Big Game Guide & Packer Training - Hunting, Fishing & Camp Cook School

A Guide School Student's Journal

After a big breakfast at 6:30, we started with wrangling, catching and haltering horses, then learned some basic "horse" knots: sheet bend, manger knot, and various night hitches. Made sure I took good notes.

We progressed to leading horses through an obstacle course of bogs, deadfall, etc., then learned roaching and grooming, including pulling the manes and tails. After lunch we covered the parts of a bridle, practiced bridling, then worked on bareback mounting, riding and reining. An hour-and-a-half of bareback riding broke us in pretty well - in and out of thick timber then up and back down a plenty steep ridge face.

The next two hours were spent in a rap session with Dan Cherry, the author of So You Really Want To Be A Guide. After another big supper, we had the evening to study our books and notes before taking a quiz over the day's subjects. Never dreamed a guide would have to study so much!