Hunting Professionally

[chrisgoettig]

I recently graduated from college and have a great job that I enjoy doing but I cannot see myself doing this forever. I have been an avid hunter since I was a small child and I have always dreamed of doing this professionally. What tips or recommendations does anyone have as far as making an attempt to hunt for a living? Anything would be appreciated.

[zippy19]

You need to start by working with someone first. You will probably be doing a lot of stuff that isn't so glamorous but once with your foot in the door you are on your way. Learn how to deal with customers and how the inter workings of the hunting business. Once you get comfortable you find your own farms to rent and do some advertising for clients. Bing Bam Boom

[chrisgoettig]

Are there opportunities for an "internship" or "apprenticeship" so to speak? I am fairly savy when it comes to business skills but who would I think about contacting as far as getting that initial foot in the door?

[Scott Curtsinger]

Getting your foot in the door with a established outfitter is not going to be easy. What experience do you have that will seperate you from other guides? It will probably be hard to get in with someone this yr, but you never know. If you truly want to do this for a "living" you will probably have to start up north and work your way down. I did it for yrs and sometimes its not all its cracked up to be. When you get a chance to start on your own building a decent client base is hard, you need a bunch of guys to come back yr after yr to really get things going. It took me 6 yrs to get where i am now, so don't quit your day job, and stick with it, you never know what might happen.

[kingkilla]

the thing i would find hard to do is to keep your day job and hunt and the same time. i would love to find a occupation that would allow me to get that much time off.

[GOOSEHANSON]

with a young kid I would say wait or volunteer your time with a a local guide service in your area....being a goose guide will put alot of strain on a young family and should be taken very seriously or you will have all the the time in the world to hunt after the wife and kid leave you....just the truth...like said before, don't quit your day job...most goose guides don't guide for a living...they do it for the challenge and the opportunity to hunt good land and pick up some extra money...I got in the guiding business to help supplement my hobby ...lets face it, if yor wife don't hunt it can be a really selfish sport and your wife will get tired of your other love real fast...I would work on my skillls as much as you can...calling is just one aspect in the hunt and most guides are way above average....your calling will get you in the door...but whatever you know, you have to change or fine tune for the owner you are working for....the gift of conversation and repoir with your customers is what makes a good guide...can't just sit and talk hunting all morning...feel out your clients and talk about what they want to talk about....guide services will usually take a newbie out several times with the owner or experianced guides to see how you do things and how you deal with people...thats your test and you better be on top of things to stick around....good luck in your quest but like said before...don't quit your day job....joe

[Richie]

It's a tough deal to get out on your own and get noticed but once you are established and recognised as a good service it gets easier. I know of very few guys that guide that make it their full time job. Either you have to have tons of money to begin with or like some guys that do it, offer something all year and live on water. Fishing, crabbing, clams, oysters. Its a rough life these guys live also. Now granted they make decent money but it's rough work. But like they all said, work for someone who is establised and build up knowledge, reputation, and skill. If it was easy everyone would be doing it. Good luck to you.

[Boo8meR]

My goal in life is to guide. I moved to SD this spring to get more serious about waterfowling, and hopefully I can get on with a service next year. My plan is to one day have my own, or help out with someone else's service, and train dogs in the off season. Anybody on here lookin for a young buck to chuck dekes, clean birds, and do some callin, let me know!

[GOOSEHANSON]

My goal in life is to guide. I moved to SD this spring to get more serious about waterfowling, and hopefully I can get on with a service next year. My plan is to one day have my own, or help out with someone else's service, and train dogs in the off season. Anybody on here lookin for a young buck to chuck dekes, clean birds, and do some callin, let me know!

you need to head to Texas...I know a few guys that have gone down there and love it...good pay lotsa goose hunting....joe

[zippy19]

I'm not tryind to disuade anybody's goal in life but be realistic. I do not know how old everyone is but think about the big picture:
1) It takes a lot of working capital
2) It takes your hobby/passion to a whole new level
3) Most of the really large Outfitters I know don't even have time to hunt
4) Once you get really big you have turned the hobby into a job
5) The family suffers
6) you are on the phone +3 hours a night
7) your advertising budget grows with your client base 8) you deal with people you've never met and don't know which end of the gun to point
9) getting the picture.......................

[Boo8meR]

I'm am not tryind to disuade anybody's goal in life but be realistic. I do not know how old everyone is but think about the big picture:
1) It takes a lot of working capital
2) It takes your hobby/passion to a whole new level
3) Most of the really large Outfitters I know don't even have time to hunt
4) Once you get really big you have turned the hobby into a job
5) The family suffers
6) you are on the phone +3 hours a night
7) your advertising budget grows with your client base 8) you deal with people you've never met and don't know which end of the gun to point
9) getting the picture.......................

It's all part of the fun! I'm 22, and right now I've got a job that is going to allow me to hunt every day of the week, all day 3 days, up until noon the others, and probably allow me to work from home anywhere in the nation. It pays me well enough to be an apprentice for a few years if necessary, and eventually save enough to kickstart my own service if I find the right piece of land. The #1 runner in the wife competition right now will soon be in vet school, and that makes getting dogs to train easier, as well as helps out with that 'working capital.' I don't think I'd have a problem at all with moving my job/hobby to a new level, because it's something I truly love and enjoy. I left everything/everyone I know in NC to move to SD for the waterfowling. I understand all the points that you're trying to make, and appreciate their validity; however, I know this is what I want to do, and plan on making it happen somehow.

[zippy19]

Good Luck!

[Boo8meR]

Thanks! For the record, I'm not trying to be a jackass, I'm just saying it's something I've always wanted to do. I've weighed the pros and the cons, and I still want to do it.

[GOOSEHANSON]

zippy...quit being so negative :P :P ...no really guiding is alot of work and like said before will make what you love as a pasttime into a job that will wear on you as the seasons go by....I believe in your motivation.....you just need to get some clientele and ground....then your work begins....joe

[Richie]

heres an example of a taste of what guiding can do to a man. I have a guide that i go with every year and multiple times a year. In the early part of the season hes good, never a miserable man. His sleep isnt so bad so hes usually well rested. Middle to end of season, he has a friend drive him everywhere he goes for the fact that he is so sleep deprived he falls asleep doin anything. He is basically a narcoleptic come half way through the season. The man falls asleep in the middle of you conversation with him. Daily waking at 3-4 am then only goin to bed at 11 or so and often later. He keeps on pluggin along because why, its now his job. Like Zippy was saying its eventually going to become a job. If you have no family now you will be alright, but i know with the travel i have done in the past month doing shows and hunts its wearing and i'm not even a guide. You must love to do it or your gonna be worn out and worked out fast. I wish you luck with it and hope you can earn a good dollar while doing it also. But don't let it take over your like and make what you love now a nightmare.

[Boo8meR]

If it ever became a situation where it made me dislike waterfowling, I'd quit instantly.

I'm up at about 3-4 every day as it is during the season to hunt, and I don't get off work until 11:30 on the 4 days I work, and I've got an hour trip home. I'm pretty much a zombie as it is. I understand it's a tough job, and not just hunting good land all the time. There's work, but that comes with a job. It'll probably never end up happening, because land is getting more and more expensive, and I've got some saving to do. I'd really like to get in with a guide who has an established service, and just help out for a few years to get my feet wet and see what it's like. I guess until then I'll just keep pluggin away at birds, and putting money away.

[jstbob]

Dont give up . I'm in the same boat. I started by joining a club and showing people what I can do. I've met some interesting people over the past year. And after a few hunts they asked for me to guide them. at the end of the year I was sleep deprived the wife was pissed, and I was in the hole about $800. But this year I have a client basis and that is the most important thing. I also cant wait to do it again.

[Boo8meR]

That's what I like to hear - encouragement. The way I look at it is that it's going to be fun, and by adding different clients, you're adding different challenges, scenarios, etc. I feel like if you can bring guys in each week, and consistently have them killing birds, and you can cater to what they're looking for (puddlers, geese, divers, etc.), then you're a proven waterfowler. I guess it's not enough for me to go out and kill birds every day, I like helping other people shoot birds, I like watching the joy that people get when I put birds in the spread all cupped up w/ their feet down. One of my favorite things to do is take youngsters and newbies out. Although it's not quite like guiding (although it is), it still requires loads of patience and attention. Sure if they don't kill birds they're not going to be pissed after spending however much money to come see you, but they still require a lot of attention and instruction. I guess it's just something that I've always wanted to do, and given the chance, it'll happen. I still think that getting in with an established service for a few years would be the way to go... comments?

[Scott Curtsinger]

Normally you have two different types of clients: the ones that are there for one thing and one thing only, and that is too kill a limit of whatever they hunt every time they are out. Then there's the guys that want to get away from there families for a few days and do some shoot'n, and spend time with their buddies. The guys there just to kill will sometimes drive you insane, cuz there are times when you don't have enough control of things to make it happen(weather, migrations, etc.) Most of the time it is alot of fun, but i can guarantee you, there will be times when you just want to say screw it. Most of my client base has hunted with me for 4-6 yrs, so I know all them and what they expect. If potential new clients ask me "are we guaranteed a limit" my answer is no, that is one thing you can't always count on. 5 out of the last 6 yrs 90% of my clients have shot limits, which in my opinion is pretty damn good. Most of my groups range from 4-8 guys per group and we run two groups a day. Our limit is four darks, so if i have 12 people i need to kill 48 birds per day, that can wear on you. The best advice i can give is start slow, and try to use the best equipment you can buy. If you have a bad hunt at least you had quality gear and they can't fault you for that. If you do your part it will pay off in the long run.