Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Guide Training Camps

i have another borderline riduculous question for you guys. a friend of mine a while back was asking me if i knew anything about those "guide schools" you can go to. i had to admit that i did not. so i did a bit of investigatin' on my own, and was shocked at some of the prices i was quoted. most were something like $8,000 for @8 wks. training. most of the people i talked to honestly thought that the first yr. guideing, you were only gonna make @ $800 per month and that you pretty much did all the skinning the first yr. or 2. is this what all of ya'll know? it seems hard to believe that it could be worth it, is it and i just do not know it?

Around here the only ones who make any money off guiding are the folks who had the money to begin with. If you've got enough bucks and/or access to land and facilities you incorporate as an "outfitter". After all the family and partners get their titles and pre-tax salaries you hire "the workers".<P>$800 a month would be on the high end, or even, unheard of around here for guides, cooks or wranglers. <P>I'm not angry about the system, just envious.<P>2D

Barry, -- there are guides and there are guides. Most are just local folks that hire on to an outfitter during the season if they know the country,(area). With cell phones and two way radios they can stay in touch with civilization,(ranch or trailhead), if they have a problem. JJ can give you the best answer, he just finished a school in South Africa and has guided here and in Alaska. I would suggest going to an area where you want to guide, scout the area, put your name in the hat with the ranches and outfitters. Go as a wrangler and see how you like it and how they do it in that area. Different terrain calls for different talents. Many of the Colorado "guides" are just local bar duds picking up some work from a licensed guide and I understand the license is hard to get in a good area. Many of the little things are not taught in a school but earned in the field with experience. Like many here,I have used some because they have the horses and camp. A good guide can intelligetly answer most questions about the terrain and animal hunted. It takes experience to deal with the many clients personalities. It is hard demanding work if done properly. Most real guides have the wranglers to care for the horses, camp chores and game,(read dirty work). Wantabes do it all themselves, moonlighting. [img]images/icons/wink.gif" border="0[/img] -- no<BR>JMHO --- JMHO -- Take it for what it's worth.

Barry, In my neck of the woods, a kid is offered the Guides licence through a course in High School. The up-side to guideing is being out there doing the things you love and know the best. Helping folks succede at something that they probably could not do on thier own. Helping them create great memories, and in general, just have one helluva good time. (hopefully) On the other side of the coin, it's, for most guides, a meager living if you look at it from a monatary point. It is something that you have to love for the sake of being out there doing what you know best. IMHO [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img]

Where do I find the 800 dollar a month guides? [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] I been getting ripped off paying 150 bucks a day plus expenses. If you pay me 150 bucks a day I'll teach ya the ropes. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] Maybe I should start a guide school. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] bcat