Gratuity/Tips for guided hunting

[Rosebud]

I've given the same amount of a tip whether I get an animal the first day, last day or not at all. I usually tip the guide and cook. Haven't been on a hunt where there was a separate wrangler. I don't know that there's a correct answer for all scenarios. I do know guides don't make a lot typically. I helped an outfitter friend guide archery elk hunters in the late '90's. I did the math and after taxes and costs for fuel to get to the trailhead, most days working from 4:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., I was making about $3 per hour!

That's why I tipped, most of the guides were local guys who were good hunters and had knowledge of the land. They werent the outfitter. I knew nothing about the land, and the guide did much more than point to a deer,elk,antelope and say shoot it. They had the horses ready, kept the stoves hot, knew the animals being hunted very well. Knew when,where,and how. Like I said before, if they're busting it, I'm tipping. One more thing, if you want a good guide, don't stand around with a beer in your hand and watch as they do everything.

 

[74honker]

I guided waterfowl and occasionally spring turkey for about 20 years. I'm sure I'm not the normal but I NEVER expected a tip, that's not why I was there. Most outfitters I worked for payed me a daily rate. Troutslayer hit the nail on the head as in the amount of time, work, effort, amount of complete bs you put up with from clients. Loved doing it but it was alot also. I did it cause I got to hunt everyday and kept my dog busy. Met some great people and some longtime friends in the proccess. While tips were greatly appreciated I never felt owed them. For the most part the blue collar guys and the elder always knew how hard you worked and appreciated your efforts and tipped better. The spoiled rich always treated you like a servant. The elders were and still are my favorite, not for the tips, but for the stories, their life education, and I truly enjoyed getting them out just as I do for elder family. When hunting was slow, the cooks and housekeeping saved many a hunt because of their efforts also. Having said all that, I generally over tip these same folks if a jobs well done.

 

[Troutslayer2]

Seems very odd that some people expect to be tipped by the customer for doing their job.
If they are under paid, they should be asking the boss for a raise. If they don't get the raise they need, quit.
Open their own business, get a different job, something.
People are already paying an outrageous amount of money for a guided trip, surely the pay already is good, or can be made to be good.
If someone was to try and tip me, I would give it back.
It has become outrageous how many people think they deserve a tip for doing their job. Chamber maids, baristas, servers, bar tenders, car wash attendants, store clerks, delivery drivers, and so many more. No, it has gone too far, enough with the tipping.
If a Doctor literally saves your life, then maybe, otherwise no.

How about if the outfitter clearly states the expectation of gratuity and you don't want to tip, you don't book a hunt with them? No one is making you go on a ten thousand dollar guided hunt. This is why I hated guiding hunting, bunch of out of shape cheapskate boomers. You get what you pay for.

 

[cal74]

Was in Africa this past spring, my PH and my friends PH started out on day 1 mentioning tips and their expectations.

Tapered off after a few days, but **** near told them the next time I heard a word about a tip it would start going down.

Not opposed to tipping, but its really getting out of hand and should not be expected, but earned.

Got a coffee this morning and the first box to pop up was a recommended 22% tip, next 25%, and 30%.

 

[Plinker147]

Most guys who guide in western US states make more or equal to what the outfitter pays them in tips. The outfitters pay by the day to the guide or by the hunt. Tips are the bigger motivating factor for doing guide work. With that said the price of the hunt usually correlates with the amount of tip money. I think that has a lot to do with the clients spending money. A guy who pays 15K for an elk hunt will tip more than a guy who pays 5K mainly because the client who pays high end has more expendable money. $200 tip per day is about the average for most big game hunts. It also varies on how the client likes the guide, if they harvested what was expected or advertised to them.

 

[flyguy1]

If a Doctor literally saves your life, then maybe, otherwise no.

That's actually illegal. You might buy them a bottle of wine at Christmas.

 

[crazymonkey]

Was in Africa this past spring, my PH and my friends PH started out on day 1 mentioning tips and their expectations.

Tapered off after a few days, but **** near told them the next time I heard a word about a tip it would start going down.

Not opposed to tipping, but its really getting out of hand and should not be expected, but earned.

Got a coffee this morning and the first box to pop up was a recommended 22% tip, next 25%, and 30%.

I'm not allowed to order coffee for the wife anymore at Starbucks. It's small ,medium, and large in my book . She gets mad I won't use the rainbow words to order and I correct the person taking the order it's small, medium, and large.

 

[rbuoncri]

Most guys who guide in western US states make more or equal to what the outfitter pays them in tips. The outfitters pay by the day to the guide or by the hunt. Tips are the bigger motivating factor for doing guide work. With that said the price of the hunt usually correlates with the amount of tip money. I think that has a lot to do with the clients spending money. A guy who pays 15K for an elk hunt will tip more than a guy who pays 5K mainly because the client who pays high end has more expendable money. $200 tip per day is about the average for most big game hunts. It also varies on how the client likes the guide, if they harvested what was expected or advertised to them.

That's what I tipped. $200 for a 3-day hunt. Cost for the hunt (outfitter charges) was $3,500. Each of us (4 hunters) tipped a different guide even though we often hunted together. In the past each gave the cook $50 individually but was told by the owner we were under-tipping him. (even though he ended up with $200 total).

 

[jamie eaton]

Before covid , like the day before ! I was on a guided elk hunt in Colorado . Paid $6000 to outfitter . Shot an elk with the help of a diligent guide in a snow storm on the last morning of the hunt ( with the incoming storm it would have been the last chance out ) . I busted my ... for a year to save the money to go and couldn't believe my relief in the hunt being successful . Outfitter that said they would personally come and meet us never even bothered . There was 5 of us in our group all relatives , all were successful . You can do the math yourself on the total paid for a 5 day hunt . I tipped the guide over 20% and gave the cook ( she was great and went out of her way to make my trip excellent ) $1000 . She cried . That's what made my vacation . As a side note I was in Meeker CO , I believe I was traveling through the same storm that "Muddyboots" brags about how fast he put his chains on his truck .

 

[Bucklowery]

I discussed ahead of time with the outfitter when discussing prices. He informed me he took all tips and divided evenly to all the help. I agreed and tipped per our agreement. I give my guide my kestrel as he was always interested in our elevation and changes and climbs during the day. He still sends me pictures of what elevation he is at. I will have to add their were no surprises and felt the outfitter was honest and followed through. He was well respected by all of his employees and it showed during the week

Thanks

Buck

 

[bdlesh]

This is always my biggest fear when it cones to tipping. I have been fishing and charged $600 for 3 guys for a 8 hour trip. I topped him $150. He said that was a generous tip. I ask him what he expects and he said he never expects anything, but really appreciates any tip. I have now increased that to $200 and he tells that is to much. He works his *** off putting us on fish. I tip regardless if we catch fish or not. He works harder when we are not catching and he still did the work. He buys us lunch when we don't catch fish and we but when we do. We have made a good friendship thru the years.

 

[gusd]

I personally think tipping is way out of hand.
I feel a tip should only be given when exceptional service that went above and beyond what the service was that you agreed upon with the person or business you hired.
How many of you that tip an outfitter or guide also tip that kind of money to any other service you hire? Did you give the roofers an extra $200 a day when they put the roof on? How about the tree service that cut your trees?or the plumber, electrician,excavator , landscaper, drywaller, this list could be quite long.
Did you tip any contractor a percentage?
You do a good job go above and beyond what was agreed on and I'll give a good tip.
But the whole idea that they need the tip because they barely make any money is complete BS!!
The amount they charge is their choice as a business owner if they are not making enough money then that is on them not me .
Expecting a tip so they can " make a buck" makes me think they are a charity case and they would not be someone I would hire.

 

[jamie eaton]

Well being a carpenter for 33 years I can say that I have received more tips from homeowners this year than ever before . Actually before this year I have never been given a tip . The homeowners tell me it's rude when I try to decline . Who am I to argue about a box or two of Busch Light !

 

[171farm]

I don't like flat rate tipping. If guide A goes above and beyond why should they get the same as guide B who doesn't put in as much work? I'd say if a guide gives just ok guiding, doesn't seem to go out of the way Im not tipping as much. If I'm happy with the work and effort they put into it I'm giving a min of 10% of what the outfitter charged for the hunt. If they go above and beyond they get over 10%. I get the fact that some of these guides don't get paid a lot, but that's not really my fault and I have to save up for the hunt so I don't feel I have to tip everyone the same. If I'm being guided by the outfit owner him/herself I feel like you don't have to tip them. They set the prices so they should be happy with what they get. With that said though, I'd probably still tip but haven't been in this situation.

I agree with the post about everyone wanting a tip for doing their job. It's getting out of hand, but there definitely are some people that deserve more than just a thank you as well