2,200 Acres. One Passion.
One of our regulars, Jeffrey, told us recently he couldn’t wait for June 1, our opening day. Neither can we, frankly, except for this:
That was one week ago. Scroll down to see what Station 6 looks like when we are open.
It has been a long winter in the Big Hole Mountains of Eastern Idaho. It’s not looking good for us opening on June 1, but with 70-degree weather forecast for next week, we are ever hopeful.
The purpose of this newsletter is to let you know what’s available for those who want to shoot clays or upland birds with us at Lazy Triple Creek Ranch this season.
Bonus: If you read to the end of this Newsletter, you will learn what the owners of Lazy Triple Creek Ranch do during the off-season. Hint: Shooting in the UK would be a good guess as would fishing in New Zealand.
It is a fact that we turn away more potential clients each year than we accept, mostly because of our short season and limited capacity plus the fact that we put the private, exclusive nature of a very special place over commercial success.
Our message is once again, “Please book early.” That helps you secure the dates you want and helps us plan staff and bird supplies for your visit. Thank you.
If you want to shoot clays during the summer or a half day of upland bird walkup hunting in the fall and are not particular about the date, we can probably accommodate you closer to the date unless you want to shoot on a Saturday which does sell out early.
If you want specific dates, want to come with a group, stay in the lodge, or shoot our signature events, European Style Driven Shooting with Western Sensibilities, do not delay.
Please book now so we don’t have to tell you, “Sorry, those dates are already booked. Please come back next year.”
Here’s what’s available for the 2023 Season.
Five Stand
Sunshine, snow, unlimited clays, and 70-degree weather. This is a unique experience.
Arrive at the Lodge by 9:30. We supply loaner shotguns for those not shooting their own guns, all ammunition and clays, and lunch on the deck for four or more. $390 inclusive of 6% Idaho sales tax but not gratuities.
The Lodge: Corporate or Family Retreats
Groups can book the Lodge year-round when shooting or hosting corporate or family retreats for two days or more.
We are taking bookings now for 2023.
Cast and Blast: New for 2023
In cooperation with premier fly-fishing organizations in one of the premier fly-fishing locations in the world, we will be offering “Cast and Blast” in June, July, and August.
Stay at Lazy Triple Creek Ranch, and fish for one, two, or three days. Depending on where the fishing is the best, professional guides with boats for two anglers each will meet you at our Lodge or you will meet them at their location 45 minutes away.
Then spend the next two, or three days shooting with us on our world-class clays courses, rifle ranges, or pistol range. We offer trap, skeet, five stand, grouse butt, crazy quail, simulated driven with clays high overhead, now at three locations around the ranch, and our maybe best in the world 14 station sporting clays course.
Most weekends are available, but the casting part of Cast and Blast is sold out already for the July 4 weekend. Other weekends will sell out soon.
Three nights, one-day fishing, one day shooting: $3,495
Clays, Clays, and More Clays 2023
A half day on our clays courses costs the same $390 per person plus 6% Idaho Sales tax that we have been charging for the past three seasons. Arrive at the lodge by 9:30 for a welcome with coffee, juices, pastries, an orientation and a safety briefing. Loaner shotguns are available for those not shooting their own guns. All ammunition, clays, snacks during the day, and lunch for four or more are all included. No added charges for ammunition, clays, loaner shotguns, or anything else except for gratuities.
Shotgun Saturdays
Locals pay $300 inclusive of Idaho sales tax but not gratuities this season on the first and second Saturdays of June, July and August. We are extending this offer to anyone who commits to ten shooting days any day except Sundays and Mondays, staff days off, from June 1 to the end of August.
We supply loaner shotguns for anyone not shooting their own guns, a guide with Polaris Ranger, all ammunition, clays, and lunch for four or more.
Trap, skeet, grouse butt, crazy quail, five stand, simulated driven with clays high overhead in three locations this season, and what others say is the best 14-station sporting clays course anywhere will be open from June 1 to the end of August.
Overnight Stays with Clays
For those interested in staying in our Lodge while shooting our clays courses during the days, costs are:
Three nights, two days shooting: $3,595 per person
Non-shooters are welcome for a small added cost.
Prices are per person and inclusive of all meals prepared by our private chef, open bar, loaner shotguns, and all ammunition and clays. Single or double occupancy in a double bedroom with ensuite bath. Minimum four. Maximum 14. Exclusive use of the Lodge for six or more. Transportation to the ranch (can be arranged), Idaho sales and lodging tax, and gratuities are not included.
Add an instructor for your group for a small additional charge.
Idaho’s Finest Upland Bird Hunting in 2023
Our fields and deep canyons provide the high clay and bird shooting available naturally in few places in the world. Join us for a shooting experience available to only a very few, lucky shooting sports enthusiasts. More on this and a friendly challenge to Purdey’s and Holland and Holland at the end of this newsletter.
Upland Bird Walkup Hunting with Guides, Ammo, and More Provided
The upland bird hunting season opens on August 15 in Idaho. Our experience is that it's too hot for the guides, dogs and those shooting for walkup hunting until late August or early September so we will be offering only European Style Driven Shooting with Western Sensibilities without walkups during the last two weeks of August.
We will be offering upland bird walkup hunting with guides and dogs from August 30 to early November. Arrive at the lodge by 9:30 for coffee, juices, pastries, orientation, and a safety briefing before heading out in one of our Polaris Rangers to one of our many walkup fields with a guide/dog handler with one or two well-trained dogs for every two or three hunting.
We provide loaner shotguns for anyone not shooting their own guns, all ammunition, bird hunting guides and dogs, snacks during the day, lunch for four or more, and birds breasted, and vacuum sealed for your departure for $850 per person hunting, sales tax, but not gratuities, included. No bird limits. No added charges for ammunition, loaner guns, or anything else except for your hunting license.
European Style Driven Shooting with Western Sensibilities
We will be offering European Style Driven Upland Bird Shooting with Western Sensibilities for the first two weeks of the season in a modified format starting with instruction with clays high overhead in the morning at two locations, a break for Elevenses, two drives with birds at the first location before lunch, followed by lunch and two drives at each of two additional locations after lunch, ending with cocktails and conversation on the deck at the end of a very full day. That’s six drives at three locations plus a morning of clays high overhead at two locations and instruction all for $2,100 per gun plus 6% Idaho Sales tax and gratuities. No bird limits or additional charges other than your hunting license and gratuities for the staff.
Here are the dates remaining as of May 1:
• August 26: 8 pegs remaining.
• September 2: 6 pegs remaining
We return to our usual format for European Style Driven Shooting with Western Sensibilities of two drives at two locations, Elevenses, two drives at a third location, then lunch, followed by walkup hunting with fields full of birds from the driven shoots with a bird hunting guide and one or two well-trained dogs for every two or three guns. We will be modifying two of our walkup fields this season to accommodate either two or three guns by making two of our walkup fields wider and longer. As always, we end the day with cocktails and conversation on the deck.
There are only two dates remaining this season for this traditional event:
• September 9: 5 pegs remaining
• October 28: 8 pegs remaining
We provide loaner shotguns for anyone not shooting their own guns, all ammunition, bird hunting guides and dogs, snacks during the day, lunch, walkup hunting after lunch, cocktails and conversation on the deck at the end of the day, and birds breasted, and vacuum sealed for your departure for $2,900 per gun plus Idaho sales tax of 6%, plus gratuities.
We will be offering driven-only shoots again in November, the same format as during August and early September not due to heat obviously, but because the elk will have destroyed most of our walkup fields by then.
We will run one or maybe two of our traditional European Style Driven Shoot with Western Sensibilities with walkup hunting if we can. We will make that decision in late October.
Thanksgiving weekend is available but only if we can put together a line of eight guns. That is our favorite shoot of the year particularly with families shooting together.
Stays in the Lodge and Upland Bird Shooting
• September 1 to 12
• September 20 to October 2
• October 10 and 11
• October 24 to November 1
• November 7 to Thanksgiving
These are all prime dates and will sell out very soon. The ranch is spectacularly beautiful in the fall.
Bring a group of up to eight for driven shooting plus walkups for one, two, or three days, staying in the Lodge with all meals catered by our private chefs.
Pricing per person shooting is as follows:
3 Nights / Two Days Shooting
• Morning Walkups, Clays in the Afternoon: $4,950
• Including One Day Driven Shooting: $6,495
4 Nights / Three Days Shooting
• Morning Walkups, Clays in the Afternoon: $7,495
• Including One Day Driven Shooting: $8,495
No bird limits. All inclusive. Lodging and sales tax, transportation to and from the ranch (can be arranged), and gratuities not included.
Getting to Know Your Pistol
George Harris, our rifle and pistol instructor, will be back at the ranch again in August.
George will be offering a “Getting to know your pistol class” on Friday, August 18. Maximum eight students. Repeat students from prior years are welcome.
The pistol class will cost $890 plus 6% Idaho state sales tax for the day. All ammunition, snacks, lunch, cocktails and conversation on the deck at the end of the day are included. You are encouraged to shoot your own pistol, but loaner guns will be available.
Getting to Know Your Long-Range, Precision Rifle
This year, in collaboration with the founders of Hammer Bullets, we are offering a class in precision scoped rifle shooting with George Harris on Saturday, August 19, and a day developing custom ammunition and validating external ballistics for your rifle with Steve Davis and Brian Holtmeyer, the founders of Hammer Bullets on Sunday, August 20. Book either or both days.
Stay in the Lodge for two or three nights with meals catered by our private chefs. Cost: $390 per room per night plus $250 per person per day for catering. Wine, beer, cocktails, and conversation included.
The first day will be with George using our rifles and ammunition on our long-range rifle ranges shooting groups and ringing steel at ranges beyond your current comfort level from the bench and from improvised positions.
The second day, for up to four students, will be with the founders of Hammer bullets who will develop custom ammunition for your rifle and help you confirm the external ballistics out to 500 yards and beyond. You will leave with 100 rounds of custom hunting ammunition developed for your rifle plus the skills to use your rifle effectively and ethically at longer ranges.
$890 for each day plus ammunition cost of $300 to $500 depending on the cartridge for the second day. Sign up for one or both days. Maximum eight on the first day, maximum of four students with their own rifles on the second day.
Elk Hunts
We will close the ranch from October 12 to 20 for elk hunting season. We are sold out for 2023. If you would like to join us for the elk hunt of a lifetime in October 2024, let us know before the end of November 2023.
Lazy Triple Creek Outfitting is now licensed and should be eligible for outfitter tags in 2024.
Bonus
You have now earned this bonus. So what do Hank and Joanna, the owners of Lazy Triple Creek Ranch, do during the off-season?
Fishing in New Zealand.
Not the first time for these two, but definitely an experience not to be missed. From stalking fish on the pristine rivers of New Zealand’s North and South islands to helicopter fishing in the South Island, the fishing, the food, and the local wines were all first class. Their return in January is already booked.
Shooting with Purdey, West of London.
Hank and Joanna shot at Holland and Holland’s North West London Shooting Grounds last year. This year they were with Purdey at The Royal Berkshire Shooting School, further West of London.
Both were great shooting experiences with outstanding instructors. Many instructors claim to have been Madonna’s former shooting instructor. In Purdey’s case, their claim might even be true.
Purdey’s finest.
They will sell you a pair of not their best, but more than adequate guns for $100,000. A pair because no gentleman or lady should only have one.
Both are on approximately 70 acres of land with Purdey being the more rural, which allowed bird shooting as well as clays. The clays courses were more compact at Purdey but the trap machines were better hidden.
It is very hard to say which is “better” since both are great shooting experiences with great instructors. What we can say is the shooting is better at Lazy Triple Creek thanks to the hard work and vision of Edward Watson described above who was well-known at both locations.
Our challenge to both Purdey and Holland and Holland is to come to shoot clays or upland birds at Lazy Triple Creek and tell us where you think the shooting is best. At current season pricing, we offer 50% more shooting for 30% less for what we believe is a better shooting ground. Plus you save the cost of the trip to London.
That’s all folks.
If you would like to shoot with us Book Now! Or contact Hank at (917) 821-7210 or hank@lazytriplecreek.com
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay shooting.
The Team at Lazy Triple Creek Ranch
