RE: I want to become a hunting guide, what must I do?
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Now wait a minute Smalty. I reckin' I got 'bout as good a success rate as any, but many of my clients complain 'bout me doin' all the huntin' an' they jus' git to pull the trigger. Bein' a good guide means bein' able to fill fellers out, but also make adjustments due to physical limitations an' preferences of the client. Give me an' ol' fart with a pacemaker an' a case of altitude sickness, who wants to shoot a 350 class bull only, an' I gotta try to accomodate 'im (or make him so sick an' sore he'll shoot any good 5x5). Guidin' is 50% huntin' an' 50% customer relations. Good people skills is impotent. Mind readin' an' miracle workin' don't hurt either.
BJ
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Well BJ, you're the type of guide that is exactly the reason I am very hessitant to book a hunt with anyone. I happen to be one of those "ol farts with a bad ticker (no pacemaker thank God)" and can't do a lot of strenous activity any more so I did get a little on the heavy side. Not by choice, you can believe that. But the point is, I still hunt hard but at a slower pace and I can't drag or pack out a kill like I used to. Your comments and those of some others here kinda set my perspective on hunting guides in concrete. If I ever booked a hunt, it's not because I'm rich (far from it) or think it's guaranteed that I take a 350 class bull. I would book a hunt because I want to take an good animal that I would otherwise never have a chance at living in upstate, NY. I would be perfectly happy with a decent size animal that I'd consider a trophy and not what some B&C or P&Y club thinks is a trophy. Too much emphasis is being placed on trophy animals that the love and excitement of just being there and having an opportunity is lost these days. That's what I'm all about. I could care less if I get a world record or not. With enough money, I could book a "hunt" on some ranch or preserve where the deer are fed high protein feed and take a world class deer or elkm then tell everyone I got it in some wild, remote place. If that's what other people want, go for it but that's not why I hunt or would book a hunt. You're lucky enough to be born in raised (I'm assuming) in a place where you can hunt great animals like big mulies, whitetails, bear, etc. I wasn't an neither were most of the "pain in the ass Easterners" you and others here mentioned. My question is if you don't like putting up with peoples' quirks and differences, why be a guide? The money can't be that good. Why don't you and your outfitters tell people the truth when they call or book a hunt and give them honest and reasonable expectations other than the typical "Our success ratio for last yr was 99%". That's part of the problem. Outfitters advertise with a bunch of hogwash and naive people with money to book a hunt go there with the wrong expectations. So you'd lose a couple of clients if you told them there wasn't a 90% chance they'd get a record book animal. Those are the clients you don't need anyway. Me, I'd just be in it for the fun and excitement of the hunt. But I doubt I ever will because I'd fear that the guide or guides I got stuck with, think like you and some others here. I'm no candy ass and I wouldn't be just some fat guy sitting around watching you work. I'd help as much as I could. Hell, if I had to die because I overdid it skinning an animal or helping pack it out, so what? I'd die happy.
Sorry for the long post, but ya'll guides with the holier than thou attitude really fired my old fat ass up.
Edited by - Crowpecker on 10/31/2002 13:49:08