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Set Your Sights on
Elk and Deer This Fall
With plentiful populations of deer and elk (and bear and mountain lion and…) and millions of acres of roadless lands to choose from, you can't beat the hunting opportunities in Idaho. Outfitters provide everything you need for a successful
hunt, from qualified guides, pack animals, comfortable pack-in tent camps, lodges and cabins to great food and an altogether great hunting experience.
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Hunting for Great
Elk & Deer Opportunities?
When it comes to hunting, Idaho offers millions of acres of wilderness lands with plentiful populations of elk and deer that create perfect opportunities for fall hunting.
Clark Fork Outfitters (www.clarkforkoutfitters.com) is the only outfitter licensed for Idaho's unit 4A – 90,000 acres of remote backcountry wilderness in Idaho's panhandle. Just 75 miles south of Canada, 8
miles from Montana, and 90 miles from Spokane, Clark Fork Outfitters wants to bring you a backcountry hunting experience you will remember for a lifetime. Mark Berry, owner, will tell you: "Northern Idaho is a very well-kept secret. This
region of the country and of the state is absolutely breathtaking, and there is so much to do." As a full-service outfitter, "from the time you arrive at the airport until you leave, we take care of everything -- meals, lodging, guide,
license, tag. All you need to bring are the camo, the ammo and a weapon."
Berry provides a personalized experience with no more than 50 to 60 guests per year. Hunters leave satisfied, with success rates above the national average. "We have healthy wildlife populations, and when it comes to bear and mountain
lion, we are able to bait and use hounds, which also increases our opportunities."
Fall deer and elk populations look to be excellent, with three mild winters in a row and no competition from wolves. Hunters can stay at Clark Fork's 30-acre base camp that offers seven buildings and sleeps 65 people in five homes. Hunters
four-wheel the ten minutes to the unit, then spot and stalk on foot in the pristine Antelope Mountain backcountry. "Our guides are very experienced in where to go and how to get there. We take a lot of people who have never hunted before,
and hunters who bring along their sons and daughters in order to introduce them to the sport." If you need another diversion after hunting, the five-acre glacial lake on top of the mountain is well stocked with rainbow trout. Other
activities include trout fishing at Lake Pend Oreille, only 8 miles away and more than 1,000 feet deep with 150 miles of shoreline. Golfing at Hidden Lakes Golf Course, and skiing at Mount Schweitzer are also just a short distance from
camp.
 In north central Idaho's Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness,
Mile High Outfitters (www.milehighoutfitters.com) packs hunters into the backcountry on horseback and mule into the largest remaining wilderness area in the lower 48 with 2.3 million acres. From
mid-September to mid-November, guests can hunt elk in rut with a rifle. According to owner Travis Bullock, who has been guiding in the area for the last ten years, Idaho is one of the last paces you can do this. "When rutting, elk hunting
is as fun as it gets," says Bullock, who bugles with the animals to call them in. "Picture an 800-pound elk coming right at you."
Bullock recommends booking hunting trips early in order to ensure the availability of tags. Trips with Mile High average 3 to 7 days and include comfortable tent camping, "rib eyes at night and eggs Benedict for breakfast," and plenty of
opportunities for hunting and fishing. Cast & Blast trips start Aug. 30, when groups can take bear, fly fish, and hunt grouse. The bear, which are plentiful, tend to concentrate along the creeks because of the availability of berries, says
Bullock, who also offers mountain lion/cougar hunting from December through March.
Bullock has a variety of hunting and fishing packages and has branched into eco-tourism with wolf-viewing packages that are growing in popularity. "It's a special trip to take a family out for a pack trip and howl with the wolves."
 In the Selway-Bitterroot area, Tanya Sewell of
Selway Ridgerunners(www.selwayridgerunners.com) is already taking reservations for 2006. "This area is highly sought-after for its big elk," says Selway, who along with her husband, Cody, purchased Selway
Ridgerunners a little over a year ago in order to share the wonderful experience of hunting and the outdoors with others. A limited number of fall bear hunts and winter cougar hunting spots are still available for 2005.
Sewell, who recently shot her first bear, believes women are more attracted to bear hunting than other species, although they often come along on other hunts. Their clientele come from all over the country, with a high concentration from
back east looking for that "Rocky Mountain" adventure. "Many of our hunters come for the ruggedness of the area and the relaxed outdoor wilderness experience that they can't get where they live."
Among Selway Ridgerunners' specialties is a "muzzleloader" hunt for deer and elk in the late fall. With a camp that boasts a "shower trailer" with a propane hot water tank and wall tents, time in camp is hardly roughing it. "It's very
comfy with woodstoves and cots." Selway Ridgerunners provides one guide for one to two hunters to give the optimal service to each guest.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR NON-RESIDENT HUNTERS:
Non-resident deer and elk tags are still available for fall 2005 except in four elk management zones -- Lolo, Selway, Dworshak and Elk City. For more information on Idaho hunting licenses and tags, visit the
Idaho Department of Fish and Game on the Web at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/
For more information and a list of licensed outfitters in Idaho, please visit
www.ioga.org.
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For a free copy of Idaho Guided Outdoor Adventures, visit us on the Web at
www.ioga.org.
For additional information on Idaho,
call 1-800-VISIT-ID.
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MEMBER
NEWS
$ $ $ $
New Subscribers Entered to Win $50 Bank Card!
Help IOGA build its e-news subscriber base! Send this newsletter to your clients and friends so they can receive information on Idaho's outfitted outdoor activities.
The IOGA e-newsletter provides useful information on seasonal guided activities they and their families can enjoy. It includes member profiles, news and information about hunting, fishing, and water and snow conditions, and includes great
photographs from around the state, all hyperlinked to member websites and other helpful sites.
How it works:
Send this e-card to clients and friends. A "Send to a Friend" box is located at the bottom of the message. Just enter the e-mail addresses where indicated (separated by commas), personalize your message, and click "send"!
They subscribe by clicking on the link to add their e-mail address to the list, located at the top of your e-mail.
Once they subscribe, their e-mail address will be included in the drawing.
New e-newsletter subscribers through July 15th will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 bank card valid anwhere VISA and Mastercard are accepted.
The winner will be notified by email by August 1, 2005.
Mark
Your
Calendars
IOGA's 2005 Fall Meeting
December 12-16
at the Red Lion Downtowner, Boise
Contact Grant Simonds at
gsimonds@cableone.net for more information.
Don't
Forget!
Membership Dues are Due JULY 1
Great gift
ideas that
support
your
IOGA!
IOGA Recipes & Poetry Book $10 each
IOGA Briefcase $50 each
IOGA 50th Anniversary Belt Buckle $25 each
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OUR MISSION
IOGA is committed
to the conservation and enhancement
of quality outdoor experiences
on Idaho's lands and waters.
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For more information on
Idaho's
Outfitters
and
Guides
visit www.ioga.org or email us for your free guide to outfitted vacations in Idaho at
idoutfitt@cableone.net.
www.ioga.org
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