The reading for tomorrow's class emphasized the importance of guides in Adirondack history and early tourism, so I decided to do a little research and find out what role guides play in the present day park. As the beginning of Schneider suggests, most guides today are much more specialized in a specific sport than they were in the past. The NYSOGA (New York State Outdoor Guide Association) is definitely not the list of great hunters with class and strength that Murray gave us. Instead, NYSOGA features multiple specialized guides or groups of guides that all possess knowledge and experience in a specific outdoor sport. The "Guides by Activities" tab on the NYSOGA website lists 29 outdoor activities that a tourist can find a guide for (everything from back packing, to surf fishing, to youth groups). However, what struck me as the main difference between today's guides and those of the past is that there is a legal dictate on being a guide. In New York State, a hunting guide needs a hunting license and a guide license, a fishing guide needs a fishing license and a guide license. Additionally, every guide boat needs a licensed boat driver and a marine permit. Maybe it's just me, but all the technicalities and regulations leave me with a much less romantic conception of today's guide then those from the past.
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