Bighorn river FAQ

(406) 860-0293

All your Bighorn River  questions answered here! 

DUCK HUNTING

  1. WADERS are mandatory. Preferably breathable waders with boots attached 1 size larger than your normal shoe size.
  2. Warm winter Parka. We like Sitka Hudson, Boreal or similar.  The boat ride will be cold, even if the weather looks nice.
  3. Warm winter hat and gloves.  Your guides will likely wear oversized mittens and a thin liner glove underneath.
  4. Heat packets. 2-4 per day. Toe warmers are also nice. It’s Jeremy’s #1 rule of guiding: “Always be the warmest man in the boat”.
  5. We prefer a layered approach of loose fitting clothing as temperatures will vary greatly.
  6. We will provide ALL the decoys, blinds and equipment needed for your trip.
  7. We will be off the water no later than 2pm everyday to allow the birds a comfortable roost in the evening.
  8. You will get 1 hunt per day. We do not offer “afternoon hunting activities”. We are duck hunters and duck hunting is done in the morning.

GUNS, AMMO & GEAR
1. 12 ga is preferred.  Many of our hunters shoot 20 or even 28ga shotguns.  We do offer Franchi Affinity 3″ 12 ga rentals if needed.
2. We prefer 3″ #2 steel shot for all birds, but you are welcome to shoot any shells you are comfortable with.
3. An autoloader is probably the #1 choice of our hunters, but we appreciate a fine double gun or over under anytime. 3 1/2″ guns are not necessary.
4. Average shot distance is under 30 yards. So IC and M chokes are preferred. No long range or Patternmaster type chokese are needed, although it doesn’t hurt to have one along just in case. I personally shoot IC.
5. We will pick up every single spent hull everyday!
6. Sunglasses/eye protection and ear protection are important. Foam plugs are NOT recommended as they can be dangerous in live hunting scenarios. Please, ONLY bring ear protection that allows you to hear clearly.

FLY FISHING
1. Waders are not mandatory but highly reccommended, even in the summer.  The Bighorn water will be cold.
2. A good pair of wading sandals and shorts is acceptable from July -September.
3. A long sleeved shirt is ideal for the river, both for skin protection and bug protection.
4. Sunscreen, bug spray and a brimmed hat and sunglasses are very important.
5. A 5 or 6wt flyrod is perfect if you only have 1 rod. Having 2 rods helps.   A #4 and a #6 is perfect for the Bighorn. One set up for dry flies and the other for nymphs or streamers.
6. Your guide will provide all the appropriate flies (and rods and reels if needed) out of their own personal collection…., so keep that in mind when leaving a gratuity.
7. Your day will last from 8am-4pm most days although our scheudle changes regularly. We will stay later or depart earlier if there is a particular hatch of interest, but an 8 hour day is the norm.

GENERAL

1. A gratuity for your guides is not expected but is always appreciated. For reference, a typical gratuity is $100/gun/rod/day. That is 20% of the daily total.  It is important to note that your guides (and your outfitters) provide all essential gear, flies, tackle, dogs, fuel, lunch, drinks and EVERYTHING related to your day out of their own personal inventory.     2. We prefer to have 1 person take care of the entire bill.  Managing 6-8 different portions can be cumbersome in the middle of a busy season.
We offer discounts to group leaders for their efforts putting a group together and managing the billing process.    
3.  Logan International Airport in Billings, MT (BLG) is 1 hour from the lodge. There is an airstrip in Hardin and they do accommodate smaller jets, turbo props and other private planes. 
4. You can drive, or fly and rent a car to our locations easily.  
5. We will help you clean birds everyday and try to send you with frozen or whole birds when you leave.
6. We do NOT “have a place” for the birds YOU harvest!  We believe if you harvest a wild animal, YOU have an obligation to utilize that wild game.   It’s the right thing to do!