Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Tipping

Yup Drum....

I've been in camps where a hunter or two believe that a tip means they can sit on their a~sses and whine about being cold but never lift a finger to cut firewood, or give a hand with the dinner time dishes, I would rather hunt with men that know how to do camp work then those who know the stock market.
Some guys never figure out why the outfitters that they hunted with last year are booked up when they call and want to come back.

I've been on a few guided hunts, did my homework beforehand, and had awesome guides/outfitters at very reasonable rates. In every case the guide and the outfitter have been one and the same. If I tipped a $1000 I'm not sure it would have been enough to adequately cover the preparation time that went into the hunt alone. With that said, these guys did not charge a premium. They were all a modestly priced hunt. Look around. If the going rate is $5000 and your guide charged $2500, whether an old timer who has not caught on to the rising rates or an outfit getting off the ground, and they did a great job, then by all means be prepared for a tip. If your guide demanded a premium and charged $7000 for the same hunt, but you bit it off because of the reputation, then I would have a much tighter grip on my wallet.

I've never felt as if I've tipped enough.

The thing is, lots of times the cost of the hunt is going to the outfitter (not the guide), be it $7,000, $2,500, or whatever. Sometimes the guide and the outfitter are one and the same, but often they're not. When the guide is working for the outfitter, he's depending on tips because the fee for the hunt is not his to keep, set, or negotiate.

Smoke, I hear ya regarding the outfitter/guide and had edited my post to qualify such while you were typing.

If I were booking a hunt with an outfitter who would not be the guide, I would simply ask of tipping expectations beforehand and factor it into the cost of the hunt.

All these things should be discussed up front. I'm sure it is a continuous saga in the industry. Its simple really. COMMUNICATION!

Precisely!

Most people that go on their first hunt have absolutely no idea what to expect, hunters, hunting with strangers in a unknown place, communication can spell the difference in a lifetime friendships, and a disastrous hunt that ends with disappointment on every ones part.

No one seems to have mentioned due diligence on the part of the hunter. Asking for references of former clients of the outfitter/guide. A couple of questions to the former clients might go a long way to letting the prospective hunter know what is "expected" of them regarding tips or if they might even be "deserved". Then again, if the answer is they don't deserve a tip, perhaps better to find another situation for your expensive hunt, no?

Geno

Then you obviously missed a couple things along the way....but

I have been in the guiding and outfitting business for nearly 40 years and my personal opinion is that as an outfitter I don't accept tips for any hunts unless I was also the guide. When offered I tell them to give it to the camp help who were integral in making their hunt special.
From the guide and camp help's perspective there is a huge difference between sharing a camp with a "client", who wants or needs to be waited on all the time - and a "hunter", who is happy and willing to pitch in and do everything necessary to make the hunt successful and is also interested in learning about the area and the game.

For many clients 15% might seem marginal and for real hunters any tip is appreciated.

I have never been on a guided big game hunt but have been to a couple fishing lodges and plantation type deer hunts . I don't mind a 10% Or so tip to the " guide" but for some of the folks in the business and I see it here in some of the replys is I don't really want to spend my trip listening to how tuff your business is. I don't set your rates I just pay them. So I don't really want to hear about " how thin margins are in your business" or about how you broke a $150 prop last week or broke a good scope last week. I didn't break your prop and as a financial guy that has done a lot of budgeting and overhead analysis i figure you should have calculated those sort of things into your overhead. However it is All to common to hear about all the woes of being in the outfitter guide business when using their services.

I happen to camp at a trail head that an outfitter leaves all his trucks/trailers at and all his clients vehicles.I am usually there when the hunters are packed out.

There is always lot of glad handing, handshaking, praises,etc. and then money is passed around.

All the clients get in their vehicles and take off. If they would hear what the guides, packers, and outfitter say about them, after they leave, that money would still be in their pocket that's for sure. Pretty too faced

Read all of my responses before you tell me I'm bitching about that stuff. I already stated that I don't accept tips but will go to bat for younger guides in the business. I never mention this to a client on a hunt but on a message board asking a specific question regarding the tradition of tipping I will absolutely toss in my .02

If the guides put in the work they deserve the tip, period. Personally, I wouldn't want to put up with a lot of the stuff they deal with. If they want to blow off steam after the hunt amongst themselves it's really nobody else's business. I've been on two guided hunts, one for a son and one for me. I'm sure we gave the guides a few things to laugh at or bitch about. Doesn't bother me, they earned it.

Every year we have this thread pop-up.
Not sure if I have ever given my 2 cents or not.

I mostly hunt DIY. I have a great camp, every thing you would need. Except for livestock.

I have been on both sides of the tipping exchange. I did some guide work when I lived in Montana. Some clients were great. Some, not so much. I treated everyone of them to the best of my ability. When you are a guide you are also an entertainer among other things. You have to be ready to answer any question that my come up and, that's everyday. (and that's okay.)

As far as tips go. I have been tipped very well and not so much if you were just looking at $$$ amount. What I tried to do each and every time is to make a new friend. A friendship that will last a long time. Those were the blessings for me.

When I go on a guided trip. I tip the help that worked for me. (like) Cook, Packer, Guide, other camp helpers.
Just say I spent approx $7K for a hunt. This is how it might break down,
Guide, $600.00 Plus a gift. I like giving a gift with money. Soon the money will be gone. Yet, he would still have that gift I gave them.
Cook, around $250-300 I use $50.00 a day as a guide for me.
Packer, $200.00 +/-
Camp helper $100.00 +/-
I think I always go over 10%. I always give with a smile and good heart. Heck, I was just hunting in a nice camp with some great people. I left feeling very happy.
If you didn't have a good camp, maybe you didn't look into your outfitter as well as you should have.

Always a blessing meeting new people, making new friends. Enjoy life it's here and gone in a short flash.

You all take care.

If I messed up someplace with this, I was on some of my back meds.

Go buy someone a cup of coffee tomorrow, it will make you feel good.

So, I went against my better judgement by even responding to this thread. I was hoping I could give some perspective to the OP's question and I'm probably not the guy to do that because I am in the business. Apologies to Ted Thorn if I offended him, I know he's a good dude and I have some friends that I put a lot of value in that hunt with him every year and hold him in highest regard.

What it boils down to is that 10% is the number that seems to be a "standard" and I'm not the one that came up with that. Tipping is an individual decision in all areas from restaurants to valets to hunting guides and more. If you want to do it then get after it, if you don't then thats your choice as well. Hunts are expensive, I get that. Do what you want and as it is in most aspects of life it all seems to average out in the end

To the OP, best of luck on your hunt

I have been fortunate enough take guided hunts in several countries, including the US.

I have always used 10% as my midpoint. I never recall not offering anything, but I certainly have given more, if I thought it was warranted.

Tips were REALLY appreciated in Africa. New Zealand and Spain, not so much.(In my experience.)

In both 2013 and 2014 on guided, fair chase, wilderness hunts in Wyoming, both my hunting partner and I shot 6x6 bull elk with the same guide each year. I know he worked his ass off and we decided to tip him over and above the 10% "camp" tip which includes cooks, packers, wranglers, camp jacks, etc.

I, personally, am not big on tipping the owner/outfitter, as he/she is the one setting the prices. I think the best way to show your appreciation to them is to rebook, if possible

donsm70.

I must say if someone approached me and said "if you don't tip my people 10% you need to explain it to me" I would probably be forced to inform him that he just explained it to himself, in my opinion the only good way to bring up tipping is let the client ask the outfitter "so what is an average or expected tip, I might not be able to meet the average since this is once in a lifetime but I will tip what I can"

I don't mind seeing the "tips" in the section of what isn't included in a hunt, I enjoy the insight of the "tipping" threads since it really does vary depending upon culture, income, expense of the hunt, ect...

BUT in my eyes when a restaurant "includes" a 15%, 18, 20% tip for any party over XX people that annoys me a bit and an outfitter telling me "you are expected to tip XX percent" would annoy me too.

I agree completely. and for the "included" gratuity , it is still a gratuity and does not have to be paid if you are not happy with the service.