Personally I wouldn't be a guide or an outfitter for that matter. I love hunting to much, to get tied to "hunting" for other people. I watched as my dad and grandad grew farther and farther from their love of hunting because of guiding/outfitting. They both love to hunt, but not nearly as much as they used to. Hunting became "work" to them, and it litterly was. Personally I like the fact that I can take off for two or three weeks and do nothing but hunt, unlike most guides and outfitters that get their vacation time AFTER the season and rarelly get to spend any personal time hunting. I guess I'm just selfish.

If you just got out of the military, are you on the GI bill? Go to school on thier dime and get a good job, then spend all your vacation hunting and having that other "guy" do the work for you I will garentee you it will be more fun.

In Wisconsin it is easy you buy a Guide lic. find someone that is willing to pay you money to take them hunting . Bang you are a guide. What type depends on you if your a good one or a bad one.

What do you want out of life?? Ask yourself this question first, and be honest. I personally know 5 guides in CO and NM. They all have other jobs (usually those requiring little formal education) and they all guide to make extra money. They are not "career guides", but rather men who guide during elk/deer hunting season. Then, it's back to the daily grind. Some "career guides" go on to get their own territory and establish a hunting business. I am told that most of the rest just quit at some point. Is that your goal? You are young, with you entire life ahead of you. How romantic a life in the outdoors sounds now. The reality is that the pay is VERY low (as compared to a job requiring some degree of formal education or a desired technical skill), hours are VERY long, and there are usually NO benefits (and you're gonna want/need benefits). I agree with the person who suggested college. Nothing wrong with going right into the workplace out of the military, don't get me wrong. But I ask you to think again, what do you want out of life. I am retired Army Colonel, but teach college to keep my bain from turning into mush. Let me give you one FACT! People with a 4 yr degree make 50% MORE than those without. I am not equating money with "success", nor am I trying to put down those without a degree for we all view success and happiness a bit differently. I am simply saying that survey after survey reflects the fact that formal (and some specilized technical) education equates to greater annual income. I suggest you get a BS degree first, then look at the guide possibilities. Then, you always have something to fall back on if guiding doesn't work out. Whatever you decide, I wish you well and Gods'speed.

After being in this business for several years, I would say that the first thing you should do is the same as I did, stick a needle in your ear and suck out half your brains!!!!

KK

Are you willing to stop hunting for yourself? It becomes secondary and quite frankly after working your tail off a day off is hardly toting a rifle in search of your own game, trust me been their and done it. However I don't regret my time as a guide met wonderful people, learned a ton and made some extra cash to boot. It made me a much better hunter and allowed me to learn the art of dealing with people/running a business. Why did I quit seasonal, no hunting time of my own, tie down (marriage), etc. If your serious about guiding this is the best time - young and full of P&V with minimal tie downs.

Marketing is probably the best way, get out and find somebody who just has to hire you. Starting off as a grunt is a good way. Guide school might be an option. What does it take to be guide, patience, knowledge/experience, persistence, incredible work ethic, think under pressure, ability to accept others goals as your own, time management and off course people skills.

Best of luck.

Wow, pretty good advice from the colonel. In the 80s I was stationed in Alaska and got to be good friends with an infantryman who was an E4. We sheep hunted together. He was tough as nails. I left Alaska to go to the officer advanced course and he stayed in Alaska to be a guide. A few years later I talked to him on the phone. He said guiding was fun, but he was a bit shocked to discover that you can't just pick up a rifle and go hunting - the owner of the guide service prohibited it as they needed to save the "big ones" for paying clients.

I write for a hobby for a few outdoor pubs. I do so only because I love to write (I don't spend much time at it here), not because I make any money from doing so. I also fear that if I was a full time writer, writing would get to be like a job, and that isn't what I want. You have to ask yourself, if you were a guide, would hunting become a job?

Go to college or learn a technical trade. There will always be demand for plumbers and electricians, and if you have the drive, you can always become a contractor. I have a brother who is a plumber and he pulls in 100k every year, which is more than most college grads.

My advice to my daughter is to finish school and start her own business. I told her to take at least one accounting course in addition to her two majors. Working for someone else is a kobayashi maru for you Star Trek fans. If you are worth it, you can make more on your own. If you aren't, you will eventually be laid off.

if you want to learn to hate something do it for a living

AnotherAZWriter,

Good advice. I could have said the same thing as it seems are backgrounds are very close (Alaska etc) except that I went to college after I got out of the service. I also have a daughter in college right now and I am stressing the same thing to her as well.

dwp- Go to college first and if you still want to be a guide then go for it, your college would do nothing but help you in your business. Personally I would pursue a career path that would allow me the finances to eventually go on many good hunts.

Doug

kirkkelso,

Welcome to the boards!

You have a pm.

Doug

Here is a tip from someone who did. Look up some outfitters in the state you wish to hunt, contact them and ask how you can help. Volunteer for a season and if you like it and they like you - you are in. If $$$ is your first concern then look for another line of business. Every year for the past twenty-five years some paying hunter has told me "You couldn't pay me enough to work this hard" It is hard work at times but if you like people, love to be outside and hunt then go for it.