Circle KBL Outfitters Montana Hunting Outfitter and Club
Hunting Details for Circle KBL Outfitters
Access: Private - Public Hunting Not Permitted
Hunting License: Required
Hunting Rules & Regulations: Check with Hunting Outfitter
Hunting Times for Circle KBL Outfitters
Best Hunting Times: 12:00AM to 12:00AM, and 12:00AM to 12:00AM
Alternate Hunting Times: 12:00AM to 12:00AM
Hunting Circle KBL Outfitters, MT on 3/19/2024 will be best from 12:00AM through 12:00AM, and from 12:00AM to 12:00AM. If those times won’t work for you, 12:00AM to 12:00AM looks promising. Remember to adjust these times based on barometric pressure, and weather changes.
Weather for Circle KBL Outfitters
Current Temp:
43.54
Max Temp:
43.54
Min Temp:
43.54
Outside:
clear sky
Wind:
Calm
Wind Speed:
3.56
Wind Direction:
Southwest
Humidity:
87
Pressure:
1022
Sunrise:
6:42 AM
Sunset:
6:46 PM
Just came back from a hunt in the Selway wilderness area of Eastern Idaho with Circle KBL Outfitters.
Circle KBL is ALMOST a great outfitter, yet the experience was disappointing on so many levels.
I booked a 1-on1 (hunter to guide ratio) remote outpost camp hunt out of their Selway Idaho base camp. I called ahead to see if they had a place to check long-range bullet drops (500-800 yards) and was told they had a range set up at the base camp I would start from. Because of that I passed on chances to work up drop-charts ahead of time.
I arrived and found they had no range and the only place they had to sight in rifles was at Forest Service public hunting camps if no one was camped there. Luckily we found one unoccupied, but the longest place available to use as a range was 170 yards — not anywhere near adequate to be prepared for possible 500-800 yard shots! Then I found I would not be hunting out of the remote camp I paid for, rather we would be hunting out of their base camp "since only 3 hunters were booked that week". Why their lack of hunters that week meant they didn't have resources to get me to the area I paid for was beyond me.
Structurally the base camp was VERY civilized with 5 tent/cabins, wood floors & lower walls & tent roof & upper walls set up to sleep 4 per tent/cabin. The cookhouse was a large building with a propane stove, propane hot-water heater and a shower (even if the gravity-feed water only trickled in). There were also outbuildings, a guide-tent and very nice corrals. There was even Wi-Fi when the generator was running.
The stock and tack was questionable at best. Based on the many comments, I had the best ride of the three hunters with a 1-eyed mule named Fred. I heard the jokes and comments about the other animals every day. Tack was another "issue". Baling-twine held together saddles and bridles that clearly needed repair or replacement. Rifle scabbards were old fabric models that I only used the first day we hunted. I saw 2 wolves at 20-yards, told my guide, and hopped off Fred. Then we, yes BOTH of us, spent what seemed like an eternity getting my rifle out of the scabbard as the wolves headed for the hills. I finally got a shot off as the last wolf was headed over the next ridge — too late for much chance of a hit. I never used the scabbard on a hunt again.
Mornings were strange. On previous hunts I found the guides & cook were ALWAYS up before the hunters & had everything ready, animals saddled, coffee hot, and breakfast hot when hunters woke up. On this hunt most days the 3 hunters were up long before the guides and often before the cook woke up. The cook would make a pot of coffee, people would mill around drinking coffee & smoking cigarettes for an hour or more before the cook would start breakfast, then often 90 minutes after the sun was up, hunters & guides would mount-up and head to their respective hunting areas. Losing 1-2 hours a day over a week of hunting is the equivalent of losing a day off the hunt. I found this totally unacceptable.
The kitchen was equipped with a double restaurant stove that looked impressive. Lack of maintenance meant one side of the stove didn't work at all and the oven was out in the "working" side for much of our stay. The kitchen was almost great, but clearly NOT.
I really liked the guides. Great guys that seemed to know elk. My guide, Jesse Kay, was friendly, could find elk, and had legs like I used to.
I was lucky & got an elk the first day. I should have held out for a larger one but I was anticipating a serious hunt for a mature mule deer. After the kill I found this outfitter doesn't quarter elk to get them out but simply takes the legs, loins & tenderloins. I was not at all happy about the amount of meat left behind. Once the meat was back in camp (the next evening) I found there were no provisions for cutting & packing the meat. I hauled legs home in coolers & played butcher after I got home 4-days later. If I would have flown in there was no way I could have gotten the meat home. My last outfitter had an arrangement with a traveling butcher that cane to his base with a mobile butcher-shop, cut elk for $200 & deer for $100, and the meat was flash-frozen before we left. Why there was not even an area set up for self-butchering at the Circle KBL base camp is a question I can't answer, but I know it's unacceptable!
Our third day hunting we hunted the only location any of the guides had seen mature muley bucks. We saw muleys and a nice bull elk, but no bucks. I repeatedly asked to go back there again but was never given another chance. We spent the rest of the week going to areas "I might see a deer", but never went to the one place the guides agreed mature muley bucks were known to be. I can't explain this but know it was WRONG, especially since I made it clear that a mature muley buck was my #1 goal for this trip and that I wanted to return to the area where I might find my prize.
Food at camp was disappointing, especially at a camp that had a generator, refrigerator, and freezers. I was very glad I had cereal, fruit & yogurt with me from the 4-day drive getting there!
The location was spectacular and there was game. It should have been a 5-star experience. Lack of "standards", management, and quality control turned it into a 2-star experience. I will definitely use a different outfitter if I go back to the area.
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More About Circle KBL Outfitters - 3/19/2024
Circle KBL Outfitters is a hunting outfitter and club located just 3 miles from Darby, in Ravalli County, in the state of Montana, United States. Hunters will find that there is no game here. That's right, no upland birds. No deer, no moose, no ducks, no turkeys, no boar, no bear. Nothing. So keep looking for another spot nearby and you'll be glad you did. Whether you’re bow hunting, rifle hunting, or shotgun hunting your chances of finding game here are good. If all goes well, you'll have your pick of game, fill your freezer full of meat, and have a good time.
After your adventure, be sure to come back and share a hunting outfitter hunting report, update the details of the hunting outfitter, share photos of your outing and details of your hunt. And please remember to check with Circle KBL Outfitters before heading out to schedule a hunt, confirm hunting rules and regulations, and confirm whether or not you need a license. Now what are you waiting for, get hunting!