About Us | South Hills Lodge

You may already know us! We are the owners and operators of Deadline Outfitters LLC. South Hills Lodge is a DBA of Deadline. We have recently expanded and are now offering upland game hunts on a private shooting preserve along with wild bird day hunts on National forest service lands.

Bird hunting, pheasants especially has always been a favorite hunting pastime for Hoby. When you are an outfitter and a guide, hunting for yourself becomes minimal. But every year Hoby tries to make it out for a few days of pheasant hunting, especially for his birthday in December. After being gifted a South Dakota hunt by his good friend Steve in 2017, Hoby came home and decided we could offer just as good if not better private shooting preserve upland game bird hunts to our clients. Hoby has a way of envisioning a dream and making it a reality.

So our starting point, expanding our little 1,200 square foot lodge with a 2,000 square foot addition to include 3 additional bedrooms to our 2 existing rooms, 2 handicap accessible bathrooms, an entry room with 9 custom made knotty alder lockers, a large open vaulted game room to include a custom bar, TV area, 12 foot one of a kind shuffle board table and a separate upstairs lounge area leading out to a deck for great views and overlooking our in progress trap shooting and long distance range. Our walls are lined with many of the best trophy big game replicas we have taken over the years with clients. With only landscaping left to tackle next spring (2020) our lodge offers a relaxing get away retreat. Our staff, who is like family, only enhances your experience here with us, and when you leave you leave as part of our extended family.

The Gartner's

How it all started:

Hoby grew up with a strong passion for hunting and that passion has only intensified over the years. High school sweethearts, we married right out of high school when I was 19 & Hoby 20. Just months after marrying, we interviewed for a job with United States Outfitters. Hoby for a guide position and I for a Cook (as that was my only option for not becoming a widow 4 to 5 months out of the year). This kicked off the beginning of our adventurous life that would grow into what is now our shared passion and career.

We traveled as a team, Hoby guiding and I cooking in most of the western states. In 2006 we were given the opportunity to work in Alaska under Jeff Burwell with Alaska Peak Adventures. Alaska had been a goal and dream of Hobys to hunt big brown bears. Little did he know he would fall in love with hunting Dall sheep and all the hadships that must be endured to hunt these remarkable animals. In 2008 we ended our time with USO and purchased our own outfitting business in our home town where Hoby grew up hunting.

We continued to work in Alaska for each full season as we grew and built our business here at home. In Feb. of 2011 we welcomed our first child Kadience Leora-Lynn. In 2014 we welcomed our son Stone Hunter-Lavern.

2014 was a big year for us as we not only had our son but that was the year Shelly Sayer harvested her 412 gross muzzle loader Elk with Hoby and Ben Dover as her guides. Hoby had found this elk while scouting with our daughter earlier in the season. He had spent countless sleepless nights hunting this bull in his head. This was one of many highlights in our career.

Shelly Sayer's Elk

In 2017 we went back to Alaska as a family, I cooking and Hoby guiding, kids in tow. This was an exceptional season as Hoby was one of the guides on Kirstie Ennis’s (wounded warrior) dall sheep hunt. We hunted with Kirstie again the following year in Idaho for moose as she drew the wounded veteran Idaho tag.

Hoby continues to travel to Alaska each year to get his Dall sheep fix and see our extended Alaska Family. The kids and I try to make it up when we can, but for now we are holding down the fort here in Idaho while Hoby is away.

Watch Kirstie Ennis dall sheep hunt

Kirstie Ennis and her Idaho moose

During our travels and throughout our career so far we have been fortunate enough to build many friendships with people from all parts of the world. We are constantly dreaming and building to offer more to our future clients and friends.

We have been extremely blessed!

We hope Idaho will call to you and that we can be a part of your next hunting adventure!