Tipping guides (help)

[ljsommer]

I am going on a one-week November guided whitetail hunt with Shattuck Creek outfitters with my new wife. I am still working on assembling all the right gear (my boots suck in the cold) but one thing I didn't think about was how much is appropriate to tip the guides. Do you tip daily? End of week? How does this work?

[HillHound]

I’m sure lots of guys have more experience because I’ve only been on one guided hunt years ago. I was young and without a lot of money. I believe the hunt was 2500 or 3000 and I tipped 300 or about 10%. Probably low by some standards as it does depend on the quality of hunt and where you are financially. If your wearing your old hunting cloths and dads rifle they probably aren’t going to scoff and what you can afford. Now you show up with a 10k gunwerks rifle and a couple thousand dollars worth of Sitka gear they are probably going to expect more.

[buckfvr]

I would think it depends a great deal on how much of their service you are using, as in lodging, being fed, their stands, travel to and from stands etc., and caring for the carcasses to include either butchering or preparing for transport.  They treat you right or they are neglectful, condition of their service, cant tip them like a high dollar operation if they arent.   

[ljsommer]

Ok so do you tip each day of the hunt or just once at the end?

[Platensek-po]

If you like your ride you tip your guide. Tip on the last day. If you truly enjoyed your experience then tip what you can. As a guide I almost never checked how much someone tipped me unless there were coins involved. The best tippers are blue collar workers who work hard cause they appreciate the effort involved. Rich folks just expect it to be done that way and tip poorly if at all. A guy who worked hard for his money who tips %5 is saying a lot to you cause that money means more to him. A rich guy who tips %5 just means he is stingy and that’s probably why he is rich lol. Guides know this and appreciate anything extra you can afford.

[buckfvr]

Reward the total experience in the end.

[follow maggie]

I’ve only done a small number of guided hunts, but I usually do 10% of the hunt cost & give him/her the cash on the last day. If they did a great job, or worked really hard to make something happen even if it didn’t, I go a bit more if I can. Whatever you do, don’t base the tip on if you put a critter in the cooler or not. That’s not under the guide’s control. Also remember most of them are not paid well & need tips to afford life.

[MountainWalk]

I can mirror and second what platensk-go has said. Regular joes who work physical jobs are the best tippers. The guy who spends the whole hunt telling the guide what he’s killed, what he drives, how big, how much , what all he owns, how far he can shoot, those are the worst clients, whether tipping or just hunting with.  Tip before you leave. Do what you can. Reward hard work. No need to tip the outfitter. If it’s good grub, tip the cook. Just be a good joe and your guide SHOULD work his ass off for you. Don’t give him your knife!,

[birddogdad]

did a drop camp in ID a few years ago with 5 friends, all accomplished hunters, upon arrival, guide said he had not spent any time in our area just setting up our camp. Area was void of life  , 6 days all directions, even spike camping and going an extra day in on direction.. was a great camping trip (said with eye rolling).. tip was reflected in his efforts to put us in a reasonable harvest opportunity and i would not recommend him to anyone..

so i will say, if they do what is reasonably expected a tip would be given.. can you guess what this "guide" got from the group of 6? (beyond taking a good amount initially charged already? 

was my one and only being talked into using a guide unless mandatory by law....

[buckfvr]

did a drop camp in ID a few years ago with 5 friends, all accomplished hunters, upon arrival, guide said he had not spent any time in our area just setting up our camp. Area was void of life  , 6 days all directions, even spike camping and going an extra day in on direction.. was a great camping trip (said with eye rolling).. tip was reflected in his efforts to put us in a reasonable harvest opportunity and i would not recommend him to anyone..

so i will say, if they do what is reasonably expected a tip would be given.. can you guess what this "guide" got from the group of 6? (beyond taking a good amount initially charged already? 

was my one and only being talked into using a guide unless mandatory by law....

2 key words.  "Drop camp".   I know guys who have been gooned in 3 different states, all "drop camps".  No 4 states, and not the same groups of guys.

[jrebel]

I tip at the end and my tip is dependent on the effort put in by the guides and the overall experience.  I figure 10 -20% total tips split up on the guides, cooks, etc.  I am a little skewed as the guides I have used have become good friends.  I lean toward larger tips because they do a great job.  I also will make sure the youngsters in camp helping guide / work get some of my gear.  I have left the guides son (he also guides at they young age of 13) my bino harness, knives, and a hidden $100 bill. 

[ljsommer]

Some great advice in here and boy am I glad I asked, because I clearly had not given this enough thought. Thanks to all who have responded.

[10mmg]

I would echo most of what is said. My default for planning is 10% but as high as 20%. I try not to be the client that sits in the truck waiting to be served or the client that thinks he is David Crockett. I try ask where I can help so I am not simply the trigger man. If the guide busts his butt to make the experience a good one regardless of “trophy size” I hit 10% quickly. Also I tend to tip a bit higher % on less expensive trips like a one day duck hunt. Instead of 35-40 I might go up to 100. Not sure if it is right but I am irrationally prone to tip higher if I do nail a boomer. Main point I have learned is don’t be that guy. You’ll hear those stories from the guides.

[2MANY]

The one time I hunted with a guide he paid me to leave.

[full choke]

The one time I hunted with a guide he paid me to leave.

And yet Dale still let's you use his website!