Meet Our Guides

Johnny Cranney

In 1989 my family and I began Rawhide Outfitters. This business allows me the gift of living my dream with the added blessing of working with my boys Justin and Luke, along with our guide Nick, who also shares a great passion for hunting and the outdoors.

I have a great love and respect for my wife, Cathy who is the secret to our success. She pays attention to the little details that helps to ensure our hunters have a great experience and that they eat like a king in camp.

We are richly blessed to have our recreation business in Salmon Idaho, one of the finest places on earth. With the Salmon River running through it we are able to outfit year round. From hunting to fishing, to horseback riding and river rafting, there is something for everyone. We have spent years to acquire the resources we need to provide for activities under different weather conditions to serve our clients better. We are very conservation minded and hunt humanely.

We strive to give our clients more than they expect! We believe each client is unique and we do our best to listen to and understand each person goals and needs. Being aware and building relationships help us to tailor each hunt to their physical capabilities. Through the years we have had the honor and privilege to guide many hunters. It’s these amazing folks that keep us motivated. We really appreciate the sincere, genuine friendships we have gained.

Throughout the years we have experienced continued success. We have made a science of it with a system that lends itself to the conditions. This includes the land we hunt, the equipment, horses and dogs, years of hands on experience knowledge, etc. The benefit of a family owned, small business is my boys and I know what to expect from each other, and we make it work regardless of the situation.

Through the years people have asked me often “What do you like to do the most?” I think variety is the spice of life. From hunting to fishing it changes with the seasons. I love it all.

Justin Cranney

I feel very fortunate to be part of our family outfitting business. It has allowed me the opportunity to share my love of the outdoors with the privilege of guiding our guests on outdoor adventures. I look forward to each season and the variety it offers. Be it breaking & training new horses, rafting, fishing, trail riding or pack trips, I enjoy it all with never a dull moment for sure!

I have a beautiful little daughter, Sage, who is very most important to me. One of the best parts of what I do is being able to have her with me on many of the trips I guide. She is quite entertaining and very tough! Whether it’s rafting, riding or fishing, she loves it all. She tells me that she wants to be a guide when she grows up!

Through these 25 years of being a part of this business has taught me a lot and I know there’s more to learn. I really can’t picture myself being anywhere else or doing anything else. I love this Salmon River country and have a passion to make sure that our guests have the best quality and safest experience possible. I’ve sure met a lot of really nice folks and look forward to meeting new ones. Most days going to work for me is truly a pleasure!

Luke Cranney

I can remember how excited I was when my dad was going to start our outfitting business. It’s hard to believe that it has been over 36 years ago that my family and I were sitting around the table trying to figure out what to call our new business. Rawhide Outfitters! This has not only been an amazing way of life for me and a passion, but the main part of my livelihood since graduating from high school. Being born and raised in Salmon Idaho I’ve had incredible experiences river running, horseback riding and fishing. I feel that our business has given me a rare opportunity to experience many diverse outdoor adventures. From white water rafting and trail rides to countless hours running drift boat chasing salmon steelhead and trout. I consider myself to be a passionate person and try to give 100% in everything I do. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife Des. We have have two incredible sons, Jared and Noah. We love them so much and are very proud parents. Being a good husband and dad is my number one goal in life. Having a great family and doing what I love makes the future look bright and makes me feel excited for what’s to come.

JT

Growing up I was addicted to watching all the hunting and fishing shows the Sportsman’s Channel had to offer. Ever since then I wanted nothing but to live the adventures captured in those shows.

That addiction for wildlife and adventures chasing them led me to pursue wildlife and fisheries work all over the country. Eventually, landing me in Salmon, Idaho and into the world of the Cranney’s!

I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up. Very quickly its became more than I ever could have imagined! Being able to get up every day to saddle a horse and chase elk or to hook up the drift boat and go fish for steelhead is truly a dream. The icing on the cake is also being able to share those adventures with all the amazing people that come out to experience our corner of the world.

Working for Rawhide has been an absolute blast! I am grateful for every season I get to spend outdoors and every season I get to spend working for the Cranney’s. They are amazing people who have brought me into their family, as they do with anyone that crosses their path!

Dane Cook

It seems like I’ve been hunting and fishing my entire life. So much so that when someone asks what I’d be doing if I weren’t doing what I do now, I usually don’t have an answer. I grew up in central Colorado, back when a kid could spend all day outside doing whatever they wanted. My early years were spent duck, dove, and big game hunting in the fall, and fishing rivers during the summer. Winters were spent trapping the creeks near our home for muskrats and raccoons. Spending so much time outdoors led me to become a Conservation Officer in Idaho. I had a great 30+ year career, with the last 20 years spent here in Salmon. When I retired, I didn’t slow down—I just shifted gears a bit. With the support of my wife Patti, I  began guiding. A friend took me to Alaska, where I guided moose and brown bear hunts, and another introduced me to John and Cathy Cranney. I started working with Rawhide on whitewater trips and scenic floats, and soon after added spring and fall steelhead trips, along with summer trout fishing. I’ve even guided a few elk hunts in the fall when time allows. Both Johnny and Cathy are incredible people to work for, and I truly appreciate the effort they put into delivering the best possible experiences. Rawhide is an outstanding outfitting business, and I’m proud to be one of their guides. If anyone ever asks why I started guiding, I tell them I’m living a second childhood.