Backcountry · Elk
Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Idaho Unit 17
Eight days after trophy bulls in Idaho's Unit 17, reached by bush plane and then horseback. Unit 17 is one of the very few places that allows rifle hunting during the elk rut, the tags are allocated rather than drawn, and you can add deer, bear, or wolf tags to make it a combination hunt.
This trip is guided by
Moose Creek Outfitters
Dillon Weidow
Outfitter
Unit 17 sits inside the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness on the Nez Perce National Forest, and there is no road into it. You fly a bush plane about 35 minutes out of Missoula into Main Moose Creek Camp, then ride two to seven hours on horseback to whichever camp your hunt runs from, with everything you brought packed on a mule.
It is one of the very few places that allows rifle hunting during the elk rut. The tags are guaranteed allocated outfitter tags, so there is no draw and no lottery to enter. You can add deer, bear, or wolf tags and make it a combination hunt.
Camp is wall tents with cots, a table and chairs, a wood stove, a camp grill, firewood, and cookware, and three meals a day with snacks and beverages.
Seasons and guiding
- Rut hunt, 1-on-1, 8 days: September 14 to October 11, from $8,200 per hunter
- Rut hunt, 2-on-1, 8 days: September 14 to October 11, from $6,900 per hunter
- Late season, 1-on-1, 8 days: October 22 to November 7, from $8,200 per hunter
- Late season, 2-on-1, 8 days: October 22 to November 7, from $6,900 per hunter
Departures: September 14–21, September 24 to October 1, October 4–11, October 22–29, and October 31 to November 7. Eight days with six full days of hunting.
Bush plane flights are not included. A 25% deposit books the hunt. The deposit and the final payment are both non-refundable, and they recommend trip cancellation insurance. Everything you bring is packed on a mule, so gear is capped at one 55 lb soft duffle with no hard cases. There is no phone service or wi-fi in camp.
Elk
Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Wolf
Rifle
Backcountry
Wilderness / backcountry, Public / leased units
Free-range (fair chase)
Outfitter provides / guaranteed
Guaranteed allocated outfitter tags — no draw and no lottery. The hunter still pays Idaho's fees: $195 non-resident hunting licence and $656.75 non-resident elk tag.
Not included
Approximate area, not an exact location.
Moose Creek Outfitters
Operating since 2017
Dillon and Taylor Weidow run Moose Creek Outfitters out of Hamilton, Montana, and hunt the Idaho side of the Bitterroot divide: Unit 17, in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness on the Nez Perce National Forest.
Dillon Weidow
Outfitter
Taylor Weidow
The Boss
Dillon Weidow
Outfitter
“Fly-in, fly-out backcountry hunts in Idaho's Unit 17, deep inside the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.”
Trips from
$6,900 / person
Set by the outfitter and subject to change. Confirm current rates directly.
Free to ask · No booking fees · You hear straight from the outfitter
Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Idaho Unit 17 · 8 days
Contact the outfitter for more information today.
The WildHQ promise
Explore trips worldwide
Hunts, fishing, and adventures across the map.
Straight to the source
Connect with outfitters directly — no booking fees.
Vetted by WildHQ
Verified outfitters and real reviews from the field.
