Idaho Luxury Big Game Hunting
One of the many things Family Expeditions loves about this Idaho luxury big game hunting, wingshooting and fishing lodge is the people! If everything is perfect about a trip but the people are not friendly and honest, you are not likely to return. Your guides and hosts are men and women of integrity, strong work ethic, exceptional experience and fun loving. You will feel at home from the moment you arrive from the friendly staff members to the antique built in cooler stocked with bottled water, soft drinks, beer, and a kitchen stocked full of hearty snacks available to you day or night at no additional cost to you. Make yourself at home at this Idaho luxury big game hunting, wingshooting and fishing lodge. We are sure you will want to return!
The perfect balance of exciting sporting activities combined with the freedom to relax and feel at home has been achieved at this lodge over its’ 35 years in business. Some guests have been returning for over 25 years, it’s clear there is something truly special about these people and the experience you will enjoy.
5,000 private acres nestled in beautiful Lawyer’s Creek Canyon boasting an abundance of wildlife, diverse landscape and majestic views of north central Idaho. Along with their private lands, they also have exclusive outfitter rights to 740,000 acres of Special Permit Areas in the Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests of North Central Idaho.
Wingshooting, wild wingshooting, fishing, mountain lion, black bear, mule deer, elk and merriam turkey are sure to entice any well rounded sportsperson. Truly North America’s most versatile outdoor hunting and fishing lodge. Take advantage of the luxury lodge for wingshooting or big game hunting or choose wilderness experiences via horseback, four wheel drive vehicles, snow mobiles, or four wheelers in fixed tented accommodations. There are so many different experiences that you could return year after year and never have the same adventure twice.
All the details of your trip will be meticulously arranged from the moment your flight lands until your trip draws to a close. These are inclusive adventures with every expense disclosed and not surprises except for the great surprises of a home run trip from beginning to end.
This lodge sets the standard of family hunting experiences! They love children and introducing them to the outdoors. The family atmosphere and all around adventure will please the most discerning families looking for lifetime memories for their children.
Accommodations & Meals
Stay in our recently updated western lodge
Unmatched comfort is yours at our 14,000 square foot fishing & hunting lodge featuring 14 spacious guest rooms, with ensuite private baths and capacity to sleep 24. Spectacular views, chef prepared meals, and an atmosphere we call “upscale but not uptight”, make our lodge feel like home the moment you walk in.
While at this elite sporting destination lodge, you will enjoy the following:
- Cocktails in our comfortable lounge equipped with three big-screen televisions, and a new, rustic pine fully stocked bar with premium spirits
- Gourmet Cuisine celebrating wild game and featuring original recipes by Chef Ryan paired with fine wines to compliment your meals
- Fine firearms shop – in stock and custom order
- Pro Shop with all the quality gear needed in the filed with brands like Orvis and Filson
- Elegant rooms with private bath, television, and telephone
- On call massage therapists
- Wireless internet, fax and office services
- Take your drink out to the patio for unmatched views, great conversation, and some of the best star gazing around
If you have a small party or your group would like a more private setting, with 5 bedrooms and the capacity to sleep 10, the Farm House is the perfect option. Give us your drink and snack requests and we will be sure to stock it to your order. Although most guests enjoy the brief walk from the main lodge to the ranch house, we do provide a golf cart for your convenience in traveling to and from the main lodge for dining. Many groups request the ranch house because it provides the same luxurious amenities and dining experience, but with the added privacy of having your own retreat away from the main lodge.
The open dining, living and kitchen area of the house is elegantly furnished and fully equipped, with spectacular canyon views from its large deck.
Enjoy the big screen television, gun rack and cleaning station, quiet rooms, and a home atmosphere.
Back country Lodging:
This is a real backcountry experience with a 14 mile horseback ride into camp. Enjoy tasty meals from your wall tents that have dirt floors and wood stoves. They bring in a shower bag for a hot shower. There is no running water. Spot & stalk hunters MUST BE IN GREAT SHAPE FOR THIS HUNT!
The daily schedule is to have breakfast around 7-7:30 and head out for the day taking lunch with you. You can ride horses or walk. This is a 7 night/ 5 full hunting day schedule.
Backcountry Trip Schedule: Day 1 you arrive at the lodge and overnight. Day 2 pack to camp and start hunting that afternoon. Hunt Day 3-6. Day 7 hunt AM if needed and pack out
spending the night at the lodge, get up Day 8 and eat breakfast and depart. It’s about a 1 1⁄2 hour drive by vehicle followed by about a 3 hour trail ride into camp.
Hunting
Black Bear Hunting:
Season: Spring is April thru June
Black bear hunting at this Ranch has been booming for years now with an average of over 2.5 bears per square mile! Using both spot/stalk and baiting methods of hunting, they guide you into North Central Idaho’s greatest concentration of bears where a 2 bear harvest is allowed. This outfitter sees an average of 1.3 bears harvested per hunter on bait hunts and 70% success on spot and stalk hunts. The beauty of the color phases of our bears is what attracts many of our hunters. Colors of the bears range from blond, cinnamon, reddish chocolate, and traditional black. Their guests harvest 30-40 bears per season from either a luxurious log lodge or backcountry camps.
Choose from backcountry outfitted camps or staying in the comfort of the lodge.
As with all of their hunts, youth (12-17) hunt for half price with a full paying adult! Bear hunts occur during the months of April through June with abilities of accommodating large groups. With many camps and hunting options, they will make your hunting trip with them unforgettable.
Black Bear/Turkey Combo Hunt:
Season: April 15-May 25 (Prime is first two weeks of May)
The black bear/turkey combo hunt allows you the opportunity for two bear and one turkey. A second turkey can be added for an additional trophy fee of $500 plus a second tag. You will be hunting from the nice lodge on this trip.
You have two options on this trip. First, the hunter hunts for turkey for two days and bear for three days. You willl not hunt both animals on the same day. For instance, you might spend two days turkey hunting for the entire day and three days hunting for bear the entire day.
The second option is to hunt both species each day. On this hunt you will have a turkey guide and a bear guide. This schedule keeps the hunter from very long days. If you hunt both turkey and bear on the same day, you will be up at 3:30 a.m. for turkey and afternoon bear until late, putting you in the bed at 11:30 p.m.! A very unusual hunt combo.
Bear hunts are typically over baits but can be done from the ground. some bow hunters enjoy sitting on the ground glassing in the area of a bait and when they see the right bear headed to the bait, they stalk for the shot.
Elk Backcountry Rifle/ Bow & Lodge Bow Hunts:
Season: August 30 – September 30
The lodge has several backcountry camp options for a very limited handful of authentic elk hunts each year. This is a real backcountry experience with a 14 mile, approx 3 hour, horseback ride into camp depending on your specific camp. The horses get you into camp but you hike during the hunt itself. Enjoy tasty meals from your comfortable wall tents that have dirt floors, cots, foam pads and wood stoves in a spectacular setting. They bring in a shower bag for a hot shower for your comfort. There is no running water. These are 5 full hunting days for rifle and bow hunters.
September bow hunters can hunt the prime bugle/ rut while October rifle hunters will be post prime rut but should still have some bugling activity. Spot & stalk hunting, bugling, cow calls….this is what elk hunting should be: backpacking into the wilderness on horses, wall tents, fabulous food, elk bugling up and down the mountain valleys!!
The daily schedule is to have an early breakfast and head out for the day taking lunch with you. This is rugged, steep, thick terrain so you need to be in very good physical condition!
Mountain Lion Hunts:
Season: December 1 – March 31 (January and February are prime)
The sound a hound dog makes when running on the scent of a Lion is an experience that cannot be put into words. For those who desire a unique and fun-filled hunting experience, they offer fully-guided (2 guides per hunter) Mountain Lion hunts out of their 14,000 sq ft lodge during the months of December through March.
Nothing in the outdoors compares to the superior disdain in the eyes of a Mountain Lion as his gaze catches yours. Every discerning outdoorsman should meet that look, and this outfitter is the best in the business at providing you with that opportunity. Using hound dogs, snowmobiles and snowshoes, they guide you into elk and deer wintering grounds in search of a fresh kill or lion track. From here is when the chase begins and we all hope it ends at the tree!
They are able to offer these Mountain Lion hunts in conjunction with bobcat, steelhead fishing, and wingshooting at your option. Snow conditions can play a major part in the difficulty of the hunt, so to better accommodate guests, they also offer “on call” hunts during the months of December and March.
If you bag your lion early you may continue to hunt bobcat, wolf or do some upland bird hunting for the duration of your hunt. Your only extra expenses would be for the tags and if you wanted extra birds released. There’s plenty to keep you entertained for the 7 days!
Deer Hunts:
Season – Whitetail – Early October through early December
Mule Deer – Early October through early November
The mule deer in the area average 150-170 B&C and whitetail 120-140 B&C
Mule Deer with a bow:
Season – Late August through September
This is a great opportunity at a spot and stalk bow hunt for mule deer! You will stay at the lodge. Hunt on the mountain plateaus on agricultural fields and on rocky ridges where the mule deer bed down. The deer this time of the year are very patterned. Your guide will drive you to the mountain top and your hunt will begin from that point each day. The mule deer in the area average 150-170 B&C. Tags are available over the counter for this hunt. The tag is for a mule deer. You can purchase a second tag for whitetail for a trophy fee. There are no trophy fees on mule deer.
There are a lot of mule deer in this area and you will normally have several stalks each day.
Turkey Hunting:
Season: August – May 25
The private 5000 acre ranch is home to an abundant population of Merriam wild turkeys. The steep timbered ridges leading down to flat meadows make our turkey hunting unique and challenging. The breathtaking views of the ranch in the springtime combined with an early morning gobble of a mature tom is sure to get any hunter’s heart pumping.
Turkey hunting at this ranch is most often combined with our spring bear hunt. These combination hunts are conducted from the lodge where you will enjoy the rustic elegance of our 14,000 square foot lodge and all its amenities.
Populations of the Merriam subspecies-now prevalent throughout North Central Idaho-have grown dramatically on the ranch and two-bird limits are now in effect. Whether your desire is a straight turkey hunt or a bear/turkey combination, the turkeys will challenge even the most discerning turkey hunter.
Your guide will scout the roost each evening in order to place you in a prime location each morning.
Cast and Blast Packages:
Season October 15 – November 25
There is no better place than this ranch to enjoy fishing for trophy steelhead paired with our world-class wingshooting. As a dual Orvis Endorsed wingshooting and fishing Lodge, you will get the chance to fish the nationally recognized Clearwater River, as well as hunt behind some of the best upland hunting dogs in existence.
CAST-and-BLAST packages combine two days of wingshooting with one day of steelhead fishing in a single great package. Base your trip right out of the rustic lodge and experience a true sportsman’s paradise. Idaho’s Clearwater River is home to the legendary “B-run” steelhead that can produce that fish of a lifetime. Depending on the age of the fish, it’s not uncommon to see fish caught 10 to 15 pounds with many exceeding 20 pounds!
Wingshooting is found right out the back door of the lodge where sportsmen can pursue chukar on the open slopes, the pheasant on the valley floor or the canyon fields for Hungarian partridge. Hunting over thier very own lines of German Shorthairs and English Pointers will prove their dedication to providing world-class wingshooting. Hunting areas are accessed by customized vehicles, and fishing is done out of drift boat. Each outing is a personalized experience providing plenty of shooting with no bag limits and majestic views of the river.
Hunter Education Card Requirements:
Individuals born after January 1, 1975must complete a hunter education course to purchase an Idaho hunting license or show proof of a previously held valid hunting license in Idaho or another state.
Activities
Activities:
- Jeep Tour–this can year round but not when bird hunters are out.
- So good for a arrival day or summer retreat or morning before a bear hunt.
- Bird Watching–this can be year round/
- River Floats–summer July – August
- Fly Fishing Instruction on the Pond–year round
- Archery Instruction–year round
- Dutch Oven Cooking Class–its outside so weather pending
- Horseback Riding–based on weather and back country camps
- Tour of the Monastery–year round
- Hiking–weather pending and hunter activity pending
- Fly Fishing on the River–seasonal
- Sporting Clays–year round { unless fire hazard!}
- Massages–year round
- Helicopter Tours–weather pending
- Kayaking–end of May to Aug
- White Water Rafting–End of May to Aug
- Jet Boat Tours–year round
- Sturgeon Fishing–seasonal and this is awesome!!!
- Hike to Archaeological Cave–year round
- Pond Fishing–year round as long as it doesn’t ice over.
- Visit the Nez Perce Museum–year round/closed weekends
- Paint Classes–year round-needs scheduled in advance
- Facial & Pedicures if notified in advance
Lodge Amenities
After your busy day, relax at the lodge. Our lodge’s lounge comes equipped with:
- 3 big-screen TV’s, to cover everyone’s favorite team
- fully stocked and tended bar with top-shelf liquor, import & domestic beers, wine, and a complimentary selection of fine cigars
The lodge also has a Jacuzzi overlooking the canyon, in-house massage therapists, a sauna, and a large patio with firepit to socialize around in the evening.
Private Guest House
The “B” also has a five-bedroom ranch house, which can hold up to 10 people, with its own private big screen TV, kitchen, and deck spaces.
Length of Stay / Itinerary
The length of your trip will vary according to the species you are hunting. 4-8 nights.
Travel Details & Location
How to get there: LEWISTON, ID
Most guests fly commercially into Lewiston, ID where the lodge provides a free shuttle service for the 1:15 minute drive to the lodge. Spokane, WA is another option and there is a $500 fee for the lodge shuttle service to this airport which is a 4 hour drive.
Runway access for private planes:
The Idaho County Airport in Grangeville, ID is only 30 minutes from the lodge and the shuttle will pick you up from here. There is a 5,100’ asphalt runway and has fuel. FAA identifier is GIC.
Internet & Communications
Wireless internet is available throughout the lodge, as well as a desktop computer located in the entertainment room. Cell service is spotty and unreliable.There is no wifi in the backcountry.
Changing Generations
This lodge is extremely active in the community of hunters! Here is a link to the Idaho National Resource Foundation that they participate in for youth hunts on the ranch: http://www.idahonaturalresource.org/about-inrf/inrf-projects/ When you book a hunt with this lodge, you will give a small donation of about $10 to help fund this excellent foundation.
Each year several Wounded Warrior hunts are hosted for Mule deer and uplands hunts. As for the meat from the hunt that is not taken home by hunters, they are active in donating meat to the local community based on need. Your hunt at this lodge will promote their opportunities to give back in so many ways!
Trip Insurance & Cancellation Info
Trip insurance is highly recommended to protect your investment on this trip. We will assist you with trip insurance upon booking. See links at the bottom of this page for the two providers we suggest for our clients.
Family Expeditions, LLC confirmation and refund policy:
If your trip is more than 90 days out from date of departure, a 50% non-refundable deposit confirms your reservation and must be received within 10 days of booking to confirm your dates. All trips must be paid in full at least 90 days prior to the departure date. If your trip date is within 90 days, FULL payment for the trip is required. All payments to Family Expeditions are non-refundable. Should you need to reschedule or cancel your trip, we will do everything in our power to assist you in finding a suitable substitute or transferring your dates per the lodge/providers/government requirements. Trip insurance protects your investment!
