Idaho sheep outfitter/Guide ?'s

smokepolejohnson · Mar 7, 2007

Depending on the draw results, i was given the name of Bob Nichols as a outfitter for idaho. Havent heard much about the guy, was interested on some feed back be it good/bad etc. pm if necassary. Thanks in advance.

shortmag · Mar 7, 2007

Sorry don't know of that fellow but I can recommend without reservation Dave Melton of Bighorn Outfitters. He'out of Carmen Idaho.

Outdoordan · Mar 10, 2007

What area are you putting in for? I went self guided last year and tagged out on second day. My point is it may be less $$ to hunt on your own. The outfitters I contacted were very knowledgable but EXPENSIVE.

HighDesert · Mar 10, 2007

The best in Idaho is Craig Martin 2nd would probabally be Job Barker those are the two primary ones I would reccommend. With Braker and Martin being two of the best in the world.

Dave

huntin100 · Mar 12, 2007

Smokepole, you sure do see the glass half full. From what I was told by a Biologist, Idaho usually has around 7 permits drawn to non residents. Last year 6 non res drew tags out of 1,245 applications. Idaho groups all the applications together resident and non residents. Idaho gives up to 10%. Usually not even close to 10% of the permits. Last year unit 11 had 612 non res applications and one drew. unit 27-4 had one sucessful non res permit out of 27 non res applications. This did not mean 1 in 27 odds however, since all applications are grouped together. If you divide 6 into 1,245 applicants it's less than one percent chance of drawing. It cost you $150.00 license for this chance to draw. I apply sometimes because I live 30 miles away and hunt birds in Idaho with my boy. The saying that Idaho has good sheep odds, because they make you buy a 150 dollar license is not true. Am I missing something about the Idaho draw system? Good luck. Greg

Elkstuffer · Apr 2, 2007

Jon Barker is the best in the state. Especially if you draw unit 11.

Warren · Apr 3, 2007

Barker....get the tag first, though.

JB48 · Apr 7, 2007

It really depends what unit your putting in for. There are several good outfitters in Idaho. After 2 years of applying I drew 20-1 in the Frank Church. Tough country not many NR's apply there. Decided to do it myself. Spent as much money on my own as if I would have hired a a guide.Killed a 9 year old ram on day 20. 20-1 is not know for great genetics or feed. 35 X 15 1/2.

For a non resident to draw the computer must pick the unit as Idaho randomly will choose a non resident unit, the computer then must pick your application.

Outdoordan · Apr 7, 2007

Outfitters in Idaho are about $8-9K. How did you spend that DIY? I spent about $500 on gas and groceries a couple times. I am just curious.

JB48 · Apr 8, 2007

Including my tag I spent nearly $6000. That also included $1500 for the tag.It is about an 11 hour drive from home, which I made 3 times. I completed one scouting trip. I hired a packer to drop me in for 11 days on the upper end of the unit that I knew held big rams. I had several friends with me and we never did find the rams. I went home for a week and rented a jet boat to drop me off for 10 days off the river.I also rented a Sat phone, which was a life saver. I was contacted by outfitters who wanted to guide me. The price ranged from $6500 on the low end to $9000 on the high side. That is the hardestI have hunted in my life, and most rewarding. I would have been just as happy with a barely legal sickled horned ram. I'll try and post a picture of my ram.

Outdoordan · Apr 8, 2007

Yeah, you did spend some time, money, and energy! But, the satisfaction of doing it yourself, atleast to me, is twice what it would be guided. IMO. Who knows, you could have gone your alloted ten days with a guide and not shot a ram. Would love to see the ram.

JB48 · Apr 9, 2007

I'm having a friend post a picture in the morning. Let me know what you think.

ARO · Apr 10, 2007

jb48,
just wondering what the cost of the packer and jet boat was? so i know what i will be spending when i draw this year!

khensley · Apr 10, 2007

Posting these pics for JB48....

kh

Outdoordan · Apr 10, 2007

Dark horned beauty! Wow! Awesome. Was he with a group of rams or by himself? Had you seen him different days? How far away when you spotted him? Did you see him from the river, or did you have to hike?

JB48 · Apr 10, 2007

I was lucky. My brother and I hunted the river hard from camp. My brother spotted a small band of ewes and a young ram, not legal. This was after 4 days on the river. they were about 4 miles from camp. The next day we decided to check a basin above camp to spike out.It took us all day to get there and it was nearly dark. I glassed until last light and saw nothing. My brother was already in his sleeping bag when I returned after dark. I ate dinner and decided to call my wife on the Sat phone. She told me she received a message from a guy who thought he saw a legal ram on the river, and to meet him in our camp at 9 a.m. the next morning.(I had left my home number in camp and asked people to let me know if they had seen any sheep, and someone called.)Packed up and headed back to camp. We were a day behind the sheep. The guy who spotted the sheep dropped us off in the area. I found tracks and we found the sheep two draws away. It turned out to be the group of ewes and young ram we had seen. My brother spotted the rams another draw over. We spotted them from the trail which was next to the river. My ram and another ram were fighting. It took 20 minutes to get a clear shot, which was about 120 yards. That 20 minutes was the only time it was raining or windy the whole trip.There were 4 rams in the group. My ram broke part of his horn in the fall, but I really didnt' care, I was physically and mentally dead tire.

If I were to do it again I would hunt the last 10 days of the season on the river. The rut is starting and the rams are near the ewes. To rent a jet boat back then was about $800. The horses were $80 dollars round trip per horse, 15 miles one way. It was a very good deal on the horses. I know there are some great rams in that back country but they are tough to find. I hiked 96 miles in the first eight days. That was going from glassing point to glassing point, spike camp to spike camp. I had 5 helpers glassing for me as well. It really depends on the feed and rain as to where those sheep will be up high. Just a note, I spoke to many people in Idaho. 99% were a great, and help me out. However there were a few that were for lack of a better word plain rude, it was pretty sad actually.It's a once in a life time hunt. I would be happy to help someone who had the tag. I believe in Karma.