bluefin

A suggestion I would offer to any guided hunter out there is if your guide has to drive you a distance of 50 miles or more one way, say to the hunting destination or to and from the airport/hotel, offer togas his truck up first. This is shows a committment on your part from the outset and with the cost of gas being what it is, your guide may not be so frugal with shuttling you around.
Personally, I think the worst thing we can do as hunters (especially out of state hunters) is prove how frugal/cheap we can be.

NTBNB

Being the owner of a hunting guide business in Nebraska I get this question all the time. First off, I tell them that I hope the guide I sent them with did a good job, and if he did 10% of the hunt cost is the usual but, anything is welcomed. I have had hunters thatdid anddid not harvest ananimal give everything from optics& guns, but mostly cash. On average for a deer hunt my guides and I get between $100 and $800 tips, really depending on if the guys ownes 23 hotels and has money falling out of his a$$ or welds on the night shift and saved for a year to come on the hunt. The best thing for us is the fact that someone enjoyed our time together in the field enough to want to give something extra.

mehunter_2007

Being a guide I know what it takes to hopefully get your sport on game. I have been tipped well so far and it is always welcome. My advice is to tip based on how you feel your guide performed. Did your guide go above and beyond to try to put you on game? Did he/she do the neccesary scouting to find animals? These are all questions that you have to answer in your own mind.

I guide because I really enjoy it and it gets me away from a real job. But being self employed as a guide means that all of the scouting that I do costs me a lot of gas money. For this reason an $800 dollar guide fee for a week for moose hunting may only be about $500 by the time you figure in all of the expenses.

Just my two cents.

Pioneer2

Having worked as a guide I always tried my best to help the hunters get their game and a tip was nice but not expected as I was already being paid..Some of the "guides" were like hyenas continually dropping hints for a tip.This turned me off as a no class act worthy of dismissal.If a guide is busting his _ss he has earned whatever you feel appropriate including Zero if that's the effort put in.I still get X-Mas cards from former clients and have developed many friendships over the years.Remember it's a two-way street with the guide as helping him with skinning and minor camp chores will make most guys try even harder to make sure you go home happy.........Harold

NTBNB

Is guide tipping anything like cow tipping??

coloradooutdoors1

I have been booking hunts here in Colorado for the past 11 years, and the norm is right around 15%, but isn't required for the hunt. Alot of people figure it into the price of their hunt when bookingand sometimes shy away because of it, and they shouldn't. With talking to the outfitters that I work with, it is nice to give a tip, but not necessary. Like a place you eat, if the service is good and you can afford it, give the guide a tip, it will make 'em happy and if you are a repeat customer, that tip on the prior trip might go along ways. Just my two cents worth. Good luck in New Mexico and let us know how you do.