I've used two over the last few years, both horse pack outfits in MT, both in Wilderness Areas. One, the Snowy Range Guest Ranch in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Area, has since ceased operations, which is a shame as they did a great job; the other is still in business. The one still operating is Bob Marshall Wilderness Ranch out of St Ignatius, MT. They hunt the Bob Marshall Wilderness area. It's a horsepack rifle hunt 18 miles into the Bob. Scenery is gorgeous, but the outfitter and one of his guides at the time were heavy drinkers. If you don't mind that, the beat up equipment, and the lack of game spotted, then you might enjoy it. During the 8 day hunt, which occurred during the rut, we saw one shootable bull, a 5x5, that would only present a headshot. I won't take a headshot on game, so passed the shot, hoping for a better placement opportunity, which didn't occur before we were winded. I saw one cow, which I should have shot, and some Muley does, which we couldn't shoot. No bucks were seen. This outfitter is recommended by both Jim Zumbo, and the book "North America's Greatest Big Game Lodges and Outfitters" by John Ross and Jay Cassel. Well, they have their opinions and I have mine. The guide we were assigned was very good, didn't drink, and busted his butt to put us on game, but there was none to be seen, and little to be heard. I don't know if this was due to weather or overhunting, but the fact remained that there was very little game activity. The horses were good, and surefooted, and needed to be, for the terrain is very rough. The cooking was fair to good, and the cook very pleasant. The tents were old, as were the cots and lanterns for the tents, and trying to talk any fuel for the lanterns out of the outfitter was to risk abuse and ridicule, so was avoided. We used flashlights instead. I personally would never book with this outfit again, and cannot recommend their services, the preeminent reason for this was the drinking and follow on abusive behavior by the outfitter and one of his guides. The lack of game is the luck of the draw, and had it not been for the behavior previously mentioned, it would have been an enjoyable hunt.
