Cabin Creek looking north - 1954 and 2019

The ungulate populations along the Big Creek drainage and Cabin Creek have changed over time, such as with moose, elk, and mule deer. Cabin Creek was once a place to spot large herds of elk, but numbers have dwindled significantly in the past 20 years. Some folks will attribute this population decline to the introduction of wolves, while others will argue elk weren’t historically a part of that landscape. Others might see the wildfire of 2000 to blame for pushing elk out of the area.

Cabin Creek is a popular location for outfitting. This change to elk populations has not only impacted success during hunting trips but has also altered the amount of traffic Cabin Creek sees during the late summer and fall. It is hard to make a living taking customers on a elk hunting trip when it is hard to find elk, and the terrain is difficult to traverse due to the steep slopes and downed, blackened snags. Many outfitters couldn’t do it anymore, but there are still some who tough it out and make it work, because elk or no elk, Big Creek, Cabin Creek… this area is home to them.

Location: Cabin Creek Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, ID

Latitude & Longitude: 45.1348, -114.9235