Gift Information 

Perhaps you're considering giving a hunt with Buckshot Outfitting as a gift to someone special. We've prepared this page to help you with this decision. Not to be stereotypical, but the most common scenario we've seen is a wife or a girlfriend looking to purchase a hunt for their husband/boyfriend, so this page is primarily addressed to women who have never purchased a guided hunt before, although it may also be helpful for people in other situations.

If you're anything like me then the first consideration would be price. Prices for each of the hunts we offer are listed on their respective web pages, e.g. the price for a deer hunt is listed on the deer hunting page of this website. Normally there are two options on the price for each hunt. For example, the bear hunts are $1800/person for a 6-day 2x1 hunt, or $2400/person for a 6-day 1x1 hunt. The difference is that on a 2x1 hunt there will be 2 hunters paired up with a single guide, whereas on a 1x1 hunt there is only 1 hunter per guide. I'd be glad to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these two options with you to help you decide which would be best. That price, plus 6% sales tax, is all you pay us. That can be paid all at once or it may be broken up into payments between now and the time the hunt is to take place. This price covers the hunter's meals, lodging, and guiding during the hunt.

The other considerations in the total cost of the trip are the hunting license and tag, and travel. For nonresidents of Idaho, the total license and tag cost for deer, bear or lion is $363.50. They can be purchased online, over the phone, in person when the hunter arrives, or you can send me the money and I can purchase them prior to arrival. Your significant other will need to fly into the Spokane, Washington airport if flying will be his mode of transport. We can pick him up and return him there at no extra charge. Spokane is a regional hub and you can usually find an array of flight options. If the hunter will be driving here then we'll be glad to provide directions and your travel expenses would obviously amount to meals, motel and gas while traveling here.

I've compiled a list of questions commonly asked by women considering purchasing a hunt as a gift for their husband/boyfriend. Hopefully by reviewing them it may help with your decision.

What would my significant other prefer to hunt?
We offer hunts for deer, bear, mountain lion, bobcat and moose. To get a moose tag the hunter has to enter a drawing with about 15% odds of actually getting a tag so it is probably not the best choice for a gift. But perhaps you know he's always wanted a big northern whitetail deer. Or maybe you've been hearing a lot about the desire for a bear rug. In my opinion a mountain lion is the most awesome trophy animal in North America. If you don't have room in the house for a full-size lion a bobcat hunt offers all the same excitement with the hounds but with a much more conveniently sized animal at the end.

What time frame is available for the hunt?
If there are certain times of year when he simply could not get away that may be a factor in determining which hunt to choose. Our bear hunts are conducted throughout the month of May. Archery deer hunts are in September. Rifle deer hunts are in November, with the second half of the month being the best time. The Montana lion hunts we guide are only during the first 2 weeks of December. And the Idaho lion/bobcat hunts run from mid-December to mid-February.

I would like to hunt too. Is that possible?
No problem. You'd probably want to purchase 2 2x1 hunts to accomplish this.

I don't hunt but I'd like to accompany my husband/boyfriend. Is that possible?
No problem. We charge an additional $75/day for a non-hunting guest to accompany the hunter. Your involvement with the hunt can be as much or as little as you choose. If he's hunting from a tree stand and you'd like to join him, we'll be happy to hang another stand in the tree to make that possible. If you'd prefer to relax and read a book back at the bunkhouse or go shopping while he's hunting that's fine too. And because we're a small operation you won't have to share your quarters with a bunch of other people. You and your husband/boyfriend may be the only guests that week or there may be 1 or 2 others at most.

I'd like to go on this hunt without my husband. Is that possible?
Ha-ha, just kidding...but I think that may be a problem. :-)

What kind of equipment will he need for the hunt?
Assuming he's already a hunter, he's probably got almost everything he needs already, i.e. a weapon and the right clothes and boots. I'd be glad to discuss the specifics if you have any questions about needs for a specific hunt.

Can we keep the gift a surprise until his birthday, Christmas, our anniversary, etc.? And if so, is there something I can give him to unwrap on the special day?
Yes, there's no reason we need to give him a heads up in advance unless you just want to. We'd be glad to provide a "Buckshot Outfitting" cap,a brochure, or even a framed photograph of the animal he'll be hunting for you to present to him. We could also prearrange a time for me to call him and surprise him by saying something like, "Hello, this is Clint Gray with Buckshot Outfitting in northern Idaho. I'm just calling to finalize the details of the bear hunt your wife purchased for your birthday." We're open to suggestions and if you have an idea we'd be glad to work with you on it.

We're available via e-mail, phone or regular mail to answer any questions you may have. Use the links below to see the details of the hunts we offer or to check out the accommodations. We look forward to the opportunity to give your significant other a wonderful gift that he'll never forget!