Program Overview

“Finding qualified, experienced employees is one of the biggest
challenges facing many outfitters.”

Professionally trained and experienced people are definitely in demand in the outfitting industry. In fact, finding qualified experienced employees is one of the biggest challenges facing many outfitters. Fortunately, we get dozens of telephone calls every month from people who want a job working for us, or for other outfitters. The problem is that when asked what experience the person has, the answer is too often something like…”a little”… ”I’ve been around horses some”… ”I’ve hunted a lot and done some fishing”…“I hunt whitetail deer”… and “I love the outdoors.” While this may be a start, it takes more than a “little” experience to be a valuable employee to a professional outfitter. That’s why we created Winterhawk Outfitters, Guides and Packers School.

We offer our own vocational education program to provide well-rounded, hands-on, practical experience and educational training to people who are seriously interested in pursuing a career in the outdoor recreation industry, with an emphasis on wilderness horseback outfitting, guiding, and packing. We’ve always believed providing outdoor education and experiences to people is a key to preserving our hunting rights, which is another reason we operate the school.

Winterhawk’s Outfitter’s Guides and Packers School is approved by the Colorado Department of Higher Education as a licensed vocational school, offering training in the fields of guiding and packing and knowledge of the entire outfitting industry.

The school offers a 45 day course of study and training July to September. The program is available to students who are seriously committed to a career in the wilderness, horseback outfitting business.

Some of the courses of study and training offered include: Horsemanship and Mulemanship, horse health care, horseshoeing, mule packing, setting up a wilderness camp, wilderness survival, fly fishing, guiding elk, deer, bear and mountain lion hunters, archery, rifle and muzzleloader hunting, elk bugling, wildlife photography, Forest Service regulations, first aid/CPR, trophy care and caping, plus many other practical skills.

We feel that one of the greatest things that sets our school apart is that we have professionals in each field teach the courses. For example, a professional horseshoer teaches shoeing, a veterinarian teaches horse health care and first aid, a fly fishing guide instructs the fly fishing course, etc. The other guide and outfitter schools that we’re familiar with have just one or possibly two instructors who teach all phases. We have a professional in each field.

We offer a 45 day curriculum July to September. Contact Winterhawk Outfitters and talk to one of our representatives for specific class dates and costs, but call early as we do sport shows throughout the country and classes fill fast.