Man vs. Beast -- Fair Chase Hunting at Its Best

Wilderness hunting is the ultimate challenge! No fences, no food plots, just all the elements Mother Nature can throw at you. Are you ready for it? This type of hunt is not for everyone, it is not easy, nor should it be, for this is hunting at its purest!

Pitting your skills against an animal's strong instincts for survival

Becoming one with your targeted animal’s environment challenges your whole being to be able to outsmart, out-think and outwit your prey.

The chase doesn’t begin the morning of your hunt when you breathe in the fresh mountain air or when you take the first sip of coffee on hunting day. No, it begins weeks ahead of your hunt: preparing ammo, cleaning rifles or preparing your bow, and practicing at the range to be the best you can be while exposed to nature the way man was intended to be.

The last time you will hear the sound of a vehicle will be when pack your gear, adjust your stirrups, and saddle up for the six-mile horseback ride into base camp. The essence of hunting is captured in these moments, the planning, the tracking, the hills ahead and the hills behind, locking your aim on what you came here to do. Leaving technology behind, letting your unfair advantage drive away, making you one with nature.

The animal you dreamed of is at last in your crosshair and you have leveled the playing field by choice, because this is what you believe in--this is FAIR CHASE HUNTING!

Scapegoat Wilderness Outfitters, Montana - Adventure at Its Best

The Scapegoat Wilderness is part of the 1.5 million acre Bob Marshall Wilderness complex, and they pack all the camp and hunters in on mules and horses. Add breathtaking views, high mountain lakes, deep timber, high country parks, and the continental divide, and you end up with an adventure you won't soon forget.

About the Scapegoat Wilderness-Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex

Located in Northwestern Montana on both sides of the Continental Divide, this large complex includes three Wilderness areas: the Great Bear, the Scapegoat, and the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Together the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex makes up an area of more than 1.5 million acres, the third largest in the lower 48 states.

Grizzly bear, lynx, wolverine, deer, elk, gray wolf, moose, black bear, mountain lion, mountain goat, and mountain sheep roam about these rugged ridge tops, gently sloping alpine meadows, thickly forested river bottoms and open grass parks. Across this continuous landscape over 1700 miles of trail provide challenges and experiences to satisfy visitors with a wide range of skills.

Scapegoat Wilderness Outfitters - Fully Guided Hunts

Fully guided hunts consist of a guide, saddle horse, camp cook, all meals, sleeping accommodations, packer, and pack animals to transport all your gear and game, as well as field care and caping of all animals harvested.

The hunter provides his own sleeping bag, personal gear, and hunting license.

Have you ever heard an elk bugle while you were hunting with your rifle? They offer fully guided RIFLE hunts during the elk rut starting September 15.

Prefer hunting with a bow? Archery season opens the first Saturday in September and their archery hunts utilize areas not open for the early rifle season, allowing them to hunt lower pressured elk.

How about hunting high country mule deer several miles from the closest motorized vehicle? Their camp is located six miles from the trailhead and they hunt deeper into the wilderness from there.

Would you like to go on a Spring black bear hunt but don't want to sit over a bait pile or use dogs? Try a Wilderness 'Spot and Stalk' Black Bear Hunt in June.

Scapegoat Wilderness Outfitters Elk & Deer Hunts

Day 1 - Your elk and deer hunt starts at the trailhead where we will meet up, pack your gear, and adjust your stirrups for the six-mile horseback ride into base camp. Upon arrival, we will unload your gear and get you settled into your 14x16 canvas wall tent complete with cot, foam pad, lantern, and wood stove. After that, depending on weather conditions and how you're feeling after your two-hour ride into camp, we will either saddle up again and head out for an evening hunt or take a short walk from camp to stretch your legs and take advantage of some good glassing points close to camp. We will return after the evening hunt to a hot dinner prepared by our full-time cook, with some casual conversation around the table. Off to bed after some homemade dessert and the morning plans discussed.

Day 2 - will begin with an early morning wake-up call to let you know there is a hot breakfast on the table and a sack lunch ready to be put in your pack. After you eat, we will saddle up and head out for the day's hunt. We may be hunting just outside of camp or may have a couple hours' ride to get to our hunting location for the morning hunt. After the first few hours of light have passed, several options are available. We may find a nice vantage point and hunker down for some quality time behind our optics or maybe take a horse ride to cover country and look for fresh sign. Regardless of the option, the day will be spent in the field to try and optimize your time and increase your opportunity of harvesting an animal. After the day's hunt we will return to camp for a homecooked meal complete with dessert. We also have a shower tent you can use every night if you desire or if you feel like taking a vacation from good hygiene that's ok, too.

Days 3 thru 6 will be about the same with minor variations due to weather conditions and location of wildlife.

Day 7 will consist of a morning of sleeping in a bit longer and waking to your last morning at camp. While you are eating breakfast, the staff will be loading your gear and getting ready for your final horseback ride back to the trailhead which is usually reached around noon.

Opportunity for Fishing

In addition to everything else, there is also the opportunity for some excellent fishing. Native cutthroat trout can be caught just minutes away from our base camp. An afternoon or maybe a full day of fishing is a nice way to relax after several hard days of hunting. If you desire, throw in a rod and we can spend some time at one of the fishing holes. We also offer "cast n' blast" packages for clients that would like to combine a few full days of fishing into their hunting trip.

Up for a More Rugged Experience - Spike Camps

The utilization of spike camps is also a possibility if you are up for the more rugged experience. These spike camps are usually 2 to 3 hours from main camp and will consist of more meager accommodations but are still comfortable.

These camps still have cots and wood stoves but will be in smaller 12x12 nylon tents. The dinners will generally consist of freeze dried or dehydrated meals with oatmeal being the main breakfast item as there will not be a cook in the spike camps.

You will also be expected to help your guide with the chores of wood gathering and such as he will also have the stock animals to tend to. You may also be asked to help set up these camps as we cannot leave them up for the season due to forest service regulations. So please be advised that these hunts will often times require much more work on both of our parts.

You can spend between 1 and 5 days of your 7-day trip in one of our spike camps, with the remainder of the days being spent in our base camp. These days do not need to be predetermined prior to your hunt, but can be adjusted on the fly to best increase your opportunities and wilderness experience.

Spike camps are not for everybody, but they do help spread out the hunting pressure and can be a very successful way to hunt.

Ready for the Hunt of a Lifetime?

True wilderness hunts are a rare chance to see and experience something that you may never otherwise get the chance to do. Find out all the details as well as how to contact Jake Ingram, Scapegoat Wilderness Outfitters, directly at this link: