Hunting guide as a career ?

[Joshuajosh]

I’m 21 years old and trying to figure out what I want to do in life, I’m looking into the coast guard but I’m a little bit apprehensive about enlisting with being married soon and potentially being underway on a ship/cutter for over half of the year… but my dream is to guide hunts/ fishing trips… I travel out to Wyoming, sd, and out west in general every year just to hike, explore and hunt predators… I live on the east coast and we have some good deer hunting but it’s not the same world over here. Those of you that guide, how did you get into it? I’m a young guy and I’m getting married soon so I need to get things moving one way or another

 

[4090Sharps]

I can't comment on guiding, but I will say, if you're interested in the military and don't have plans solidified for a career or college otherwise, just do it. It might suck, but you'll set yourself up nicely for the rest of your working life as long as you make smart decisions and maximize opportunities while you're in.

 

[woods89]

Do you really want to be babysitting clients in the time you hunt right now?

 

[Crusader]

Great point^^^^^^^

 

[Glory]

Probably shouldn't be a hunting guide if you are worried about being way from home.

I did the Coast Guard. (AMT/Flight Mech) out of high school and ended up in Sitka, AK. Never had considered a move to AK prior to that. After my obligated time was up, got out, got my capt. license, and eventually started my own business once I had things figured out. Worked out pretty well. Good capt are in high demand right now and make pretty good money for a 3 month season.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Let the military pay for you to move around the west/ us. As a former army guy I would recommend Air Force for better quality of life by a mile, I think coast guard would be good too. My buddies brother was stationed on Kodiak island in ak as a coastie and got some awesome experience from it

 

[hiker270]

I had several opportunities to guide for a couple of the outfitters I hunted with. Figured out that a lot of the clients are a PITA. In camp this year there were myself and 2 other guys. All I heard out of the one guy was I'm not gonna get an elk, gonna go home with no meat. Too hot won't see any elk. I was sick of hearing it and so were the guides.

 

[BadEarth]

i wanted to be a hunting guide growing up too. My thoughts tho were that you’d be working all fall. When you have time off you probably wanted to see family and friends over hunting for yourself, and hunting may start to lose its lust if you do it everyday. Plus dealing with hard clients, stress of filling tags, and not having a job with 401k/beneifts… I have an 8-5 job now and hunt all the time and able to do all the trips I want. Deep down it’s still a dream to do some sort of guiding tho..

 

[roadrunner]

Make sure your new soon-to-be-spouse has an occupation that provides insurance (dental, health, etc) because you won't be able to provide that as a guide.

Also, a life insurance policy could be costly as well if guiding in the outdoors is considered a semi-high risk occupation.

If you're thinking a militant type of occupation instead, join a local Sheriff's department where you want to live, do 25 yrs and call it...

 

[CorbLand]

Everyone that I have talked to that guided have all said pretty much the same thing.

When you have a good client, its the best job in the world. When you have a bad client, its the worst job in the world. How often do you think you get one over the other?

 

[Laramie]

I guided for quite a few years before starting my own outfitting business in the late 90s. Parts of it were great but in general the money isn't great and some clients can really ruin the experience. In your shoes I would focus on a career that allowed me to save more for retirement and allowed me the free time I wanted to still enjoy the outdoors.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I was / am in the outfitters business, 30+ years, it’s not the same as when I started in 1990 , and it really does bite into the family life during the different seasons, the USCG would offer more stability and insurance, benefits for the future imo

 

[Rich M]

If you want to do uscg, then do it.

What about being a fireman?

 

[Jon Boy]

I have a ton of close friends that guide fishing and hunting. They all make a pile of money and they all bitch about their job but not nearly as much as I bitch about mine. They’re all tuning up there muzzleloader or on their trap line right now while I’m at work. I get to hunt more than them but not much more and we all seem to fill our tags every year.


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[yfarm]

Know some excoasties, got their unlimited captains licenses and do fine as captains on private non charter sportfisherman. Another 2 rolled out of the cg into a job as a harbor pilot working one week on,one week off. The latter have a more stable life and are better off financially.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Have you considered a building trade? Demand for this labor will be increasing as baby boomers retire and wages are already trending up. Work OT in the offseason and affording time off during hunting season is very doable. If I had to go back and pick one, I would look at elevator tech or electrician (commercial, not residential).

 

[IdahoBeav]

You'll need to travel to do it year-round full time, and you'll have to meet the right outfitters. I have a buddy that does inshore fishing on the FL gulf in the winter and spring. Summer through early fall he is doing fly fishing trips in AK, some caribou and moose hunts as well. In Sep/Oct he is down here for elk & deer.

As-needed, you can also deck hand for long range deep sea trips out of San Diego. That is on almost year-round.

 

[Versydus]

If you're unsure of what you want to do in life, I can't recommend a 4-year stint in the military enough.

I thought I had it all figured out at 19, life happens, choices get made an at 23 I joined the Marines. Single best decision I ever made for my life and my future family. I was dead set on leaving the crap hole small town I grew up in. After 1.5 years of living in San Diego with my wife (total time we actually got to be in the same space together over the 4 years) this small-town life is the only place I would choose to raise my family in.

You get to see the bigger picture for life, 4 years from now your life goals will be different. Take the experience, the provided education, job training and life training to the rest of your future. You will not regret it.

 

[IdahoElk]

I was in your shoes and moved out west 35yrs ago to pursue the outdoor dream of being a guide, never did become a guide for a few reasons.

1, It's seasonal and you need other ways to provide income, my guide friends have 2-3 side jobs.

2, When all is said and done the money isn't really that good and the hours are long, living out west is expensive.

3, I'm not a people person and find continual small talk with strangers extremely difficult, my guide friends are very social extroverted people.

4, I love to hunt and fish, that's why I moved out here, Guides seldom hunt and fish at the prime times because they're with clients helping them fill tags.

5,You will probably start off as a wrangler for the first few seasons until you get experience and knowledge of the area, being a wrangler is a thankless, physically draining way to make minimum wage.

6. If you made it through all this negativity and still want to be a guide figure you need to guide 200+ days a year to be able the live the dream and afford a rental.

I instead would get an education, land a good paying job or excel at a trade, make good enough money to take time off and pursue the outdoors for yourself.
Good luck

 

[SuperDUECE22]

Those of you that guide, how did you get into it?

Here a few guide schools that are offered. I also know some outfitters will take you on for a season as an unpaid intern.

Guide School | Outfitters Academy | Wyoming

Outfitters Academy is the premeir hunting guide school. If you have that deep desire to learn and a passion for hunting and the outdoors, then we strongly urge you to consider starting a career in the outfitting and guiding industry. It's a way of life you will never regret.

www.outfittersacademy.com

AMS Guide School

There are still limited openings for this year’s session. Contact us at: 907-822-3410 for more information or visit our Guide School Page on this blog. Dates are: July 18 through August 1 Cos…

akmountainsafaris.com

Royal Tine Guide School

Located in Western Montana, we are a licensed and accredited guide school offering courses on how to be a hunting guide, a wilderness outfitter, how to pack mules and more. When school is not in session we offer custom mountain adventures, photo safaris, horseback trail rides, pack trips...

www.royaltine.com

Hunting Guide School | Swan Mountain Guide School

4 week hunting guide school taught by top professionals in a beautiful Montana setting. Come see what makes our program unique!

www.guideschoolmontana.com

Guiding can be fun if you have the right clients, but it sure does suck when your clients have poor attitudes and are lazy.