CECIL L. NOBLE, Outfitter
Since 1972
HUNTING THE HIGH COUNTRY
The scenic Swan Range of Northwest Montana
The Bob Marshall Wilderness
The Flathead National Forest
Member, Montana Outfitters and Guides Association
HUNTING AREA & SEASONS
Elk, Black Bear, Mule Deer, & Whitetail Deer
Areas 130 & 150
Mountain Goat Area 132
Season: September 15 to December 1
Operating under permits from the National Forest Service, Montana Department of State Lands and Plum Creek Timber Co., we have access to thousands of acres of the Flathead National Forest, in and around the famed Bob Marshall Wilderness.
My base camp is six miles from the Swan Highway. For all early season hunts, except some archery hunts, base camp serves as a jumping-off point for my upper camp, which is located ten miles deeper in the wilderness, and is served by pack train and horse travel only.
By the opening of general season in late October, heavy weather has forced us from the upper reaches of the high country. We then follow the game herds to lower elevations as they migrate down from the back country, and conduct late season hunts right out of base camp, which is in the heart of the winter range.
I restrict each camp to ten hunters. I operate only one camp at a time, and I am always personally involved in the daily operation of the camp. This allows me to best attend to the details of your hunt, assuring you of a pleasant and memorable experience in the wilderness of northwest Montana.
Each camp consists of a large cook and dining tent, which becomes the social hub of the camp, where meals are served and hunting stories are swapped nightly. Roomy and comfortable guest tents are complete with bunks, foam mattresses, wood stoves, and drying racks for damp clothes. Separate tents for the cook, wranglers, and guides; a storage tent for saddles, tack and horse feed; a meat shed, a wash bench, an old fashioned privy and a horse corral complete each camp.
Hot water is always available for personal hygiene, and an ample supply of firewood, cut and stacked well before season, assures that you will always be warm and comfortable when in one of my camps.
Spike camps are available upon request.
Days start very early in hunting camp, with guides and wranglers saddling horses, and the cook preparing a hearty family style breakfast. We take real pride in the meals we serve, and an ample dinner awaits you at the end of each day's hunt.
Although we occasionally hunt on foot right out of camp, out typical day begins before daylight, with a horseback ride to the area we plan to hunt. On some of the late hunts, we may use a truck and trailer to move both horses and hunters to areas farther from camp for the day's hunt. After the early morning ride, we hunt on foot, returning to the horses late in the day for the ride back to camp.
We do a lot of glassing, checking patches of open timber, the big slides, and other openings along the ridge tops and across the canyons. Good lightweight binoculars are invaluable on these hunts.
Ours is a true wilderness hunt, and although we use horses, we also cover a lot of territory on foot. Those unable to hike should consider other, less severe hunting areas. We recommend that you spend some time getting in shape before making this trip.
In all cases, my guides will adjust their pace to match the physical abilities of the hunter. It is not my policy to push a hunter beyond his limits just to improve "kill ratios."
I employ only adult guides who are experienced hunters and who know the country. I keep twenty or more head of quiet dependable mountain horses in camp at all times. Experience with horses is not necessary for you to enjoy this hunt. Saddles and rifle scabbards are provided for each hunter.
Any of the popular big game rifles, 270 caliber and larger, will do the job. We suggest that you sight in at 200 yards and know where your rifle is shooting at all ranges out to 300 yards. We have found that bullet construction is the most important factor in making a successful kill on animals as large and tough as elk. We have never seen a failure in Nosler bullets and highly recommend them. There are other premium bullets on the market that also preform very well.
Kalispell is served by several major airlines. There are regular daily flights arriving from Denver, Salt Lake, Spokane and Great Falls. You will need a motel room for the night of your arrival and for the night before your departure. We will pick you up at your motel on the morning of your hunt and will travel to base camp by 4-wheel drive vehicle.
Unless you chose to make other arrangements, your animal will be taken to a local butcher for processing and freezing. Hunters are responsible for processing charges (about 40 cents per lb). The packaged meat can be taken with you as excess baggage aboard the airplane. This has proven to be very convenient for most hunters and is much less expensive than air freight. If you wish, we can also arrange for trophy heads to be mounted by a local taxidermist in Kalispell and shipped to you upon completion.
The Flathead National Forest and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area remains one of the most game-rich areas of the West, with a wide variety and good populations of big game animals.
I offer combination hunts for elk, deer (mule deer and whitetail) and black bear. I also offer trophy hunts. There is always the opportunity for the trophy hunter to take other animals, at no additional cost.
Most of our hunters are primarily interested in elk, and our area supports a number of herds, with trophy bulls taken frequently. It is not likely that we will be able to show you elk every day, but we have had good luck in past years and expect that to continue in the future. We have a lot of Mule Deer, and for those hunters patient enough to pass up the numerous smaller bucks that they will see, TROPHY-SIZED HEADS have been the rule rather than the exception.
Trophy hunts are limited to three hunters per hunt, with each hunter having his own guide. This hunt is available during bugle season (beginning Sept. 15), when elk, mule deer and black bear are in the high country. Fishing for cutthroat is also excellent at this time.
Area 130 opens for archery September 4 and area 150 opens for rifle September 15, providing a great opportunity for combination rifle/archery hunting.
From lower camp, we have access to the Swan valley, which is fast becoming one of the nation's premier areas for trophy Whitetails. For hunters interested in Whitetails, we have some super bucks in this area.
Mountain Goats roam the higher peaks and rock faces of our area and present a unique challenge to those who draw a tag.
Black bears are plentiful and are legal game. We see a few grizzly bears, and an occasional moose, but there is no open season on them. We also have wolf and wolverine, cougar and martin.
Since 1972, my personal goal is operating Lion Creek Outfitters has been to provide a first-class, western big-game hunting experience for my guests. For many, this has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Others have become regular guests and good friends who have made repeated trips with me into the mountains.
We have taken countless numbers of trophy big-game animals, but we have always left more trophy animals on the mountain than we have ever packed into hunting camp. And still, it seems that every year there are a least five or six opportunities at truly exceptional record-book quality animals.
As I approach a quarter century in the outfitting business, I fully intend to continue the traditions that have been established at Lion Creek Outfitters. And when I make my last trip out of the mountains, I want to do so knowing that the game herds are larger and healthier than when I started.