Hunter Long for SPLIT REED
We were able to get Cam Maxson with Habitat Flats on The Guide Series Podcast to talk waterfowl and about the in and outs of being a waterfowl guide. Cam came on and was automatically comfortable, funny and had an outgoing personality. He had a personality that you would want any waterfowl guide to have sitting next to you in a blind. He had some great stories for us about clients he has run into over the years. What also stood out to me was his waterfowl IQ. Not the IQ in your Ducks Unlimited magazine that asks what bird is what (ans. On page 48). No, when he was talking about waterfowl you could tell he was someone who studied birds and their natural habits whether that was feeding or mid flight habits. We asked him many questions on the podcast but some of my favorites were…
Photo by Wade Shoemaker
At first you didn’t want to guide because someone said “guides don’t shoot” at what point did that change and why?
“I was always told don’t mix work with pleasure.” Cam said and as he grew older and matured it wasn’t about the killing aspect to him anymore. Every hunter at some point likes to pull the trigger but he realized that he liked the calling and working birds for others more and more as he continued hunting. He liked being in control of what the birds were going to do. He also picked up a camera as well and started capturing the moments of hunts that many forget about.
How did you get the opportunity to guide at Habitat Flats?
“First person I emailed was Tony Vandemore, it was a shot in the dark.” He went on to explain they brought in six guides for the work weekend and they chose three out of the six with Cam being one of the three. The returning guides were present that weekend as well, which meant for Cam that he had the opportunity to show his work ethic, and camaraderie during that time. All guides are going to have different views and opinions but respecting and getting along with each other is crucial when you’re doing it for 60 days straight during a hectic season of waterfowling.
How do you manage clients that have expectations that you know you cant reach?
We both went back and forth on the podcast but ultimately us guides are there to give you the chance to harvest your birds. When we are in the blind it is our number one goal to make sure the opportunity becomes present. Shortly following that is the experience of the hunt, making it memorable somehow, someway for you and the group. Cam said “ I’ll take little advice if a client gives it because we are always learning, I don’t think, nor will I ever think I know everything it takes to harvest ducks and geese.” As a guide its our job to understand the birds your hunting so when you do take your group to the blind you can be as prepared and confident for how the morning might turn out. I think clients need to realize that your guide has your group’s best interest. Clients need to trust the guide that he will hunt a spot that could have the potential to provide a good shoot. I think when you do get a client who is “high maintenance” if you will, you need to keep everything simple and professional. Most importantly show confidence in every decision you make for the group that morning.
Photo by Carter Riecks
What are some tips you have for anyone wanting to be a guide?
“You only have so many years in your twenties. When you decide do it, leave your hometown” Cam answered. We talked about what his process was when applying to places to work. He had your typical resume, but also had sound bites of his own duck and goose calls. A sound bite is something that can easily be recorded into a computer, it is a creative idea that gives your outfitter a little piece of information that might make you stand out more than other candidates.
What attributes do you think makes a good guide?
There are many attributes a guide should have; we talked about a lot of them on the Guide Series Podcast. Cam started with saying, “Honestly, if you’re not a people person, do not guide.” He also goes on to talk about using the calls with a purpose like you would a tool. “Learning how to work birds, paying attention to birds, that’s where good callers become great callers.” With that being said I don’t think you need to be a professional caller to get hired, but proficient yes. I know I’m not a world champion caller, but as a guide I have enough confidence that I can get a stubborn group of birds to give me a look, which may result into the triggers being pulled. Reading birds mid flight is something that comes with field experience, but it’s a skill that sets callers apart.
Cam told a story about a group that he had one morning; it was a Dad and his 10-year-old son. The little boy had never shot a duck until that morning he went out with Cam. As a guide when the stakes are high you do everything you can do to make something special happen. The little boy ended up being dialed in that morning and knocked a few down which birds which blew Cam away. The following morning, Cam woke up for the upcoming hunt and the little boy was fully dressed, slipping his last leg into his waders, duck calls around his neck ready to go before anyone else was. The kid was pumped up and couldn’t wait to get back in the blind. Cam said, “That’s why I like doing this, that’s what’s fun.”
