Guide gratuities

[drbonner]

Actually I think it's spelled with 1 "n" if that is what you're referring to. For that comment I'll take drbonner's side.

D.R.BoNNer. You are correct. First two are initials. I’m no Doctor

[drbonner]

There’s a reason I quit reading archery talk. Seems some of those guys found their way here

[wytex]

Sika, I agree 100%, didn't mean to assail guides who hunt from stands.
Lots of behind the scenes work for all involved in a guided hunt.

And no need for name calling, we all disagree on some issues.

sent you a pm Sika

[Hogmauler]

Sika I applaud your work ethic and your opinion, as well as the other folks that have chimes in here. I always learn something on threads like this. However what your doing is trying to insure the success of the clientele. That’s your due diligence. That’s what keeps the landowners business coming back. I’m thinking a guide should be compensated on her or his return business or at least on performance reviews reviewed by the COO, outfitter, landowner or whoever is paying the bills. I’m probably one of the many that have champagne taste on a beer budget.

[SaintBlaise]

Maybe you should be discussing this tipping situation with the outfitter. They might not have a problem telling you how much the guide gets per day.

I think you should be ready to tip between $450 and $1000 for the guide, pending the level of service.

[buck_wild]

From a part-time guides experience- I make $225 per day (avg) and when on a hunt that means up at 5am before the client to ensure the trucks are gassed up, working, corn in road feeders, snacks packed, client's chair cushion is fluffed etc. While up at that time, I'm also checking on breakfast to ensure it's all ready and up to snuff before client shows up to eat. I'm with said client for the next 18 hrs, yes EIGHTEEN HOURS. We hunt all day, varies depending on time of year and weather. After the sun sets, client goes back to lodge to relax while guides are back to fixing flat tires, getting stuff ready for the next day, skinning animals etc. We come in for dinner and probably go back to the barn for more work but if not, I now turn into a cruise director and ENTERTAIN clients for the next 3-4 hrs. This means mostly listen to their BS stories LOL but I also use this time to tell interesting hunting stories and educate them if they chose to listen. I go to bed when client goes to bed no matter how long they stay awake or how drunk they get. That's the responsibility and LIABILITY of the guide. So yes $225 divided by 18= a whopping $12.50 per hr.
NOW THAT HOURLY RATE DOESN'T INCLUDE the days in Aug when I was filling feeders in 105 temps, sitting up new areas, cutting brush back from the roads etc. Once season rolls around, I probably spend 2-3 weekends in PREPARATION for a 3 day hunt. Bigger places provide vehicles, diesel/gas etc. My place doesn't. Any vehicle maintenance and fuel on those pretrips is normally absorbed by me. Doesn't matter that I no doubt LOSE MONEY guiding every year because I LOVE IT. I WANT to ensure each client has the trip of their lives. They will relive their stories with family, friends, grandkids, send me Christmas cards 15 yrs later bc of the job I did. That's my reward cuz man sure $225 per day isn't. And the argument will be made by a few here "well then good" you didn't need the tip money anyway. Yep, you are right. If I did I wouldn't be working as a guide cuz that's no way to make any money!! But sure is nice that that I might almost break even to show a person the best hunt possible, no matter what I might think of them personally
Someone said they don't make $200 a day at work- well most guiding is seasonal- MIGHT get 3-4 months of legit work out of 12 months. Would anyone survive on that work schedule?
over and out

[cantexduck]

I try not to calculate how much time I have invested before hunters show up , it wouldn’t look good to the bottom line. Between scouting trips , feeders , buggy etc it isn’t cheap to do it right. A tip is just an added bonus. I don’t make a killing on animals , I pay myself and my guides fairly . A tip helps cover the expenses not seen and mean a lot. It isn’t about the amount , it’s the sincerity of the action. I have turned down some big tippers by them being a difficult bunch.

[hooligan]

this has been an interesting thread so far. I've never gone on a guided hunt or guided a hunt so my experience is from the fishing side. I've gone on a lot of guided fishing trips and used to guide spear fishing, fly fishing and dive trips.

I always bring cash with me when booking a guided trip, it's up to the guide's attitude and work on if they get any of it and how much. I don't ever go by the success of the trip (amount of fish), but more so how much the guide worked and their attitude during the trip. I've been on trips that we've been skunked or only got a couple and given a big tip because they worked hard for me. I've been on trips where we tore up the fish but the entire time the guide was an a hole and acted annoyed I was there the entire time and gave him nothing.

When I was guiding I never expected a tip, I'd say 75% of clients tipped at least something. And for those saying the day rate guiding sucks, of course it does and we all knew that getting in to it. I didn't do it thinking I would get rich, I love being outside and was able to share that with other people and get paid for it. Covered the bills but yeah the shop owner and boat owner made way more on the trips than I did, as they should.

If you book a trip, look at it like anything in the service industry and if they do a good job and work hard I'd give them a tip. Especially the ones doing the guttin and gillin

[Capt Glenn]

Do the people contributing to this thread tip their sacker? They are providing a service as well.

Yes I do. If they sack my groceries, put them in the basket and walk off, no tip. If they sack my groceries and push them out to my truck and then help put the groceries in my truck. Heck yeah they are getting tipped and tipped well every single time. Honestly it makes me feel good when I make someone's day a little better. It doesn't seem that long ago I was sacking groceries.

[Hogmauler]

Very nice hooligan and coastal. I’ve got a lot more insight in the guide life and what goes into a successful hunt. Now that I think about it if we take our family’s hunting or fishing were the guide!

[Chance Love]

So I used to guide a LOT, for quite a while. Now when I do it’s usually for hunts I sell for our lease to help in the feed bill, and a very SELECT few other ranches. I certainly have my opinions on tipping.


With that being said try this, when you show up to hunt you can: Tell the guide you are not going to tip. OR, tell him you will likely tip well. Which one of those do you wanna hedge your bets on?

[Radar]

I think I have heard stories about some of y'all.

[TrophyClubHntr]

So I used to guide a LOT, for quite a while. Now when I do it’s usually for hunts I sell for our lease to help in the feed bill, and a very SELECT few other ranches. I certainly have my opinions on tipping.


With that being said try this, when you show up to hunt you can: Tell the guide you are not going to tip. OR, tell him you will likely tip well. Which one of those do you wanna hedge your bets on?

How would you suggest tipping an outfitter who has cancelled on you twice the day of the hunt? Been trying to schedule this since April but for some reason something comes up the day of and pushes it back several weeks again. It comedic now

[Graysonhogs]

How would you suggest tipping an outfitter who has cancelled on you twice the day of the hunt? Been trying to schedule this since April but for some reason something comes up the day of and pushes it back several weeks again. It comedic now

At this point a “you suck, do better” and a taint kick would be the only tip they get.



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[Smart]

How would you suggest tipping an outfitter who has cancelled on you twice the day of the hunt? Been trying to schedule this since April but for some reason something comes up the day of and pushes it back several weeks again. It comedic now

Go on the hunt...kill a great animal......and then cancel on his tip right before you pay it...