Group Guide School

We Now Accept

About Our School Held in beautiful Cody, Wyoming, the East entrance to Yellowstone National Park, Bliss Creek Outfitters began teaching a guide school in 1992. We specialize in training successful Wilderness Archery Elk guides, packers and wranglers. The group class spends the first two-weeks at Bliss Creek Ranch learning packing skills, game & fish rules and regulations, horsemanship skills, first-aid and more. The second two weeks, weather permitting, students pack 22-miles into Bliss Creek Meadows of the Shoshone National Forest and learn how to work in a real elk-hunting camp, how to guide your hunter successfully and more. The advantage Bliss Creek Outfitters Wilderness Guide & Packer School gives you is our reputation for training successful guides. We concentrate on technical and advanced training to give our students the advantage. Nearly 90% of our graduates guide at their first job. Tuition & Fees Bliss Creek Outfitters requires a 50% non-refundable deposit along with your application to reserve your place in any of our schools. We limit our class size to 10 students, and we accept students on a first-come-first-serve basis. Our group guide school is $4,400.00 per student. We do not require a home-study course. The cost of the school includes meals and lodging during the 4-week school ONLY. Any personal equipment is the responsibility of the student. All transportation is the responsibility of the student including airline fees, rental cars, etc. Curriculum At Bliss Creek Outfitters, you will learn essential, advanced and current techniques that will give you the advantage when being placed at your job. 90% of our students are hired as guides their first year of work. Below are the topics that you will learn while at Bliss Creek. During your first two weeks at school, you will learn such topics as Game & Fish Regulations, Packing, Shoeing, Horsemanship, First Aid, Taxidermy. Game & Fish Regulations Packing 1. Forest Service Regulations 1. Saddling a Pack Horse or Mule 2. Game & Fish Laws 2. Sawbuck Packing 3. Grizzly Bear Regulations 3. Decker Packing 4. Outfitter & Guide Code of Ethics 4. Packing Panniers & Maintaining Loads 5. Client Relations 5. Hitches (Diamond, Box, Barrel, Basket, etc) 6. Do's & Don't's for Guides 6. Pulling a Pack-String 7. Guide Responsibilities 7. Long-String Packing Horsemanship 8. Top-Packing 1. Horse Terms 9. Game Packing 2. Horse Care & First Aid Shoeing 3. Catching & Saddling a Horse 1. Foundations of Mule & Horse Shoeing 4. Riding 2. Trimming 5. Saddle & Tack Repairs 3. Hobbling 6. Mules 4. Practice Shoeing Mules & Horses During the second two weeks of school, you will focus on working in the wilderness. Weather permitting, you will pack 22-miles into the Shoshone National Forest and there, Tim will show you the secrets to becoming a successful guide. The curriculum of the second two weeks consists of the following: Guiding Skills & Equipment Trophy Care 1. Use of Binoculars 1. Field Dressing Game 2. Use of Spotting Scope 2. Capping 3. Knives & Knife Care 3. Packing Game Species & Antlers 4. Guides's Back-Pack 4. Field Care for Trophies 5. Fire Starting Stalking & Tracking Game 6. Maps & Compasses 1. Identifying Tracks & Big Game Sign Camp Set-Up & Equipment 2. Stalking 1. Tent Care 3. Bugling for Elk 2. Lantern Care & Set-up   3. Cross-Cut Saw Use & Safety Bowhunting 4. Axe Use & Safety Use of Scents 5. Setting up a Tent Camp Gun & Bow Safety   Field Judging & Scoring Big Game   Hunting in Grizzly Country During the third and fourth week, you will also pack and pull a string a minimum of 100 miles under the direction of your instructor, Tim Doud. You will be pulling a pack string farther than any other guide school. Class Schedule We teach our group class twice each year, April and July of each year. Class is held six (6) days per week. Although the daily schedule varies, generally class is held from 8AM to 6PM, with a one-hour lunch. Breakfast is held at 7AM and dinner is held at 6PM. Student Conduct Safety is foremost at Bliss Creek Outfitters. Tim Doud, and assistant instructors reserve the right to dismiss a student from our school for conduct unacceptable. Any student who intentionally, willfully or irresponsibly puts himself, other students, instructors, or livestock in danger may be dismissed. Students are expected to act maturely, responsibly and respectfully during class and towards other students, instructors and livestock at all times. Grading System Students will be graded on a scale of A+ (Exceptional Pass) to F (Fail). Students will take quizzes during the class. Not all quizzes will be announced. Students will also take several hands-on tests during the school. This will show the student the progress he or she is making in the class. Your final exam will be taken the final day of class. Student will be graded on Work Ethic, Packing, Shoeing, Leadership, Technical Knowledge, Bugling, Guiding, Horsemanship, Taxidermy, Quizzes and Final Exam. Job Placement Graduating students will receive job placement assistance if they request it. Those students wishing to go to work right away will be placed with outfitters. We have a great network of quality outfitters looking for qualified guides. 90% of our students guide their first year and that is what we anticipate for you! If you wish to work immediately after school, we encourage you to come prepared to go right to work. School Facilities Bliss Creek Outfitters offers top-notch facilities and equipment for our students. In mild weather, we offer a camp-like setting with waterproof, heated canvas wall-tents for sleeping, heated shower tent, large cook tent for family style meals, a heated classroom and equine facilities for packing and riding. Our horses and mules are dude friendly for those that have never ridden before. Refund Policy Full tuition and deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. We will allow transfer of tuition or deposit should a student have a medical reason for such a need. Should a student have a note from a physician stating they are unable to participate in our guide school, that student may transfer his tuition to the following year. Our school is only for those men and women who are VERY serious about becoming a professional guide in wilderness country. This is the most demanding guide and packer school in the world. We turn out only the best guides, wranglers and packers in the United States. Guiding and outfitting is a very demanding, yet rewarding field. If you think you have what it takes, give us a call. We will teach you what you need to know to become a top-notch guide. Email Us / Request a Brochure When requesting a brochure, please include your mailing address!