I'm looking into getting into the Hunting guide business, and I would seriously like to find a outfitter up here that would be willing to teach a hardworking guy like myself the ropes. I've heard stories about guides that take advantage of young guys trying to get their Guides license and am hoping to avoid that. If any of you guys need a good hand this season. I can give you a resume and some more details about myself.

Luke Tyrell. Of Tyrell Trails. He has a great area and knows it well. He treats his guides well and is no nonsense. Steve Johnson will have a tough learning curve but you will know if the life is for you. He has one of the toughest units in NA and his guides like Tanner who is on here can attest that you will either become a guide or you will die trying.(figuratively and literally). Max Snyder has a family with his mom and step dad and great pilots that can get you there. Paul Claus and Don Martin have an incredible area but don't expect to get rich there. You will be tested beyond what you might think is normal. Coke Wallace has an area that was really hit hard but he will help you learn all aspects of guide from horses to client management. Joey Klutsch has a great area in the Brooks Range and he is a nice guy. His guides will keep coming back. Aaron Bloomquist has a lot of area and he really has some loyalty from his guides. He knows sheep. I am giving you mainly sheep guides but there are other guides as well. I would love to guide for Phil Shoemaker who is a guide emeritus with his daughter Tia and son Taj running Grizzly Skins. However, I am a teacher and really don't have that option but if I could guide that is the first dude I would sign up for. He knows his stuff and I would guess that every aspect of his business( I really guess that its Taj and Tia's show now) is 100% kick azz. Cole Kramer and Mutts Decker also come to mind. The guides I have mentioned are all great professionals that while they might not pay you the top rates are going to help you get to where you need to go. You are in a situation where you need to be able to trust these people with your life. The ones I have mentioned are ones that you could do just that.

Wonder if that's the same Steve Johnson that was a corpsman back in the 90's.

Cabot Pitts is a good guy. Has a bear area near the Katmai and one in the Wrangells for sheep, moose etc.

Just responding to these "STORIES". This has zero to do with "SledDogGuy".

I suspect that very-very few know what Alaska guiding really is. It is not even remotely like what many think. It is not about hunting and getting paid to hunt. You work 24 hours every day, no overtime, no double pay after 12 hours. In the fall you're out there for about 80 days straight.

I could write seven or nine pages. I suspect that many who feel they were taken advantage of, were not ever slightly aware of the work. Even after decades of guiding, if you're working for someone you will get taken advantage of, and there is zero you can do about it.

I think one of the worse is you get not one hunter (one on one) they dump three or four or more hunters on you. Now everyone is super pizzed at the situation, you can't quit, you just have to make it work. It can super-super suck much of the time, and that is not considering the weather.

Yes, I can understand why some or many feel they were taken advantage of. It is the "nature" of the job.

Good luck in your quest.

I was talking about these guides that get some young guy from the lower 48 to come up and work as a packer for next to nothing with the promise of being a hunting guide and never coming through with it. I'm not talking about when said kid don't have what it takes either. I'm looking to have my own outfit someday, and a lot of guides I've talked to don't like that.

That’s the problem with the current system. They have to let you in. And they aren’t.

Well, I started in very early 70's and even back they wanted to keep anyone from getting a Registered Guide License. Back then there was no Assistant Guide "TEST", I still have my first Ast. Guide Lic.. The fee was $10.00 and it was good for TWO YEARS.

Find a real career and forget guiding…Or if you do go into guiding, make sure you know a good orthopedic surgeon for your hip and knee replacement surgery…not if but when…

True that, I am bone on bone in "BOTH" hips. Spine is total trashed.

How common is it for Alaskan hunting outfitters to use volunteer or free help?

Wayyyyyyyyy more common for them to hire good folk,fhuqk them at EVERY opportunity and dangle a "Guide" license,less ZERO "chance" of obtaining same. Hint.

I personally know more than a "few". Hint...........

Someone obviously has retained a grudge
But even if a new guide applicant runs into a crooked guide they don’t quit and whine about it , the good ones do go on to become guides and virtually all the good and great guides I know worked with a few jerks.
Just because you find out the guide you started working for is not on the up and up, doesn’t mean you have to stay Hint Hint

Imitation is THE most Sincere form of Flattery. Hint.

Fhuqking LAUGHING!..............

So glad you appreciated it

FN laughing 😆

Phil, is there any chance you could use some help this upcoming season or maybe even the following year?

My son & daughter are now officially running the business ( in consultation with their mother 😁)
and I will check with them, but we are always keeping an eye open for good people.
I still am allowed to guide every season and fly 😳

Well let me know. I've yet to have the opportunity to travel out to that area and would love to spend some time out there

I would hope that if you are thinking AK guide you know the hours and work required. I never even blinked, in fact to be honest its been less work than I expected. Even the straight runs without sleep trying to get the meat right after a full day of hunting...

Really enjoy it. Even constant rain up to the point of not being able to glass basically kind of hunts.

Taken advantage of. Nope, can't say that I have been. I'm the one that agreed to the pay scale and the hours. Fairly simple that way.

This year will be my 44th year of guiding in Alaska and I can’t remember how many hunters have told me “you couldn’t pay me enough to do this job” Thats usually when we are slogging home in the dark across soggy tundra or depending steep mountains, in blowing rain.
My response is that I don’t have to, they are paying me ! 😳. And it’s part of a job I still love.

I tried to PM you but your box is full

Being difficult to contact is a sign you may have what it takes to become a guide 🙄😁

LOL-458!!

Worst advice ever.

Shag, I certainly agree. But in order to make a living guiding one need not be a whiner, be and stay in shape, use good judgement and understand that in order to become successful you need the skills and desire to get along with people of all sorts.

458Win, the OP might not have enough posts to private message.

I guess with you retired (sort of) your new full time job is Grandpa?

sled dog guy does not yet have enough posts to have PM privileges.

I think the magic number is 50.

SDG- go here
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/forums/23/1/talk-to-webmaster
and post an alphabet letter per post until you have enough.
hint....

I always wanted to be guide as a young buck. Ended up being a fishing guide for walleyes and perch for several years. Gave that up however. Found that turning my passion of hunting and fishing into a job was less than satisfying. When I had free time, my buddies wanted to hunt or fish. I wanted nothing to do with it for few days. Best remember that guiding isn't the same as being the actual hunter or fisherman. You may have work and stress vs relaxing and fun. If you find that type of work and stress fun....then maybe guiding IS for you. When I was young there were guiding schools in MT i think? Do they still have those?

Momma don't let your babies babies grow up to be guides
Don't let 'em buy Swaros and Leicas and Stone Glacier packs
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Momma don't let your babies babies grow up to be guides

Thanks

Agreed. Just finished my 20th yr in NV, guiding isn't my main job but it consumed 25 days this fall. Somebody paid me to ride their horse in country I wouldn't have seen otherwise and schooled me on packing. It makes you a better hunter, you'll meet friends for life, get guide discounts. Someone mentioned optics, you will upgrade (guide discount!). You'll not make a great wage but the tips can make a big difference.

The outfitter I work for was helping me feed and saddle nags this fall in a wet miserable snowstorm, "This guiding stuff ain't for pu$$ies!" after his horse ran out from under the saddle he'd thrown on.

I guided fishing and hunting up here for 20 years as my main income. While I didn't get rich it was a great way to live and I have zero regrets. I got to travel all over AK and see places and have experiences I never could have afforded otherwise.

I always worked for decent operations and never felt I was taken advantage of. I signed up for hard long days and agreed to what they offered to pay me.

I still have my Registered Guide license and will probably start guiding a few hunts(for other guides) just to go see more of the state that I can't get enough of.

20 years guiding on the saltwater for me. Wouldn't change a day of it. Plan on doing 20 more.

I have guided some, though not here in AK. Mainly for elk, mule deer, some birds and summer pack trips to high mountain lake fishing, etc.

It was fun and rewarding, but not for me in the long haul. 75% of clients were an absolute pleasure to hunt with, though many weren't in shape at all. 23% were lazy and annoyed me, but they were paying me to do the hard work so I was absolutely OK with it. The remaining 2% are what made me look elsewhere for employment. Dangerous, incompetent, constantly whined, wanted to get wasted every night and sleep in, you name it.

Be sure this is what you want to do before getting in too deep.

The secret to success is discovering what you love to do and becoming good enough at it that someone will pay you to do it .

Guided archery elk hunters a few years to help an outfitter friend. When I figured out the income vs. time, it came out to about $3 per hour. Didn't take me long to realize that guys who do it long term must love it because they sure don't do it for the money.

Yeah that's insane. The guy I hire to run my other boat makes $50 + hr when you factor in tips.

Yow. Got any openings?

Interesting. I had the same take on taxidermy. I thought it was fun. It was. Until it was just one after the other and I enjoyed it not as much.

But on hunting and fishing, the only difference is I"m not shooting or setting the hook generally. But its all the same as if I did it, because I led you to it, I simply didn't get to pull the trigger or set the hook. Totally ok with that and getting paid at the same time.

As a custy or cap'n?

Got your 6 pack?

lol. master to 50

If ya gotta huge charter boat he's got ya covered.

As you’ve already seen you will get a variety of responses and opinions here, but as someone who has done it for long enough to chime in and has exchanged many “normal” aspects of modern day living and a typical career to make it all happen I would absolutely encourage you to pursue it if it seems intriguing. It has certainly been worth it to me thus far.
It is true that parts of it are romanticized a bit, and much of the work is unglamorous and hard work that no one will ever see or recognize you for doing. Much of the work is done well before the client ever arrives in state and well after they leave. The job will test you physically but more than anything mentally. You are indeed hunting but what you are really doing is an extended and unrelenting exercise in customer service. Some of the toughest and capable men in the mountains I’ve ever known never quite grasped that concept and their guiding careers were quite short.
Having said that the things I’ve seen and places I’ve been because of the job have been amazing, and the satisfaction of helping people experience Alaska is hard to describe. I’ve had more days than I can count where I’ve been staring across an alpine valley at a band of rams through glass or sweating my nuts off getting thrashed by willows and alders trying to lead a pack horse loaded down with flopping moose quarters and much in between, and thought, damn, grinning, I can’t believe this is my job, ha! Maybe it doesn’t appeal to everyone.
I can also say the people I am closest to in life, other than family, are people I’ve met through this occupation. There’s quite a bond that can form in the field. Anyways, I could ramble on, but point is I’ve really gotten a lot out of it, it’s been great.
I understand what you mean about being reluctant to get used or taken advantage of. Im sure it can happen. All I can say there is just communicate up front on what your intentions and end goals are, and I’d think most legitimate outfitters and master guides will totally understand and try to help you within reason. They were all there once too. On the flip side of that, don’t get too big for your britches too fast, lol….understand that there is a bit of a rite of passage as working a season or whatever as a packer. It’s not just to be mean! You really do need to learn, not just in general regarding hunting/judging so on, but how to interact with clients, how to travel safely in the country you’re in, etc etc etc.
Hope this makes sense ! And if there’s anything I can do to help please reach out!

-Ben

That is a pretty good offer right there.

Ben, please call if you need a job 😁
Very good response.

Thanks Phil!
By the way I’m still up for bringin you a cup of coffee one morning in trade for you letting me fondle some of your Mausers, haha!!

Am pretty particular about my coffee, but sounds like something we could arrange.
I get to Palmer a lot as it’s close to Wolf Lake and my daughter lives up on Lazy Mtn

Sled dog guy, I sent a PM with my sons phone as he wants to talk with you about this season

Thank you.