Kudos to you outfitters and hunting guides...

[nightowl1]

I could not do what you do.

I just moved to a new area for a new job(part time youth minister). Due to a mix up in scheduling a hunt a member asked me to help lead a group of guys coming to chase hogs on his ranch. Being as I haven't hunted in over a month I was game.

We were using rifles, no problem, but things immediately took a bad turn. I put guys on hogs twice in one evening. They missed shots at 75 yards, and couldn't see them at 20. After a close call with one fellow running out in front of another I had enough and politely excused myself from the rest of the trip.

I typically hunt alone, but occasionally with my brother in law or dad. Both avid woodsman. Now I understand why my hunting partner list is so short.

I want to be out there with guys who sniff the wind, feel for the freshness of tracks, look for flicking ears, automatically understand hand signals, and can close their eyes and momentarily be drawn back to the pureness of what God created.

I use to think that being a guide would be an awesome job, but I'll leave the to the professionals.

[huntingarcher]

I hear ya brother,I guided for goose and duck then done bowfishing trips once upon a time ago.I am still amazed how some of those people lived as long as they have.

[Ragnarok Forge]

I guided fishing trips for a while and enjoyed it most of the time.  Every once in a while I would get a group that I wondered if I should drown them all to help the world be a safer place.  No way in the world would I consider taking a bunch of armed people I don't know out hunting.  My hat is off to good outfitters and guides.

[duckclay]

Guided here in Fl for turkeys for the last 15 years or so and have had very few issues with safety. It happened but it was rare. Guiding for quail on the other hand kept me on my toes constantly. Having to handle great, but hyper, dogs was a cake-walk compared to riding herd on two shooters (can't say they were all hunters). I was always happy to make it back to the buggy at the end of the day and put the guns up.

I have to agree with nightowl on this one. I enjoyed guiding for Osceolas but finally this year told the outfitter I worked with, a good friend, that I was done except for any instance where he really needed me. I want to spend my time in the woods with my friends and family, or even a newbie that just has the desire to learn. My time in the woods and on the water is limited. I just figured I'd rather spend it with the ones I enjoy AND trust rather than deal with the unknown.

[woodcock]

I work as a registered Maine guide now and have guided goose and duck hunters back in the 80's on Marylands eastern shore.  Great experiences for the most part.  Safety issues?  You bet!!!!! If you are unwilling to confront on safety issues you are likely not to survive. Guiding bird hunters is a very exacting job and requires you to look relaxed and be amiable while being constantly attentive to muzzle discipline and shooter positioning to name only two.  One of the most dangerous environments is a corporate or organiztion sponsored hunt that is for the entertainment of clients.  Largely non-hunters and very nervous about how they come off in front of the guys!  Recipe for disaster.  Learning to hunt safely for me was largely self-taught as an adult as I didn't hunt as a child.  For my kids though it has been a lifelong lesson plan of safety and respect!

[GRINCH]

My Father took alot of us kids hunting if you didn't listen or were unsafe in any way you got to wait back at the car,he taught alot of kids to hunt safely,me personally I prefer to hunt with people I trust to know these things already.

[OBXarcher]

I know what you mean. I run fishing charters and the kiss of death is the guy's that "know what they're doing"

It's a long day when I got them on board.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Agreed! That job must be insane at times.

My list of hunting partners is very short. I grew up with my dad and grandfather drilling safety into me. I just flat out won't hunt with someone I don't trust to be safe.

[Green]

During the 20 years that I trained bird dogs professionally, and guided quail hunts.....I gotta agree with Woodcock.  The most dangerous situation was the corporate hunts....always involved alcohol far earlier in the day than usual in addition to the other issues he listed.  I always gave a safety lecture first thing every morning. Throughout the years, I dropped several hunters back at the lodge or camp for blatant violations of those rules, and I never regretted a single drop off....nor did I lose the client.  Guiding hunts for folks you don't know isn't for everybody, but it can be very rewarding.  

As a client, book with a quality guide, be honest about your level of experience when he/she asks, and listen to the advice given....you'll have a great hunt.

[featherhorn]

I guide Goose hunters every year from Canada to Southern IL and everywhere in between It gets tough every once in a while but you got to remeber that all guys are not like the guys your talking about believe it or not most of the guys are awesome that i have to deal with I love my job and wouldnt trade it for nothing. I spend over 100 days a year out there. But just like they say you got Love it or Hate it there is no in betweens

[LimBender]

Why don't we ask the quail guide for our former VP?    

It doesn't seem like guiding novices would be bad on things like stand hunting, but I can imagine birds would be real tough!  Don't shoot my dog, don't shoot my deeks, don't shoot too early, etc.  I once had a flight of teal come in low and turned around to be staring down the barrel of a loaded swinging shotgun.  I will always remember that!  The poor boy didn't mean to, but he was hauled out and put on the bank freezing for the rest of the morning, but I bet he never did that again.  

I can see corporate hunts being bad for the reasons mentioned, but I still wouldn't mind getting invited.   :D

[Green]

Featherhorn - I agree....most clients are the best folks on earth, and I wouldn't take back the years I spent sharing covey rises with some incredible people if I could.

Once you've guided someone, or a group of people more than once you pretty much adapt to them.  I had one gentleman I hunted with as part of a family party over the course of about 6 or so years.  I always learned that with him, when the birds went up, I went to the ground with the dogs.....you get my point.