I want to become a professional hunting guide. With so many different guide schools out their im not sure where to go with it, are they even worth the money?

Any info would be great..... thanks Pete

Africa or North America?

EKM

In the case of N. America, no and yes. If you' ve never handled horses, or packed animals, you get some good experience in guide school. But, be careful the school isn' t a cheap labor scheme. Many of them are. The outfitter runs a so-called " school" , and his students end up as unpaid, even paying employees, stretching wire, rebuilding buck fences, hauling hay, cutting wood, camp jacking. Make sure you aren' t given work details while you are in " school" . Then, make sure you get hands on mountain time. A chance to test your packing, your navigation, your trail sense. Shoeing is a important skill. Any good school should include hands on experience in hoof care and shoeing. Many schools concentrate on the sexy skills, and omit the useful ones. Any green guide that can shoe properly is worth more to an outfitter than a green guide that can cut wood, string wire, and buck hay bales.

Check out T.R.' s guide school, it' s on his site...

TR' s Guide School

north america is what im goin for

Mo,
The key would be to avoid schools that offer employment after completion. That should send a red flag up. Go to school someplace, then find a job someplace else. Your school will be valued much more by a non-school-affiliated outfitter, and you' ll probably get a better quality education. There is no shortage of jobs for good big game guides that can handle livestock.

MO

Check out Wallace Guides & Outfitters (colorado). I met the owner at a show a couple of years ago (Bob, i think) They offer what sounded like a good school. My dad was looking into attending so I quesioned them pretty well. He sent me a hand written letter as a followup -

BJ is right though you wouldn' t want to wind up on the bad end of a poorly run school.

Joe Cabral of Russell Pond Outfitters in Idaho offers a Guide School

http://www.russellpond.com/guideschool.html