by Hal Herring

Gary Peters, a Montana outfitter, has been riding these trails in Clearwater country since 1989. He breeds, trains and maintains a string of some of the best hunting and packing mules in the West. Peters has the calm, soft-spoken demeanor that is the trademark of a true stockman—of a person who spent most of his life in the woods taking on the responsibility for caring for his guides, clients, and string when they’re far from any kind of help. It’s a burden that he seems to bear without much trouble. He and his crew have weathered some major adventures in Kelly Creek: from blizzards and aggressive bears to human mishaps and the shear challenge of making a living doing what they love. Some of Peters’ toughest times came with the recovery—some would call it an “explosion”—of wolves in Clearwater country. 

“There were packs here with 20 wolves in them,” says Peters, with no trace of the fury that is often the norm when Idaho elk hunters discuss the wolf issue. “We’d come down the trail, and the snow would just be churned up with wolf tracks.” Elk numbers and hunter success plummeted during those years. The... [ Read Full Post ]