1 March The Value of Drop Camps March 1, 2020By Joe Cavanaugh Announcements, Drop Camps, General Information, Guided Hunts Drop Camps, Guided Hunts, Idaho Hunts 0 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 Related Posts Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving from the gang here at Wild Idaho Outfitters and Castle Creek Outfitters. We just finished bringing out our last camp, pulling the shoes on the horses and kicking them out to pasture, drying out the tents, stacking the camp gear and are now settling in for what everyone thinks of as our “off season”. We will certainly take this day, November 28, 2019, off to spend time with family and friends, to embrace and to reflect on the many blessings that have been bestowed upon us and we certainly hope that you all are doing the same. We are truly grateful for the people, many who have become friends, that we have met over the last 15 years. Happy Thanksgiving 2018 from Wild Idaho Outfitters As the sun just set on the final day of our 2018 Idaho elk and deer hunting season, it turns out we drop right back into another “season”: The Holiday Season! With the first, of course, being Thanksgiving. I personally am glad that Thanksgiving falls when it does this year as it leaves no time for PHD (post hunting depression) to set in. Instead, it is a time to reflect on this past year and all the many incredible blessings we have in our lives. I have said it before and it bears repeating, the best part of our job is the people we get to meet. 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. Happy New Year 2020 As we say goodbye to 2019, we hope that your year is ending on a positive note. Ours is because of the new friends we made and the old friends we got to see again in hunting camps, and we look forward to seeing again come spring or fall 2020. We hope that your holidays have been blessed with good times, good friends, good food and making good memories. The 2016 Idaho fall hunting seasons are almost here 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. 2010 Idaho Hunting Season Comes to a Close Hunting season in Idaho’s backcountry unit 27 comes to an official close on November 18 and this year the snow began to roll in about then. So after 2 days of packing out camp it was time to chain up and haul livestock over the pass to winter quarters and begin the drying out of tents, tack and equipment. Riding in to pack camp after the last hunter leaves is always sort of a bitter sweet journey. Comment (0)