The relationship between guide and hunter is crucial to the success of your trip no matter how you define "success". Yet, from talking to guides and hunters it often seems that there is not a good understanding of what either expects from the other. This subject was recently reviewed with a number of guides from different outfitters and there were some consistent themes. Elk guides, deer guides, bear guides, caribou; it didn't matter; they all expressed the same concerns about the realities of expectations.

Guides and hunters agree that a guide's job is to put their hunter on game, be knowledgeable about the hunting territory and the species being hunted as well as field care of game and trophy preparation. But good guides will tell you that insuring their clients' safety and general well being also ranks high on the list, as does the strict adherence to fish and game laws and regulations.

Guiding is a job requiring a great deal of hard work, both physical and mental. At any given camp, guides are competitive among themselves while working as a team for the outfit. Their ability to create opportunities for a client's success is how they measure themselves and each other. To be successful in this context, they have important expectations of their customers. All guides agreed that when hunters show up in camp they should be in the appropriate physical condition to pursue their quarry. If you are going to hunt elk or moose you have to be in shape. Your guide's job is immeasurably more difficult if you can't keep up or get up. Secondly, and of nearly equal importance is the client's knowledge, comfort zone and skill with weapons. Showing up with a new gun you've only put a few rounds through will rightfully brand you as unprepared. This holds true for your other equipment as well.

Curt Merrill of Londonderry, Vermont owns and operates Grassy Lake Outfitters in Wyoming and has his own take on the relationship between guides and clients. According to Curt, " First it's the outfitters responsibility to hire good people. A bad guide will almost always result in a bad hunt for the client." When hiring guides, Curt looks for a congenial attitude, along with the required skills of calling and locating game.
"I also try to match my guides up with specific clients." Curt talks to each of his clients before they arrive in camp to ascertain their physical condition and give them an idea of what will be entailed and expected during their week in the Wyoming high country. He then has a good idea of which one of his staff will do the best job of showing a particular client a good hunt.

Being on the same page with your guide about the hunt objective is important. Guides are not the ones pulling the trigger and therefore not responsible for putting your animal down. Want to get off on the wrong foot? Ask an outfitter what his kill success rate is. Guides prefer their clients not to miss. Wounded animals present an additional hardship, as they are lost from the outfit's inventory without a tag being filled. The true measure of proficiency is in opportunities not dead animals.

Often outfitters offer 1 x 1 guide service as an alternative to 1 x 2 or even 1 x 3. In almost all cases, having a personal guide will increase your opportunity. The expense can be $100 a day or more but the hunter has the guide's exclusive attention without the distraction of looking after the needs of others in the group.

A significant portion of a guide's income comes from tips. Hunters want to tip appropriately but often don't know what is too little or too much. As a very general rule of thumb, if you are going home with your big game tag filled the minimum tip should be $100. If you shot an exceptional animal or if your guide worked extra hard the tip should be more. If you missed or wounded, remember the guide did his job. For fishing, guides usually get $20 to $30 per day. You should also remember the camp manager and cook while you have your wallet out.

Guides are generally of a congenial nature and most are incredibly patient as well as good teachers. Understanding your guide will make your hunt more enjoyable and potentially more successful, use it as an opportunity to learn and become a more skilled sportsman.