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Try Idaho's Outfitted Spring Adventures
Spring is a wonderful time for
hunting in Idaho, whether you are out for large trophy species such as
bear, or prefer winged hunting expeditions for
turkey. A number of outfitters offer a wide range of hunting options on private ranches and federal lands, including guided bear and turkey hunts.
In 2005, many areas of Idaho are also gearing up for
Lewis & Clark bicentennial celebrations, with outfitted trail rides and interpretive events across the state.
While you enjoy the many winter opportunities Idaho has to offer, don't forget that the spring thaw is around the corner, creating those wonderfully unforgettable
whitewater adventures for you to enjoy this upcoming summer.
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Black Bears, Turkeys and Moose, Oh My!
 Whether you are hunting black bear, turkeys or upland game, Idaho's outfitters are sure to have the right
package for your hunting needs.
Flying "B" Ranch, for instance, provides a 4,200-acre private shooting preserve specializing in wing shooting and upland game hunting. "We have an extended season from August to April for released birds – pheasants, chukars and
Hungarian partridges," says big game manager, Joseph Peterson. Flying B's 14,000 square foot lodge has 14 private guest rooms and has catered to a diverse clientele for 17 years. Guided hunting trips at Flying B Ranch range from three days
for wing shooting to five to ten days for big game hunting excursions. Peterson says the bear season is quite good this year due to the lower than average snow pack, which allows for an earlier season.
Black bear hunting in Idaho runs from April to the end of June. According to Adam Reed of
Lost Lakes Outfitters, Idaho is one of only a few places left in the lower 48 states where you can still hunt bear. Besides becoming rarer, he adds, "bear hunting is challenging. You have to be patient." Reed reports a high success
rate on his guided bear hunts in north central Idaho. "Last year I had 100 percent opportunity – everyone shot at a bear – and over 90 percent actually killed one." Average spring bears weigh approximately 200 pounds.
Al Latch at
Rivers West Outfitters guides bear hunting trips on national forest lands around Elk City, in central Idaho. Hunters on his expeditions use bait and hounds and "glass and stalk" bear from daylight until dark on approximately 100 to 150
square miles of federal land. "Our customers come from all over the world for the opportunity to hunt bear in the short spring season," he says.
To accommodate a wider array of spring hunting interests, Latch also offers combined bear and turkey hunting expeditions on his private ranch near Kooskia, Id. Turkey hunting, he says, can be very exciting. Turkey, he says, "are like
miniature elk in that you can call them in like elk during the rut." While turkeys are not native to Idaho, their populations have grown substantially since they were transplanted here in 1961 by the
Idaho Department of Fish and Game. "Idaho has had good success in establishing the birds here," says Latch. The primary species of turkey hunted in Idaho is the Meriam wild turkey, which represents over 90% of the birds in Idaho and
was the original species introduced. Other species include the Rio Grande wild turkey and Eastern wild turkey. Unlike bear, turkey can only be hunted on private lands with a legally licensed outfitter/guide.
Regulatory Changes Improve Opportunities for Hunters
Recent changes to the tag allocations for moose and bighorn sheep have created additional opportunities for some trophy species hunters. The Department of Fish and Game commissions recently changed the "once-in-a-lifetime" moose hunting
regulations to allow hunters to take one of each gender of moose, which will encourage hunters to apply for more tags. Moose tags are awarded by an annual controlled hunt lottery. The commission also increased the number of permits
available for bighorn sheep and mountain goat. Visit the
Department of Fish and Game Web site for further information on tag allocations and information on the seasons for specific species. Applications for trophy species controlled hunts are due April 30th. |
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Lewis & Clark Themes Hot in 2005-06.
Several outfitters in Idaho have permits and licenses to offer special Lewis and Clark related adventures for their guests. Lewis and Clark traveled across the east and north central part of the state in 1805 looking for a water route to
the Pacific Ocean. From Lolo Pass at the Montana border to Lewiston at the Washington state border, Lewis & Clark traveled with their Indian guide, Sacagawea, through the territory of the Lemhi Shoshone, Nez Perce and other Native American
people, who provided food, horses and guides that helped the travelers survive the difficult winter.
 Much of the region today remains unchanged from how the Corps of Discovery saw it almost 200
years ago. The Native American trails that existed when Lewis and Clark visited are still there, and visitors can see the camping sites the expedition likely used.
"The area around Lolo Pass is unforgiving country in bad weather," says Barb Ophdahl of
Triple "O" Outfitters, who provides guided trail rides along the Lewis and Clark trail. "We visit the actual campsites of the expedition based on the journals of Lewis and Clark and marked by the U.S. Forest Service guide in the
1950s." Ophdahl admits working with Ken Burns on his 1997 documentary about the expedition has spurred interest in the area's Lewis and Clark significance. Because of the anticipated interest during the bicentennial, the Forest Service has
put a permit system in place. Ophdahl's trips will include guided mountain biking, van, backpacking and horseback riding adventures along a 120-mile section of the trail from just inside the Lolo Pass to Weippe. Overnight trips include
tent camping along the trail, gourmet meals and interpretive talks along the way. "There is something spiritual about the trail – visiting the campsites of Lewis and Clark, the scenery, the feel of history – it's a special experience.
Anyone who has ever been there gets that feeling," says Ophdahl. She recommends July and August for visitors due to the unpredictable weather conditions in the mountainous region.
Adam Reed of
Lost Lakes Outfitters agrees that late summer is the best time to experience the trail in the north central area of Idaho. Reed provides guided hour-long and day-long trail rides from Lochsa Lodge over Wendover Ridge, where Lewis and
Clark left the Lochsa river and climbed the mountains to get to the Indian trail that would eventually lead them to the plains of Western Idaho and Oregon. Their section of the trail is remote and only accessible by horseback. In addition
to interpretive talks, visitors may get the rare opportunity to see deer, elk, wolves and mountain lions that populate the forests.
Along the eastern border of the state near Salmon in central Idaho,
Bighorn Outfitters, and Dave Melton also lead interpretive horseback riding rides along a portion of the trail. Unique along his section of the trail are the large rock formations noted by Lewis and Clark in their journals. The area,
he adds, is where the expedition rode down the to the Salmon river and realized it was too difficult to pass, forcing the party to return to the North Fork and attempt to cross through Lost Trail Pass, where the trail reenters Montana.
"People can see the trail as Lewis and Clark saw it," says Melton. In addition, they can combine their trips with overnight activities, camping along the high mountain lakes, pack trips and float trips. "It is a great place to see
wildlife, game, eagles, and experience nature. It's a great family experience." For those interested in seeing the forests in bloom and in floating the Salmon, Melton suggests a June visit.
Whitewater Rafters Watch the Spring Thaw
With rafting season around the corner, eyes are focused on the spring water flow outlooks. According to Ron Abramovich, 75 percent of Idaho's precipitation falls as snow. A water supply specialist and hydrologist with the
Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Abramovich reminds us that only mother nature can determine how much snow we get. At present, he says, the central Idaho mountains have about 70% of average snow pack/
These numbers are important in that the thawing snow pack produces the stream flows we rely on through the year.
What does this mean for rafting, you ask?
Marty Smith at
Three Rivers Rafting reminds us that Idaho's rivers are always flowing and river rafting in 2005 will still be an exciting adventure whether we see any more snow this winter or have a rainy spring. "It really doesn't affect the
season," he says. Rafting outfitters fit their equipment to the conditions and the needs of their guests. Sometimes, he adds, "lower flows bring out features in the river that make it even more exciting. The water tends to be warmer, and
you can see the beaches and rapids form that wouldn't during high water run off." The excitement, says Smith, is evident where the rapids require more technique to maneuver. Three Rivers Rafting offers trips along the Selway and the
Lochsa rivers. The five-day excursions through the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area offer solitude, pristine, clear water and excellent trout fishing.
Jerry Hughes of
Hughes River Expeditions concurs. "You never know what the summer is going to be like until the summer." If the snow pack remains at below average levels, says Hughes, it actually extends the family rafting season that Hughes
Expeditions caters to along the Snake and Middle Fork of the Salmon rivers. Families enjoy rafting for more than just the white water. The Middle Fork runs through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, and is the largest
roadless river in the lower 48. Along the Middle Fork you can experience 100 rapids in 100 miles of runnable river. Campgrounds are reserved and the number of launches is limited to three per day.
Fellow Middle Fork rafters Dave and Sheila Mills of
Rocky Mountain River Tours echo Hughes's sentiments. "The water flow forecasts really don't affect us that much," says Sheila Mills. "There is always enough water flow," and, she adds, "people traveling in from New York City aren't
coming just for the big white water. They're coming for a vacation in a beautiful place. It is always beautiful, there is always whitewater, and it is always fun." Husband Dave couldn't agree more. "We find out the kind of experience
people want and provide that experience. … We can take the thrill seeker and his grandmother on the same trip and make them both happy," says Dave Mills, who offers a three sizes of paddle rafts to inflatable kayaks.
Although it doesn't change much for Idaho's rafting outfitters, they will continue to watch the water flow forecast with interest. "We're paying attention to it, observing it. But we know better than to agonize about it," Hughes admits.
Demand for rafting trips along Idaho's rivers is always high, as it is a great way to experience some of the last true wilderness in the country. River trips offer opportunities for hiking, swimming, fishing, and just plain relaxing along
with great meals and all the excitement of world-class white water adventure.
For more information on Idaho's Outfitters and Guides, please visit www.ioga.org or email us for your free guide to outfitted vacations in Idaho at idoutfitt@cableone.net.
For a free copy of Idaho Guided Outdoor Adventures, visit us on the Web at
www.ioga.org.
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MEMBER
NEWS
Mark Your Calendars
IOGA Board of Director's Meeting
March 10th and 11th
Members are welcome to attend.
Contact Grant Simonds at gsimonds@cableone.net for more information.
The Outdoor Getaway
March 12th
Coeur d'Alene Casino
Worley, ID
(35 mi. south of Coeur d'Alene)
The 2005 Outdoor Getaway will feature a prime rip and seafood saute, entertainment, as well as more than 30 live auction items, including hunts, raft trips, fly fishing trips, and pack trips, and over 100 silent auction items donated by
local merchants and outfitters.
Last year's event saw 268 attendees and raised $3,000 for The Children's Village, a group home and crisis nursery in Coeur d'Alene. Reservations for the 2005 event already match last year's attendance. According to Barbara Judge of St. Joe
Outfitters, coordinator of the 2005 event, there's room for up to 400 attendees this year. If you can't be there, you can still bid on auction items by phone!
Contact IOGA at 208.342.1438 or buy tickets on-line at www.ioga.org.
The January Thaw a Huge Success
The fifth annual January Thaw Held at the Doubletree Riverside in Boise on January 8th was the largest yet, with over 300 people in attendance. Coordinator Shelly Fisher reported that the fundraiser exceeded their expected net revenues by
41% this year, and enabled them to give $3,500 to the Boys and Girls Club of Ada County for their outdoor education program as well as provide continued support for the IOGA.
Special thanks go to the organizing committee: Don Carter, Kari Allred, Jim Bivens, Travis Bullock and Shelly Fisher, who coordinated this year's event, and the many volunteers and contributors who made the event such a big success.
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We welcome you ideas and story suggestions.
If you have any questions about this publication, please contact Grant Simonds at gsimonds@cableone.net.
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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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