Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Idaho unit 17

Most of the good hunting areas in Idaho have wolf populations. I am not saying the elk are all gone, just that the ones that are left are real smart. They have to be to stay ahead of the hunters, human and wolf. Central Idaho has more wilderness type area. The St.Joe and Cda national forests are very accessable. Roads everywhere.

Beware of Horse Creek Outfitters! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Thank you.

They're not on my list....................

BWINTERS, What mades Idaho's wilderness and remote backcountry so appealing to you for elk hunting also attracked the wolf lovers in 1995 and that's why the wolves are thriving so well in units like 17 and other remote wilderness areas. The problem with Central Idaho is that the elk don't migrate hardly at all during the winter. They typically just drop down a few hunded hards and they make due. The Selway river is very low elevation compared to what most people think. Moose Creek Ranger station is only 3,500 feet, and the Selway drops down to 1,500 elevation at Lowell where it becomes the Middle fork of the clearwater. A lot of the predation takes place in the winter when their range is narrowed down to just a fraction of their normal range and they can't migrate to where humans feed them or to a piece of private land, ranch, or near livestock where there is even a marginal safey net. So you don't hear about wolves being relocated from the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness due to lifestock killings. The wolf packs just double and they kill more elk and eventually we have what is known as "predator pits" , where an area becomes actually extinct of any wildlife. This has happened in the past in pockets in BC and Alaska and those folks have learned these lessons but not the lower 48. Sorry about the wolf soap box but I did to much research due to being concerned about my wonderful elk herds being diminished. We are putting in for permits each year where the wolves aren't as bad and then we will make the best of it. Units 66, 66A, and 76 are some of the best in Idaho but its a draw hunt for us and I dont know the odds for out of staters. If you decide to hunt 17 then I would reccomend Sept. 15th to take advantage of the rut and bring your fly rod and bear tag and camera.

The units with "controlled only" elk hunts offer the best chance for finding a nice bull and possibly not as many wolves. The downside is you have to buy a license just to apply and then there is no garuantee that you will draw a tag. If you are planning on hunting Idaho no matter what, you should throw your name into the hat and try to score a tag in the controlled hunt units.

A buddy of mine lives in the southeastern part of the state and they don't seem to have the wolf problems like the central and northern part of the state. Yet anyway.

Don't listen to RLG. I have known the owners of Horse Creek Outfitters for years, and you won't find better two better fellas. RLG comes on here every once in a while to let folks know how unhappy he was with his drop camp with HCO. If you can find me a better elk hunter in Idaho then Jim Thomas, I would't believe it. And you can't argue with their success, and happy clients.

That being said, they have since sold the outfit to hunt closer to Challis, so there will be a new owner next year. Now that would make me beware.

The IDFG has been trying to get the feds to let them thin out about 50 wolves in the Clearwater. So far, it's no go because WY hasn't submitted a good wolf control plan. Now, the Clearwater is a LONG way from WY so it's nothing but an excuse to have unlimited wolf populations. We're already at several times the number of wolves that they told us we'd have and they're increasing at a rate of 20% per year.

Dick

bert12. What's the name of their new outfit? If they are so honest, why not give us a heads up! Is it the "New Horse Creek Outfitters"?? or did they sell and change name of their outfit? What is real reason they sold? I'm sure we would all like to know .

I hunted there last year with Mike Richie of Richie Outfitters. It's a wilderness hunt all the way. Pack in and out of camp on horses. He works hard for his clients, but he'll be the first to say that wolves are a problem.

Still, during the week I was there we never heard or saw wolves, and both me and a friend who hunted with him filled our tags.

since I have a trip booked there for 2007, I am looking into this further. I will give you guys my findings as soon as I have them.
This forum is the first I have heard that the wolves, are indeed, having a major effect on the elk. My outfitter has pretty good results from what I can see and the pictures posted are from 2004 and 2005, not 10 years ago like many others. I will let you know.

Sure RLG -- although I doubt "we would all like to know" -- just you.

They sold the outfit to a guy from back east who plans on keeping the same name and camps.

As for why they sold it, I stated above, they wanted a permit that was closer to Challis. They have yet to close the deal on the new outfit, so can't really give any more info then that.

Also, truth be told, they are concerned about the wolves as well. They are the first to admit that they can be a problem. There is no doubt that the wolves need to be thinned, however, everybody knows that if and when it happens, it will be lower down, closer to the ranches, and that chances are nil that anybody will be legally shooting at wolves in the Frank Church.

Now RLG, I hope I answered your questions. I have been lurking on this board for some time, and have seen you, without substantiated reasons, try to steer someone away from this outfit. Well, while you may have been unhappy with your hunt, I know at least 15 people personally that have hunted with these guys and have come back time and again because they had a great time, including myself. Sometimes, just because you don't fill your tag, it can still be a great hunt.

Bert12, thanks for reply. My experience with this out fit goes back to 1997 or 1998. First of all I don't know what they told you, but it was not a drop camp. It was a combinatio Deer and Elk hunt. There was 4 in our party. It was a guided hunt. Unfortunatley the "guide" was not an experienced guide. (Was very young, was his first shot at guiding, we actually heard him sobbing a couple of nights, after we questioned his ability. ) We were taken into an area that had been recently devastaed by fire. We hunted from daylight until after dark for 3 days. Never even saw so much as a Chipmonk!! When we realized our misfortune we ended our hunt early and hiked out. When we arrived at Base camp, exhausted, we met the owners as they were taking an other group in to hunt. They appeared to also be very un-happy with our new "guide's" performance. (They questined him as to why he had not taken us to other areas within unit that they said shuld have been productive) . They said they were very concerned,very sorry, and promised they would do whatever it took to make everything up to us.( after a 15 mile hike, this sounded pretty good to us, and we shook hands on it. ) WE felt our unfortunate experience was behind us! This conversation was in front of the new group that they were taking in and the 4 of us. After we got home (1000 miles away) ,They offered a small amount of credit on a future hunt, of their time and chosing. Basically, it was SCREW YOU!.........All I can say is this is my experience with this outfit . "REMEMBER". Always get it in writing!Make sure the references you check were hunting with the "SAME" guide you are getting! Always make sure that the references where you are hunting is the same "Exact" aea or unit you are going to! ( All references I was given was for different unit or hunt or date.) NEVER, EVER take a handshake or anything verbal for fact! Also, always remember that the State Guides Assoc. is for the benefit of the Guides, not the hunter. So if you have any kind of dispute, It's them and their Members against you! Happy Hunting..........

Hey waha, id sure like to see the picture of the big one you got in the selway. Can you email it to me? Im in Hamilton, MT.