Hunting/Fly Fishing guide school

[Ben]

I'm wanting to get into the hunting/fishing industry and am heavily looking into part time guiding as a way to build experience, contacts, get further insight into the industry, and help fund a graduate education. Does anyone have a guide school that they attend that they recommend or maybe you had a guide that you know went to a certain school? Any direction would be greatly appreciated!

 

[WCS]

I know a couple of the guys who teach at the guide school put on by Sweetwater Travel and they speak fairly highly of it. Where are you located?

 

[Ben]

Sweet water is actually one of the schools I'm about to contact. Good to hear they have a good reputation.

I'm around he Stockton CA area but am more than willing to travel.

 

[MTguy0341]

Worked with multiple guys that went to the Royal Tine school out of Philipsburg Montana. Heard nothing but good about it. Every guide from the class those guys attended got a job. From Alaska down to Arizona.

 

[alecvg]

I am a guide. No need to go to a guide school, in fact, we generally look down on people who did it. Just start calling Outfitters now, and try to get a job, have them teach you their way of doing things, as everyone does it different. I always here guys from the schools saying "well this is how they taught us.." but it may not be the way the outfitter wants it done. If you have no horse/packing experience, and don't feel comfortable working for an outfitter without that, you could consider a wrangler/packing school. But if you find a good outfit, they will teach you all you need to know, and if you have a good head, you will keep learning.

 

[DoubleDown]

So, how much guides earn for a year? I love outdoors and I'm tired of my job too. Just interested if I can combine what I love to do and get some out of it. Thanks

 

[Ben]

I am a guide. No need to go to a guide school, in fact, we generally look down on people who did it. Just start calling Outfitters now, and try to get a job, have them teach you their way of doing things, as everyone does it different. I always here guys from the schools saying "well this is how they taught us.." but it may not be the way the outfitter wants it done. If you have no horse/packing experience, and don't feel comfortable working for an outfitter without that, you could consider a wrangler/packing school. But if you find a good outfit, they will teach you all you need to know, and if you have a good head, you will keep learning.

Great advice. Thank you. In my college days I got a job doing horseback trips the backcountry this way. That outfitter was supposed to move into hunting as well but never made the leap.

 

[Ben]

So, how much guides earn for a year? I love outdoors and I'm tired of my job too. Just interested if I can combine what I love to do and get some out of it. Thanks

In 2010, doing horseback trips only, I made $10/HR plus tips. It was very hard to support a family and pay rent on that.

 

[mntnguide]

So, how much guides earn for a year? I love outdoors and I'm tired of my job too. Just interested if I can combine what I love to do and get some out of it. Thanks

Pretty hard to make a "good living"..as a guide. I spent 8 years as a wilderness horseback elk guide, and finally left it this past year and now work on powerlines. .do i miss it? Sometimes yes, but I don't miss being seasonal and having to worry about every bill every month. And now I get to hunt for myself finally. If you truly want to make a go of guiding, remember that you are no longer hunting for yourself, and it is a PEOPLE business! ! You can be a good hunter but if you can't handle clients, you will not last as a guide. Imagine having 2 hunters who have spent over $12,000 and you are on day 4 and still haven't found anything to look at. ..that's the real aspect of guiding, dealing with the clients. As for guide schools, Royal Tine with cody and leree, is hands down the only one to consider if you want to learn to pack horses and mules and get a job right away..I taught for them for 5 summers, and more than anything they are great people who care very much about their reputation when producing future guides. .if you succeed and are a hard worker, you will get a job. The comment above about guide school guys being looked down on is B.S., anyone can become a guide who hunts, not everyone has the opportunity to learn how to pack horses and live in the wilderness, a school like Royal Tine gives people that chance to help them get into the industry. There are days I miss living in the hills with a string of horses, but then again I also remember the non stop 4am mornings, no days off, and overall if you look at your pay hourly. It's pretty damn low. . And I was paid quite above industry standard by the time I left it