Tipping your quide

[KDB]

What is the appropriate tip for a guided big game elk hunt in Wyoming?  Fee for the hunt will be around $5000.

[LabChamp]

I’d say 20% as a starting point but that’s based off of a lot of different factors

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

I’d say 20% as a starting point but that’s based off of a lot of different factors

Probably that.   Good starting point.  If they suck and don't perform as expected then nothing.  If they are awesome and perform beyond expectations then more.

[greenhead_killer]

I’ve always been told it’s around 10% to start but can go anywhere based on experience you had and potentially shooting a trophy.

[MountainWalk]

When I was guiding, a couple hundred was pretty common.  And if it wasn't quite that much, no big deal.. After a week with these guys, you got a good sense of what they could afford.  Seems like Joe Blue collar always tipped better than the guys who were more affluent. Never could nail down why.  Don't forget your wrangler  and cook. They work hard too.

 Unless the guide was a total bum, no kill shouldn't mean no tip.

     Please, don't give your guide your knife for a tip. It's insulting!

[huntnfmly]

I’ve always been told it’s around 10% to start but can go anywhere based on experience you had and potentially shooting a trophy.

^This
Been on several and this is what I always went in thinking for a starting point
Size of animal taken souls not make a difference

[huntnfmly]

When I was guiding, a couple hundred was pretty common.  And if it wasn't quite that much, no big deal.. After a week with these guys, you got a good sense of what they could afford.  Seems like Joe Blue collar always tipped better than the guys who were more affluent. Never could nail down why.  Don't forget your wrangler  and cook. They work hard too.

 Unless the guide was a total bum, no kill shouldn't mean no tip.

     Please, don't give your guide your knife for a tip. It's insulting!

Sorry but the attitude of a knife as a tip is insulting should not be if that’s all they have that’s all they have

[MountainWalk]

If you're  going on guided elk hunts and all you have to give is a knife, yeah, that's insulting.  And the idea that that's all he has is *censored*. And if he's going on guided hunts, with only knives to give out, then I'm willing to bet he doesn't have all his ducks in a row at home, finance wise, and shouldn't be taking five thousand dollar hunts

[huntnfmly]

If you're  going on guided elk hunts and all you have to give is a knife, yeah, that's insulting.  And the idea that that's all he has is *censored*. And if he's going on guided hunts, with only knives to give out, then I'm willing to bet he doesn't have all his ducks in a row at home, finance wise, and shouldn't be taking five thousand dollar hunts

Wow so now a guy who saves up for years for a guided hunt doesn’t have his ducks in a row at home and shouldn’t go?
Wish we were all squared away as much as you are must be awesome

[ShaneTyTrey]

I think a lot of it depends on the value of the hunt as well as how hard the guide works.  My point being 10% on a $5,000 elk hunt isn’t the same as 20% on a sheep hunt. 

I would agree a knife probably isn’t the best tip but multiple times I have tipped a KUIU or Badlands binocular case along with 10% or so cash and have people love it.  Some of these guides aren’t making a ton of money and giving something that can help them in the field but they probably wouldn’t buy themselves.

Lastly, I think 10% is a good starting point and can go up from there.  Regardless of the price of hunt, I have never seen anyone disappointed by $1,500 cash even if that isn’t quite 10%. 

[rasbo]

Depends on the guide,and the hunt . Lazy guide no tip. Had a fishing guide take me below Bonneville for salmon,he bragged about his new bigger boat he just bought. Well he should have bought a bigger anchor, couldn't hold a spot and caught zero fish

[Widgeondeke]

My brother guides for elk, antelope, deer and bear in Wyoming and Colorado.   He works for an outfitter

He has gotten $0-$1,500 tips and it didn't matter if the hunter harvested an elk.

He was given a brand new $1k scope once. He uses that scope on his primary rifle.  Loves it

[jrebel]

Horrible guide....didn't work hard, late to wake up, early to bed, missed days, etc. etc. etc......won't get a dime. 

Good guides....did everything correctly but was average and not really that personable 10%

Excellent guides.....Hard working, first up....last to bed, great personality to be around, fun, etc. etc. etc......15-20%

Notice none of the above had anything to do with a harvest.   If the hunt was a good hunt (i.e.  I want to come back and do it again) then I tip well.  You always tip the cook...well unless you get E.coli or C-diff or flat out go hungry.   

I have done a number of guided hunts and still struggle with the distribution of my tips.  I personally feel the guide (person who is with you day after day) should get the majority of the tip.  The owner / service and cooks I feel are also deserving.  I usually split it up 80% guide 20% service / cooks depending on the overall cost. 

OHHHHHH and if your guide has his children out helping guide, call, etc.  They always get something.  My last moose hunt, the 12 y.o. son of the guide / owner was out calling for us.  He got my Bino harness with a crisp $100 bill tucked away in it.   

[Platensek-po]

If you liked the ride tip your guide

[carpsniperg2]

I have been on all sides of it. Outfitter/guide/client the value of the hunt also comes into play in my mind. It’s so random with a lot of people. I try to think around 10% on most big game stuff is pretty solid for a good trip. Lesser trips like say a hog hunt or management hunt etc. A solid trip will see 20% or better.

I’ve got from 0 dollars to 100% value of the hunt. It’s a crazy swing. You get people that say for example will never leave a tip at a restaurant. Those type don’t do well tipping regardless and think it’s part of what they already paid for. Then you get the guys who work hard for the money tend to be solid tippers in any area. Then you get high rollers. They go both ways! Some of them are the cheapest you will ever have and others blow tips out of the water.

I hunted with a outfit that has some huge wealthy clients. My hunt was bought through sci. The value was 5500.00 I paid 2750. The guide was a solid guy and I gave him 500.00 his reaction was like I ripped him off. It was horrible and that was the only bad part of my hunt! 500 is a lot of money to me and I work several jobs to have money to hunt without taking away from my family’s needs. I talked to the owner about this and he said they are spoiled they hunt a lot of ceo type guys and the kid had got a 10k tip that year already. That’s right 10k

So just some perspectives. Another thing is small gifts are always cool and appreciated but a lot of guides don’t make much in the base and make a lot of the money from tips. So keep that in mind. I have been given knives and been happy to accept it as it’s a kind gesture. Some people don’t know the tip procedure and it’s a real rough guide line and that’s why these threads pop up every year.