How much do hunting guides make?

Question

how much do you think they make and what exactly do they do?

Answer 1

That sort of depends on a few different things. Where are you guiding? What kind of game are your clients hunting? What kind of experience do you have? Are your clients successful?

Because if you are a hunting guide and your clients never get any game, then you will not be in business long. Therefore you would make...nothing.

Answer 2

our income is usualy an agreement between the outfitter, and our selves..it has some room for adjustment... not very many 'guides' have outfitter licences, so we work for them for the sake of the expense...
A guides contribution to the outfittes set-up also varries... that is just a matter of negotiations.
As a 'guide' to the hunter, the relationship between a hunter and his client is important over all, because the client often 'tips' his guide, and that tip has nothig to do with the outfitter.
'exactly' what a guide DOES for his client, the success or failure of the hunt, the ability to put the client on his game, the amminitys and convienaces provided by the guide..will all add to the clients appreciative 'tip', if such were to be awarded.
The situation, and the expectation of the client, and the hunt it's self are all players in the game... recompence is 99 time out of 100 favorable to the guide... hunters in general are a generous bunch of sportsmen.
you could be a hell of an accomplished guide, with a personality glitch, and think i am full of B.S., tho.

Answer 3

It depends. What are you guiding for? If the guide the outfitter as well?

We are an outfitter/guide service in West Texas (Trans-Pecos area) for javelina. We do not own the property; so we have to pay the Ranch owners for every animal harvested.

We have to provide housing, food/drinks, guide service, and transportation on the ranch. Fortunately there are a good number of javelina in the area, so we can usually offer a good hunting experience with a good chance of getting the hunter close enough to the animals to get a good shot.

We pay our guides on a per-hunter served basis, plus housing and food/drink, and gas used while guiding.

Also fortunately for us, javelina don't have antlers; so we don't have to be looking for bigger and better horn.

Of the amount we charge, we get to take home 10 to 15%. Everything else goes to pay the landowner, guide, and local economy because of all the shopping for food, gasoline, etc.

Hunters usually tip the guides, and camp manager.

Now for the 2nd part of your question:

Our guides spend time before they ever see a hunter, finding out where the animals are at any given time of day. They spend lots of time with the hunter, both driving on the ranches and walking, finding the game and getting the hunter close enough for a shot.
They advise the hunter as to the acceptability of the animal, based on the hunter's desire.
After the animal is down, they find it if needed; field dress it, and take it back to camp.
After photo ops, then either the guide, the outfitter, or the camp manager skins and quarters the animal, and if the hunter desires, we process it.

Guiding can be a LOT of work; but it is very satisfying.

if you have any others questions, please email me.

Answer 4

I can hardly believe what outfitters ask for a deer hunt in mid-western Illinois although I am sure the guide is not getting that much.

A bow hunt may cost up to 3000.00 depending on accommodations and success rate and word of mouth for the outfitter. ( This alone was almost enough for my brother-in-law and I take take people to our land in that area for about 500.00 each but insurance hassles become instantly apparent.)

I knew one guide that traded hunt time on some of the thousands of acres the outfitter owned, for his pay. He never did say what he was being paid but we have never hired anyone and just knew him as a friend.

Answer 5

hunting guides in private ranches (fenced areas) make decent money.
you have to be a great actor though... saying things like "shhh, dont make a sound he'll see us..." knowing dang well you could walk up and pull its tail if you wanted to.