FAQ’s on Guiding
Below are some common questions and good information. Feel free to contact us at anytime if you have further questions about guiding, our school, or our experience.
Why choose Royal Tine?
Why Choose Royal Tine Guide School?
Choosing Royal Tine as your guide school will pioneer the path to a new career for you, a future where you can live and work in the rugged outdoors! Ask about our rating, our curriculum, the instructors, the location, job placement services, and our references. Then you’ll know why you want to choose Royal Tine!
1. We’ve been rated the best guide school in the West by Western Big Game Outfitters. Read about Royal Tine in Backpacker, Outside, American Cowboy, National Geographic Adventure, and Peterson’s Hunting magazine.
** In operation since 1994, Royal Tine is the oldest continuously operating guide school in Montana! We’re not the best because we’re the oldest – we’re the oldest because we’re the best!
2. Our curriculum is specifically designed to train students in the essential skills — the skills that outfitters are looking for in employees. As a result, Royal Tine graduates are in demand.
** Enrollment is limited to 8 per session, so classes are small and every student gets plenty of personal instruction.
** We run the toughest curriculum of any guide school out there. We’re busy from 6:00 am to 8:30 pm, and we have class 6 days per week.
3. Job placement is 100% for all qualified graduates! We have the reputation for turning out some of the best guides in the business, so many outfitters hiring guides and packers call us first!
4. Our instructors are professional hunters and packers, with over twenty years of experience teaching the required skills. Royal Tine’s owners have guided and packed in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona, and Alaska. Thus, students benefit from their broad range of experience and professionalism.
5. Our location in the Sapphire Mountains is incredible! The Royal Tine Guide School, set in a lush meadow with towering pines and streams running through, simulates a high mountain, backcountry hunting camp, complete with wall tents and a large cook tent. Wildlife often travel through camp – elk, deer, moose, wolves, bears, and an occasional mountain lion. In this setting you’ll live and learn how to pack, guide, and cook outdoors.
6. Our references are superior! We hope you’ll take time to call them! They are our best form of advertising and a great way for you to get to know us in advance. Also, here are some testimonials from our spring class!
Think long and hard about what you want in a guide school. We’re confident you’ll choose Royal Tine! We look forward to meeting you in the near future!
Sincerely,
Cody and LeRee’ Hensen
Royal Tine Guide and Packer School
What are some of the jobs available in an outfitters camp?
Outfitters are on the lookout to hire skilled and good natured people who are responsible, dependable, willing to work, and enthusiastic about treating their clients right. Understanding the importance of hospitality towards clients, and teamwork with co-workers is a must. Without the right attitude you will not make it–no matter how good your skills are. No outfitter will risk valuable clientele, his business, on an employee who cannot or will not demonstrate the “right stuff”.
Job descriptions differ with employers. Some outfitters expect guides to cook for clients. Other outfitters provide full-time cooks to prepare almost all meals. Most outfitters will expect their crew to be flexible no matter what there job title. First year guides and packers should be prepared to chop wood, clear trail, do camp chores, do a little cooking and kitchen detail, care for stock, and “baby-sit” a camp, etc.
Hunting Guide–primary duty is to locate game and get his hunter close enough for a good shot. He must have a thorough knowledge of the animal he seeks; be able to properly field dress, skin and cape and care for game meat. He needs to be in top physical condition, able to walk many miles in rough terrain, often under adverse weather conditions. Excellent “people skills” are a must.
Fishing Guide–advises clients on fishing tackle, technique, and the hot spots for good fishing.
Packer–loads and transports supplies, gear and game on pack mules or horses and normally is in charge of taking care of his string (stock). A packer must also be in top physical condition and able to lift loads weighing 100 pounds or more. He needs to enjoy working with horses and mules and be easy going and levelheaded to cope with the inevitable frustrations and emergencies that occur when handling animals.
Wrangler–rounds up livestock, takes care of feeding, grooming, and saddling. He needs to be good with horses and mules. He will usually be required to do other camp chores.
Camp Cook–prepares, serves, and cleans up after meals for clients and crew. A good one must be highly organized, very neat and clean, and enjoy putting some effort into turning out a good home-cooked meal whether for 6 or 16. Sometimes the cook plans menus and orders food and supplies. The cook often works both in camp and on the trail and must be flexible and able to cope without modern conveniences. The cook is also often the camp jack and stock “vet”.
Camp Jack–is responsible for fuel and water supply, camp maintenance and a wide variety of camp chores. Most outfitter camps keep a lot of equipment and supplies on hand. Every item must be kept neatly stored and in good working order to be available at a moments notice.
What are the pros and cons of jobs with an outfitter?
On the flip side of the coin…there are low wages to start, very long hours, sore tired muscles from very hard work, weeks or months of living in a tent with no modern conveniences, and coping with heat, rain, snow and very cold weather. You will handle frustrating livestock and find they always get fed before you do. In the big game hunting season you can expect little free time and few, if any, days off; not to mention the times you would like to stay inside your warm sleeping bag…but cannot.
This is a job you will either love or hate. The only way you can find out whether it will be for you…is to do it.
What can I expect for the first year in employment and wages?
Is there year-round employment in a guiding career?
How do I get licensed as a guide?
I have no hunting experience. Can I become a hunting guide?
I have some hunting experience. Do I still need professional training?
Realistically, you will be hard pressed to find an outfitter who will hire anyone who does not have good employment references as a guide, or a good report from a completed training program. Outfitters need to hire people they can depend on to do any necessary task that arises in or out of camp, day or night, and they will not have to train you on the spot. An outfitter either has to evaluate your hunting abilities for himself or take the word of a reputable school’s final evaluation report.
Guiding clients is different than hunting for yourself. Take those skills you have learned on your own and polish them in a good training program. Learn the techniques of a pro and learn how to modify your own methods to compensate for the differences your client may require. Also, a guide is required to do a lot more than simply guide hunters.