Outfitters

[Rock7]

Looking for any recommendations on an outfitter for a high buck hunt next year.

Hunt idea: hire outfitter with horses to get me and a buddy and our gear further back than we can walk. Spend a week or so running around and have said outfitter pick us back up hopefully to carry out 2 dead dear.

[zwickeyman]

Aaron Burkhart at Early Winters Outfitters or

Steve Darwood

[cooltimber]

sawtooth outfitters,alta lake wa..went with them couple times..anywhere from 5 miles to 15 miles in..you suppy food etc..think about $350 a piece

[Onewhohikes]

Just remember that no matter far you go back 5, 10, 15, 20 miles it doesn't lead to success. The hunter success in the high hunt is about 2% over all. It all depends on the area you want to hunt as to what Outfitter. An outfitter for say the Pasayten is not going to take you into the ALW as they don't have a use permit for both areas.

[bear]

Had a good experience with Icicle a few years back

[Rock7]

Thanks for the replies. It is not all about the success, I have never done a hunt like this (most of the time I walk in with it all on my back) and think it would be fun as hell.

[Twispriver]

I did the same thing once for for a permit elk hunt and it was fun as hell - good luck and enjoy your time

[Alchase]

I did the same thing once for for a permit elk hunt and it was fun as hell - good luck and enjoy your time

Twisp, where did you go for you elk drop camp?

[huntnfmly]

Had a good experience with Icicle a few years back

Been out with Iciclecreek a few times great people Bruce runs a good outfit

[teanawayslayer]

Had a good experience with Icicle a few years back

Been out with Iciclecreek a few times great people Bruce runs a good outfit

went with him last year and wasn’t impressed one bit. I had to help log trail, they left us with a wall tent that the door wouldn’t close and over half the poles were bent with holes all through the canvas. I ended up hiking out the day they were supposed to come pick us up. My partners stayed and waited for them with all our gear. They didn’t get back to the trailhead until 9 pm in the dark. Bruce had two green cowboys come in to get us. They had no business handling clients. I won’t be going again with Bruce. I have a lot better places to spend 1k.

[huntnfmly]

Had a good experience with Icicle a few years back

Been out with Iciclecreek a few times great people Bruce runs a good outfit

went with him last year and wasn’t impressed one bit. I had to help log trail, they left us with a wall tent that the door wouldn’t close and over half the poles were bent with holes all through the canvas. I ended up hiking out the day they were supposed to come pick us up. My partners stayed and waited for them with all our gear. They didn’t get back to the trailhead until 9 pm in the dark. Bruce had two green cowboys come in to get us. They had no business handling clients. I won’t be going again with Bruce. I have a lot better places to spend 1k.

Bruce lost a couple of his mainstay guides a few years ago

[Twispriver]

Alchase, I went in the Little Naches unit for a Peaches Any Bull tag - Chinook Pass Outfitters took us in, rode in every other day to check on us and packed us out after a week. We used all our own gear so we had to make and break our own camp. If there was one thing I didn't like it was cutting firewood with a crosscut saw but everything else was great.

[Alchase]

Alchase, I went in the Little Naches unit for a Peaches Any Bull tag - Chinook Pass Outfitters took us in, rode in every other day to check on us and packed us out after a week. We used all our own gear so we had to make and break our own camp. If there was one thing I didn't like it was cutting firewood with a crosscut saw but everything else was great.

That sounds incredible!

[hal]

we have used Brian Valerman owner of Sawtooth Outfitters several times. He operates ex a trail head near Carlton/Twisp. You can hunt several ways including without guide but use his cooks and tent equipment. We always use his stuff and his food and cooks are worth the $900. All homemade food. We camped on Upper Eagle Lake at about 7200'. Mules and horses in.

[RG]

3 Peaks Outfitters in Cle Elum have really good success on high hunt muleys.  I pack for them so I’ve seen the bucks.  Give Scott and Michelle a call.  Great camps, great country, great horses. 

[mountainman]

Steve and Jess Darwood. Top wrangler and some good areas too! Was a successful hunt👍👍

[Colville]

Couple high hunt thoughts.

If you are the new guy this year, you are getting peripheral hunts.  Their top shelf locations are repeat, strong paying strong tipping clients. Believe anything else and you've been warned.

Most trail systems end in obvious large head water basins
 Outfitters aren't the only people with horses that acess them. Everyone with google earth sees them.

Except pasayten, almost all are 10 miles and less, in reach of pack hunters. You won't be "alone". 

If you are not an experienced WA high hunter (or comparable from anoyher state)... 2 New guys arent taking two bucks, lotto time for that.

Outfitters have lots of land to put hunters in. With crazy low deer density. Plan on learning. Use the cost to learn where deer do and don't live.  Which you can do over the late summer on your feet at less expense.  These camps are still going to be a fair steep pull from where you should be to pull the trigger..

Look for a drop option where you might still put in several miles on pack to your spike camp and hunt.  There's tons of underused non major basin, no lake locations that will be passed by. You can be dropped without a base camp reasonbly if you are flexible on dates so they can get the "big basin" clients in and out on the start/end dates of the season.

This is not WY or MT or CO. We dont have huge quality alpine habitat. 

The sooner you see an outfitter as an uber/taxi, the closer you will be to success.  Two cents give or take.

[Onewhohikes]

Just remember that no matter far you go back 5, 10, 15, 20 miles it doesn't lead to success. The hunter success in the high hunt is about 2% over all. It all depends on the area you want to hunt as to what Outfitter. An outfitter for say the Pasayten is not going to take you into the ALW as they don't have a use permit for both areas.

reiterate

[ballpark]

Couple high hunt thoughts.

If you are the new guy this year, you are getting peripheral hunts.  Their top shelf locations are repeat, strong paying strong tipping clients. Believe anything else and you've been warned.

Most trail systems end in obvious large head water basins
 Outfitters aren't the only people with horses that acess them. Everyone with google earth sees them.

Except pasayten, almost all are 10 miles and less, in reach of pack hunters. You won't be "alone". 

If you are not an experienced WA high hunter (or comparable from anoyher state)... 2 New guys arent taking two bucks, lotto time for that.

Outfitters have lots of land to put hunters in. With crazy low deer density. Plan on learning. Use the cost to learn where deer do and don't live.  Which you can do over the late summer on your feet at less expense.  These camps are still going to be a fair steep pull from where you should be to pull the trigger..

Look for a drop option where you might still put in several miles on pack to your spike camp and hunt.  There's tons of underused non major basin, no lake locations that will be passed by. You can be dropped without a base camp reasonbly if you are flexible on dates so they can get the "big basin" clients in and out on the start/end dates of the season.

This is not WY or MT or CO. We dont have huge quality alpine habitat. 

The sooner you see an outfitter as an uber/taxi, the closer you will be to success.  Two cents give or take.

Your avatar backs up all the above