He moved to Idaho, pursued work as a miner, and was married to Ruth Maynard on November 10, 1896.

[2] Elected to the Idaho State House of Representatives in 1892, Hunt held that position until 1894.

Hunt also ended the state of martial law in northern Idaho enacted by his predecessor, Frank Steunenberg, in 1899 as a response to labor unrest.

After leaving office he became vice president and general manager of Dewey Combination Lease Company.

Late in 1906 Hunt contracted pneumonia in Goldfield, Nevada and died on November 25, in Boise, Idaho, at the age of 44.