The Greater Yellowstone/Jackson Hole region offers
some of the best big game hunting anywhere. Outside
of Jackson Hole Wyoming is the National Elk Refuge
where 6 to 10 thousand Elk spend their winters, south
of Dubois
WY is the largest herd of Rocky Mountain Bighorn
Sheep, Moose can be found in most in most river bottom
and a few mountain tops and everywhere in between,
and there
are tens of thousands of Mule Deer throughout the
region.
Big Game Animals of the Greater Yellowstone Region
Most early hunting expeditions were by pack
train to the fabulous backcountry and todayís hunts
remain quite the same. For many this remains part of
the attraction, to saddle
up the
horses and load up the packhorses and mules and setting out
for hunting camp high in the mountains. Many outfitters in
the Greater
Yellowstone region hunt this old time style, with packhorses
and tent frame camps because this is still the most efficient
way
to get to the remote areas where the hunting is best. Many
bighorn sheep and deer outfitters provide hunting camps like
this as well.
Elk hunting in The Greater Yellowstone region can be one of the
most remarkable experiences of a lifetime. Here in the Greater
Yellowstone region you will see either the splendor of the Grand
Tetons, the Gros Ventre Mountains, the Wyoming Range, the Absoraka
Range, Snake River Range, or the Big Hole's. Jackson Hole is also
the home of the National Elk Refuge where 6 to 12 thousand elk
spend their winter taunting you into thinking that your hunt is
going to be easy. In the Greater Yellowstone area there are many
outfitters and guides to choose from if you choose to not go without
a guide.
Southeastern Idaho and
western Wyoming are both famous for producing big mule deer
bucks. Most early hunting expeditions were
by pack train to the fabulous backcountry and todayís hunts
remain quite the same. For many this remains part of the
attraction, to saddle up the horses and load up the packhorses
and mules and setting out for hunting camp high in the mountains.
Many outfitters in the Greater Yellowstone region hunt this
old time style, with packhorses and tent frame camps because
this is still the most efficient way to get to the remote
areas where the hunting is best. Many bighorn sheep and elk
outfitters provide hunting camps like this as well.
Your best hunting will probably be in the higher elevations
where rugged country limits access to all but the most hardcore
hunters and outfitters in the know. This area has long been
known for its excellent deer habitat and herd genetics. Controlled
hunts in the Upper Snake region are coveted for the opportunity
to hunt mule deer during the rut in late November.
The Greater Yellowstone region is a stronghold of the bighorn
and has gained a worldwide reputation for producing the some
of the biggest Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. There have been
many fabulous rams harvested in the Greater Yellowstone area
with a good number of them scoring over 200. Bighorn sheep
are heavy horned and often broom (breaking the tips of the
horns off to help vision). It is very difficult to find an
old ram that reaches anywhere near 40 inches long after the
loss of the lamb tips from brooming. However, most sheep
hunters value a heavy horned old ram regardless of brooming
as a fine trophy.
The Greater Yellowstone region bighorn sheep have always been
a premier trophy for sportsmen from around the world. The
sheep outfitting industry in this area has a long respected
reputation as good producers of trophies for their clients.
It is said in Alaska that the most dangerous
animal in Alaska is the moose. It is not that moose are more fierce
or aggressive
than bears, it is because more people are injured and killed by
moose because many people think that moose are giant cartoon characters
and consequently donít give them the room they need to feel comfortable.
Most animals have a "fight or flight distance" the shorter an
animals fight or flight distance is the more likely they will
fight instead of flee. Moose, bear and bison all have short fight
or flight distances. The lesson being When observing or photographing
moose donít mistake their docile inspection of you as tameness
because they are just trying to figure out if they want to trot
into the woods or to kill you.
The Mountain Goats of the Greater Yellowstone eco-system
make a home on the vertical planes of the Rocky Mountains where they
cling and move around on the impossibly steep slopes of this unforgiving
and barren terrain, Mountain Goats can survive on scant food in incredibly
hostile environs. Mountain goats fit perfectly into the category of "charismatic
mega-fauna." Their beauty, grace, and athleticism, is a treat to watch
and their cute faces are always a thrill to see. The kids are precocious,
able to move on steep slopes within hours of birth, an awe-inspiring
site in itself.
Although the Yellowstone Ecosystem has an abundance
of Mountain Goat habitat, Goats are not endemic to the region. Between
the 1940s and the 1960s, there were several hundred of the shaggy
cliff dwelling creatures transplanted from western Montana to the
Beartooth, Absaroka, Madison, Bridger, and Crazy mountains and the
Snake River Range. Hundreds of them now inhabit the high country.
Some of those animals are willing to leave their preferred high-elevation
habitat to cross rivers, and valleys too colonize new places. There
havenít been any transplants in the Gallatin Range, for instance,
but goats thrive there today. -----------------------------> More
The Greater Yellowstone ecosystem is the only
place in the lower 48 states where an endemic population of wild
bison has survived since prehistoric times. Perhaps no other animal
symbolizes the American West like the American bison. In prehistoric
times millions of these quintessential creatures of the plains roamed
the North America from northern Canada, south into Mexico and from
Atlantic to the pacific. No one knows how many bison were in America
before Columbus arrived but the guesstimate is about sixty million.
They were the largest community of wild animals that the world has
ever known. For a good part of the 1800s bison were considered to
be in limitless supply.
After the Civil War the push to settle the west was
on, new army posts were established, coinciding with the westward
push of the railroads. The army and railroads contracted with local
men to supply buffalo meat to feed the troops and construction laborers.
Bison were hunted nearly to extinction in the late
1800ís and were reduced to less than a thousand animals by the end
of the century. Many western legends took part in the big buffalo
hunt including Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Pat Garrett, Wild Bill Hickok,
and William F. Cody, just to name a few. ------------------------------------>
more
The black bear ranges across forested
Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia as well as much of the
United States. A solitary animal most of the year, they pair up briefly
during the mating season. Cubs remain with their mother for about
a year, who protects which prevents them from being killed by the
adult males.
Black bears swim well and often climb trees
to feed on buds and fruit. They have a keen sense of smell, acute
hearing, but poor eyesight. They can be seen at any hour of the day,
but are most active at night. When very young, the cubs cry when afraid
and hum when contented. .................................more
When a person hunts they are the one who is in control of
the situation. They choose the time, place, animal and the shot. In the
past, it was even a rite of passage for young native tribesmen in Canada
and Alaska to kill a grizzly bear with a spear! The key was that they practiced
and planned on how to control the situation. Todayís hunters are infinitely
better equipped when it comes to hunting, but how prepared they are for
a surprise encounter with a formidable wild creature such as a grizzly
bear may be another story, unless they too prepare and plan ahead........More
Yellowstone Teton Region Hunting Outfitters
Hidden
Basin Outfitters • (Jackson
Hole) Jackson Hole is home to some of the finest big game hunting
on earth, where hunters have the opportunity to pursue animals in
their natural habitat. Our experienced
and fully-licensed guides will lead you and your party in search of cow elk,
bull elk, moose, sheep, mule deer, antelope, and bear. For Big Game Hunters Looking
for a True Wyoming Experience!
Jake's
Horses • (Island Park) All day or by the
hour trail rides, alpine lake fishing, hunting, pack trips & guide
service. We are located in Island Park, Idaho.
Mill
Iron Ranch • Jackson Hole)
Mill Iron Ranch has been a Wheeldon family tradition for three
generations.
We carry on the old cowboy traditions around here, showing
the Jackson visitors how to ride, fish, hunt and camp.
Wind
River Trophy Hunts •(Pinedale) We provide hunters
with the unique experience of hunting in the remote backcountry
that
contains one
of the healthiest elk populations in the state of Wyoming. For
hunters looking for the ultimate hunting experience - whether it
be elk, moose, sheep, antelope, or mountain lions - Wind River
Trophy Hunts is your best bet!
Jenkin's Hunting Camp • (Star Valley) Larry Jenkins' Hunting
Camp has provided Big Game Hunting since the 1970s. His hunting camp
is a
family
run operation
where
Larry,
his wife Shirley, and their two sons and daughter are all part of your
hunting experience. Larry and his family have owned and operated their
camp for over 30 years. By specializing in pleasing the individual, Larry
can gear the hunt to your own abilities and desires. The saddle horses
are all mountain trained and gentle enough to carry you all day in safety.
However, Larry prefers to ride as little as possible and still get your
game. Your not in the saddle all day long. You can expect an average
of 80% success rate on buck mule deer. Larry's hunter success on bull
elk ranges from 80 to 100% average each year.Many of these bulls
are trophys.
