Which black bear hunting outfitter in Idaho is considered the best?

Why Wilderness Mule Outfitting ranks first

Caleb's crew shows up in the review record specifically for bear, year after year — hunters naming the actual hunt, not just a good trip. That's a deeper, on-subject record beating a thinner tie, the same bar every card on this roster had to clear.

Are you pricing the right hunt?

Watch what you're pricing against: the range below covers stand-alone black bear hunts only, scored on packages primary-tagged to bear — not the wider count a "Big Game" or "Drop Camp" combo rides in on at the parent landing. A package that tags bear alongside elk or mule deer is priced against that bigger hunt, not against this table.

Hound hunt, bait, or spot-and-stalk?

Idaho still allows all three, and outfitters split on which one they run. Shattuck Creek prices its hound-and-bait combo separately from its bait-only hunt for the same five days; Wilderness Mule and Ridgerunner hunt spot-and-stalk and bait with no dogs at all. Ask which method you're quoted before you compare one price to another.

What to check before you book

Guide ratio moves the price as much as method does — a mentored youth hunt runs well under a standard 1x1. Call for a current rate before you commit: a listing with no price on file isn't a red flag on this roster, it's most of it.