When you think of the great outdoors, what images come to mind? What kind of scenery, smells, and sounds? If you’re like us, the iconic Rocky Mountains check all the boxes. Unbelievable views of untouched landscapes as far as your eyes can see. Fresh air you cannot get anywhere near a city or suburban town. Wildlife that have seldom laid eyes on a human being before.
Welcome to Ridgerunner Outfitters. We are the only legal outfitter operating in 130 square miles of Nez Perce – Clearwater National Forest in northern Idaho. The terrain is steep, the views are beautiful, where the game animals call home. In our designated operation area in Idaho, elevations range between 2000 to 7000 feet above sea level.
The Lolo Zone, comprising Hunt Units 10 & 12, was once known for one of the largest elk herds in the country. Our area is also home to healthy herds of mule deer, whitetail deer, mountain goats and even Shiras Moose. We also have black bear, cougars and gray wolves in the area.
This is 130 square miles of nature unleashed. And aside from some logging roads and our small basecamp, much of this massive land is relatively untouched.
What we offer
Exploring, Hiking, and Horseback Riding
When you have this much land to roam around, the opportunities to see wildlife and explore are virtually limitless. We host people who love the outdoors and want to connect with nature. Our clients come to us because they crave the freedom that comes with escaping to the backcountry, and unplugging from society for a few days.
In the summertime, we offer hiking and horseback trailrides of the mountains. We have about a dozen mules and horses who are trained in these mountains to do the heavy packing for you. Perfect opportunity for an off-the-grid camping excursion. We are far removed from cell phone service (and that’s a beautiful thing!) and maintain communication with two-way radios and StarLink if necessary.
Hunting
Most of our area is only accessible on foot or horseback. Because of this, we have very little outside hunting pressure in the rugged backcountry. This gives our clients ideal circumstances for harvesting wild game.
Watching hunting TV shows and Youtube videos is no replacement for the real thing. Our clients come to us hoping for the hunt of lifetime; whether its for:
– Elk
– Mule deer
– Whitetail deer
– Shiras Moose
– Mountain goat
– Black bear
– Gray wolf
– Bobcat
– Cougar
– Forest grouse.
Or maybe you are just hunting for an unforgettable experience with family or friends. Whatever your reasons for hunting with us, at Ridgerunner Outfitters, we do everything we can to deliver.
Let’s not pretend backcountry mountain hunting is easy – It’s not. You need to be physically prepared for the steep, rugged terrain and long hiking distances. But our guides will walk you through it (literally). As difficult as these hunts can be, we’re here to give you the best odds we can, in spite of factors beyond our control (like the weather).
And when you harvest your animal, we’ll help you pack it out with horses and mules if necessary. During your hunt, we do everything we can to maximize your probability of success. As a result, we have high success rates for all our hunts. Especially elk, deer, and black bear.
Base Camp
We offer hunts and summer trips from both backcountry campsites and our base camp. The backcountry camp sites are only accessible via horseback and are a several-hour ride from our basecamp. Everything you use must be packed in and packed out when you leave. Our guides will lead the way.
Base camp offers luxuries rarely found this deep in the backcountry. Our wood-framed tents with wood floors keep you and your gear off the ground, warm and dry. Each tent also has a wood stove to heat the tent when temperatures drop. We have plenty of split firewood provided.
Base camp has a private, outhouse that we keep clean and tidy. We also have a dedicated shower tent with propane-heated spring water. Bring your scent free soap and shampoo . . . scent control is critical when hunting elk, deer, moose and bear.
The main tent at base camp has a propane range and kitchen where our staff will cook all your meals and prepare your packed lunches for each day for full-service clients who tell us the hot cooked breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening is one of the nicest perks of the experience. Let us know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Packing out the harvest (what to expect)
When you harvest an animal, that’s when the real work begins. Our guides are trained experts in tracking, cleaning and recovering game meat. We strongly encourage hunters to be physically prepared to help the guide carry your meat (in game bags) out of the woods. Pack mules and horses are available if necessary, and we will get them as close as possible to your animal.
Bring game bags, a backpack that can carry meat, and a positive attitude. Some pack outs take a few hours, and others can be two days. It depends on where you harvest your animal and how steep and difficult the terrain is.
How to book
Ready to book your dream mountain hunt? Contact us – We’ll walk you through the process. Spots usually fill up over a year in advance, so be prepared to fill out paperwork early for us to get your Idaho Fish & Game (IDFG) license and tags. As a licensed outfitter, we have an allocation of tags for our clients use. The earlier you can plan your hunt, the easier it is – Deadlines apply.
Give yourself a year of advanced planning for your hunt. It’s best to lock in your tags and licenses the year prior. You will need to have the following items done before we can get your license and tags:
- Create an online account profile with the IDFG.
- Hunter’s safety course in your state of residence. Archery hunters need an additional Idaho archery safety course. Bear hunters now need the Bear Identification Course. Record these in your profile.
- Deposit cost of IDFG hunting license and tags up front (prices are determined by IDFG each year)
- Deposit for 40% of our outfitting fee to reserve your spot(s)
Once these things are done, leave the rest to us. Don’t wait until the last minute to get your paperwork in. Plan ahead and be proactive!
We look forward to meeting you and service your hunt of a lifetime!
