Any Guides on Here

[tmwtrfwler]

A friends son is just finishing up at Royal Tine's guide school. He's having a great time but it's almost time to face the music. He's interviewing with a couple outfitters this week and next and has one offer already. I suspect that wherever he lands he'll have to find work that allows him the time to guide. Certainly most guides are working normal day jobs b/c the $ just isn't there to support yourself year round guiding. Even for a single 20 year old kid.

So if there are any guides on here a few questions:
- what do you do for work?
- is it critical to live near the outfitters hometown or is it reasonable to live a few/several hours away and come in when there are hunting parties


thanks in advance.

 

[huntsman22]

come in when there are hunting parties

There is more to guiding, than just coming in when the clients show up.....

 

[tmwtrfwler]

There is more to guiding, than just coming in when the clients show up.....

Clearly so.... but you get the idea of my question I hope. What do people do when not conducting guide duties (scouting, hunting, etc.)?

 

[Salmonchaser]

I’m heading to Alaska on Friday, I’ll write while I’m on the plane. In brief you’ll spend more time preparing for then actually hunting. Guides don’t make much money, hunting is ten times the work as fishing, it can however be a ton of fun.

 

[Fridaythe13th]

The only guide I know, pours curb and gutters ( cement work )as his side job to guiding. But he guide for fishing in the spring and duck and geese in the fall.

 

[blackdog]

One of the things for your son to consider when looking at potential outfits to look for is how long they're offering work. Many outfitters have spring bear hunts and summer horseback wilderness camping trips that can keep him busy for 9 months of the year. Plus most outfitters that have larger operations like this have plenty of ranch work stuff to keep the hired hands busy when there aren't any trips booked. Visit back home and crash with mom and dad and pick up some manual labor for a month of two and he's busy all year. Or if he's any good with a fishing rod, head south of the equator and work for a fishing lodge someplace maybe for a few months. An outfitter just offering a fall hunting guiding job makes things more complicated.

Another thing to inquire about is the food and housing situation. If he's going to be working 'full time' so to speak for a greater part of the year, is the outfitter going to provide him with room and board. There's many full service outfitters that will offer this.

This is the exact route I traveled after college for a few years. Worked for an outfitter who had concessions in both Montana and Idaho and those were some of the best years of my life. A ton of incredible memories and experiences were had. I came out of the whole process without much in my bank account to show for it but as a kid in his early 20's at the time I found plenty of ways to burn through money drinking beer and chasing country girls in any spare moment we were given. In hindsight there's not much about the whole thing I'd change.

 

[tmwtrfwler]

One of the things for your son to consider when looking at potential outfits to look for is how long they're offering work. Many outfitters have spring bear hunts and summer horseback wilderness camping trips that can keep him busy for 9 months of the year. Plus most outfitters that have larger operations like this have plenty of ranch work stuff to keep the hired hands busy when there aren't any trips booked. Visit back home and crash with mom and dad and pick up some manual labor for a month of two and he's busy all year. Or if he's any good with a fishing rod, head south of the equator and work for a fishing lodge someplace maybe for a few months. An outfitter just offering a fall hunting guiding job makes things more complicated.

Another thing to inquire about is the food and housing situation. If he's going to be working 'full time' so to speak for a greater part of the year, is the outfitter going to provide him with room and board. There's many full service outfitters that will offer this.

This is the exact route I traveled after college for a few years. Worked for an outfitter who had concessions in both Montana and Idaho and those were some of the best years of my life. A ton of incredible memories and experiences were had. I came out of the whole process without much in my bank account to show for it but as a kid in his early 20's at the time I found plenty of ways to burn through money drinking beer and chasing country girls in any spare moment we were given. In hindsight there's not much about the whole thing I'd change.

Awesome input. This isn't my son but my friends but that's doing this. Thanks for this....i'll forward to him.

 

[Sourdough]

There are many things. Commercial Fishing, Construction, Bush Piloting, Taxidermy work, Wilderness firefighting crew, Booking hunts, Sportsman Shows. Airplane repair or boat repair. Work in a sporting goods sale, firearms sales, Flight seeing, Fish spotting for commercial herring boats, logging.

Go ahead and ask me how I know this.

 

[dirtytough]

I would try to get on in the oilfield when he isn’t guiding. A lot of jobs pay mid 20’s and up and companies always need hands.

I’ve worked with entire crews that work 8 months and take 4 months off.

I’ve done construction and for the money it’s a lot harder work than the oilfield is.

 

[Comerade]

I did quite alot with various outfitters, I had a trade for the balance of the year.
I loved it, your son will probably start as a wrangler/ handyman until the outfitter see what he can do. Horsemanship is essential around here and that can't really be taught , it takes time and a keen interest in the Equine.
It is still the best job ever, but it is 24 hours a day with your hunter. In spike camp you cook, clean ,wrangle and hunt...and sooth the hunters feelings sometimes. Good luck to your son.

 

[Salmonchaser]

There are many things. Commercial Fishing, Construction, Bush Piloting, Taxidermy work, Wilderness firefighting crew, Booking hunts, Sportsman Shows. Airplane repair or boat repair. Work in a sporting goods sale, firearms sales, Flight seeing, Fish spotting for commercial herring boats, logging.

Go ahead and ask me how I know this.

Yep me too, also managed to squeeze in a law enforcement career, but I was never commercially rated to fly.

 

[elkguide]

I was self employed in the construction/trades while I was guiding. It was a huge cut in pay, I got to the area a week or two in advance (without pay) to get things set up for the hunts. I couldn't afford to pay for a guided hunt so I got hired on as a guide.
My wife's comment was, "you work out West as a guide 16+ hours a day and make $3000 before travel expenses. If you stayed home and just worked a normal schedule, you'd make over $10,000." She never understood when I asked her what her point was!
I am so grateful for an understanding wife and children that knew that Dad needed some wilderness time every year and put up with me being gone. Some of my best hunting memories for sure.

 

[Buck Naked]

Map out the seasons and a good guy can be guiding all year, but will take some travel between n and s america
Someone with the right people skills can get work anywhere. For a yoot it can be a good life experience for later when life gets real. There nothing like getting paid to travel

 

[the_bowhunter]

A friends son is just finishing up at Royal Tine's guide school. He's having a great time but it's almost time to face the music. He's interviewing with a couple outfitters this week and next and has one offer already. I suspect that wherever he lands he'll have to find work that allows him the time to guide. Certainly most guides are working normal day jobs b/c the $ just isn't there to support yourself year round guiding. Even for a single 20 year old kid.

So if there are any guides on here a few questions:
- what do you do for work?
- is it critical to live near the outfitters hometown or is it reasonable to live a few/several hours away and come in when there are hunting parties


thanks in advance.

I’d be happy to talk with your son. Started guiding when I was 18, 6 years ago. Between school and work have been able to consistently guide up in Colorado and Texas. Lots of sleepless nights but I have loved it so far. I was in his boat on deciding to do it full time or not. He can work year round guiding hunts if he is willing to travel.

Jason


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[98_Tacoma]

I just finished my guide school at royal tine on the 31st and I enjoyed the hell out of it.

 

[Hnttillmt]

Another former guide here, and I'll echo what's mostly already been said. He needs to come to a decision on what he really wants out of life. Through all my 20's I was perfectly happy being broke most of the time and bumping from place to place chasing deep powder, big fish and hunting more than anyone else. I got a solid trade as a stone mason. I got my emt and ski patrolled for 8 years. Between guiding, laying stone and ski patrol I was always busy but always broke. All of those jobs are very physically demanding and low paying.
I came very close to commiting full time to the guiding. New Zealand to Alaska Montana and Utah. I had connection for work to every one of them. It's totally doable if he thinks that's the life he really wants. Ultimately I knew I wanted to settle into a more traditional lifestyle with the house and wife and yada yada yada yada.
The full time ranchhand/ Wrangler is another good route if he wants that kind of lifestyle. A good trade like electrician or something and have it arranged that you want to take the fall off to guide would be my advice after spending 15+ years chasing the dream life.
Man to be 20 again!

 

[Ralphie]

I'm in NW wyoming, most guides I know have some other job, from ranch feed lot stuff, to taxidermist, to pretty well educated, business owners, etc. One of the best elk guides I've known in the thorofare country lives in another state and has a 4 year degree and a full time other job.

 

[SLDMTN]

If you're going all in, here's a year round plan:

Guide spring bears March-April.

Commercial fish in Bristol Bay May-head down to perform maintenance June/July-fish like crazy.

Starting end of July scout sheep and then guide through August.

September guide moose and fall bears.

October guide goats.

November-March trap and pick up odd jobs until you can afford buy a plane and fly for Fish and Game aerial surveys.

You'll live pretty well because there's no point in buying a truck or even having an apartment, you're never home.