Guide gratuities

[RR 314]

I don't tip based on percentage of cost of the hunt. If I am in Africa and run a tab up killing roan and sable, rather than warthogs and impala, if the effort is effectively the same I tip the same. It goes both ways. If I'm not feeling bloody, but the guide/PH does his job I tip well.

Do you guys who go on $100,000 plus sheep hunts tip a percentage of the tab? I get it that the guide/outfitter has time and expenses in the hunt, but certainly that is considered in his pricing. I know I'm not tipping somebody $15-20K under this scenario.

There is a good discussion on accuratereloading where the moderator has started deleting any posts for hunts that even mention tips or gratuities not being included. Of course they shouldn't be included--it is a tip. His point is a guide/PH shouldn't mention a tip and if they do, on his site, their posts will be deleted.

[S-3 Ranch]

Just to clarify, I've only looked at 5-6 day whitetail hunts. I'm paying for a place to hunt that isn't overhunted, a place to shower and sleep, and 2 maybe 3 meals a day. If that hunt is $3500 I shouldn't be expected to tip a guide $400-500 that told me how to get to a stand, field dressed and cut up my deer. I shouldn't be expected to tip the cook $125-150. My meals were included. Like I said, if they think I should, I think they should include that in the price of the hunt.

$3500 week long hunt IMO = a 15% whole camp gratuity
Owner should know how to split it up
On a Yacht rental place staff gratuity in a envelope give to the owner / captain he will dole out the Proper performance based

[drbonner]

$3500 week long hunt IMO = a 15% whole camp gratuity
Owner should know how to split it up
On a Yacht rental place staff gratuity in a envelope give to the owner / captain he will dole out the Proper performance based

Then the outfitter should just put the extra $525 in the price of the hunt and say gratuities are included.

[Johnny44]

It really depends on how much they slow me down. I usually just use them as pack mules.

[S-3 Ranch]

Then the outfitter should just put the extra $525 in the price of the hunt and say gratuities are included.

Or you should add that to your budget of the hunt and bring it
Then if the staff doesn’t make any effort to make the trip enjoyable you can make your own judgment call

[drbonner]

Or you should add that to your budget of the hunt and bring it
Then if the staff doesn’t make any effort to make the trip enjoyable you can make your own judgment call

If little to no effort is made I won't go back, period.

[wytex]

Gratuities should be based on service above what it included in your hunt.
You tip according to the service the guide our cook gave you above and beyond what he or she is paid to do.

If they don't put in the effort then no you don't tip them.

[S-3 Ranch]

Gratuities should be based on service above what it included in your hunt.
You tip according to the service the guide our cook gave you above and beyond what he or she is paid to do.

If they don't put in the effort then no you don't tip them.

100%
We pay a fair industry standards wage to the captain and deck crew and such
Same with any guides and cooks, camp staff
Anything the staffs do extra is Appreciated

[Hogmauler]

Dang I wish you guys would tip me for getting up when I usually do and making coffee, bacon, and eggs, and a side of cinnamon roles! Shat! If you put it in the price, now that I’m thinking about it, and the service suxx, then you’ve tipped for poor service. Darned if you do darned if you don’t!

[MAP]

A 10% tip for the guide is a good base, but on high end hunts over $10K that tip can get alittle excessive. And most cooks are only out there because they are a friend of the outfitter and helping them out, or they simply enjoy being in camp and want to offer their service so they can hang out. For a week long hunt I'd probably tip $200 for the cook, especially if I was the only one hunting in camp. Some places have professional chefs that went to culinary school and are normally on salary pay for the ranch/outfitter. But those are normally places that offer year around trips for various activities.

When a hunt price says "meals included" I normally take that as they are providing the food so I dont have to pick any up. But I dont assume that includes the cooks time and effort to prepare it for me.

I went on a trophy deer hunt this past season for a week and they wouldnt allow any tipping, except to the maids/cooks. They said they found tipping the guides lead to problems in years past.

[RR 314]

A 10% tip for the guide is a good base, but on high end hunts over $10K that tip can get alittle excessive. And most cooks are only out there because they are a friend of the outfitter and helping them out, or they simply enjoy being in camp and want to offer their service so they can hang out. For a week long hunt I'd probably tip $200 for the cook, especially if I was the only one hunting in camp. Some places have professional chefs that went to culinary school and are normally on salary pay for the ranch/outfitter. But those are normally places that offer year around trips for various activities.

When a hunt price says "meals included" I normally take that as they are providing the food so I dont have to pick any up. But I dont assume that includes the cooks time and effort to prepare it for me.

I went on a trophy deer hunt this past season for a week and they wouldnt allow any tipping, except to the maids/cooks. They said they found tipping the guides lead to problems in years past.

To go with the last sentence, the quickest way to tick off most PHs in Africa is to overtip your trackers. Guys did a great job for us and on day two I tipped each tracker $100. They got hammered and one didn’t show and the other one was worthless the next day. PH was ******! :-)

[Hogmauler]

So do guides expect to be tipped daily? If so that goes back to an earlier post that some folks will extend the hunt, even though they coulda gotten you on an animal day one, just to collect the extra cash. When I sold real estate I knew agents that wouldn’t show homes unless they were offering 3% to the buyers agent or had a BTSA tacked on it. People do it all day long.

[Hooverfb]

So do guides expect to be tipped daily? If so that goes back to an earlier post that some folks will extend the hunt, even though they coulda gotten you on an animal day one, just to collect the extra cash. When I sold real estate I knew agents that wouldn’t show homes unless they were offering 3% to the buyers agent or had a BTSA tacked on it. People do it all day long.

Ain't no way I'm tipping daily unless it's a SA hunt maybe where it's more customary perhaps

[Hobbs]

Never tip a guide or cook on a percentage of the hunt price. That's insane. Tip what you feel their service was worth.

[MAP]

So do guides expect to be tipped daily?

Ain't no way I'm tipping daily unless it's a SA hunt maybe where it's more customary perhaps

Your not suppose to sit around the dinner table each night and pull out cash to hand the guides for each day. You tip as your leaving camp or if the person your tipping is leaving before you do. I prefer to give the tip directly to the person who I want to give it to, rather than leave everything with somebody to pass out. I worked on a ranch in college and the tips never seemed to dribble down to me when this was done.