RIFLE MULE DEER RUT HUNT
JOSEPH & WHITEBIRD RANCHES (UNITS 13 & 14)
Trophy mule deer are plentiful on our private land area along the scenic Hells Canyon region, which we have hunting for over 20 years now. This area is large, with wide open country exposing canyons and ridges that run for miles down to the beautiful Salmon River. This hunt takes place on either our Joseph or Whitebird ranches. This specific type of rough terrain along with the extremely limited access this country provides allows the bucks to get big; many of our bucks each year reach well over 180 B&C, with some even scoring into the 195-200 inch range.
This season starts October 10th and runs through November 3rd. This hunt alone has appeared on the Outdoor Channel with Buckmasters and Trijicon’s Game Chasers with Scott Haugen over 8 times. Each year we enjoy a 90-95% success on 22-28 inch bucks, with a few bucks each year going 30 inches or wider, with opportunity easily reaching 100%. This hunt is done exclusively by spot and stalk; the country is big so glassing is a big part of the hunt. Once we find a buck worth going after we attempt to close the gap by using ridges, tree lines, and canyons to get within rifle range. With rutting mule deer an obvious key to finding the big bucks is to find the does, and we spend weeks before the hunt locating and tracking doe groups so we know exactly where the big bucks will be.
You can also add on a whitetail to this hunt, making this a very exciting combination hunt! Most whitetail bucks taken will be in the 130-150 class. Also, we offer hunters an option to pick up a bear tag and take a huge fall bear for only a $500 kill fee! Sometimes we can see numerous bears over the course of a hunt, with many being color phase and ranging in the 250-350 pound range. These hunts are 5 days and are full guided 1 on 2. The hunt includes all meals and lodging as well. The lodging is modern with full bathrooms, cabins, and nice large dining-living room area.
RIFLE WHITETAIL RUT HUNT
& WHITEBIRD RANCHES (UNITS 11A & 14)
This unique rifle hunt is specialized for serious hunters wanting to take their best whitetail buck ever. The action is often fast and furious with the November rut exposing the best of the whitetail bucks. Hunters can expect to hunt bucks of 140-160 B&C points, with several larger bucks falling to a hunter’s well placed shot during the last few seasons. This hunt alone has aired 15 times on TNN Outdoors and more recently on the Outdoor Channel with Buckmasters founder Jackie Bushman and twice on RealTree Outdoors with RealTree Camouflage originator Bill Jordan.
Our success on this is very high; we boast a 98% success on this hunt, with opportunity on mature bucks easily reaching 100% every year. This season starts November 10th and goes through December 1st and we offer either a 3 or 5 day hunt. This hunt takes place on private land along both the Clearwater River and Hells Canyon regions of north central Idaho, which according to Idaho Fish and Game hold some of the densest populations of whitetails in the state. We have been hunting this area for over 20 years now, and the hunting has been getting better with each passing year.
This hunt takes place out of either our Peck or Whitebird ranches and is mostly done by the spot and stalk method: we keep on the move while glassing canyons, fields, active game trails, and doe groups. We couple this technique with constant monitoring of rut activity such as rubs and scrape lines. By doing this we are setting ourselves up for success by understanding the activity of mature bucks, and knowing where to be when Mr. Big shows himself!
This is a 1 on 2 fully guided hunt with all lodging and meals included. The accommodations are modern, including full bathrooms with showers, bedrooms with places to store and hang your gear, and comfy main living area to unwind in after a long day out in the woods.
ARCHERY WHITETAIL HUNT
PECK RANCH (UNIT 11A)
This hunt takes place in early September at our Peck ranch. The bucks we are chasing on this hunt receive relatively little hunting pressure because we are hunting only on private land. Because of the terrain, which includes large canyons and fields, we can locate the bedding and feeding areas and the travel corridors in between that the big bucks use. We scout these bucks heavily in early August when they begin their patterned behaviors. We also take advantage of trail cameras before the season to aid our scouting and help us nail down the big ones. By doing this we learn which trails they use and which tree stands are better for morning or evening. When the season arrives, we have everything fine-tuned with stands in place and well planned strategies.
Huge bucks, often in velvet, are in large bachelor groups in early September, with many placing well in the Pope and Young category and even in the Boone and Crockett Club. This is a 5 day hunt and is full guided 1 on 2. We average about 60% success on this hunt with most bucks being nice solid 4x4 and 5x5 bucks usually ranging in the 125-150 class. All lodging and meals are included; with full bathrooms with showers, nice bedrooms with comfortable beds, and large main living area with all the amenities of home.
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