I got an email from a good friend of mine that is an outfitter in SE Idaho. I've hunted there a couple of times and thought that I'd pass this on. Sorry for it being so long.
He only had 10 hunters total this year, and he is wanting to ensure that 2010 is not the same way. Therefore, he has drastically cut the prices for anyone that books for next fall before the end of 2009.
Idaho raised their non �resident fees for 2009; and coupled with the bad economy created a �double-whammy� for outfitters. In addition, the DNR also chose the 2009 season to reduce the number of deer & elk tags available for both resident & non-resident hunters in Johns� unit ( I guess this really would be a triple whammy). The bottom line is that hunting pressure was extremely light this past fall, which should make for a good 2010.
John�s mule deer hunting has been marginal for the past few years. However, in 2008 I did see a couple of shooters while archery elk hunting, and the year before that, while gun hunting I passed on a 160 class buck the second day. I had seen a much bigger one about � mile away while glassing earlier that morning, and passed the nice 4x5 while trying to cut the distance on the big �un. Got hammered with snow that night, and never got back on that big one�.That same year (2007), I did see the only 400 class bull that I have ever seen in the wild, but did not have an elk tag.
In 2008, I spent the month of September in his camp and even did a little guiding for him. I passed on several small bulls, and called two in that clients shot. I probably saw 12-15 300 class bulls during the month that I was there. Of course, most were a long way off in a spotting scope. One day I watched somewhere between 75-100 elk come over a saddle into a canyon. There is elk there, but if you have ever hunted them, you know that there is no �sure thing on national forest ground.
Hunting in John�s area varies a lot according to the weather and what you are willing to put into it. The 2007 buck I hunted was at least 4 mile walk in. In 2008, I hunted a 360-370 class bull for 4 days straight that required me to get up at 3:00AM, to make it to where he was at by daylight. In my true form, I finally got frustrated and pushed him too hard and buggered him out of the area�
Anyway, I don�t think that you�ll ever see prices this low again. Full blown guided 5 day hunts, deer & elk combo, 2 on 1 for $1500 each; or 4 on 1 �semi guided� for $1,000 each and these include western wall tent accommodations & food! Oh yeah, kids get to hunt free with a paying adult!
Send any questions to [email protected] or give him a call at 208-346-0144
He only had 10 hunters total this year, and he is wanting to ensure that 2010 is not the same way. Therefore, he has drastically cut the prices for anyone that books for next fall before the end of 2009.
Idaho raised their non �resident fees for 2009; and coupled with the bad economy created a �double-whammy� for outfitters. In addition, the DNR also chose the 2009 season to reduce the number of deer & elk tags available for both resident & non-resident hunters in Johns� unit ( I guess this really would be a triple whammy). The bottom line is that hunting pressure was extremely light this past fall, which should make for a good 2010.
John�s mule deer hunting has been marginal for the past few years. However, in 2008 I did see a couple of shooters while archery elk hunting, and the year before that, while gun hunting I passed on a 160 class buck the second day. I had seen a much bigger one about � mile away while glassing earlier that morning, and passed the nice 4x5 while trying to cut the distance on the big �un. Got hammered with snow that night, and never got back on that big one�.That same year (2007), I did see the only 400 class bull that I have ever seen in the wild, but did not have an elk tag.
In 2008, I spent the month of September in his camp and even did a little guiding for him. I passed on several small bulls, and called two in that clients shot. I probably saw 12-15 300 class bulls during the month that I was there. Of course, most were a long way off in a spotting scope. One day I watched somewhere between 75-100 elk come over a saddle into a canyon. There is elk there, but if you have ever hunted them, you know that there is no �sure thing on national forest ground.
Hunting in John�s area varies a lot according to the weather and what you are willing to put into it. The 2007 buck I hunted was at least 4 mile walk in. In 2008, I hunted a 360-370 class bull for 4 days straight that required me to get up at 3:00AM, to make it to where he was at by daylight. In my true form, I finally got frustrated and pushed him too hard and buggered him out of the area�
Anyway, I don�t think that you�ll ever see prices this low again. Full blown guided 5 day hunts, deer & elk combo, 2 on 1 for $1500 each; or 4 on 1 �semi guided� for $1,000 each and these include western wall tent accommodations & food! Oh yeah, kids get to hunt free with a paying adult!
Send any questions to [email protected] or give him a call at 208-346-0144
