Howdy all! This is my first post on this board, most of the time I hang out over at the PredatorMaster's, or TexasPredatorPosse boards. However I've been lookin for a spot to discuss big game and related topics, and I believe I have found it. Hopefully in the future I'll be able to make my own contribution.

Here's my question for my first post. When I graduate from college in 2 years, I want to pursue a career as a PH, in the US or elsewhere. I know, I know, spend 4 years at college and then do somethin like that? I can't help it, it's what I enjoy doing. What I'd like to know, is which guide school to attend. I've done some searching on my own and found a couple, mostly based in Montana. If at all possible, I'd like to hear any thoughts, or even better, some first hand comments about some good schools.

I've hunted all of my relatively short life, and like many others, I hunt all year long. Be it during dove season, deer season, ducks, turkey, hogs or when not much else is on, grabbing some calls and my 22-250 and heading to the fields to chase song dogs. I know this doesn't mean diddly, but I just want ya'll to know this isn't something that I just dreamt up late last night!

Any help at all will be greatly appreciated.

Jake
Stephenville, Tx
Tarleton State University

Save your money on a guide school, you pay them and end up packing in all of the hay for the horses and set up all of their camps. Its kind of like Tom Sawyer whitewashing his fence if you know what I mean. If I were you I would contact reputable outfitters in WY or MT and offer your services for nothing more than room and board. Chances are you will learn just as much and save on the tuition of one of these schools. It will also allow you the opportunity to see if this is really the kind of work you want to do before spending a large sum of money. Its bust ass work for not a lot of money, of course I would have paid somebody to let me guide mule deer hunters about 10 years ago. I loved it that much...

Drummond

Jake,

I wanted to be a guide when I was younger. After I reviewed all the guiding schools, talked with some guides, and read material about guiding hunters, I decided not to become one. For one, it can be a harsh life with extremely low pay. Also, you won�t be able to do most of the killing; it is your clients that will be doing the killing. Furthermore, the biggest trophies you see being killed will most likely be the ones from your clients, not you. I�ve read where the only time big game guides are doing the killing is when dangerous game such as a grizzly bear is wounded and/or charges and they need to protect the
client(s). I would certainly hope that a guide has the calm and is a sharpshooter to end such a charge that usually lasts a few seconds. I�ve read where a guide take pleasure in helping the client kill the trophy of the guide�s dreams and the guide does not mind it (or at least puts up with it). Those are the guides that do best in the business. I�ve read many accounts where guides work very hard and hardly find any time to do any personal hunting of their own.

I studied the field of forestry and I am currently employed in that field. I love every minute of it. I�m out in the forest all the time thus learning something new about Mother Nature everyday (I�ve hunted most of my life). The pay is pretty good (a lot better than a guide) and I have very good benefits/insurance as well as very good job security. I have vacation time and weekends (when not working overtime) to enjoy my hunting endeavors whenever I chose to. I probably have killed more wild game than most young guides in America have.

Being a guide is basically doing the scouting/hunting for someone else and that can be a great pleasure if one can stand it. If you think along those lines and believe that you can do it, then GO FOR IT!!

Sorry I can't help you with guiding schools, etc. since it's been such a long time and do not have the information anymore.

Good luck!

I too was interested in becoming a guide in Africa during the sixties and let all the "experts" talk me out of it. Then I moved to Alaska and was offered a job as a "packer" hauling meat and gear into and out of remote camps on my back. The following year I earned my assistant guides license and havn't looked back.
From my experience forget the guide schools if you know anything at all about hunting. Look up recommended, long term guides who hunts in the area you wish to work and contact them and volunteer to work a season. That way you will learn what you need to know about them and the area and whether you like it. If they like you , you are in.
It is hard work and you must like people as that is what it is about. Done correctly it is a rewarding career. Maybe not financially - as you can't mass produce good hunting - but you'll have all the scenery you can eat.

some fine information here , I was lucky and had older brothers as guides to get me into it, and everything everyone said is dead on the money , low pay countless hours and sometimes no apretiation for what you have done, some of the camps I have been in are 1 on 1 and you get up @ 4am cook breakfast and make lunches, get the hunter up feed him , quickly clean up camp and off you go for the day only to return at dark and have to cook dinner , take out stuff for the next day and plan the next day and try to get a hours shuteye , would I ever stop guiding...not on your life I love it

Jake: You should listen to 458Win. I don't know about guide schools, but getting hired on with a guiding outfit (here in Alaska for example) and doing your job, working hard and getting along with everyone (especially the boss and the customers) is probably the best way to get your foot in the door. I loose track of folk's usernames, but I think 458Win is one of Alaska's premier hunting guides (for peninsula brown bear in particular) and has made a real go of it..you should listen to him. I would not listen to the nay-sayers....there are always people that will tell you you can't do this or that and they will tell you all the reasons why you shouldn't do this or that....then there are people like 458Win...(ignore the nay-sayers and just bust your butt and do it)....

Robert Jobson

Jake,

I don't know about guide/PH schools, all I want to say is...if guiding is where (you think) your heart is: go for it! It's a tough life though, with seasonal work at best, so keep a broad perspective and look for things to fill up the voids. A lot of Alberta guides work in the oilfields up North during the winter...good money...but for a reason. Personally I don't see the few months of guiding outweigh the dark, cold, dangerous oilfield work.

Frans

First of all, I would like to thank all of you for replying to my post, and offering the advice that all of you have.

I figured out a long time ago that any career that I think of as enjoyable, probably isn't gonna pay very well. By now I've come to accept it, (I think!).

What put this idea into my head years ago, besides my great love of the outdoors and hunting, was my uncle. He owns and operates his own Outfitter and Guide Service in Reserve, New Mexico. Primarily for elk hunters. At the moment, I believe he's packing in Bow Hunters.

From what I've gathered here on the site so far, I think I'll hang onto my cash, and give my uncle a call and discuss doing a bit more work for him than I have been. Reserve is a gorgeous place, and is full of Black bear, mule deer and Elk.

Many thanks fellas.

Jake