Guide gratuities

[Hogmauler]

I’ve looked at a lot of sites regarding assorted hunts etc etc. Most if not all state “gratuities not included”. Furthermore your expected to tip the cook and the guide.
What is the going rate for this? Now I’m fully aware that there are wealthy people on this site and tipping doesn’t affect them at all. This isn’t directed at y’all. This question is for Joe average that has to get a big game hunt past the wage and means committee!

[sotx]

I typically go $100 a day for guide and $25 a day for the cook.


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[Hogmauler]

That doesn’t sound too bad.

[Paycheck]

About 15 percent guide and about $25 also for cook.

[drbonner]

So it says gratuities not included. You're paying for hunt, place to stay and stuff to eat. isn't that outrageous price already enough? Should you tip the person that went to the beer store, or the one that made the bed? I mean come on where does it stop? If gratuities aren't included they shouldn't be upset if you don't tip the cook or guide. That should be completely up to you. If there is a "going rate" on tipping hunting guides, cooks, and such they should just add it in the price and say all inclusive.

[RiverRat1]

Ask what's included in your hunt. Ask them to be specific. Then consider what it was worth for anything/everything they did extra.

Some also depends on what/where you're hunting.

[S-3 Ranch]

15-20% of the hunt guide , lots of work behind the scenes.
Now if it’s just a guy driving you to a blind ( use your own judgment)
On my mulie and pronghorn hunts it took a guide to scout, care for 1-2 hunters, skin and cape the trophy , pack it out
A cook to feed breakfast and lunch, coffee, tea ,soft drink, snack everyone for 2-4 days 4am-7pm
Other hunts can be lots more complicated
Others require substantial less guide and camp support, use your own judgment

[Hogmauler]

I would think most of their “guides” are folks like us (or like I used to be) with a full time job and using the guide gig for a side huddle. I’m with the doc. Put it in the price and tag it all inclusive.

[timoub007]

TL;DR version...
It depends on the hunt you are going on.

One place we have been going to for 20+ years is very DIY, self guided but has set hunting spots to use as well. They started having a ranch hand make a feed run most afternoons throwing a bit of corn and alfalfa at many of the fixed spots, sort of like how GarGuy does his consistent hand corning. When we have the guy hit our spots while we're there we throw him $10-$20 per day. Same place says you can either clean the bunkhouse yourself before leaving or pay a small fee for someone else to clean after you leave. We always pay more than the small fee, not because we make a terrible mess of the place (unless it was a wet week) but because its a task we appreciate someone else doing for us.

I have been places where they did full service like the cooking and cleaning of your animals and I usually give those people a small tip if I like the service provided (similar to my tipping habits at a restaurant, nothing is guaranteed). I prefer to do a lot of this myself so someone has to exceed my standards to get more than a small tip.

Now that I have my own place I sell a few exotics every year to help with the feed bill. It is not my day job so I do not advertise or take a lot of people. I do not expect a thing extra from someone who comes to gun with me. It is my place so if I thought that I needed more I would charge more than I do. If I cook for the group then I just ask everyone chip in to cover their portion of the groceries and include myself in the calculation. If I help wit animal care that is because I enjoy it and do not expect to be paid for it. I have had a few people add a little extra at the end of their trip and I always appreciate it, but it is not something I expect. But again I do not have every Tom, Richard or Harriet out at my place and don't deal with a mass of revolving idiots every weekend of the year.


Tim

[Hogmauler]

Never cleaned an elk as an older man so yes O would definitely feel the need to tip a person for that. And now that I think about it they are there on their day off trying to make someone’s hunt successful. Having said that these folks probably know where the animals are at on the ranch. Don’t know if they would drag a three day hunt out three days if they could get you on a good animal in a day. Some would Im sure if they are getting tipped daily.

[Sackett]

I’ve looked at a lot of sites regarding assorted hunts etc etc. Most if not all state “gratuities not included”. Furthermore your expected to tip the cook and the guide.
What is the going rate for this? Now I’m fully aware that there are wealthy people on this site and tipping doesn’t affect them at all. This isn’t directed at y’all. This question is for Joe average that has to get a big game hunt past the wage and means committee!

First thing you need to understand is "Tipping" isn't based on what Tax Bracket you're in. For the most part, the best tippers aren't the "Wealthy".

Tipping is based on your experience and how well you think that person or persons did that provided you a service. It is also usually someone other than the person or company you wrote a "check" to for the hunt, itself. If you expect gratuity to be included in a hunt, you need to express that to the outfitter or company beforehand.

[wytex]

It's pretty accepted to tip guided and cooks, if you don't then you're that guy and probably won't get invited back to that camp.
That being said, you don't tip a guide that does nothing and really has no interest in getting your animal.
The cook is up way before anyone else, getting breakfast and lunch together for you, making sure you have plenty to eat and having a hot meal when you get back at night.
If they're a good cook then tip them.

Some of you non tippers need to go guide for a season or cook for a camp.
The outfitter sets the price for a hunt, guides have nothing to do with that.
If you don't intend to tip then you should tell the outfitter that up front, see what they have to say about that when you book your hunt.

I've cooked and guided, not easy and it's hard work. My cooking didn't differ based on a tip or not but you sure know if they enjoyed the food by the tip amount.

[steve corn]

I have never been able to go on a guided hunt because of the prices. If I were to come up with the money to book a hunt I would prefer to know up front what the total cost is going to be. If more money is needed to properly compensate the guide or cook let me know ahead of time what that should be, then I could make an informed decision on booking a hunt or not. or better yet pay them the expected amount and advertise the full amount. JMO

[drbonner]

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.

[S-3 Ranch]

30 years in the hunting and fishing business and I still remember the worst tip I got
It was Earl Campbell 5 days of both filming for a tv show and busting butt for him guiding, and he “ tipped “ everyone with a cooler of bacon and sausage products and a autographed photo