NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Most circumstances we will be leaving camp in the dark and returning to camp in the dark. Because this area is so rugged, you need to be in the best shape possible. Even though our weight limit is 250 pounds, that does not mean a 6’- 250-pound guy is in good shape. Not only should your body fat percentage be lower, but you also need to work your cardiovascular. If you live at sea level, the oxygen content at 8000’ will be very challenging for you. Stamina and endurance will play the biggest role in your overall success in a hunt. We spend all our time glassing, riding, or hiking and we always walk stock downhill. If you have a large unfit frame, your knees will give out after the first day. We are happy as well as grateful to have Middle Fork hunters book with us, but it is very important to know what you are signing up for. Please do not waste your money by booking a hunt with us if you are not in shape and mentally prepared. It ultimately comes down to a safety issue when being unfit and trying to navigate this rugged country. If you dedicate yourself to this hunt, you will succeed! Once we purchase your tags, you are considered committed to the hunt. If you plan to book this hunt, make sure you are physically fit and mentally prepared before you call us, we are happy to answer any questions you have and what could be helpful in planning for a trip with us. Plan for Idaho weather- it could be hot and turn dead cold overnight. We watch forecasts vigorously prior to a hunt starting. Just know, good weather is not and cannot be guaranteed. We are in extreme backcountry situations. You will experience elevation changes from 4500 ft- 8500 ft in some locations. We run almost all of our Elk, Deer and Bear hunts out of wall tents. You can plan our winter predator hunts to be ran out of one of the two lodges. All of our sheep hunts are also a campout situation, because of how extreme and how hard we work for Sheep. We try to "live with them." Once we find a good herd, we stay with them until the end. We do send out suggested equipment lists for the time of year your trip is scheduled in. With that being said, a wilderness hunt with us is one you will never forget. 90% of our yearly clients are return clients from previous years.
Elk Hunts
The Middle Fork is game rich country. We have good populations of all of the species we hunt. We have really done well in predator management in our area, we are happy to say we have helped our populations in our units tremendously. All of our hunts are fair chase with experienced guides that just love to hunt. Elk hunting starts in September with the bugle season. The excitement of hunting bull elk in the rut is something every hunter needs to experience. The Frank Church Wilderness is one of the few places left that you can hunt elk with a rifle while they are in the rut. You can expect the Heart X crew to be up by 4 a.m saddling stock and riding by 6:30a.m. in most cases. In order to cover the most ground, expect to leave camp in the dark as well as come back to camp in the dark. In mid-October, we head over to our unit 28 area for opening season. We see large numbers of elk on these late hunts use spot and stalk techniques, along with bugling. November has us glassing for those big bulls up on the ridges. Our stock will get us into this remote country but most of the hunting will be done on foot. Our elk zones are Unit 27- Middle Fork A / B as well as Unit 28- Salmon A / B.
We offer high country trophy mule deer hunts in combination with our elk hunts. These late season hunts are a great time to harvest a trophy buck. The general archery season in our area is in December for elk and deer (either sex). We hunt out of the B-C Ranch in our comfortable lodge. The elk and deer are on their winter range and offer plenty of opportunity to the archer.
Our success rate averages 50% for elk and 80% for deer. Of the elk harvested 85% are 5x5s or better and of the deer harvested, 65% score 170 points or better.
We offer high country trophy mule deer hunts in combination with our elk hunts. These late season hunts are a great time to harvest a trophy buck. The general archery season in our area is in December for elk and deer (either sex). We hunt out of the B-C Ranch in our comfortable lodge. The elk and deer are on their winter range and offer plenty of opportunity to the archer.
Our success rate averages 50% for elk and 80% for deer. Of the elk harvested 85% are 5x5s or better and of the deer harvested, 65% score 170 points or better.
Deer Hunts
We offer high country trophy mule deer hunts in combination with our elk hunts. The Deer season is from September through December. We have both archery and rifle. Our deer units are Unit 27 regular deer, 1155 controlled late deer in the Middle Fork zone, Unit 21 regular deer Salmon zone. These late season hunts are a great time to harvest a trophy buck. The general archery season in our area is in December for elk and deer (either sex). The elk and deer are on their winter range and offer plenty of opportunity to the archer. Our success rate averages 70% for elk and 80% for deer. Of the elk harvested 85% are 5x5s or better and of the deer harvested, 65% score 170 points or better.
