Topgun 3006

It sure looks like what I bolded in this post of yours is you trying to tell them what they should or shouldn't do to make a living! I have never seen what you have described about paying a guide so much per day and then having to pay them for days left on a hunt even though a person may have filled his tag on the first day or two of a hunt that is scheduled for a week. Normally you make a down payment on a hunt to the outfitter to lock the hunt dates in and then have to pay the remainder of the cost for the hunt at a certain time before the hunt date or at the time you get there to begin the hunt. Unless you pay an extra fee to that outfitter for a separate guide it's a 2 hunters per guide situation. A guide the outfitter provides is not paid anything by the hunter other than a tip at the end of the hunt. Some say that tip should be a percentage of what the actual hunt cost just like you would pay a waitress based on your dinner cost. Some say pay whatever you feel you can afford based on your means and what the guide did on the hunt for you. That's what I did on the hunt I just did in Wyoming. The hunt cost was $2900 for five day with lodging, food, horses and one guide for the two of us. My buddy got a nice buck the first morning and I got mine the 4th morning. I gave the guide a tip of $350 and I have no idea what John gave him, but it was probably more because he makes 5 times what my salary was before I retired in 2002.

Blackelk

Guiding is usually not a full time job for most guides. $500 a week is peanuts for a man that knows his business and working 14 to 16 hours a day for months on end. Really simple answer here if you think outfitters are over paid don't use them.

Uncle Nicky

My advice as well. I don't see the point of trying to lowball an outfitter, if he's too pricey I just move on.

If you do your homework and look around, you can probably find a no-frills outfitter that can work within your budget, some are as good as the big-name outfitters, some better, some worse. Usually a young guy just getting into the outfitting business will keep his prices low to draw new business, and is more aggressive because he's trying to make a name for himself. There is always the option of trying a DIY hunt on public land.

Personally, I work a second job and do frugal things like buying cheap beer and packing a lunch each day to save a few bucks to afford a guided hunting or fishing trip or two each year.

kidoggy

I would add that the outfitter probably would rather you didn't come ,if your to cheap to pay what others are willing to pay.

smitty0538

I think some of you guys are taking me wrong here. I never meant for this to be about bashing outfitters . I specifically used the word guide and only was referring to what I read on a break down of cost sheet. I do not remember exact numbers but it showed a total for the hunt then broke it down as like tag cost, camp cook, horse fee, etc. it had on there something like $250 a day for a guide per person. So all I asked is why pay for 7 days of guiding if only use the guide for 3. doesn't look like it was a good idea for this outfitter to show the cost breakdown. Most sites do not show this and it just has a total and yes requires a deposit and then a balance at the end. Just bored with winter guys thought I would ask a simple question. I also believe there is a difference between being cheap and being foolish how we choose to spend our money. Like buying a ford when you could spend the same and get a Chevy.

Topgun 3006

Lucky you made that last sentence the way you did. If it was reversed, I would have been all over you again!

Muley Hunter

Smitty,

You don't have the right job. I was an auto mechanic for the first 25 years of my working career. We worked flat rate. Every job had a time it should take to do. If I did a job that should take 5 hours to do, and I did it in 3 hours. I still get paid the 5 hours for that job.

A lot of jobs are like that. UPS is one. They know how long it takes to deliver a package. If a driver takes 12 hours of packages and does it in 8 hours they get paid for the 12 hours. That's why those guys are always moving fast.

Personally, I wouldn't pay for a hunt, but lots of guys do it and it's their business to do as they please. The guides have set the rates and if you sign up just pay and be happy you got game early. It's better than doing the whole hunt and getting nothing. Then you'd really feel cheated.

Topgun 3006

I still have a big question mark on this whole deal about paying the guide. Unless you don't go through an outfitter and go straight to a guide, which would be very uncommon, you're not paying anyone the fee other than the main outfitter that the guy works for. I have no idea what a guide makes, but I imagine it varies a lot depending on their age/experience, knowledge, etc. The poor guys are up well before the hunters to get horses ready, etc. and then have to take care of everything when the day is done. That would mean they might only get 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night and I really don't know how they can do that day after day. Just on my short hunt getting up at 3 to 4 AM when all I had to do was get dressed and grab some breakfast was rough. When we got up the guide usually was already putting the saddled horses in the trailer and raring to get going to the trail head. I guarantee when you break it down into an hourly wage they are probably not making what a burger flipper at MacDs does!

Muley Hunter

I have a method that makes it easier. I get up at 4am every day of the year. Once your body adjust to it, it's easy.

Guides may do the same thing.

Bob H in NH

You are also looking at the price breakdown wrong. Your are not paying a "per day" fee, you are paying for the hunt, one price, for the hunt. Now if the hunt is over in 1 day, 3, 5 or you don't tag out, you had your hunt and paid what the hunt costs.

I have yet to see a guided hunt that the hunter pays the guide, and I've never seen a guide make anywhere close to what you are saying at $250-$500/day. Guides get paid by the outfitter and make more like $100-$200/day, not per hunter per day, but per day.

Essentially there's three ways work is paid for:
- hourly where you're right, you get paid for the time spent. This is not how hunts work

- Salary where you get the same pay regardless of how many hours you work (no OT!). These tend to be higher $ jobs

- By the job (like the above mechanic said). This is how hunting works, you pay for the hunt.