Pioneer Outfitters has been training its own
guides for over 50 years.
"It has been brought to my attention on numerous occasions over the last few years both through my own experience as a Master Guide Outfitter and by other Guide Outfitters, friends and associates that it has been increasingly difficult to find reliable Assistant Guides that are qualified to actually guide in the field; to be competent and responsible with the client and loyal to his or her outfitter. " ~Master Guide Terry Overly
Although there are many Guide / Outfitter schools to choose from throughout the Western United States, and although most of them offer various levels of outdoor and guide training, they are not in the position to offer the type of hands on training that we offer.
We offer the most extensive and comprehensive guide training in North America today.
“Good Assistant Guides are hard to find.”~Master Guide Terry Overly
“Guide Outfitters of Alaska, looking for quality, competency, skill, disposition, dependability, loyalty and longevity when hiring an Assistant Guide, I believe Pioneer Outfitters Pro-Team trained Assistant guides will be and are top of the line.”
A guide’s job obligations include...
guiding a client to a legal trophy in a safe, legal and ethical fashion, position that client for the kill, as the client is the hunter. The guide records the trophy with taking many (sometimes many, many, many) photographs for the client, capes, packs, fleshes, salts, cooks and is a companion to his client. I tell my guides and trainees over and over again, “You are not the hunter; you are a guide- guide.” All a hunter does to be a hunter is take a rifle, bow or other weapon of his choice, and go hunt. A guide must be so much more than just a hunter. Guides of course can also be hunters,
that is a given, but it shouldn’t be mandatory.
Above all, a guide must be attentive to his client’s needs, pay attention to his moods, catch any potential problems before they get out of control, and answer his questions before he thinks to ask them. Guides have to be almost a psychologist,
and of course, deal with the camp, horses, cooking and so much more.
This isn’t a “school-room” environment, if your application is accepted, you will be trained amidst my guides, live in one of the most remote, harshest areas of Alaska. You will live as one of the Team, work side by side with some of the most impressive Professional guides in Alaska, while being trained and observed. We will have Special Trainers come in for briefings and training on certain subjects and areas that a professional guide needs to know, be prepared for and understand. There will be numerous courses involving many diverse techniques that will cover all aspects of Outdoor Survival and Guiding situations.
Here at Pioneer Outfitters Pro-Team Guide Training, we expect this training, once completed, will greatly benefit the graduate in acquiring a guiding position with any Guide Outfitter looking for reliable, competent Assistant guides, not just in Alaska but the entire United States. We do not guarantee positions to our graduates, here with Pioneer Outfitters Pro Team or with other Outfitters, however we will make available to you the names and contact information of different outfits for you to apply with and those that have contacted us in need of Assistant guides.
If a trainee doesn’t love it- they will fail. It isn’t about money for a professional guide, you don’t get rich as a professional guide, you get to do and be something really special, unique. They are young, tough, eager and in top physical condition. Sure, pay day is always an issue, but the challenge, the competition against nature and each other, even themselves is what it is really about for them.
This training is focused on outdoor mountain survival in all the conditions and elements that exist in the remote regions of Interior Alaska, with that focus repeated on safety and survival as a responsibility. That responsibility multiplies with the client or clients that accompany that guide.
Our training is designed for and with the individuals that wish to become Alaskan Big Game Hunting Guides, Fishing Guides, Mountain Tour Guides, and Competent Outdoor men and women pursuing any outdoor sports endeavor.
