Steve Johnson of Portland, OR, with his October 2008 6x6 bull. Want to see more photos?

Since the beginning of this country, our natural habitat has been dwindling. Today, only a few bastions of wilderness remain. We are lucky to live in one of these pristine areas, full of wild game of all kinds, with plenty of backwoods seen by very few people.

Our guides are trained to hunt as hard as your conditioning will allow. We know through experience that elevations can be taxing on individuals, so we strive to make the hunt as pleasurable and comfortable as possible, because if you're not comfortable, what enjoyment is there?

All of our horses and mules are owned by us, and we have raised many of them. All are well-kept and in good condition, assuring you a gentle, mountain-wise animal.

The Hunting Area
Our camps are located in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area and the headwaters of the famous Selway-Bitterroot area. The "Frank Church" alone is the largest wilderness area in the lower 48, with more than 2.3 million acres. The only access to our area is by horseback or on foot.

The hunt areas are bordered by the Bitterroot Mountain Range to the east and the Salmon River Range on the west. The region is filled with elk, deer, bear, lion, bighorn sheep and mountain goat.

Horse Creek Outfitters has been blessed with hunting Units 17 and 21, which provides us with 3 season openers, including the Wilderness Archery (in the rut), the mid-September Wilderness Rifle Season (in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness) and the General Opener in mid-October (in the Frank Church Wilderness).

Calvin Gustafson (l) of Stanchfield, MN and guide Erik Becker with Calvin's .325 6-point bull. Want to see more photos?

Unit 17 had a fire in 1996. This could have been devastating, but it offered some positive implications. The burn allowed grasses and other sources of food to flourish for the game and eliminated thick cover, making spotting somewhat easier.

Comfortable Camps
Base camp is in the Horse Creek drainage, just 4 miles below the famous Horse Creek Hot Springs, where fur trappers and Indians of old came to bathe. Majestic mountains with terrain from 3,000 to 9,000 feet will put a little pioneer in all of us as we leave the web of everyday life behind.

All camps are comfortably equipped with wall tents, woodstoves or kerosene heaters, cots, foam pads and lanterns. Our cook prepares delicious western-style meals for you in our cook tent.

We operate 2 to 4 guides per hunting camp, with 2x1 being the general rule. The cornerstone of Horse Creek Outfitters' business is that at most times on fully-guided hunts, clients are dealing with an owner in each camp. This ensures you of the best quality service, our commitment to detail and a great hunt.

We encourage you to contact any of our references for more information.

Top of page