What You'll Learn

Complete Curriculum

This is the page that wins serious students. Compare our curriculum line by line — we cover everything the State exam tests and everything you need to run trips on day one.

State Exam Prep

Everything you need to pass the written and oral exams in Augusta

Written Exam

  • • 100-question format and content
  • • Study strategy and time management
  • • Practice exams with answer review
  • • Classification-specific focus areas

Oral/Practical Exam

  • • Scenario-based question techniques
  • • Professional demeanor and presentation
  • • What examiners look for
  • • Practice with real scenario types

Classification Laws

  • • Hunting, Fishing, Recreation, Tidewater
  • • Law book navigation and key sections
  • • Recent regulation changes
  • • Guide-specific requirements

Application Process

  • • Complete application walkthrough
  • • Background check requirements
  • • Fingerprinting process
  • • Where and how to submit

Maine Warden Service

  • • What the Warden Service expects
  • • Exam day at the State facility
  • • History and authority of the Board
  • • Professional standards for guides

Exam Day Prep

  • • What to bring checklist
  • • Travel and lodging tips
  • • Managing exam day nerves
  • • Post-exam next steps

Navigation

Map, compass, and GPS skills — the backbone of guide competency

Maine Gazetteer

  • • DeLorme/Garmin Maine Atlas use
  • • Reading topo maps
  • • Identifying landmarks and terrain
  • • 2019+ edition requirements (exam requires newer edition)

Compass & Orienteering

  • • Pacing and the chain system
  • • Bearing taking and following
  • • Triangulation techniques
  • • Declination adjustments

Latitude & Longitude

  • • Pulling coordinates from a map
  • • Locating coordinates on a map
  • • Practical coordinate exercises
  • • Coordinate system understanding

GPS Navigation

  • • DMS (degrees, minutes, seconds) coordinates
  • • GPS device operation and setup
  • • Finding and marking waypoints
  • • GPS exam requirements and approved apps

Route Planning

  • • Planning routes for client trips
  • • Contingency routes and bailouts
  • • Estimating travel times
  • • Terrain and weather considerations

Approved Phone Apps

  • • Apps that satisfy GPS exam portion
  • • Offline map downloading
  • • Battery management in the field
  • • When to use apps vs. traditional methods

Field & Trip Skills

Practical skills that make you a real working guide, not just a test taker

Lost Person Scenario

  • • What the guide carries
  • • What the guide provides each client
  • • Client briefing protocols
  • • Managing a client lost overnight
  • • Search and rescue coordination

Catastrophic Event

  • • Communications during emergencies
  • • Grid searching techniques
  • • Keeping clients safe under pressure
  • • Weather crisis management
  • • Equipment failure protocols

Camping & Campcraft

  • • Setting up base camps
  • • Tent and shelter setup
  • • Outdoor cooking over fire
  • • Camp hygiene and Leave No Trace
  • • Weather and cloud reading

Canoeing & Water

  • • Parts of a canoe
  • • J-stroke, draw, and pry
  • • Water rescue techniques
  • • Whitewater navigation basics
  • • PFD regulations and requirements

Wildlife & Flora ID

  • • Maine wildlife species identification
  • • Fish species of Maine
  • • Reptiles and amphibians
  • • Wildflowers and plants
  • • Invasive species awareness

Laws & Regulations

  • • Hunting and fishing laws
  • • Boating regulations
  • • ATV and snowmobile rules
  • • Trapping laws and ethics
  • • Landowner relations

Business of Guiding

How to actually run a guiding business once you have your license

Registration & Ethics

  • • Registering your guiding business in Maine
  • • Professional ethics and standards
  • • Building a reputation in the guiding community
  • • Continuing education requirements

Insurance & Liability

  • • Types of insurance for working guides
  • • General liability coverage
  • • Professional liability protection
  • • Client injury and property damage

Client Forms & Waivers

  • • Medical information request forms
  • • Liability waivers and their limits
  • • Client care lists and allergies
  • • Documentation best practices

Float Plans & Will Call

  • • Float plan systems and protocols
  • • "Will Call" check-in procedures
  • • Emergency contact systems
  • • When and how to call for help

Client Communication

  • • Professional cover letters
  • • Email and phone etiquette
  • • Setting expectations before trips
  • • Post-trip follow-up

Rates & Seasonality

  • • Setting competitive rates
  • • Understanding guiding seasonality
  • • Deposits and cancellation policies
  • • Building a year-round business

Ready to Learn This Curriculum?

Every topic on this page is covered in our training courses. Choose your format and start your journey to the patch.

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