BIRD HUNTING & STEELHEAD FISHING 

Note: we provide rods and reels for drift fishing and accommodate fly fishermen with their own gear. Hunters must bring their own shotguns, loads, and softshell cases. We provide specialized waterproof bags for all softshell cases. 

IDAHO'S SALMON RIVER STEELHEAD FISHING & CHUKAR HUNTING
Chukar season: opens - Sept 15,2008
Fall steelhead season: opens Sept 1, 2008

Chukar may be one of the most challenging upland game birds to hunt on the planet. They like steep country, walk uphill, and fly downhill real fast. You may be a great shot in easy conditions, but what about when side-hilling across forty-degree slopes, while birds whiz by at sixty miles per hour?


That's why your dog is welcome and we have dogs for those who don't. They make life easier on steep terrain. Did I mention landscapes beautiful enough itself to take your breath away?

Between hunts you can enjoy vibrant steelhead from 6-18 pounds tearing away at the end of your line. Fish sometimes exceed 3 feet in length and are terrific tail-dancing fighters. 

You and your dog will ride in a high-sided driftboat, furnished with padded seats, backrest, heater, and waterproof compartment for your day gear. Our boats offer you five-star style and comfort.

What is the best time to come?  Tough question. Many varibles effect the answer. What is your primary interest? Chukars or steelhead? How good a shape are you in? In general, October is the prime month for both fishing and hunting.  Earlier in October is better for birds more likely to be closer to the river, due to hot weather and their need for water. Therefore, less need for steep climbs to get birds. Later in October is better for steelhead, as more of the run will have a chance to get upriver from their staging area in the lower Snake River.  Optimum for both is the first and second week of October.

Of course, fishing and hunting can still be very good even into November. Snow drives chukars to lower elevations and most of the fish have arrived to find their over-wintering areas. Naturally, weather can be colder, and conditions harsher. It's often a trade off, as things in nature always are.

Extra guides are hired to run baggage, detail camp, and cook. This enables you more time to hunt and fish with the sporting guides.

A note about the sporting guides: Living close to nature all the time and depending a great deal on fish and game for food and livelihood, the guides who help sportsmen seek their quarry have developed highly expert skills. They will help you immensely in finding fish and game. But the real experts (to be) are pictured below:

Announcing:  arrival of our new chukar dog to be:  Ember - at 8 weeks old on the left photo 
born Dec 1, 2006.  12 weeks old on right photo. Note: This is the age we send our pups to the Institute of Chukarology. Here, Ember is doing the essential research to become a great chukar dog. To point or not to point? How long do I have to wait for those hunters to catch up who ate too many sandwiches at lunch? Just how far down the canyon do I need to drop and then yoyo back up with a mouth full of feathers? What to do when hunters miss a bird?  Do those guys and gals ever hit anything? It's a tough world out there on the chukar slopes.

Looking for a pup?  We found Ember through the team of Shirley Nilsson, Anne Tyson, and Judy Voris of Regen Weimaraners. They have some of the best Weim's in the country. When I jokingly told Shirley, I also wanted a dog that could point steelhead, she sent me a photo of her dog with a huge rainbow/steelhead-like trout in her mouth. It was a fish she had actually caught under water. I was as impressed with that, as much as I am with Ember, our new companion to romp with in chukar-mania-land. Here is the Regen website, and I highly recommend them:  http://www.regenweimaraners.com 

Discount: anyone who brings a Regen Weimaraner on a chukar hunting trip with us will qualify for a special ("we love your dog") discount.  Call for discount. (800-488-9872). 

Your knowledge of the fishing spots and how to handle the rapids was impressive. You were also more knowledgeable of fish and game birds in the area than any guides I have used before. Don Gillispie, Thaxton , VA

"In all seriousness, please be assured that we all enjoyed our trip down the Salmon River immensely. As hunters and fishermen we can appreciate your efforts to get us game and realize that bagging your limit is certainly NOT guaranteed. If it could be guaranteed your guide service rates should increase tenfold and your name changed to GOD". Wayne Ogasawara