Originally Posted by
smitty0538
I believe most guides and outfitters also do other things during the year to make money. I know the guides have to and agree there not paid all the money. But I do not believe this is something they should try and make a years salary in a few months, and based on some of those hunt cost out there that is what there trying to do. Its a sad truth but hunting big game has become a rich mans sport. The fees each state charges for permits and licences is also nuts.
It sure looks like what I bolded in this post of yours is you trying to tell them what they should or shouldn't do to make a living! I have never seen what you have described about paying a guide so much per day and then having to pay them for days left on a hunt even though a person may have filled his tag on the first day or two of a hunt that is scheduled for a week. Normally you make a down payment on a hunt to the outfitter to lock the hunt dates in and then have to pay the remainder of the cost for the hunt at a certain time before the hunt date or at the time you get there to begin the hunt. Unless you pay an extra fee to that outfitter for a separate guide it's a 2 hunters per guide situation. A guide the outfitter provides is not paid anything by the hunter other than a tip at the end of the hunt. Some say that tip should be a percentage of what the actual hunt cost just like you would pay a waitress based on your dinner cost. Some say pay whatever you feel you can afford based on your means and what the guide did on the hunt for you. That's what I did on the hunt I just did in Wyoming. The hunt cost was $2900 for five day with lodging, food, horses and one guide for the two of us. My buddy got a nice buck the first morning and I got mine the 4th morning. I gave the guide a tip of $350 and I have no idea what John gave him, but it was probably more because he makes 5 times what my salary was before I retired in 2002.