Elk and Deer Hunts

Here at Mackay Bar Ranch, we’re able to start our “any weapon” including rifle or bow hunts September 15, which is the heart of the rut for bull elk. Most of the early season hunt will consist of covering country until you find a bull that wants to engage.  Then, our experienced guide will help you get in a position for the bull to come to you. If all goes right you will have the adrenaline rush that only stems from a 700-800 pound animal bugling right in your face. The vibration of his call will blow through your whole body like a freight train. We’ve seen people watch monster bulls walk out of sight just because the hunter was so worked up he forgot to shoot.

The location we hunt takes 5 hours on horse to get to base camp (5 hour horseback ride from Mackay Bar Ranch to Quarts Spring Camp or 5 hour horseback ride from Chamberlain Basin to our Sleepy Hollow Camp). Our camps sits at 7,300-7,400 feet in elevation. From there we hunt down to about 5000 feet. We camp high in elevation so in the mornings you can hear and see for miles and miles. Our hunts require you to be in extremely good physical shape. These are back country wilderness hunts and require hiking and horseback riding in extreme conditions and terrain.

Our Quartz Spring camp includes jet boat transportation to/from Vinegar Creek Boat ramp (26 miles East of Riggins ID) to our Mackay Bar Ranch. Our Sleepy Hollow camp requires an additional cost for transportation to/from Cascade/McCall, ID to Chamberlain Airstrip (as well as to transport your meat). We have only 6 hunters in each wilderness camp any given week.

If you love adventure then you must try bugling in a rutting bull elk! During our early season hunts, you are able to hunt deer as well. However, we do focus on big bulls during this hunt.

Mackay Bar Ranch offers a very unique hunting/fishing experience in November! Spend 5 days and 4 nights in comfortable accommodations at our Mackay Bar Ranch where you will be served breakfast and dinner right at our main lodge. You will take off each day and fish and hunt out of one of our heated jet boats up/down the river glassing for deer and steelhead fishing!  This hunt focuses on deer but you are welcome to have an elk tag as well. The more mature bulls will be split from their cows during our later hunts (November) and the elk and deer will be closer to the river. Hunts at Mackay Bar can be very physical because our steep canyon walls. You must be in extreme physical condition for this hunt.

The later hunts provide an opportunity to throw your line in for some amazing steelhead fishing while your experienced guide is glassing the hillsides for elk and deer! The later season hunts are ideal to bring the whole family. Mackay Bar Ranch has the lodging, boats and equipment to provide a quality family hunting vacation (for hunters and nonhunters alike).

Breakfasts will be served at 7 am and dinner at 7pm at our main lodge. Your guide will be with you throughout the day.

Please note! This is a VERY physically demanding hunt. Prior to accepting any deposits – we will ask you the following questions in order to screen/review if this is the hunt for you:

1. What is your height/weight/age?
2. This is a VERY PHYSICALLY DEMANDING hunt. To be successful, 90% of that relies on you being physically capable to get around in our Idaho Wilderness. Straight up and straight down! If you have bad knees, bad heart, illnesses, or any other ailment that would hinder you to physically perform, THIS HUNT IS NOT FOR YOU. We feel it is very important to make that very clear so that you can mentally and physically prepare for this amazing hunt.