Jacob Morris for SPLIT REED
You’ve found a field that the geese are just piling into, but the farmer says no pit blinds, “I don’t want you digging up my field.” What do you do? Well, how about what Aaron Garcia of High Plains Wingshooters in WY did- you build an above ground goose blind and call it the Christmas Tree Fort. That kind of dedication is what stands out about Aaron as a guide, he turned a scrooge moment into a Merry Christmas and made feathers fall like snow.
Aaron Garcia grew up and lives in Torrington, WY, where he’s spent most of his life. He started hunting the big game animals that Wyoming is known for; deer, antelope, and elk with his dad. Like many other hunting guides, Aaron’s father was not into bird hunting. Aaron didn’t get into waterfowl hunting until he was around 15 years old. Something I (as the writer) share in common with the subject of the article, the love for hunting came from my dad and the relationship built within it. Like Aaron said, “It was probably like any young kid with their dad; there isn’t much off the table that you can’t talk about and I think that’s where a lot of stuff comes out. It’s just that bond between a son and a dad, that is the coolest part.”
Aaron also loved competitive sports- baseball, football, basketball, and wrestling. Being involved in competitive sports really helped him in the guide life. Chasing those relentless birds day in and day out. You have to be competitive to be successful at this grind we call waterfowl hunting. He mentions “I think competitive sports can help us all in some aspects of our lives. Whether its fitness, for instance, a guy who has to get in shape for wrestling and baseball through school usually keeps that up his whole life. Even without competitiveness, just try to be the best out there in any pursuit you do will be all the more rewarding.” Playing sports was, as it is to many others, hugely important in shaping Aaron into the man he is today. It helped instill that mindset ‘I am going to be the best’ which is likely why Aaron consistently puts birds on the ground and runs a world-class outfit, High Plains Wingshooters in Southeast Wyoming.
When he was a freshman in high school Aaron and his buddies started gaining permission to hunt a few fields. They started out like many newbies that didn’t have much equipment or experience and resorted to the timeless tradition of jump shooting or pass-shooting geese. We all know that method is generally the hardest way to consistently kill geese, usually it resorts in sore feet and crushed spirits with miles of walking and the small reward of dropping maybe one or two if you’re lucky. Overall it often equates to a low ROE (return on effort). Luckily for Aaron and his friends, one of their buddies knew an older gentleman that had more experience with goose hunting and had a goose pit on private land. “One of my buddies knew an older gentleman that took us under his wing and was happy to take us to his 4-man goose pit. He taught us everything he knew which was a little about calling, reading birds, goose setups, and tactics. Once I saw my first bunch of geese decoy feet down, I was hooked!” We have all been there, when you finally get to experience that first bird to decoy, feet down, right in your face. There is just something majestic about it that keeps you wanting more. Which is exactly what happened to Aaron, it started him down his path to the guide life.
How do you go from goose pit to bull riding? Aaron says “I decided I wanted to rodeo, I had a couple of friends that rode bulls and I dabbled in that a little bit. I got to ride a few bulls and thought I wanted to be a pro bull rider but that didn’t pan out for me.”
Aaron only had two boxes to check in a career that he could spend his life doing, it had to be competitive and he had to love it! He had a few options that could check those boxes and they were bull riding, baseball, or guiding waterfowl for a living. Attempt after attempt, he eventually found out that he wasn’t going to be either a professional bull rider or a professional baseball player. During this time he continued hunting and when he got the chance to guide, he knew that was his calling!
“There was an outfit here in town that finally gave me my first crack at it, after bugging him for a while he finally gave me some weekend jobs guiding some clients. Once I got out there and got the nerves knocked out, I just knew that’s what I had to do for the rest of my life. I was going to do whatever it took to be a guide or run my own outfit.”
One of Aaron’s keys to success was to stay relevant in this industry. That included surrounding himself with not only people in the outfitting business but good people, period. You hear it and see it all the time with successful people you have to find the right mentors and that’s what Aaron did with Jason. He was the guy that gave him his first guiding experience and turned out to be one of his idols. Even introducing Aaron to the short reed goose call instead of the flute or big river call. “I wanted to be in his back pocket all the time without bugging the guy or being weird about it. I just knew if I wanted to do this, I had to surround myself with people that were already doing this. I think it’s huge in life to surround yourself with good positive people.”
Interested in visiting SE Wyoming and hunting with Aaron – check out the HPWS Split Reed Page!
Aaron got his degree in Welding, he and his wife moved to Rock Springs, WY, where she was a teacher and he welded full time. Between being a welder, he would save up his vacation days to continue and guide for Jason whenever he was needed, which equated to him guiding full time for about a week a year. After doing that and living in Rock Springs for 3 or 4 years they eventually moved back home to Torrington, WY. Aaron got his big break donating his guiding experience and time at a youth hunt event, that some of the local outfitters put together every year. That’s where he met Bret, the former owner of High Plains Wings Shooters! “I met Bret and explained to him that I am welding right now full time, but I want to be a guide, if you ever have room for me or need a guide, I want to be your guy. I went that season without hearing from him, but the very next season he called me up and that’s when I started guiding full time for him. After about 3 years of guiding for Bret, he gave me the opportunity to purchase High Plains Wingshooters. At that moment you just notice all of your dreams coming true and you just kind of hang on for the ride!” The rest is history for Aaron who has been the owner and operator of High Plains Wing Shooters for 7 years now, one of the premier outfits in Wyoming.
Some valuable goose hunting tips that Aaron left us with is: “Some tips I would give people is tenacity and the willingness to put in the work, hard work always pays off! You also need to stay relevant in the game, put in your scouting, and do whatever it takes to be successful.” Remember that the next time you find it difficult to hide from the birds. Sometimes all it takes is some creativity and a good Christmas tree fort to put you on the X with some fat honkers in your face.
