Gratuity/Tips for guided hunting

[rbuoncri]

I've reviewed some of the discussions regarding Gratuity/Tips for guided hunting trips on this forum. Most seem over a year old and are varied in conclusions. Just returned from a 4-day hunt in Wyoming for elk and questioned if I was tipping properly. Should it be based on the cost of the hunt? Is there a usual/expected amount per day regardless of price? If you tag-out early, should it be less (or perhaps more!)? What if there are multiple guides for the group (i.e one-on-one versus one guide for 2 or three hunters) - does each hunter tip (perhaps a smaller $) or does the group pool the total? How much to you tip the cook/wrangler (certainly, not as much as the guide)? Can this tip be pooled amount from all? If determined by % of the total cost of the hunt, is that % amount distributed to all the crew or to each of your guides? If that's the case, the cook might do best? Like others, I also detest this very American habit which is spiraling out of control. I'd be happy just to pay the outfitter more and have him pay his crew better.

 

[kfd05]

Tagging in.

 

[26Reload]

I guided winter steelhead trips for 18 years on southern Oregon rivers.....
not that all guides did as I did....but I didn't care how they were making their money.....
If the people(2) river driftboat fishing) with me had a good day on the water..regardless if they caught a few fish or a lot of fish..if they weren't returning multiple times a season I accepted tips..if they returned multiple times each season I never accepted tips...I told them to keep it and book another day......I'd rather be on the water fishing than sitting at the house or working another job for the day......
On a 2 boat trip..two days of fishing on the south umpqua..the four guys landed 52 steelhead..between my boat and the other boat we caught 2 fish less than they did..but each day the other boat ran ahead and got the first biter(s) in the really good holes......phenomenal fishing for four guys that had never caught steelhead before.......the other guide got a $500 tip......they didn't tip me...the guys I had the second day just bitched because I wouldn't 'hole run'......but they always wanted me to be an extra boat on the next trips when they fished.....even had a 5 boat trip with the same guys....every boat limited(2 steelhead over 20" per person)...
2 days of fishing the 5 boat landed 100 steelhead....one guy caught a 20# hatchery buck(about 40" long)....and the same guys bitched and whined....I never fished them again....

Tipping.....definitely getting stupid expensive....any tip received from anyone is extra....if they want to bitch about it not being enough.....don't give any....simple

 

[Troutslayer2]

If you're going to tip your guide give the cash directly to him. Tips have a way of getting smaller or disappearing altogether when they are given to the outfitter to distribute. I'd probably tip at least $150/day of my booked hunt to guide alone and then pool tip for wranglers/cook. That is if they did a good job.

 

[Country Bumpkin]

I did what Troutslayer did on my hunt (about $150/day). We were booked for a 5-day hunt, 2:1, my buddy and I both tipped our guide $800. We both tipped the cook $200. We left 1 day early, so it was actually $200/day for the guide.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Everybody looks for an extra hand out these days. They are paying Chick-Filet kids $15-18 per hour and when you put you order in at the bottom of you order it has a TIP section 18% 20% 25%. This is a Drive through.
Went to an automated Car Wash today and when putting my credit card in the machine it asked for a TIP after I checked the Basic Wash.

I just deleted the write up on several guided trips and the good and bad service.
When booking a hunt get all the details on the services especially WHO is the guide. Talk to the Outfitter on what the Guides and staff are expecting for any special service and costs!

Also if giving TIPS for services -give it to the person(s) - not the Outfitter.

 

[Troutslayer2]

Having mostly been on the other side of this when I was younger, guiding is crap work. I could go on about all of the downsides- being away from home, poor pay, long hours, licensing cost, wear and tear on equipment and vehicles, short season, difficult clients, shady outfitters…. it's no way to make a living and most guides don't actually make anything resembling a living. This isn't like the Starbucks machine asking for 25%. Tipping guides is longstanding tradition and without it, most probably lose money on the deal, or at best break even. I don't know why anyone even bothers to do it. if I were a good guide for a hunt and got stiffed you better bet I'm not taking you next time, and a good outfitter isn't going to put you near the top of the list for a future booking. Most outfitters should have suggested gratuity on their web page and that's a good place to start. The best client is the one who is so generous he tips a life changing amount of money.

 

[Recon$$]

Define life changing money...

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Just a question to the Guides and Outfitters out there.
If someone books a four day hunt for say a Mule Deer and pays $10,000.00. Does not the Outfitter pay the Guide out of the $10k. Room/food/license out of the 10K and I understand that it is a business, but the Guide gets almost nothing from the Outfitter and depends on Tips? Suggesting that the guide should get additional $2K for the hunt? Plus the rest of the staff at the lodge get tips also?
We have gone on hunts where tipped individuals and also gone with other hunters and pooled the tips together for everyone.

 

[cjl2010]

Checkout Kifarucast podcast with Randy Cooling.

 

[Rosebud]

Most of my hunting in other states was DIY, or trespass fees. But I've been on three guided hunts with all the trimmings. I tipped the guide on those hunts ten percent of cost of the hunt. Others were mostly showing us the property and stand locations. But we were housed and fed. Both cases I tipped by how much effort was put forward by the guide/landowner. One was very little, because I was never going back, ever! The other was generous. Dude busted his butt to assure we had a great time. On trespass fee hunts I just thanked them, and said whether I was coming back or not. Had a guy in Colorado that let me hunt free if I brought three others with me. Went there for several years. Keep in mind that in the eighties A $400 to $500 tip was a lot of cash.

 

[Small Lady]

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.

 

[crazymonkey]

Did a 3 day hunt for hogs in California a few years back . It was tough to find a guide as most will only book a 2 on 1 or more hunt and I was just by myself. So I booked mid week at 1200 bucks . My guide Tom was great and I got a pig first day in just a few hours . We took care of the first pig and then went after another. I got another on the last day of the hunt on one of his friend's ranches . When it was time to pay I gave Tom the 1200 for the hunt and an additional 400 for his time . It's gotten stupid ridiculous with all the tipping everywhere. If you opted out the people look ****ed . If your just pushing a bag or a cup out a window you might not deserve a tip .

 

[wyosteve]

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!