The Value of Drop Camps 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. March 1, 2020By George McQuiston (blog) Announcements, Drop Camps, General Information, Guided Hunts Drop Camps, Guided Hunts, Idaho Hunts 0 0 Comment Read More »
2020 Idaho Spring Bear Season Means Bear Baiting Season as Well! With the official opener of Idaho’s 2020 backcountry spring bear seasons just about 1 month away, now is the time to get prepared by getting your bear bait at an affordable price while supplies last. There are a lot of places to get bear bait, but only one place that can sell it as affordably priced as this. All our baits are priced at 20 cents per pound and are packaged in manageable sized packing from 35-pound buckets of peanut butter to 30 pound boxes of jellied candies. February 28, 2020By George McQuiston (blog) Announcements, Fall Bear Season, General Information, Spring bear season Bear Bait, Black Bear Hunts 0 0 Comment Read More »
Getting Physical on Big Game Hunting Physically-fit hunters have a much better chance of tagging a trophy in mountainous country than hunters who are not physically fit. That was my grand epiphany after my first week of elk and deer hunting in Idaho—having moved here from flat land. My sentiments echo those of Walt Prothero, who in his book, Mule Deer Quest, opens the section on “Getting Ready” with, “I view physical conditioning as the most important aspect of getting ready [to hunt deer in the West].” I couldn’t agree more. February 24, 2020By George McQuiston (blog) Announcements, General Information Elk Hunts, Idaho Hunts, Mule Deer Hunts 0 0 Comment Read More »
Happy Presidents’ Day Kids today are getting short-changed! When I was a kid we had 2 days off from school in February: one for Lincoln’s Birthday, and then another just 10 days later for Washington’s Birthday. That was great for me, because the holidays coincided with tobogganing season. Now there’s just one national holiday in February, which pays respect to all of our nation’s presidents. February 17, 2020By George McQuiston (blog) Announcements, General Information Idaho wilderness hunts, Public Land, Wilderness Area 0 0 Comment Read More »
Cougar and Wolf Hunting in Idaho Cougar and wolf seasons are currently open in much of Idaho, and will remain open in Units 27 and 28 until June 30, when the seasons close along with spring bear season. Cougar and wolf are exceedingly difficult species to take, especially without the use of dogs or bait, and taking one as such is considered a pinnacle of hunting achievement. February 10, 2020By George McQuiston (blog) Announcements, General Information Idaho Hunts, Idaho wilderness hunts, Lion Hunts, Wolf Hunts 0 0 Comment Read More »
Idaho OTC Elk Tags: Hurry or Be Left Out There is no other state in the Western US comparable to Idaho when it comes to providing you the opportunity to go elk hunting every year, using OTC (over-the-counter) tags. However, as controlled-hunt tags in neighboring states become increasingly difficult to draw, the demand for Idaho OTC tags has been increasing also. An example of this is the nonresident Salmon B elk tags, which sold out this year in just 3 days (Dec. 1–3, 2019), and resident tags sold out within a week of that. February 3, 2020By George McQuiston (blog) Announcements, General Information Elk Hunts, Idaho Hunts, Idaho wilderness hunts 0 0 Comment Read More »
Today Is the Last Day of Phase 1 in Planning Your 2020 Hunts The application deadline for Wyoming controlled-hunt elk tags is at the end of today, January 31st. I’m sure at least some of you remember the days when the only planning you did for an elk tag was stopping by the hardware store to buy it on the way to camp. Sadly, those days are fading fast. January 31, 2020By George McQuiston (blog) Announcements, General Information Elk Hunts, Idaho wilderness hunts, Mule Deer Hunts 0 0 Comment Read More »
Paperwork season is upon us (me) Finally getting my office put back together after a hasty move that took place back in March. I have been having to live with chaos since we got the notice “you have 13 days to move”. Don’t misinterpret that, as we were not being evicted in the formal sense for “not paying the rent”. We had been caretaking a ranch while we were remodeling our own, knowing there was no rush as this place had been for sale for 6 years. Well, we were wrong. It sold and we had to move…quickly! January 10, 2020By Monica Oliver Announcements, General Information Black Bear Hunts, Drop Camps, Elk Hunts, Idaho Hunts, Mule Deer Hunts, Public Land, Wilderness Area, Youth Hunts 0 0 Comment Read More »
“Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Me” or “Preseason Hunt Planning Part 1!” Even though this sounds directed to me and possibly self-serving, it is anything but that. If it were about me, I would be posing on this rig taking a big smiling selfie to tell the world how wonderful I am. Well, I assure you, there ain’t nothin’ sexy about a 54 year old chubby guy climbing up on his new elliptical trying to shed a few of those post hunting, pre- and post-Holiday calories, so all you get to see is an empty elliptical as a symbol of potential for memories to be made. Just like our public lands stand as a symbol to that same ideal. It is honestly directed towards all of us who find ourselves somewhat vertically challenged and girth blessed with each New Year’s Day that passes and wonder if we are alone in this journey from “healthy” holiday sofa surfer to healthy mountain man/explorer looking to scale that peak ahead to look for a trophy animal on the other side. January 4, 2020By Monica Oliver Announcements, General Information Black Bear Hunts, Drop Camps, Elk Hunts, Happy New Year, Idaho Hunts, Merry Christmas, Mule Deer Hunts, Public Land, Wilderness Area, Youth Hunts 0 0 Comment Read More »