Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game Your Recommendation on Gratuities for Guided Pheasant Hunt

Head out next week on an early season pheasant preserve hunt, combined with sharp tails, prairie chickens and Hungarian partridge. Schedule just wouldn’t work for wild pheasant so went this route and looking forward to it.

First time ever on a guided hunt in SD, all my upland hunts have been on the east coast for grouse, woodcock and quail over my GSP who is now in a better place. 3 day hunt and could use some recommendations on typical gratuities for a guided hunt like this over dogs - I could go the percentage rate of total price but wanted to check with y’all to get some input.

Thanks in advance.

Assuming this is a package deal, the guide may be simply an employee, or even a “subcontractor “, rather than an owner. In a case like that I’d be inclined to tip the guide each day, and maybe the cook at the end of the visit. I’d not base my guide’s tip on an expensive lodging package. Size of the hunting party matters too. If each of four hunters tipped a good guide $50 after a day’s hunt, that would seem decent to me. Overall cost would matter in this as well. Full disclosure: My bird hunt is most all DIY, so I may be out of touch.

Also, be a good sport, and ALWAYS safe in your gun handling. Your guide will like that more than money.

Appreciate that WMR. In this case the guide is the owner and just two of us in the party - thanks for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

I would say it also depends on how many dogs and how good they are.

Is there anything at all that they are not expected for any more? I hate tipping!