hunting guide school

Hidden Creek Outfitters

                       2008
     Wilderness Outdoor School
                  Curriculum

The Wilderness Guide School provides the outdoor enthusiast with in-depth, hands-on training in dozens of essential topics necessary for your career as a professional guide. or to simply help you to be a better outdoorsman. You'll learn about care horses & mules, how to properly pack a pack animal, horsemanship and trail riding; horseback pack trips; calling big game, guiding hunters. and wilderness survival, use of maps and compasses, camp cooking techniques, wildlife and outdoor photography, CPR certification, First Aid and much more. Learn from guides who have years of experience guiding with professional Outfitters. You will learn first hand about the business of being a professional guide.

Guiding:
            Guide / client interaction
            Guiding in bear country
            How to read the land
            Calling
            Spot and stalk
            Equipment usage
            Weapon knowledge
            Anatomy and shot placement
            Field judging
            Field dressing
            Cutting and quartering
            Packing out game by horse back
            Caping techniques
            Meat storage

     Horses and Mules:
            Basic anatomy
            Care and first aid
            Catching
            Equipment and tack
            Saddling and unsaddling
            Mountain riding
            Horses while hunting

     Shoeing:
            Basics
            Tools
            Shoes
            Pads
            Shaping
            Trimming

    Packing:
            Saddling
            Pads
            Panniers
            Hitches
            Pack covers
            Balance
            Weight
            Building a string
            Leading a string
            Packing on the trail
            First aid on the trail
            Trail conditions and obstacles
            Weighing duffle
            Packing rifles
            Packing panniers
            Transporting food and horse feed

     Wrangling:
            Corral set-up- summer and fall
            Picketing
            High lines
            Hobbles
            Horse health
            Loose herding
            Feed and nutrition

     Camp:
            Set up and tear down- building a camp
            Progressive trips
            Fall hunting
            Camp layout
            Forest service regulations and outfitter board regulations
            Minimum impact camping
            Game storage
            Food storage
            Cutting wood
                - selecting trees
                - amount
                - splitting
                - dragging
            Tack tent
            Tack care

    Transfer Corrals:
            Set-up corrals
            Feed bunks
            Stock water
            Equipment storage
            Early AM packing
            Client greeting

    Clients on the Trail:
            Horse introductions
            What to expect
            Short lesson
            When to stop
            When not to stop
            Walking down trails

     Camp cooking:
            Basic course will be taught. - Advanced course on request.
            Progressive summer trip – Fall hunting camp
            Cleanliness
            Forest service regulations
            Food prep
            Storage
            Cooking in bear country