Awards

AWARDS AWARDS

by Jason Peak

Awards Committee Chairman

WHAT GUIDES WANT

rust your guide. Guides make the proverbial sheep hunting world T go ‘round if you are chasing that FNAWS. Not to knock DIY hunts, but when you chase sheep, odds are that you will be hunting with a guide at some point. When you do, listen to your guide and trust him or her no matter how goofy or bizarre it may sound. There are times when a guide knows the area and the animals better than anyone. Sure, many folks have had bad experiences with guides. But that is the rare exception to the rule. The overwhelming majority of sheep guides are doing what they love and want nothing more than for you to succeed. Not only does it make the hunter happy, but there is a sense of pride and accomplishment for the guide when the hunter carries a heavy pack at the end of the hunt.

In speaking with some of the best and most entertaining sheep hunting guides in the Wild Sheep Family, I learned a lot about what they expect from, and what they will say to, their hunters. Below are some of the pearls of wisdom from those guides who have shared many stories over a few drinks along the way.

1. A positive attitude goes a long

way. This is a consistent theme among almost every guide. When the weather gets bad or the animals aren’t cooperating, stay positive. Keep things light, don’t put pressure on yourself and manage that six inches between your ears as best you can. A guide will help, but it is up to you to keep an open mind and stay in the right mindset while hunting. This may seem obvious, but in the throes of a hunt the challenge to stay mentally strong can be overwhelming.

2. Carry your own stuff. As simple as this may sound, carrying your own gear up the mountain while going from camp to camp or on a stalk affords the guide the chance to focus on animals, conditions and all sorts of other things that can lead to opportunity. The guide may offer to carry some of your gear, but that is a luxury rather than a necessity. Shared items such as tents or spotting scopes may be the exception here, but in general, it lifts the accomplishment levels tremendously if you carry your own gear and it can instill a confidence level in the guide that is palpable. If the hunter is willing to work hard, that guide will do everything possible to make the dream a reality. 3.Manage your expectations. Not every hunt goes the same way and just because there are some incredible rams in the area doesn’t mean they are tied to a rock and waiting for you to arrive. Talk to the guide as much as possible before and at the beginning of the hunt to get an idea of what is out there and the obstacles that may pop up. The more communication, the better. More than likely you will be with the guide for an extended period of time, so take that opportunity at the start of the hunt to exchange information and get on the same page. The guide knows the area and the animals, so tap into that resource to get an idea of what you can expect so you are creating a reality based upon facts rather than unsupported expectations. 4. Don’t quit. This is probably the one guides hate talking about the most, but it is the most important. There can be unforeseen issues that arise and emergencies can occur. But if it is within your control, don’t quit on your guide. Hunt until the last minute you can. Quitting on a guide leaves a knot in every guide’s stomach because they will take it personally. Not in a judgmental way, but rather a way that leaves them asking themselves whether or not they could have done or said anything to keep it from happening. I recently had this same experience guiding a hunter on a hunt, and it’s something that will eat at me for a long time.

5. Realize that guides are people,

too. They have lives outside of hunting and they may be preoccupied with what’s happening at home. Talk to your guide and get to know them. Guides are not servants or commodities. Some of the best people I know are guides because their personalities are based in helping others. Figuring out what makes them tick will lead to a more meaningful overall experience, and the worst that can happen is you make a connection with someone that might turn out to be a life-long friend. The point here is that trusting your guide and going into a hunt with a team mentality is the best way to maximize the potential for success on a sheep hunt. Hunting is hard enough, and ignoring a giant resource such as a well-seasoned guide can be counter-productive. The guys and gals who guide sheep hunters are a rare breed, and are probably one of the most under-appreciated aspects of a sheep hunt. Next time you come across a sheep guide, make sure one of the topics of your discussion is asking what it is they have experienced to make a hunt successful—or not. You may be surprised. WS