Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Tipping for an Idaho elk

3 friends and I are leaving for Idaho (Unit 20A) next week for a 5 day Elk hunt. 2X1 (x2) with a cook. Our cost is $3500 per person. What is the going rate for tips out there for the guide and the cook? My experience is in Africa where the standard of living is a bit different, so I'd like some in put on what we should be doing for these guys here in the states.

Rory

As a person who often "fills in" as a guide for several outfitters in Colorado/New Mexico (it ain't my day job), anything with 4 figures is just fine... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />................OK, just kidding.

For a lot of the clients I guide, they are working folks just like the rest of us. Do something commensurate with your income--and how well the guide worked with you. In recent years my "tip" has varied from $20 to a brand new Vari-X 3-9.

Casey

I just got back from a hunt in Colorado and from what I could gather the avg tip is about 10% to the guide and 2 1/2% to the cook. We had a great hunt and I gave the guide $350 and the cook $75.

Good Luck!

Darn, I thought this thread was about elk tipping...

Tip what they are worth. I don't think you can put a % on something like this. I have heard people say 10% 20% and so on. I am a firm believer that you make what you are worth.
If the guide does a great job, tip him what you think, if he does a bad job, tip him so he knows how he did. As far as the cook goes, the same applies. Also it doesn't matter if you kill or not. If you learned and had a great time. Seen a lot of game had chances. Ate good food and felt at home. Then they did their job. If you kill an elk and you take the cook home, thats just icing on the cake.
As a guide and outfitter I know the importance of a good camp and service. Therefore I do my best. If I get a tip fine if I don't, then thats fine too. I work hard no matter what. And I never ever expect a tip. If I worked hard and know I did my best AND my hunters leave with big smiles. Thats the best tip I can ever get. Feeling good and making someone's dream hunt a reality.

In short tip what you can afford, but tip only what you think they are worth. Don't go by percentage, because that is not fair to you or the guide and cook.

Great advice, and from someone in the business!

I've tipped from ZERO to giving an expensive custom rifle with which I shot the beast. Most generally it was always in the $200 up to 10%-of-the-price-of-the-hunt range, whether I killed didn't matter. For the cook it was always from zero to about $50 and if a wrangler was involved, about $20 to them. I hang out with several Wyoming outfitters and guides and what Enrique says, has been their experience and "expectations".

I would wait and see how things go and your treated before deciding.The wolves have done a number on Elk in central Idaho and some outfitters are hesitant to mention this for obvious reasons.I know a fella that had two wolves follow them and there horses wearing bells down the pack trail in unit 20A for a short distance only to disapear.A heavy fire year combined with the wolves.

Good service is worth a good tip..My opinion.

Jayco

I can give you a tip for an Idaho elk hunt....BE IN SHAPE....

Sunday at 7500 feet with Fire Closure signs before you start up this road.I have never seen the Fire Closure signs going into a snowy area like this before.Weird..Even though it doesn't show it because the sun hits this area,there is about 8" of snow and snow is in the forcast..Dress for it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


Good luck on your hunt.

Jayco

Rory
I tip on effort.

For a $3500 hunt,
$0.00 for no effort ie food sucked,camp sucked and the guide took you for a ride (horseback,truck,etc)everyday.

$200-300 for effort.Working to get me on game,but not driven like it was the last day of HIS hunt.OK camp,food ok.


$300.00-$500.00 for great effort.Tried like heck to get me on my bull,EVERYDAY. Camp was in good shape.Started early stayed out late.Had a plan to get on game,and knew the area well.Every day we hunt like it's the last day of his hunt.


On a few trips I have tipped more.But the guides were worth it.

Cooks,usually 50.00 for good service.But most of the cooks at camps I have been I left $100.The service from them was very good.And good fuel allows you to hunt harder.

Just my guideline YMMV

A lot of good ideas here for sure.

Just one thought and this may be right and or wrong.

If a guide busts his buns and gives a client a good trip he is gonna be running hard from early to late and with more than a fair amount of pressure on him/her.

Now Mr Cook does a good job as well but realistically works for about 2 hours in the morn and then about 3 hours for the night time. Pressure is not the same as for the guide.

If you pay said guide say $300 for the week and if there are say 6 guys in camp and they all tip Mr Cook say 50-100 for their services per hunter is this a fair an equitable deal?

Point being I've worked camps that the cook isn't put under the same amount of pressure and or the same hours and yet in the long run they were making more in tips than the hunter.

Thoughts?

Mark D

Plus the cook is paid a lot more per diem than the guides!!

Again it depends on the cook and how much he busts his buns, like fresh bread, pies or cakes.

Mark
I don't take into consideration what/who others in camp may or may not tip.Nor do I consider what is "fair".
A tip is a tip (A thank you).Employer/employee compensation
is the outfitters responsibility.

Again,it's just my guideline.To my way of thinking.Everyone
will have to determine what tip is right for them to give.

This is always an awkward moment/topic...Never been on a guided big game trip, but have been on a few guided fishing trips: trip (1) guided winter steelheading trip on the Umpqua, couple of fish, guide SCREAMED at my father on every fish and what he was doing wrong...NO TIP. Trip (2) (and different guide) youngest son and I went for a winter steelheading trip, low , clear water, very tough conditions son#2 caught a very nice 14-15# hen (and he did everything wrong), guide just smiled and landed the fish and proceeded to show #2 how to revive and release beautiful fish. I had a full tank of gas, lunch meat, bread, and pop in the cooler for the three hour drive home, and not much in my wallet... guide got it all ($40 I think). Nine years later #2 still talks about that trip.
Several more trips come to mind but, the bottom line for me: these trips aren't gimmes, I'll always have something in my wallet for a guide who gives his best...but it may not be what someone considers a "standard"...its what I have.
Just my $.02

edited for somewhat improved grammar