The success of all premium wingshooting lodges relies on the strength of three pillars. The first is the quality of a given lodge's hunting—the birds, habitat, guides and dogs. Pillar number two is the helix of great lodging and dining. The final pillar is service—all of the logistical and hospitable things the lodge staff does to enhance guests' visits. While every great lodge has its unique atmosphere, each also stakes its reputation on the outstanding hunting, lodging, dining and service it provides. Flying B Ranch, in Kamiah, Idaho, is a stellar example.
When it comes to the hunting pillar, “The B” easily makes the grade by offering large numbers of hard-flying birds, excellent habitat and great guides and dogs. The fact that all of these are enjoyed in a jaw-droppingly beautiful setting is a huge bonus.
As for the lodging and meals pillar, everything at The B is of the highest standard. Anyone who has visited the lodge will attest to this, and those who haven’t yet can see from The B’s website that it offers 5-Star facilities and dining.
It is in the area of service, however, that the Flying B has few peers—even in an industry where exceptional service is the norm.
A number of factors play into The B’s ability to deliver incredible service, but two in particular stand out.
First is the staff’s belief that every guest has purchased a premium experience at a premium price and that delivering anything less would be unfair. An important part of this philosophy is that customers should not have to pay extra for special treatment. The B prides itself on offering a true all-inclusive experience, so it’s no surprise that in addition to things like airport pickup, ammunition, clay shooting and the shipping of birds being included in the price, the special treatment shown to guests is included as well.
The second factor is that the administrative-and-managerial staff at the Flying B is incredibly good at what it does. The office is occupied by an A-Team of smart, friendly, enthusiastic and hyper-attentive individuals who work in perfect concert with guests and with each other to account for every aspect of a trip. They gather pre-arrival data on guest preferences, schedule airport pickups, process hunting permits, arrange for the receipt of shipped firearms and all of the other details necessary for each guest to enjoy a hassle-free visit. Once guests arrive at the lodge, the staff focuses on being highly attuned to the needs of individuals as well as the collective group. A guest may ask for the pheasant enchiladas recipe, for example, or to shoot a round of warmup clays, or a group might request to have a photo taken in front of the fireplace in the lodge’s great room. In almost every case a staffer is happy to oblige.
The commitment to going above and beyond carries over into other aspects of the Flying B experience as well. Guides do everything in their power to help ensure the best possible experience in the field. Not only do they bust brush and handle dogs like the pros that they are, but they also are just as happy to suggest shotgun chokes or share training tips with a guest who has brought a young dog. The facilities staff and bird-processing team also get into the act. Rooms are tended to daily by meticulous housekeeping personnel, and when guests unpack their birds upon returning home, they often marvel at how clean and well packaged everything is.
Like a lot of highly rated wingshooting lodges, Flying B Ranch does everything to an extremely high standard; but when a trip has concluded and guests reflect on what made the experience so outstanding, it’s typically the ranch’s great service that gets the nod.
Flying B Ranch is a full-service Shooting Sportsman Endorsed Lodge. To learn more or to make a reservation, call 208-935-0755 or emailinfo@flyingbranch.com.
Photographs courtesy of Karen Syron and Flying B Ranch.
