Idaho big bulls

[Todd_ID]

My folks sold their outfit at roughly the right time, about 5 years ago.  The wolves were starting to show up in elk-affecting numbers, a few hard winters in a row hadn't hit yet, and the economy was still not in the news as a problem.  The guy that bought it didn't have his heart into it, so it's up for sale again, and I'd be surprised if he sells it at all.  I personally feel that the clients are more attracted to the luxury-hunting lodges in Colorado and Wyoming for the same price as a 15 mile horse ride and wall tent in the mountains; I see that as a bigger obstacle to the backcountry outfitters than the wolves.  Unfortunately the wolves are in the news, and rightly so because the are seriously hurting the elk numbers, but I don't think that they are the true reason for declining client numbers: they are just an excuse.  Any outfitter worth their salt can and will put a client on elk even with the wolves.

[ShirtGuy77]

Add in the price increase for Non-Residents and that hurts as well.  I am a Non-res that hunts Idaho, and with the hunts going the way they have been the last few years, this will be our last hunt in Idaho unless we come up with a new gameplan.  No sense in paying even more money when the # of elk are declining.

[actionshooter]

I know a group who was going every year (for several years), They don't anymore. The wolves and the cost are the 2 reasons they don't go anymore.

[Pathfinder101]

I have a buddy that works as a fisheries biologist for MT right now.  He did some work for Idaho 2 summers ago and said he was in the Selway for a couple of projects.  Told me that the wolf situation was downright depressing.  No elk anywhere (and he said he was exactly where they "should have been" in July/Aug), and wolf sign out the ying-yang.