Sore Feet withWe operate on a geographical area of over 180 square miles in Idaho Fish and Game Units 26 and 20A, Middle Fork Zone. The area is accessed via trailhead or air taxi to a backcountry airstrip. The cost of the air taxi would be your responsibility and in addition to the price of your hunt. Don't forget that we are here to assist you in your pre-and post-hunt planning. The area is extremely rugged with elevations ranging from 3500 ft---10,000 ft. Weather conditions vary from year to year. Generally snow can come and go at anytime, but usually doesn't start stacking up until late October. We have a very arid climate and conditions are usually beautiful.
To enhance your hunt, we utilize our herd of approximately 30 horses and mules as well as our excellent crew of guides and camp assistants. Your accommodations may vary from a comfortable wall tent camp, spike camp, backpack, or an unscheduled night on the hillside. Our wall tent camps are very comfortable and usually consist of the following: 12x14 client tent equipped with woodstove, cots, sleeping foams, lanterns, and floor, a 12x30 cook tent with table, chairs, woodstove propane stove, kitchen counter, cook wear, and employee sleeping quarters. Also in camp will be an outhouse facility, hitch rails, corrals, and fresh water supply.
When you are at one of our camps, you will enjoy a menu of a wide variety of traditional home-cooked meals such as: steak, chicken, pork chops, pancakes, French toast, eggs, breakfast meats, and baked goods. There's always a wide variety of beverages available at camp such as: fresh water, drink mixes, juice, coffee, hot chocolate, beer, pop, and more. The type of food will vary with your camp accommodations. You may find yourself enjoying a meal served in the cook tent, lunch on the trail, or a freeze-dried meal by the fire.
Most hunts involve part of the first and last day traveling
to or from camp. You will be hunting as much as possible. Most hunts are one
guide per hunter. You will have your own experienced guide to assist you throughout
the hunt. When you are successful, the guides, along with the horses and mules
will assist you in getting your game out of the wilderness and to the trailhead
or airstrip.
We are proud members of the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association, National and Idaho Foundations for North American Wild Sheep, National Rifle Association, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. We are insured and bonded. We are licensed by the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board, as well as permittees of the Boise, Challis, Salmon, and Payette National Forests.
If you would like to book
a hunt with us, or have any further questions, our office is in
our home and you can contact
us anytime at (208) 879-4700, or info@floatidaho.com
so that we can assist you with choosing your hunt and date, purchasing
your license and tags, pre and post-trip transportation and lodging,
along with answering any questions you may have.
The sound sends a chill down
your spine, you know what this means, the bugle season has begun.
(check out our Photo
Gallery.) Central Idaho is one of the few places left where
you can still rifle hunt for elk during the rut. This is a hunting
opportunity that we recommend all hunters should experience. Fall
colors and crisp autumn skies mean it's time for our annual elk
hunts. Most of our elk hunts are 8-day combination hunts with
one guide per hunter. "Combination Hunt" means you may
also hunt Mule Deer, Black Bear, and/or Mountain Lion at no extra
charge provided you have the appropriate tags and seasons are
open. The elk rut generally lasts during September and October
and you can expect to hear elk bugle anytime during the rut. Black
Bear sightings are more frequent through September and October
as well. Mule Deer may be seen as well as taken from September
15-November 18, however, the Mule Deer rut begins mid-October
and your chance of seeing a nice buck while Elk hunting drastically
improve at that time. We schedule 8 combination hunts from September
15-November 18.
| The tentative hunting dates are: | |
| September 15-21 | October 17-23 |
| September 23-29 | October 25-31 |
| October 1-7 | November 4-10 |
| October 9-15 | November 12-18 |
Hunt dates are actually hunting days. We have also scheduled
a travel day
for you before and after each hunt. This is the day you will travel
to and from the backcountry.
The combination elk and deer hunt is $4,758.00 as of 01/01/2001. Go to Rates and Dates.
We plan on 5 hunters per hunt.
This is plenty of country to hunt and very little competition.
The best way for you to improve your chances of success on a guided
elk hunt is to hunt 1 guide per hunter. Why come all this way
to watch someone else be successful at your expense? Although,
our camps are very comfortable, we often spend nights out away
from camp in order to improve your chance of success. We also
run specific backpack hunts with some clients. Obviously, anytime
we spend away from camp will detract from your comfort, menu,
and hygiene, but the decision will be yours and most hunters really
enjoy the experience and success associated with these outings.
Our past hunters have successfully taken many trophy Mule Deer. (check out our Photo Gallery.) Our deer and elk season is open from September 15-November 18.
Bucks can be taken at anytime
during the season, however the best Buck hunting begins with the
Mule Deer rut around mid-October and continues through the rest
of the season. Most hunts involve 5-8 days, using the spot and
stalk method, which means you spend a lot of time traveling and
glassing in deer country until you are able to locate and stalk
your trophy Buck. Mature Mule Deer Bucks in our area range in
spread from 20" to over 30" with tall heavy tines. We
often harvest non-typical Bucks.
Contact us for specific dates.
The
Mule Deer hunt is $3,296.00 per hunter as of 01/01/2001. Go to
Rates and Dates.
Your 6-day Spring Black Bear hunt can take place anytime from April 15 through June 30. Traditionally, this is a very successful hunt and we often see bears of a multitude of colors. (check out our Photo Gallery.)
This is an ideal time to enjoy all that the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness has to offer. Generally, you along with your guide will employ the spot and stalk method of hunting. Basically, you will be glassing vast amounts of Spring Bear country until you locate your trophy and go after it. Most hunts include the use of horses and mules.
You will enjoy your stay at one of our hunting camps. We will prepare your meals, take care of camp chores and more. This is also a great spring get-a-way from your office, telephone, and beeper. The weather is usually gorgeous with little or no insects.
You will also see many of the other animals that abound in the wilderness. This could include everything from the majestic Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, to the elusive Mountain Lion. As well as a myriad of birds and small game animals. This is truly Mother Nature at her finest.
The cost for your spring adventure
is $3,296.00 per hunter. Go to Rates
and Dates.
Black bear season
opens in late summer in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.
This is a great time to go for that uniquely colored Black bear
that roam around Big Creek.(check out our Photo Gallery.) We will take you during September.
Please contact us for
specific date availability.
You will enjoy the comfort of staying at our Base Camp, while on your stay with us. One feature of this hunt that makes it unique is the fishing. Big Creek offers some world class Trout Fishing. When you have achieved your hunting goal, you can focus on perfecting your fishing technique or perhaps you would rather focus on fishing then hunting. We can accommodate you, as this is your trip. This is a great opportunity to share a very non-physical hunting experience with someone who would enjoy the creature comforts of our Base Camp in the wilderness.
The cost for this fall adventure
is $1,650.00 per hunter. Go to Rates
and Dates.
Your exciting Mountain Lion hunt will begin after our Elk hunting season (November 19).(check out our Photo Gallery.) Generally, the hunt will include the use of one of our hunting camps, horses and mules, as well as a hound handler and hound dogs. We will guide, cook, and do all of the other camp chores.
The hunt will begin when your guide, houndsman, dogs, or perhaps yourself locate the right Mountain Lion track. This is where the excitement begins, provided the right conditions exist. You will then keep track of the hounds, until you hopefully find your trophy.
You will have 6-days to experience
the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness during your Mountain
Lion hunt.
Are you still looking for that elusive Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep trophy or are you still just trying to draw the even more elusive sheep tag? (check out our Photo Gallery.) Allow us to help you achieve your goal. If you would like to be on our annual sheep tag reminder list, contact us at (208) 879-4700, or info@floatidaho.com.
Idaho consistently has the best odds for drawing a Bighorn Sheep tag. There are two reasons: 1) in Idaho, if you are a non-resident, you must purchase a non-resident hunting license to apply and 2)if you apply for a sheep tag, you cannot apply for any other special drawing. When you successfully draw your tag, we can assist you in the following ways.
The initial hunt will be for 10 days beginning the day you arrive. (check out our Photo Gallery.)We offer 2 guides per hunter on a deluxe hunt. Our policy is, if you are unsuccessful after the first 10 days, we will continue to take you hunting at no extra charge, as much as our schedule will allow.
Your
accommodations may vary from a comfortable wall tent camp, spike camp, backpack,
to an unscheduled night on the hillside.
When you are at one of our camps, you will enjoy a menu of a wide variety of traditional home-cooked meals such as: steak, chicken, pork chops, pancakes, French toast, eggs, breakfast meats, and baked goods. There's always a wide variety of beverages available at camp such as: fresh water, drink mixes, juice, coffee, hot chocolate, beer, pop, and more. The type of food will vary with your camp accommodations. You may find yourself enjoying a meal served in the cook tent, lunch on the trail, or a freeze-dried meal by the fire.
While you are in the wilderness, your transportation may include the use of horses, mules, or foot travel with or without backpacks.
The cost is $6,400.00 per hunter. Go to Rates and Dates.
Our 1 on 1 sheep hunt is an 8-day hunt that begins on the day you arrive in your hunting unit. Your hunt and accommodations would vary as they do on the "Deluxe Sheep Hunt". The main differences are that you would only have 1 guide and the hunt ends p.m. on the 8th day.
The cost is $4,758.00 per hunter. Go to Rates and Dates.
We do offer drop camps. We will need a map with the exact drop location indicated, know how many people will wish to use riding stock, and the weight of your gear. The rate will be quoted per your specific needs. We will make no specific drop recommendations nor will we be responsible for your activities after the drop.
There are three ways you can acquire an Idaho Sheep tag. Controlled Hunt System, Lottery Tag, Auction Tag.
April is the only month you can apply for a Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep tag in Idaho.
Some of the units we have
successfully hunted for Bighorn sheep in the past 20 years are:
| Area | Dates | Hunt Number |
| 26 | August 30 - October 13 | 5007 |
| 26-L | October 13 - October 31 | 5016 |
| 27-L | October 13 - October 31 | 5017 |
Other Areas are available.
If you decide to apply for a Bighorn sheep tag the best method is to: Call the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at 1-800-824-3729 or (208) 334-3717 to apply for your hunting license and controlled hunt permit over the phone. Be sure to call us with any questions you may have, before you apply.
The cost for your non-resident hunting license is $128.50 "non-refundable". The tag, permit, and application is $1514.50. The amount of $1508.00 is refunded, if you do not draw.
You can purchase lottery tickets through the Idaho FNAWS Chapter Lottery Tag drawing. The winner will receive a Bighorn sheep tag good for any open sheep hunt area for that season. You can contact ID FNAWS at www.animalpark.org/idfnaws/
Each year Idaho donates a Bighorn sheep tag to be auctioned off at the National FNAWS Convention. The FNAWS web site is: www.fnaws.org
