Celebrating 20 Years Making Memories in Idaho

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 00:17:00 GMT

By hook or by crook, we have made it to our twentieth year in business. We just finished our 19th season here at Wild Idaho Outfitters and as we head into our twentieth season in the “Frank” I may have to suggest that it was probably more possible by the grace of God and the many wonderful hunters that we have met along the way that we have reached this milestone.

We feel grateful and incredibly blessed to have made it this far. We have assembled an amazing team; from the administrative staff to the trail crew and the guides and even the packers, we believe we have some of the best in the business! Question is, what does this mean to you? The ones reading this blog/email? So what, we have made it 20 years, what is in it for you?

That is a very good question, we are glad you asked. We believe we have come up with a suitable answer. Twenty years is obviously a milestone. One that must be celebrated and so we are. For all spring or fall Idaho bear hunts and predator hunts booked with Wild Idaho Outfitters or our sister company Castle Creek Outfitters for the 2024 season, we are offering 20% off our regular list prices* (which I (George) believe are already the lowest in the business). That is a savings of up to $650 dollars per hunter!!!!

Now obviously we have no control over the price of tags, licenses or taxes, but over our prices we do, and we are so grateful that we have come this far and we want to celebrate our twentieth year with as many hunters as possible. That is why we are doing our best to make hunting in 2024 affordable. Won't you join us?

So for our twentieth year of making memories, we want to sincerely say, "Thank You!" for supporting us and creating memories along the way.

Spring Prep Underway

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

With the days beginning to warm a bit and spring bear season just days away, it is time to ramp up our spring bear prep and get moving a bit faster.

Horses need shod, bear bait moved to the backcountry, camps prepped, and wood socked in for the upcoming official opener of Idaho’s 2021 spring bear season.

Although we have been in backcountry often this spring with Mountain Lion hunts and wolf trapping, it seems it takes a bit of the snow melting and warmer days to really “light a fire” and boy has it been lit!

Kelly is prepping Darling Creek colts to pack bait, the phone keeps ringing with bear bait sales and our calendar is full of hunters coming in for a new Idaho spring bear season in “the Frank”. We look forward to it every year, but this year seems extra special with the world having been so cooped up for the past year, this spring just seems a little brighter and we are looking forward to meeting our new guests while we welcome our returning hunters!

Here is to a successful spring bear season! Whether you are hunting with us, another outfitter or doing your own DIY bear hunt get out and enjoy YOUR public lands!

See you in the woods!

Time to start the application game with spring bear first on the agenda

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 22:29:38 GMT

Now that the madness of 2020 is over, it is time to look ahead to 2021 Idaho hunting seasons and it seems the first of many “seasons” to come is application season.

Idaho spring bear application season just opened and runs through February 15. You can apply online or at an Idaho Fish and Game license vendor in person.

With so may over the counter opportunities to hunt bear in Idaho, it seems strange to apply for spring bear, but evidently there are some places with high concentrations of spring bears, but with easy access they need to be managed differently than the back country units we are used to.

Check it out here if applying for a spring bear hunt is on your list or contact us about booking an Idaho back country spring bear hunt with us.

Good luck in all the “seasons” ahead!

George

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

Bear Hunting with Our Next Generation

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:00:00 GMT

I had an exceedingly refreshing hunting experience this past spring-bear season. In camp we had 2 youths; one was a 12-year-old boy, Austin, who was hunting with his father, the other was my 18-year-old daughter, Suzy, who was our camp cook. It was the first big game hunt of any kind for Austin, whose father acted as the mentor of the hunt—teaching and advising his son on everything from nature to firearms to camp etiquette.

This spring was Suzy’s first experience with hunting, too. Suzy grew up in Eastern Bolivia where girls don’t hunt, though wild game meat is a large part of the rural population’s diet and she had eaten quite a variety of it growing up. Since this year is Suzy’s first time to the United States, these are her first impressions. At the start of bear season, Suzy had little interest in hunting, and she could not comprehend the concept of hunting for sport. Why would anyone travel far and spend money to hunt when they already had plenty to eat?

The one other person in camp was an experienced big game hunter who had already taken several color phase bears and was specifically after a cinnamon bear on this trip. He shot one on the first evening. Suzy, Austin, and his father accompanied the hunter and I the morning after the bear was taken to skin it out in the woods. The walk there was quite exhilarating as we had to cross a raging stream on a fallen log to reach the bait site. This would be the first time Suzy had ever seen a bear. She was in awe with the bear’s beauty and thrilled with the overall experience. In the following days, she started paying more attention to the father and son, and noticed they were having fun together outside and by being challenged by the elements. On the 4th evening Austin shot a black boar which was larger than the other hunter’s cinnamon bear. Suzy now saw how the competition and challenge for bigger bears and different colors of bears played into the scheme of sport hunting—and she liked it—along with the camaraderie.

Competition, challenge, and camaraderie are as natural to the human condition as eating meat. I had been teaching Suzy how handle handguns for personal defense, but now she wants a rifle so she can go bear hunting with her dad, too. I’ll be working on that shortly.

Congratulations to Suzy and Austin for everything they learned! It was so much more than a bear hunt.

Good hunting,

Joe Cavanaugh

Idaho Resumes Sales of Nonresident Licenses and Tags

Mon, 18 May 2020 13:46:01 GMT

We’re back on track again for spring bear. As of May 16, 2020, Idaho hunting licenses, tags, and permits will be available to buy online, at retail vendors, or by calling (800) 554-8685.

A temporary suspension of some nonresident licenses, permits, and tags sales had been imposed by the Idaho Fish & Game Commission the first week of April, due to COVID-19. This mostly affected tags for black bear, cougar, and gray wolf. The 14-day self-quarantine for people entering Idaho has also been relaxed by the governor. So, if you want to hunt spring bear in Idaho this year, you can now purchase a hunting license and tags, as well as stay in hotels and eat in restaurants here.

For more information on licenses, tags and seasons, see:

https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/fg-will-resume-sales-nonresident-licenses-tags-and-permits-10-am-may-16

Good hunting,

Joe Cavanaugh

Bear Rifles

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 21:52:12 GMT

Conversations about bear rifles, or any species-specific rifle, seem to start and end with cartridge selection. There is much more to a rifle however, than the chamber. For this conversation we’ll consider the whole gun: lock, stock, and barrel, with emphasis on the rifle’s sights, caliber of bore, and the ammunition it’s loaded with; and, we’ll only consider rifles specifically tailored for hunting black bear over bait.

Of prime consideration when putting together a specialized bear hunting rifle are the sights. Despite the close range at which bear are encountered over bait, they can be exceedingly difficult to see, as they live in dark forest, approach bait at last light, and of course, they are normally black in color. A bear’s long, exuberant hair and heavy layers of fat contribute to the difficulty in defining their muscle and bone structure, and make it difficult to determine which angle the bear is facing. A scope with a low power range that provides superior brightness and resolution not only aids you in picking-out the bear in the dark forest, but also aids you in determining which way the animal is facing and making out what you can of the bear’s shoulder. To compound the problem of seeing a black target against a dark background under dim light, scope reticles are also black. To enhance sight-acquisition against the black target, the reticle should be bold and sharply-defined, or be illuminated, or both. High-powered scopes with either very fine reticles or ballistic-type reticles are not optimal sights for this type of hunting. Gold-bead or illuminated open sights may be seen clearly at dusk, nevertheless a scope sight offers such superior target acquisition that open-sight rifles are best left for chasing bear with hounds.

Generally, black bear are not as tough to kill as reputation has it, even though a disproportionate number of bear do get away wounded after being shot. Contributing factors are many. As previously mentioned, bear are difficult to see and therefore difficult to hit properly. Lately, there has been wide use of premium bullets that don’t expand well. A bear can travel quite far with a neat, .30-caliber hole drilled through its lungs, especially if it’s headed downhill. Rapidly expanding bullets create more internal damage which bleeds better and kills quicker. If you need more penetration, increase bullet weight—not jacket thickness. Elmer Keith gives an example of a black bear that got away wounded in his book Big Game Hunting, after which he states, “This shows the fallacy of using too stiff and heavy bullet jackets for black bear.” Also, the bear’s long, exuberant hair soaks up blood and their layered fat plugs bullet holes, making blood trails faint and difficult to follow on the dark forest floor. This all leads to one of my primary considerations in selecting a specialized bear gun: the caliber of bore. Large-caliber bullets make larger wounds than small-caliber bullets do, and thus leave a more pronounced blood trail to follow, from both the entrance and exit wounds. For example, a soft-point bullet from a .358 Winchester leaves a noticeably heavier blood trail than a similarly-styled bullet from a .308 Winchester. I know this quite well, as I used these 2 cartridges, virtually side by side, for years in Northern Minnesota. When it comes to actually killing power, any standard big game cartridge from 6.5mm on up will kill a black bear, if the bear is hit squarely with a bullet of proper construction; though recovering the bear is always a consideration.

As far as the rifle’s action, stock, barrel, and the operation and location of the safety, I would suggest choosing a rifle for hunting bear that has as close to the same dimensions and operation controls as the rifle you use every year for hunting deer. Then all you have to do is select optimal sights and increase the bore diameter and you have an excellent bear gun; one that shoulders naturally, operates intuitively, and delivers hard-hitting bullets on-target under dark and adrenaline-charged conditions.

Good hunting,

Joe Cavanaugh

Four Generations Bear Hunt

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 14:00:00 GMT

Well, spring had sprung and old glory was flyin’

The creek got high and kept on risin'

But, soon enough the baits got active and bears started dyin’

Spring bear season started fairly slowly this year with the late and heavy winter we had, but when the baits heated up, wow! They were very active and things really started happening and as the sun finally set on the last day of our 2019 Idaho spring bear hunting season it ended on a very high note!

We had 2 hunters in camp, and each scored on a bear and, as all who were involved would tell you, it was the youth hunter harvesting his bear that managed to make the whole week so enjoyable. The weather was unseasonably comfortable, the baits were incredibly active and as the last night came about for this young man to sit, our decision came down to which bait, of the several that were active, to sit that night. Well, as you can imagine, we guessed correctly, and this young man scored on a very respectable cinnamon boar.

It was very rewarding because this young fellow was accompanied by both his Dad and his Grandpa. What we were not aware of, and became one of the true highlights we learned about as we were taking photos, was that he was using his Great Granddad’s rifle to accomplish the task. Wow! A four-generation spring bear hunt right here in Idaho!

As we begin tearing out our camps, and beginning our trail clearing season, we are already looking forward to our fall bear season that begins this August 30 and even looking ahead to spring of 2020!

We have a few openings available for this fall and obviously some for next year’s Idaho spring bear hunting season. If this year was any indication, next year ought to be a blast as we seem to learn something new every year!

See you in the hills!

Legacy makers (builders)

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 01:10:40 GMT

Today was the beginning of a new legacy. Bold words you say? Let me explain. It seems like an outfitter’s life is ruled by seasons. Now you would recognize the easy ones like spring bear, spring turkey, fall bear, elk, deer, etc. The seasons that most people don’t recognize are all of the “behind the scene” seasons.

There is hay season, where we are putting up hay for all the livestock we get to feed all winter, so we have good livestock come hunting season.

There is a short but painful “shoeing season” where we need to shoe all those cayuses we fed all winter, which ends with shoe pulling and trimming for winter season of course.

There is “booking season”. You know the one. Where outfitters are slaves to their phones, emails and Facebook looking for those daring hunters willing to say, “I think I believe all your B.S. and I am going to send you some of my hard-earned cash to prove it”.

There is bear baiting season, where we ride literally hundreds of miles setting bear baits out throughout the wilderness so that we can (hopefully) entice some hungry bear into a lucky bear hunter’s sight.

And today… today began “trail clearing season”. That is where a good outfitter invests money into the public lands system so that ALL people can access these public lands. Now I can hear it already, “It is in the outfitters best interest to clear the trails he/she uses”…well, DUH! But, here are the facts that follow a statement like that. These are PUBLIC lands. Meaning they are owned by all. If (we/our trail crew) clears a trail and someone (ANYONE) from the public walks in behind us on this newly cleared trail, do you know what they owe or even invested in their public land experience? NOTHING. They are the beneficiary of others’ hard work and they are better able to enjoy their back-country experience because someone DID take the time to clear the trail they chose before they arrived.

Now if you think I am patting outfitters on the head, you are missing the point of this message. What I am saying is that ANYONE who invests time, money and effort in clearing “OUR” public lands access points, be it a fallen tree on the road to a trail head or the back-country efforts going on right now in “The Frank”, that person is creating and leaving a legacy for others to enjoy.

My speech every year at the beginning and the end of these young folks’ time with us is this, “You guys should be proud! You are leaving a legacy. You are creating access to an area that has not been accessible in years. When someone back home asks you, “How did you spend your summer?” you just raise your head, look them in the eye and say, “I was creating better access to America’s public lands and by default creating a legacy that will last for years. What did you do?”

I am incredibly proud of the work these young folks do each year. Some of the faces change, but the enthusiasm for spending time in one of America’s “Crown Jewels” and “giving back” to society, willingly and with a smile, does not!

Thank you trail crew and good luck with the rest of the “season”!

If after reading this, you find yourself wanting to “give back to society” by helping to clear trails, contact us. We are biting off some major projects that are going to take some super human effort to accomplish and we are looking for volunteers to help in this effort. So, if you have a few days to spare and want to work hard, get fed well, see country that not many actually get to see because of it’s remoteness and ruggedness and KNOW that you are leaving a legacy for others to enjoy, get hold of us. Our trail crew will be here until mid-August and about week three, we will really be looking for more help.

We cannot pay volunteers, but we will provide a comfortable camp and more food than you can possibly eat in one sitting. What are you waiting for?

Fall Bear Hunting Season is just around the corner

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 18:25:12 GMT

It seems like just yesterday that we were riding in to set spring bear baits and yet we are already talking about what baits to set for this fall, preparing camp and laying in more bear bait for this year’s fall bear hunt.

Our trail crew arrives this weekend and we begin a 4-week hitch clearing our backcountry trails in preparation for fall hunts beginning August 30 with fall bear season. Every fall seems to produce some amazing color phase bears that are just fat and getting fatter preparing for the long winter ahead. Hides have historically been in pristine condition as well.

So, if you have yet to make concrete plans for your fall 2018 hunting season or you have plans but they are later in the season, maybe a quick trip to Central Idaho’s pristine Salmon River Mountain Range is in order, whereas we still have a few openings for our fall bear season.

BEAR BAIT AS LOW AS 10 CENTS PER POUND

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 22:30:00 GMT

Idaho’s spring bear season is literally just around the corner so be prepared with affordable bait as low as 10 cents per pound. We have tons of bear bait in stock and ready to go. We are located in Challis, Idaho and delivery is available. We also stock Northwoods Brand bear scents and attractants.

Choose from icings, chocolates, fig filling, creamers, fudge and granola. Call today 801-598-4881 or see more at our website: www.BearBaitingSupplies.com

Fig filling


Double Dutch Fudge icing	Bavarian Crème filling	Donut glaze


Blue icing	Green icing	Orange icing


Bear Jelly	Gold Rush	Bear Scents

First Hunting Season of 2016 Opens

Sat, 16 Jan 2016 05:17:00 GMT

Now that all the hoopla surrounding the Holidays are over and the New Year is officially underway, it is time to get down to the serious business of planning for all the hunting seasons the upcoming year will provide.

While many people are still enjoying hunting for waterfowl, chukars, rabbits and predators (with their new 2016 licenses of course), there are others who are beginning the long, arduous task of trying to decipher each states hunting regulations in search of that one special hunt that will guarantee the buck, bull or boar of a lifetime. Once that special hunt is located, all one has to do is figure out how many points are needed to have a chance to be successful, figure out how to apply, how much it will cost to apply and then go ahead and apply, during the correct application period, and then sit back and wait for that email or letter that will hopefully read SUCCESSFUL for hunt number XXX.

Now for those of us who have hunted out west long enough, realize, that more often than not that letter reads Unsuccessful for hunt XXX…and so the anticipation for next year when we can once again apply and hope for success in at least the draw.

Now lest you think this is simply a downer post, please know it is simply an informational post, that the first hunting season of the year is officially underway: Hunt application season officially began January 1^st 2016 with the timeframe for applying for elk tags in Wyoming opening up to applicants. This application period ends January 31^st. If you have a desire to hunt Wyoming, but don’t know where to start, might I suggest you begin by calling my outfitter friend Kelly Christensen at 208-547-4062, emailing him at raftercoutfitters@live.com or visiting his website at www.RafterCoutfitting.com.

He is licensed in both Idaho and Wyoming and is very approachable about hunting information in either of his areas.

As for Idaho, beginning January 15, 2016, the application for spring bear in the draw only areas opens. With Idaho having so many over the counter or OTC tag areas with 2 bear tags available in these areas, I can’t imagine why one would want to apply for a hunt, but I have been told that if it is a draw area in Idaho for bears, there are even more bears than in areas with 2 tags and with much easier access and so should be a very good hunt…if you draw. For more info on Idaho Spring bear applications, see http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/media/viewNewsRelease.cfm?newsID=8027

Application season is always a fun, thought and dream provoking time of year, please keep in mind that if you miss an application deadline or are simply unsuccessful in the draw, you can always buy an Idaho OTC tag and simply go hunting.

If you are searching for an Idaho outfitter for 2016 (and somehow we don’t fit your criteria), your best resource for finding a quality Idaho hunting outfitter is www.HuntingIdaho.org

2015 Idaho Spring Bear Season Begins with a Trophy Class Bear

Sun, 10 May 2015 01:09:00 GMT

Our first official week of spring bear hunting in our backcountry unit 27 in Central Idaho began with a father son combo from Nebraska and when we went to sit a couple of baits within ear shot of each other, Cam (the son and youth hunter) and I were greeted by the sound of a rifle report just towards the end of legal light. With curiosity getting the best of us, we sprinted over to where his Dad Jeff had been sitting and he and his first year guide, Jacob Roy, were no where to be found. A quick look through bino’s showed a big black blob near the bait and two people cautiously approaching the blackness. Once I heard the victory whoop, I knew the big black blob was a bear. He looked big in the bino’s and we were not disappointed when we got there to help with the skinning chores. This thing was a true trophy bear. It was pure black with no tan or white anywhere, squared 7 feet and its skull measured 22” (with a tape measure) making it the largest bear ever harvested with us here at Wild Idaho Outfitters.

Congratulations to Jacob Roy for his first guided bear credit and to Jeff F. For his first bear as well!

Idaho’s Spring Bear Season Officially Opens Today!

Wed, 01 Apr 2015 09:09:00 GMT

Although it has been a mild winter, it still seems like it has been a long one waiting for spring bear season to finally arrive here in Idaho! April 1 is the “official” opener for many of the backcountry units, but in normal years the bears are still comfortably snuggled in their winter beds under feet of snow. This year bears have already been spotted out cruising the south facing hill sides looking for that new green growth they need to get their stomach working after a long winters nap. We can’t wait to get out there and and get after them. We hope you will join us or at least another Idaho outfitter for an Idaho outdoor adventure to remember. See more about Idaho outfitters at www.IOGA.org

If you have not made your plans for where to hunt spring bear this season, we still have a few openings available to Bear hunting over bait in Idaho’s famous Frank Church River of No return wilderness area. This is a drive in camp with all access to bait sites after that accomplished by horses or mules. We are in a 2 bear area and wolf season is open as well during the hunt. We have a high percentage of color phase bears and usually amazing scenery to enjoy while in the “Frank”.

If you are a do-it-yourself or DIY bear hunter, we are selling bear bait again this year. Contact us for pricing and availability.

Why Hunt Idaho?

Fri, 05 Dec 2014 16:11:00 GMT

Short answer. Because you can! Yup, that is the answer, because you can. As a sportsman/hunter first and an outfitter second, I cherish my opportunities to hunt out west and based on what I have discovered in my travels, reading the news and talking to hunters from all over the globe about hunting in “their” states, once again Idaho simply rises to the top as THE best place for an opportunity to hunt…bar none!

Back in January of this year I blogged about the “ten best reasons to hunt Idaho in 2014”, well I am extending those 10 reasons indefinitely; certainly until someone can show me a state that has this much opportunity and on trophy animals to boot!

After what we saw this year in the field and in talking to other hunters and outfitters, Idaho is simply THE place to hunt and unfortunately is the best kept “secret” out there. When I work shows in the east and ask hunters if they have ever thought of hunting out west or have ever hunted out west, it seems “they” all seem to think the west stops at Wyoming, Colorado and Montana. This doesn’t sit that well with a Utah and Idaho outfitter. Utah, unfortunately, gets lumped in with other states that are wonderful to hunt….if you can draw a tag. Unlike Idaho where tags are readily available over the counter, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and Nevada are all draw states. I believe Colorado has over the counter tags for very short, choose your weapon seasons and no real predator hunting to speak of.

In Idaho, you can hunt archery for a month and if unsuccessful you can pick up your rifle and head deep into a backcountry unit for another month and probably have just about as good of chance for a trophy size animal as almost any draw hunt in the west. All it takes is a little saddle time or foot soldiering to get off the beaten path. Even now at the time of this writing (December 1st) if you wanted to go hunt whitetails in Idaho you could head right in, purchase a tag and go hunting. What other states can offer that in December? And if you are willing to pick up a bow, you can still hunt elk and deer in some areas right up until the end of December. Wow!

When it comes to predator hunting, Idaho is definitely second to none. Here in Idaho we can still hunt bears over baits or with dogs. Dogs have been outlawed in many western states along with baiting. We can hunt spring and fall with the same tag for bears and in the back country units you can even harvest 2 bears AND at a reduced price... again Wow! You can hunt mountain lions with dogs and you can even hunt wolves for an extended period of time. Heck some states have outlawed hunting mountain lions all together (you know who you are California)

So if it sounds like I am proud of what Idaho offers, you better believe I am and as much as I wish everyone who reads this would book a hunt with us, I realize that many who read this will be Do it yourself (DIY Hunters), already booked with another outfitter or hunting with family and I am afraid the worst case is the poor soul sitting out all hunts “waiting to draw a tag in a trophy area somewhere else”. That truly is heartbreaking. Either way you make it to Idaho, by outfitter, DIY or family, just make it!…and bring a youth hunter with you because Idaho has, in my opinion, the best deal on youth hunting in the country!

You will be very happy you did!

Happy Hunting!

Visit our Photo Gallery for a Recap of the exciting 2014 Idaho Adventures

Thu, 04 Dec 2014 08:59:00 GMT

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe that is true and maybe it “ain’t,” but it is always fun to look back over the past year through pictures taken either by myself, our guides or even those shared by our hunting clients. It helps us relive some of the moments that makes our jobs as guides one of the most fulfilling jobs in the world (in my opinion of course). In looking through these photos to choose some to post, it seems like only yesterday we were putting our heads down to go to work setting bear baits in April and now it is already December with Christmas just around the corner. So please stop by and visit our gallery and if you see some photos you like I do hope you will tell us about them, if you hunted with us and don’t see some pictures you would like to share with the world, I do hope you will share them with us and if you want to find yourself in some of those photos in the future, I do hope you will book a hunt with us We are taking bookings for all of our 2015 hunts and are actually already booked full on a couple of weeks during spring bear season, so don’t wait. If you have been thinking about an Idaho adventure, maybe this is your year.

I have said it before and will say it again, I truly believe Idaho is one of the best kept secrets in the hunting world. I say “Why Hunt Idaho?” answer “because you can!” In this western world of having to apply for tags, Idaho is one of, if not the only state left with over the counter tags (OTC Tags), liberal seasons (almost a month to hunt elk or deer with a rifle in some of the back country units and still having the ability to use bait and dogs when hunting bears. It is the ONLY state I know of where you can’t hunt elk, deer, bear, wolf and mountain lion all in the same timeframe and last but certainly not least, it has one of the best, if not THE best discount and incentive for youth hunters in the country!

Idaho Fall Bear Hunt is Just Around the Corner

Sat, 23 Aug 2014 16:40:00 GMT

With snow on the peaks this morning and seeming as though we were just packing out spring bear camp, here it is time for fall bear hunting season in Central Idaho’s Frank Church River of No Return wilderness area. We hunt area 27 which is a 2 bear area with high percentage color phase bears and reduced pricing on nonresident tags. We still have just a few spots left for this fall, so if you have not gotten all your hunting plans made, come join us. Best fall bear hunting time frame is from the opener on August 30th until September 14th before all the elk and deer hunters start hitting the woods.

Idaho Fall bear hunting is just around the corner

Wild Idaho’s Spring Bear Season OFFICIALLY Arrives!

Sat, 03 May 2014 10:26:00 GMT

It can only mean one thing when we are hauling hay, chained up in the old Dodge over high mountain passes, shoeing horses at the trailhead and crossing rising rivers, all in the same day!

That’s right…spring bear season has arrived and word at the trailhead from the guides is we have active baits, hunters have arrived and we are heading in for our first of eight straight weeks of bear hunting in Idaho’ famous Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness area big game unit 27, where bear tags for a non-resident are offered at the reduced price of 31.75 and there is a 2 bear limit.

Idaho ranks highest in the lower 48 for an opportunity at a color phase bear as well. Access in to these backcountry units is challenging at best and downright exhilarating at their peak. Access requires either horseback, boat or plane to arrive at your final hunting destination. But the reward for your troubles can be a nice Idaho spring bear and a look over some of the roughest country in the lower 48.

Spring bear hunt prep work hauling in the hay and bait