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.
Wolf Hunts
Wolf hunting is something that Gus has a lot of experience in. After spending several winters in the backcountry trapping, he has studied their behavior and tendencies. If you were to look him up, you will find him in many wolf hunting articles, however they are articles to stop hunting. New York times labeled Gus as the "Modern Day Jeremiah Johnson" in an article wrote about his winter in 2013, Idaho Fish and Game hired him to go into the wilderness and do some serious predator management when the packs became too much for the Middle Fork Corridor. Needless to say, due to his high success rate and skill in trapping and hunting wolves, it caused a large uproar across the nation. Gus has spent his adult life learning and studying the hunting techniques of wolf packs. He has perfected a call, that him alone will send chills up your spine. We bait if there has been a recent kill- either a hunter harvesting another animal or we come across a kill. We also spot and stalk with calling. We are capable of trapping them as well, we do not use this technique much in our hunts. Can you use thermal?- yes you can use thermal scopes but in idaho it is only permitted for day time use. You can not hunt thermals at night. Currently IDFG allows each hunter (15) tags per calendar year. We suggest you bring a high caliber rifle that you are comfortable shooting and have shot before. Ideally a 6.5 caliber or higher is the best for these. You can expect a range of 200-1000 yards. We do not guarantee any harvest, but we do provide our hunters with quality opportunities. The overall success of a hunt comes down to hunter abilities. We have had hunters miss within 200 yards of one. We have also had hunters with great success at 800-1000 yards because they are comfortable with their equipment. Although there has been success in the past, don't let this fool you on the difficulty of this hunt. It is truly the most exhausting hunt, both mentally and physically and yields the lowest success rate. Ultimately you are hunting the number one predator Idaho has to offer, however when an opportunity arises, it is usually quick. Many will say this is one of the most rewarding experiences they have encountered! We run our winter hunts out of our two lodges- Lower Loon and the B-C. In extreme circumstances we may spike out in a Canvas wall tent that is already equipped with a wood stove and a stack of firewood that is in place prior to the season starting. We also are on horse back as well as foot. We can go from the B-C Ranch clear to Lower Loon and the surrounding area. Our wolf hunts will really test your toughness. It's cold, it's wet and it's wild. There is always a lot of action involved with these hunts. With an added trophy fee there is also a great opportunity to harvest a Bobcat for $1,000.00 THIS FEE ONLY APPLIES IN THE EVENT YOU HARVEST A BEAUTIFUL BOBCAT DURING YOUR LION / WOLF HUNT. From these cabins, you will have the chance to see Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Deer, and Mountain Goats. During this time of year, the Middle Fork country is the perfect place for a wilderness adventure. So come join us for a five day, fully guided wolf hunt. IMPORTANT: Even if we have a scheduled flight in at a designated time or day-it is all weather pending in the winter. We fly at the best weather availability and safest for pilot, clients and guides. Please note there could be a weather delay. Heart x is not responsible for any weather delay or natural disaster that doesn't allow us to go in at the scheduled time.