Frequent Guide Career Questions Part B:
“I have been hunting all my life and practically live in the woods…….do I have to take the two week (basic) Wilderness Guide Course before the Outfitter Guide Course?”
This is probably the single most asked question here at the office by prospective outfitter students, advanced wilderness guide students and fly fishing students. It is understandable why a student would want to start off with the course that they think contains everything they need to know but after explaining the profession in general and skills that are needed to be a professional guide everyone agrees and look forward to the training they receive at the Canadian Wilderness Guide School.
A student may have hunted all over the world and have many trophies but that makes him or her a great hunter but not a great guide necessarily. Once a student realizes what being a professional guide is all about they embrace the additional training and take great pride in his or hers profession.
Firstly, being a professional guide is all about your client and not yourself. This involves many disciplines combined and used all in on one expedition. You are responsible for your client’s joy, hunting success, safety and the most important their life. As a professional guide, you may be employed anywhere in the world and need to have exposure to many different geographical areas. For one to do training for waterfowl guiding on the flat prairies of the mid west and nothing else limits him or her immensely in there portfolio of experience. This why the Canadian Wilderness Guide School has programs in selective key regions in North America in order for you to be the best in the industry.
One has to be honest with themselves and ask questions like:
1. If my client is unusually quiet is it because they are tired, unhappy with the trip, consumed water from a creek or stream they shouldn’t have ect.
2. If the pack string gets broken up and you have to chase the runaway pack horses what is the procedure.
3. What type of elevation have you experienced with a client either on foot or horseback? How uneven was the terrain? Were you 200% confident in your own ability and be able to guide your client in difficult situations when everything else is falling apart around you?
4. Do you have appropriate back country first aid training to save your clients life in the event of a heart attack, broken shoulder, avalanche ect. Are you current with a valid “Wilderness First Aid Responder” certification? Not St Johns or Emergency First Aid. These are good in non-remote situations.
5. Your client has unreasonable expectations and becomes controlling and dominates on the trip. How do you deal with this?
6. You encounter a bear on the trail and it starts a bluff charge. How do you determine whether its predator or defensive?
7. Do you know the difference between a basket and a diamond hitch and where are they used?
8. You throw a shoe while in the back country. What happens next?
9. What is the maximum weight in each pannier when packing?
10. As a professional guide you are required to have specific equipment. Do you know what they are?
This is a very small example of some of the questions you will know once the two week Wilderness Guide Course is completed and you will be confident in your ability to advance on into the more specialized advanced courses offered at the school. Don’t try and rush the training through in your mind and get done as soon as possible. There is so much to learn and build upon and you will realize this when you start and you will take great pride in your career and see how much more you and well rounded and confident in your ability and others will soon notice around you as well.
Canadian Wilderness Guide School
705.642.6465
info@guideschool.ca
www.guideschool.ca
This is probably the single most asked question here at the office by prospective outfitter students, advanced wilderness guide students and fly fishing students. It is understandable why a student would want to start off with the course that they think contains everything they need to know but after explaining the profession in general and skills that are needed to be a professional guide everyone agrees and look forward to the training they receive at the Canadian Wilderness Guide School.
A student may have hunted all over the world and have many trophies but that makes him or her a great hunter but not a great guide necessarily. Once a student realizes what being a professional guide is all about they embrace the additional training and take great pride in his or hers profession.
Firstly, being a professional guide is all about your client and not yourself. This involves many disciplines combined and used all in on one expedition. You are responsible for your client’s joy, hunting success, safety and the most important their life. As a professional guide, you may be employed anywhere in the world and need to have exposure to many different geographical areas. For one to do training for waterfowl guiding on the flat prairies of the mid west and nothing else limits him or her immensely in there portfolio of experience. This why the Canadian Wilderness Guide School has programs in selective key regions in North America in order for you to be the best in the industry.
One has to be honest with themselves and ask questions like:
1. If my client is unusually quiet is it because they are tired, unhappy with the trip, consumed water from a creek or stream they shouldn’t have ect.
2. If the pack string gets broken up and you have to chase the runaway pack horses what is the procedure.
3. What type of elevation have you experienced with a client either on foot or horseback? How uneven was the terrain? Were you 200% confident in your own ability and be able to guide your client in difficult situations when everything else is falling apart around you?
4. Do you have appropriate back country first aid training to save your clients life in the event of a heart attack, broken shoulder, avalanche ect. Are you current with a valid “Wilderness First Aid Responder” certification? Not St Johns or Emergency First Aid. These are good in non-remote situations.
5. Your client has unreasonable expectations and becomes controlling and dominates on the trip. How do you deal with this?
6. You encounter a bear on the trail and it starts a bluff charge. How do you determine whether its predator or defensive?
7. Do you know the difference between a basket and a diamond hitch and where are they used?
8. You throw a shoe while in the back country. What happens next?
9. What is the maximum weight in each pannier when packing?
10. As a professional guide you are required to have specific equipment. Do you know what they are?
This is a very small example of some of the questions you will know once the two week Wilderness Guide Course is completed and you will be confident in your ability to advance on into the more specialized advanced courses offered at the school. Don’t try and rush the training through in your mind and get done as soon as possible. There is so much to learn and build upon and you will realize this when you start and you will take great pride in your career and see how much more you and well rounded and confident in your ability and others will soon notice around you as well.
Canadian Wilderness Guide School
705.642.6465
info@guideschool.ca
www.guideschool.ca
Labels: guide jobs, guide school questions, guideing jobs
posted by Canadian Wilderness Guide School | 1:45 a.m.
