Slough Creek Outfitters • Slough Creek Outfitters, Inc. has the only permanent permitted base camp on the banks of Slough Creek. We have a first class camp and area. We specialize in trophy fly fishing and professionally guided trophy elk hunts (Montana Hunting Area 316). We operate the kind of backcountry operation that you can feel comfortable bringing your family to. This is an area you can come to and experience the real West. Whether it be elk hunting, fly fishing or just relaxing and enjoying the outdoors you won't find a better place.
September brings an abrupt change in the weather to Paradise Valley's Gallatin and Beartooth Mountains. Early snows hastened the onslaught of fall colors, a dazzling display of golden aspens, yellow cottonwoods, and scarlet mountain maples. It is beautiful out there, but all we can smell is gun oil as we clean our rifles and saddle soap as we prepare our tack in anticipation of meeting the cold fall air, early snows, brutal hikes and rides ahead because our harvest is always falls into an impossible to reach place, that we reach anyway, yet we eagerly look forward to it because it is the highlight of our year.
Paradise Valley has some of the best hunting opportunities in the Rocky Mountains. There are many ways to enjoy the fabulous hunting in Montana. It may be by four wheel-drive vehicle and tree stands, or you can travel by horseback from tents or a hunting lodge. However, each type takes you into some of the most remote areas of Montana with fantastic scenery and great hunting opportunities. The Bridger Mountains of south central Montana, the Gallatin Range between Paradise Valley and Yellowstone, the Madison Range of Paradise Valley and the Beartooths of Paradise Valley offer hunters one of the highest success rates in Montana for elk, moose and mule deer.
The mountains and valleys of the Montana host a plethora of wildlife. Elk number in the thousands, there are mule deer on the buttes, moose up the canyons, bighorn sheep on the peaks, bald eagles nesting above the rivers, antelope on the flats, bears hiding behind the trees, bison wandering from here to there and trophy trout in the rivers waiting for a fly. In the mountains and valleys of Southern Montana you can hunt for elk, moose, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, bison, mountain lion, wolves, and big horn sheep. Be sure to check with the local authorities for hunting license requirements, and other rules, and regulations.
The Greater Yellowstone region offers some of the best big game hunting anywhere. Outside Jackson Hole Wyoming is the National Elk Refuge where six to ten 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 between, and there are tens of thousands of Mule Deer throughout the region. Wyoming has more Pronghorn Antelope than People and I bet Montana is about the same ration of Pronghorns to people as Wyoming.
Always wanted to hunt a bull elk, moose or trophy mule deer and experience the spectacular untamed backcountry? Enjoy the thrill of tramping through prime elk country, taking in the sights and smells of mother nature. To make the most of your days in the wild, you may wish to contract with one of the Paradise Valley Region’s hunting guide to help plan your trip. Experienced professionals guides of Montana will get you there to harvest your wishes.
Big Game Animals of the Greater Yellowstone Region
Want to know more about hunting in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho? A Northern Rockies big game hunt is the ultimate thrill; it also justifies all those Cabela's and LL Bean purchases. The Greater Yellowstone region of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming offer some of the finest hunting opportunities on the planet. It also has some of the most experienced outfitters and guides found anywhere. Add a Yellowstone region moose, elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, bison, black bear, hunt, or maybe even a wolf hunt to your bucket list.
Some people say that it is just luck whether you harvesting big game when you are hunting, and it may be to some extent, but it is more knowledge than anything. Luck favors the prepared mind. One must have an understanding of the animal, and it's habits during any given time of hunting season. During hunting season game animals are often breeding or migrating and knowing what is on their mind can aid you in the hunt. That doesn't mean that they will be there to cooperate but that is where you would start.
Anyone who has hunted big game in the Rockies knows how important it is to be in good physical condition. Your physical condition will be put to it's limits so it is very important too first get into shape so your hunt won't end up as a disaster. After considering all these things, you still have to deal with an animal after it is down and be prepared to call on all your conditioning to cope with it. There are game hauling contractors that provide “ you tag them, we will drag them” services that you can hire to pack out our harvest. This can be money well spent. If it is your first Rocky Mountain hunt you do not want it to be your last.
The weather in Rocky Mountain country can change in a matter of minutes. The clothing and gear that you take with you are as important as anything else when you consider a hunting trip into the Yellowstone region backcountry.
If you are a nonresident hunter, it has already been a costly trip; so don't be unsuccessful by trying to save a few dollars. Make the phone calls, use the web, seek the advice of the local hunters, and use the proper equipment and consider the value of hiring a hunting outfitter that can guarantee you a shot at an animal.
There are resources to help you get informed such as the U.S. Forest Service and the Game and Fish department for the state you will be hunting in.
Most early hunting expeditions were by pack
train to the fabulous backcountry and today’s 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. ------------------ More info
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 today’s 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. --------------------- more info
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.---------------------------- More info
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 don’t 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 don’t 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.--------------------- more info
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
haven’t 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
1800’s 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
Pronghorn Antelope are considered by some to be the most dazzling of North American big game animals, with their distinct brown and white coloration accented by black cheek patches and glossy black horns. Few sights are more awesome for a hunter than a clear sky sunrise over a and high country meadow with a gorgeous buck sporting tall, glistening, black horns, after creeping to peak over a knoll for a chance to harvest one of these great animals.
Hunting pronghorn antelope is an exciting challenge because they prefer the open country of the deserts, plains, and high country meadows so they can see any approaching danger a long way off. During hunting season, the grasses and forbes on the prairie are a light brown, and the sage is a dark gray-green, the pronghorns coat often blends in with these colors making sometimes making them difficult to spot on the open prairies unless their white bellies and rumps are visible above the grass and sage. All things being perfect sometimes these white patches make it possible for hunters to see them from long distances though.........................more about hunting Pronghorn Antelope
Hunting News
Tri-state effort bodes well for wolf delisting
Threatening Grizzly Bear
YELLOWSTONE - News that some Wyoming lawmakers have begun meeting with their colleagues from Montana and Idaho to talk about wolf delisting is an encouraging first step toward resolving the long-running controversy over wolf management in the northern Rockies.
The fact that Idaho Gov. Butch Otter is sounding more and more like Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal on the wolf issue is a less consequential development that shouldn't affect the lawmakers' work. The Star-Tribune first reported last week that some key legislators from Wyoming, Idaho and Montana met recently in Salt Lake City with an objective of getting wolves removed from federal protection and put under state control. The group -- unofficially named the Tri-State Wolf Compact Commission -- is scheduled to meet again today, along with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service official. The lawmakers' efforts may be the best hope for crafting a wolf delisting plan that can withstand court challenges.
Meanwhile, Otter announced Monday....................rest of article
Hunter kills attacking grizzly
CODY WYOMING - This grizzly bear was photographed near Cub Creek in Yellowstone National Park Oct. 19. There are a record number of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and some are getting into trouble, possibly because the bears are exceeding their carrying capacity in grizzly habitat. Courtesy photo/Neale Blank A deer hunter in the South Fork area killed a grizzly bear sow Oct. 27 when the bear attacked him. The lone hunter was in the Aldrich Creek drainage in the upper South Fork of the Shoshone River when he encountered a 10 to 12-year-old sow, a news release from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department said. The sow had two yearling cubs in tow and thought her offspring were threatened, said Mark Bruscino, Game and Fish bear management program supervisor in Cody. The hunter received at least two serious bites to his thigh in the attack and shot the bear several times, eventually killing it, Bruscino said. ....................rest of article
Paradise Valley has some of the best hunting opportunities in the Rocky Mountains. There are many ways to enjoy the fabulous hunting in Montana. It may be by four wheel-drive vehicle and tree stands, or you can travel by horseback from tents or a hunting lodge. However, each type takes you into some of the most remote areas of Montana with fantastic scenery and great hunting opportunities. The Bridger Mountains of south central Montana, the Gallatin Range between Paradise Valley and Yellowstone, the Madison Range of Paradise Valley and the Beartooths of Paradise Valley offer hunters one of the highest success rates in Montana for elk, moose and mule deer.
The Greater Yellowstone region offers some of the best big game hunting anywhere. Outside Jackson Hole Wyoming is the National Elk Refuge where six to ten 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 between, and there are tens of thousands of Mule Deer throughout the region. Wyoming has more Pronghorn Antelope than People and I bet Montana is about the same ration of Pronghorns to people as Wyoming.
