Oregon and Idaho offer some great hunting for the avid outdoorsman, whether you're looking for guided elk hunting tours, self-guided hunts for whitetail deer, or just a relaxing camping trip with a little hunting and fishing as part of the package. You can grab a map and plan a hunting trip to the Northwest on your own, or you can choose an outfitter to help plan your hunting vacation.
Idaho is home to some of the nation's most spectacular wilderness, hosting large populations of elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, black bear and mountain lion. A good outfitter can find you a great place to hunt amid the hundreds of miles breathtaking mountains, glacial valleys, alpine meadows and snow-fed streams. Many outfitters specialize in pack-in elk hunting, providing you with a horse and a guide who'll take you to a remote hunting camp, many miles from the nearest town. You should remember to bring a camera, to capture Idaho's amazing natural beauty while on your hunting trip.
You'll find a slightly different kind of hunting adventure in Oregon, but one that's no less satisfying. With the Pacific Ocean on it western edge and high desert at its northeastern corner, Oregon offers an abundance of resources for hunters and other sportsmen. Big game hunting enthusiasts who visit the part of the state that lies west of the Cascade Range will find Roosevelt elk and Columbia Blacktail deer. To the east of the mountain range, there's Rocky Mountain lk, mule deer and black bear - for the expert hunter, there are even bighorn sheep.
Hunters who enjoy bowhunting can take advantage of early hunting seasons reserved for bow hunters, and bird hunters will find that hunting in Oregon and Idaho is ideal - the region's vast open spaces, as well as its abundant streams and rivers, are a haven for water fowl. Idaho offers spectacular bird hunting, with Canada geese traveling through the state as part of their migratory flyway.
You'll need to take weather into consideration when hunting big game in Oregon and Idaho, as the weather in this region is notoriously unpredictable. The lush greenery of the Pacific Northwest is courtesy of a regular amount of rainfall almost all year 'round - unseasonable summer storms aren't uncommon there, and springtime can bring warm, sunny days that turn cloudy, start to rain, then hail - all within a few hours! Yet, the temperatures in the Cascades are usually quite moderate, averaging 42 degrees in winter and 63 degrees in summer - great hunting weather, no matter when you choose to take your trip.
Local guides and outfitters can provide more information on specific small game and big game animals hunting in their area, along with what the weather is for their part of the state. For hunting game like elk, deer, bear, pronghorn antelope, mountain lion and even bighorn sheep, big game hunting in Oregon and Idaho is hard to beat.