Western Ranch Hand Jobs / Outfitter helpers, etc.

[mntnguide]

I guided for 10 years before moving on to working on powerlines. All my guiding was done in the wilderness areas of Idaho and Wyoming using horses and packing. I also taught 5 summers for Cody and LeRee at Royal Tine guide school in Montana. If he really wants to get a job with a decent outfitter and start with ok pay, that's his best route.. but in all honesty, like mentioned above, guiding is VERY hard to make a living doing long - term unless you find a way to come up with a pile of money and buy out an outfitting business. Just because he loves to hunt doesn't mean he will love to guide. You are not hunting for yourself anymore. If he is not a people person, then guiding is definitely not for him, because there are many days where you will not see game and you have clients that paid thousands of dollars that are sore, tired and beat up that you still have to entertain and try to keep their spirits up. Being good with people is far more important than your hunting skills when it comes to guiding. I have zero regrets about the years I spent guiding and I miss it plenty. I mainly miss spending thousands of miles on the back of a horse far from civilization and cell service, but I now hunt for myself again and make far more than I ever did guiding. It's great to do when your young, but to expect it to be a long-term career only works for people who can buy out an outfitter and become one.

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[Huntindog45]

Haha oh man, this thread title.

Right......I must be all kinds of warped in the head because I know the first thing I read had nothing to do with being a wrangler


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[boom]

My bosses son is 19, motivated to work, high drive, college isn't his thing, loves the outdoors, and hunts his a$$ off. He's really capable with his hands working, framing, etc.. Smart kid that learns fast but needs a chance.

Looking for advice on how to network for him to find a starter job out west. Working on a ranch in the off season, working for an outfitter during the season, etc. Or simply working on a ranch full time. Then if the outfitter thing works great. Regardless he's interested in doing something away from Virginia that will be rewarding and challenging.

Thanks for any input. Would like to help this kid out.

check out the Golden Trout Wilderness pack station. that guy is always complaining that a good hard worker is tough to find.

 

[afdiamond1]

Send him to a guide school if he can afford it. Royal Tine out of Philipsburg Montana is awesome. Every graduate gets a guiding job offer. I'm sure someone here on the forum has done it. I worked for a fellow guide that went here, I just got lucky because my neighbor was an outfitter. Great school, plenty of outfitters looking for guides with some experience. Pretty much any guide school would be my recommendation. Most include housing and meals from what I've seen. Great way to get your foot in the door out west.

I second Royal Tine guide school for anyone wanting to break into this field.I attended Royal Tine Guide School the summer of 16. It is a jam-packed month of learning the basics of what is needed to work for an outfitter and nothing that you don't need. You will learn horsemanship, farrier work, packing with Decker packsaddles, land navigation, first aid, hunting skills, and meat care. Skinning and caping, etc, etc. It's hard work and long hours; however, it will give you a realistic idea of what to expect when you hire on with an outfitter. Outfitters will call the school on a regular basis and let the Cody know that they are looking for guides to hire. Oh, and don't go there with the idea that you will be losing weight at school. Leree Hensen runs the camp cook school and she is an awesome camp cook. If you leave the table hungry, it’s your own damn fault!

 

[cbat]

A mod with tug in his handle talking about handjobs ?

 

[Akicita]

My bosses son is 19, motivated to work, high drive, college isn't his thing, loves the outdoors, and hunts his a$$ off. He's really capable with his hands working, framing, etc.. Smart kid that learns fast but needs a chance.

Looking for advice on how to network for him to find a starter job out west. Working on a ranch in the off season, working for an outfitter during the season, etc. Or simply working on a ranch full time. Then if the outfitter thing works great. Regardless he's interested in doing something away from Virginia that will be rewarding and challenging.

Thanks for any input. Would like to help this kid out.

Send me a PM - I may be able to help.

 

[wytx]

Guest ranches are hiring right now for summer help, many of them also run outfitting businesses. Look into local newspapers in area he wants to work for adds, Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga , Wy has an add in our local right now.
Google outfitter schools, they usually have good hiring records in the west.
Irrigation is starting right now and calving is going on up here, many ranchers need help this time of the year. Fencing needs to be checked before cattle hit the range too.
Fence Post is also good starting point as stated. We see adds for couples, or hands, also looking for jobs. Some kind of contact in a given area would be the best route.

 

[Rob Patuto]

Mntnguide is spot on. Reputable guide school is where to start. Nobody in the industry will pass on a hard worker and starting with a green guy is often best. Very few make it a career but hell its an adventure and will open other doors.

 

[sneaky]

Hey... Tug. We were all thinking it.

Hand jobs.... you said tug.... lol

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