I've been asked to guide some coyote hunts on a "hunting ranch" and I don't know the first thing about guiding. Can you give me some info on whats a fair price and what kind of hunt you expect or deliver. Any help will be appreciated as I need to let them know something pretty soon. I remember somebody's signature here said something to the effect of "when money enters the picture it all starts to go downhill" that sounds about right.
Coyote guides?
- Thread starter TOM64
- Start date
Steven Stewart
New member
You can also have alot of fun.and meet people you would otherwise never have a oppurtunity to do.We donate a 2 day wall tent camp where we supply everything including a great Chef to local Sheep Foundation,all for free.We also take clients out for$200.00 a day,we float the rivers,hunt high mountain, and the sage country.ALWAYS have had a good time getting paid for what we love to do. Last hunter we never showed a single coyote=No Charge.Normally get 'em 13 to 16 sightings/6-8 shots per hunt.It doesn't have to be about the money.Make it what You want. Good Luck and have FUN!!
Patience. You're gonna need a load of it. Understand that most of your guides/clients won't have a clue how to hunt a coyote. Best you know the area pretty well and the coyotes, know where they are at any given time, travel routes and such. Hopefully, you're pretty successful on your own, calling for others is a different game. They won't sit still, they'll whine about everything, they'll wonder why theirs so much cactus and why in the world you didn't go through the area and clear out all the snakes and scorpions. They'll become very disenchanted if you don't call something in. Have an alternate plan when everything goes to chit.
You'll have to be constantly aware that danger will lurk around every corner. Some clients shouldn't be allowed to handle pellet guns, let a lone high velocity lead chuckers.
Your clients will swear up and down they know what their doing, but few do. They won't know how wily the coyote can be, they expect that its one of the easiest animals to hunt thus expecting you as the guide, will be able to bag one for them. Prep your clients as best you can, remind them that the coyote, known as the trickster by the indians, can fool anyone and everyone when it wants to. Make sure they now what equipment is needed, some will show up with a totally inappropriate caliber/gear. Have things that they might forget available, might be hard coming up with something if your lease or land is remote.
Charge a deposit, 50% prior to the hunt and non-refundable. Did I mention patience? I have no idea what you should charge. What do you believe your success rate will be? You're new into this game, it's nice to have some history to fall back on. We charged $300.00 a day per hunter and we did not provide lodging, as coyote hunting was not the aim of the outfitting business. If you provide vittles, charge for that, the pennies start to add up, trust me on this.
Don't...I repeat, DON'T promise success. It matters not how many coyotes skip around on the land, somedays, God himself couldn't call a coyote in.
Oh yeah, the client is always right....lol....strike that, they're most often completely clueless.
Enjoy it, getting paid for something you love to do is most cool...although it does become work, it's still a helluva lot of fun.
You'll have to be constantly aware that danger will lurk around every corner. Some clients shouldn't be allowed to handle pellet guns, let a lone high velocity lead chuckers.
Your clients will swear up and down they know what their doing, but few do. They won't know how wily the coyote can be, they expect that its one of the easiest animals to hunt thus expecting you as the guide, will be able to bag one for them. Prep your clients as best you can, remind them that the coyote, known as the trickster by the indians, can fool anyone and everyone when it wants to. Make sure they now what equipment is needed, some will show up with a totally inappropriate caliber/gear. Have things that they might forget available, might be hard coming up with something if your lease or land is remote.
Charge a deposit, 50% prior to the hunt and non-refundable. Did I mention patience? I have no idea what you should charge. What do you believe your success rate will be? You're new into this game, it's nice to have some history to fall back on. We charged $300.00 a day per hunter and we did not provide lodging, as coyote hunting was not the aim of the outfitting business. If you provide vittles, charge for that, the pennies start to add up, trust me on this.
Don't...I repeat, DON'T promise success. It matters not how many coyotes skip around on the land, somedays, God himself couldn't call a coyote in.
Oh yeah, the client is always right....lol....strike that, they're most often completely clueless.
Enjoy it, getting paid for something you love to do is most cool...although it does become work, it's still a helluva lot of fun.
Dillon_XL650
New member
Amen Bob. You stated everything I've always thought whenever I've had the misfortune to guide a hunt and stated it far more eloquently than I ever could have. The only thing I might add to it is have as close to a sure thing as possible to fall back on. Out here in NM that would be the prairie dog. I've taken more than a few discouraged hunters into a good dog town and they've had more fun shooting them than what we were originally hunting. I dont know what you've got in your area, hogs maybe, but it might be worth thinking about.
Redfrog
Moderator
Bob is right as usual /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif You will never have TOO much patience. You also must have a sense of humor.You have to have your ducks in a row,Prey, access, equipment,a plan is good, 
a back up plan like Dillon said, and lots of luck.
If you aren't more successful than the average hunter, forget it. Clients travel long distances at great expence to live thier whole life in 3 days. You better have a reasonable chance at success. You can't control the weather, but it's your fault if it's sour, or the game doesn't cooperate. You must control as many factors as you can.
Be absolutely sure the client's firearm is sighted in. It is hair pulling time when they miss the only decent shot of the week, or something is wounded and the day is spent recovering it.
Persevere,persevere,persevere, If the weather craps or the game doesn't show, you DO NOT say" This sux, Let's try tomorrow" I guaranty the hunting will not improve on the couch. Be prepared to work your butt off. First out, last in.
You will meet some great people, who share your passion with you. If hunting isn't your passion, do something else. There is only one thing worse than a surly bartender, that's a mediocre guide. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
a back up plan like Dillon said, and lots of luck.If you aren't more successful than the average hunter, forget it. Clients travel long distances at great expence to live thier whole life in 3 days. You better have a reasonable chance at success. You can't control the weather, but it's your fault if it's sour, or the game doesn't cooperate. You must control as many factors as you can.
Be absolutely sure the client's firearm is sighted in. It is hair pulling time when they miss the only decent shot of the week, or something is wounded and the day is spent recovering it.
Persevere,persevere,persevere, If the weather craps or the game doesn't show, you DO NOT say" This sux, Let's try tomorrow" I guaranty the hunting will not improve on the couch. Be prepared to work your butt off. First out, last in.
You will meet some great people, who share your passion with you. If hunting isn't your passion, do something else. There is only one thing worse than a surly bartender, that's a mediocre guide. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Dillon_XL650
New member
Great point about checking the client's rifle, Redfrog. I cannot belive the "hunters" that dont understand how they could possibly miss a deer or antelope when "I just took this rifle to the gun shop and had it boresited the day before I left." Sometimes you just gotta shake your head in amazement and wonder how these people have managed to get and keep a job good enough to allow them to pay a substantial amount of money for a hunt like this. I'm not kidding! I've actually had hunters say this to me!
Jim_Pup_McGill
New member
Tom64-
If you need a practice run, wave the fee and you can use me. lol /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Not that far between us, I could gripe and be loud, fidget on stand, smoke on stand, urinate before stand and expect the coyote to stop exactly where I want, talk loud on the way to the stand, ask geological questions about rock formations in the creek, and generally question every thought pattern that you have had about calling for the last 20 years and I promise that I'll miss him for ya. That away , you know what to expect and be able to practice your patience and I won't have to educate any of my coyotes. lol.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
For real, it sounds like these guys have it covered. The only thing that I have done is take Deer Hunters , coyote hunting on their lease, at no charge. I would only take two hunters at a time and it worked out great.
later pup
If you need a practice run, wave the fee and you can use me. lol /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Not that far between us, I could gripe and be loud, fidget on stand, smoke on stand, urinate before stand and expect the coyote to stop exactly where I want, talk loud on the way to the stand, ask geological questions about rock formations in the creek, and generally question every thought pattern that you have had about calling for the last 20 years and I promise that I'll miss him for ya. That away , you know what to expect and be able to practice your patience and I won't have to educate any of my coyotes. lol.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
For real, it sounds like these guys have it covered. The only thing that I have done is take Deer Hunters , coyote hunting on their lease, at no charge. I would only take two hunters at a time and it worked out great.
later pup
Thanks for all the replies. This is an established guide service with their own lodge and all the ammenities. All I have to do is call up a few coyotes and hope the client has a good hunt. I've called up a few coyotes for people in the past and ruined their lives by getting them hooked on the sport, so I'll give it a try.
Pup, I had serious intentions of getting together with you but I may have to rethink that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I still can't believe anyone would pay to hunt coyotes but this guy has alot of people interested from out of state as a combo hunt. Wish me luck.
Pup, I had serious intentions of getting together with you but I may have to rethink that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I still can't believe anyone would pay to hunt coyotes but this guy has alot of people interested from out of state as a combo hunt. Wish me luck.
bigc
New member
Tom, I recently started guiding people and have had a lot of fun! Like many have said, I have a hard time believing people are paying me to ake them coyote hunting. I have been skunked twice with clients but both times they rebooked for a second hunt and had no problem paying for the day. WHEN you do get skunked....you will have to fight the feeling of guilt that will come with people paying you....that is up to you. Some I wave the fee, some I half it, and then some I just charge the normal price. It gets stressful when someone is paying you too...just do what you do and it'll work out.
yotehunter6
New member
Another thing to think about is what else could be hunted, here you can go after Mt Lions, Bobcat and yotes at the same time. So if the client ends up with a nice Lion instead of a yote then the price should reflect that. Also what does the client want done with the hide ie who is skinning and preparing the hide you or the client.