Sunset over the Idaho Mountains - Rawhide Outfitters Hunting
Lion Hunting
Archery Lion Hunts & Rifle Lion Hunts

Idaho Lion Hunts

The Rawhide Outfitters family in Salmon, Idaho are seasoned experts in mountain lion hunting, offering thrilling, fully guided trips into prime mountain lion territory.

No sportsman’s experience is complete until he has been on a successful Idaho mountain lion hunt. You will find the majority of us Idaho hands in our free time on the track of a lion. Why? Because once you’ve experience it you will never forget it! Our Idaho mountain lion outfitters do all to make our mountain lion hunts just that kind of experience. Rawhide Outfitters lion hunting units of 28, 29, 37-A and 36-B are some of the best lion habitat available in the Western United States, having produced “book” cats for years. This Idaho area is prime wintering ground for elk, deer, sheep and goat.

Archery Elk Hunts
Lion Hunter holding prize.

Mountain Lion Hunts

Lion hunting in Idaho is a great experience! Hound hunting is our passion! Our outfitted hunting area is very large, stretching from Salmon to Challis, Idaho. A large portion of our hunting areas backs up to the Frank Church Wilderness, which produces Boone and Crockett lions every year. We have GPS tracking equipment for our already well trained hounds. You can choose any weapon you would like for our lion hunts; typically hunters will use archery equipment or short range firearms.

Guided Lion Hunt Details

Rates & Frequently Asked Questions

Planning your hunt starts with the right information. Below, you’ll find details on our rates, what’s included in your guided hunt, and answers to common questions. Whether you’re curious about licensing, gear, accommodations, or the hunt itself, we’re here to ensure you’re fully prepared for an unforgettable experience in the Idaho wilderness.

Prices subject to 6% Idaho Sales Tax

8 day Lion Hunt
November 25 – February 28
$8,600.00

(Non-resident Rates)
Mountain Lion Tag
$204.50

Idaho Hunting License (Includes $10.00 Depredation Fee)
$195.00

  • Deposit – A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to confirm your hunt and dates and is due at the time of booking along with license and tag fees. Remaining balance of hunt and applicable taxes are due 30 days prior to hunt dates! Deposits are transferable if a replacement can be found before the purchase of hunting tags in depositor’s name.
  • Gratuities are not mandatory, however, it is customary to tip your guide and cook if you feel they did a good job for you.
  • Hunting License and tags may be purchased across the counter; no quotas
How many hunters are in each guided group?

We hunt one hunter per 8 day lion hunt. We have a set number of hounds to chase the lions and like to keep some dogs fresh for later in the hunts. In order to maintain quality of the hunts and odds of treeing a lion we stick to one hunter each week. Non-hunter guests are allowed and encouraged to share your hunt with! We do at times make exceptions to this and hunt two hunters at a time.

Do I purchase my own tag?

Part of the service Rawhide provides is purchasing your Idaho hunting license and any necessary tags/permits.

When is mountain lion season?

Mountain lion hunting is open year round in Idaho. We run our hunts in December and January that is when the snow is the best for the hunt.

What is included in a lion hunt?

Our lion hunts are 8 day hunts running Sunday through the following Monday, we take Saturdays off for religious purposes. During that time we provide all food, housing, and transportation. We have a guest cabin and an Airbnb cottage that are provided for hunters when not in the field. Both have full electricity, water/showers and wifi. We have a full time cook for the full hunt.

What can I expect on my lion hunt?

Hunters typically arrive on Saturday. You’ll get settled into the cabin, and we’ll provide a welcome dinner that evening. The hunt begins Sunday morning.

Each day, we’ll be up between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m. to start checking roads – by truck, ATV, or snowmobile depending on conditions – for fresh tracks. Once we find a set of tracks that appears to be from a lion we’re interested in, we’ll turn the hounds loose and go from there.

Because we start so early, we usually bring a breakfast burrito or sandwich to go, along with a sack lunch for the day. Most days, we wrap up the hunt by early afternoon and return for an early dinner and bedtime.

Once you’ve harvested your lion, we’ll skin and butcher it, then pack it out. After that, we’ll help you get your meat to a butcher and your hide to a taxidermist, based on your preferences for meat and mounts.

Photo Gallery

A small collection of our hunters and their trophies. For more photos, visit our Facebook page.

GOOGLE REVIEWS

Our Hunters Say It Best

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“Terrific trip, the guides were great and the dogs were well trained! This was the best adrenaline rush that I could ever have. I would hunt with Rawhide Outfitters again in a heartbeat. When you are out their chasing a lion or a bear, you don’t even think about being tired, because the adrenaline rush is so fantastic, you don’t even think about being exhausted. I was excited to get my cat on the first day of my two week hunt.”

Sherri Goodman

Mountain Lion Hunter
“Thank you for a most successful mountain lion hunt. The professionalism that all of you exhibited in all you do certainly supports the reputation that you have gained. Every day was methodically thought out and planned to the utmost degree of preciseness. You shared your home and entire family making me feel that I was a part of it. We had planned for an eight day hunt, but with all the planning, good dogs and a lot of luck, we were successful on the third day. I was incredibly impressed with the ease of completing the process following the kill complete with a visit to the taxidermist all before 11:00 AM. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the hunt, and will highly recommend Rawhide Outfitters as the premier mountain lion guides in Idaho!”

Dave G

Mountain Lion Hunter
“I met the Cranneys on a white water rafting trip in June 2010 with Luke and Aunt Rose. Our family had a tremendous time on the North Fork! I scheduled a mountain lion hunt with them shortly thereafter for December 2010. I had one of the best hunts of my life with the Cranney family. John and Cathy, along with Justin and Luke, worked so hard for me to have a successful hunt. They treated me like family, making me feel welcome in their home and on the hunt. I have some prior health issues, but they were able to work with my diet so I had very little problems. I have very rarely seen people work so hard to ensure I had a great time and successful hunt. Thanks so much for wonderful memories!”

Mike Tylavsky

Mountain Lion Hunter

“I started hunting with John in 1990, and have been many times since. I have had family and friends that have gone with John and now his two boys also. Everyone and I mean everyone has had nothing but very high respect for the Cranneys. They care about the animals they hunt and care about their hunters. You can’t help but call them friends after your first visit with them, I have and still do.”

Gary Santos

Mountain Lion Hunter
“I had the best hunt of my life with Rawhide Outfitters. It was amazing how hard they worked for me to make my hunt as meaningful and successful as possible. My lion hunt was packed full of adventure, excitement, good food, hospitality and beautiful country. To harvest such a beautiful tom on the third day of the hunt far exceeded my expectations! Thanks for the GREAT memories and friendship.”

Joe Woodcock

Mountain Lion Hunter
“My lion hunt with you this year surpassed any expectations I had. The Cranny’s have a work ethic unsurpassed by anyone else I know with exception only to the dedicated hounds that tracked the lions. The amount of country covered was spectacular and the photos I took throughout the hunt are something that help make a great adventure story to tell over and over. What an exciting time locating tracks, putting the dogs on the trail and watching them work, something I will never forget. I look forward to the next hunt with Rawhide Outfitters.”

John McGee

Mountain Lion Hunter

Let’s Start Planning Today!
Book a Mountain Lion Hunt With Rawhide Outfitters