Dragonslayer640

Hey all. Im going on a New Mexico elk hunt in October and had a question. What is the usual tip rate that you would give a guide? I've never hunted with a guide before and was curious if there was a "typical" tip that would apply. Thanks.

nctaxi

I woudl say that it all depends on your guide and his service. I have seen guides that plain out right sucked, didn't care and basically shouldn't work at McD's. Then there are the guides that work their tail off and truly care whether you get your "trophy". My best friend guides in Texas and has worked in Canada. I have watched him bust his tail and get squat, and go out with the next client and luck out(early kill)and get $800. So it really all depends on what you feel his service is worth. On something like an elk hunt, I don't feel that $500+ would be out of the ordinary. I have another friend who worked his butt off to get a moose for a guy, skinned and quartered and lugged it out, while the client did squat but pull the trigger. His tip = nothing. Don't be one of those guys that doesn't appreciate the guide.

idahoelkinstructor

I agreeto tip or not tip should not bebased upon your taged being punched or not. If your guide works his butt off for you he desivers to be tipped. To manyclients base thier tipping on thier success, sometimes factors out of are control such as weather make a hunt unsuccessful, no matter who the guide is.Anyway to answer your question you should tip a guide anyware between 10 to 20 percent of your hunt. If they do a great job and you have the money to do it I would try to tip them very well. If you plan on returing and hunting with the same outfitter again. It will be in your best intrest tobe a good tipper and on the next hunt they will go out of thier way to put you in the best spot at the best time of year and so on.

game4lunch

As a former guide, the outfitter pretty much told the client that a tip of $100.00 was to beexpected. The biggest tip I ever got was from two brothers who never filled their Antelope tags! They shot at a bunch, just never hit one! Had to ga to town and buy them more ammo too! They were embarrassed to say the least . . . cause their 87 year old dad filled his!
You might check with the outfitter and see what his guides are used to getting. That gives you the most accurate barrometer to give more or even less.
But remember, if you don't feel your guide andyou are "clicking", a reputable outfitter will see to it that you get one that does click. Don't be afraid to ask.

DTC

I have been on a few hunts and I usually just tip a $100.00, my guides have seemed pretty happy with that.

EcoastHunter

I would agree with the other guy, 10% of the cost of the hunt is standard, a little moreif the guide goes out of his way for you. It might seem like alot but with a good outfitter it will be worth it in the end.

salukipv1

so 400 bucks on a 4000 hunt? I think 400 on a 4000 hunt would be fair/fine if you liked your guide/ did a good job, got you an animal.......I hate feeling like I have to tip a guide when I'm not impressed, and not even impressed, more like up to the standard that a guide should be.

So ya 10% sounds good I think if you had a good guide, worked hard, put you in/on game, also if you get a shot.

To me a shot opportunity/miss is the same as taking an animal, all I want is a chance to shoot an animal, then I can blame myself for the miss, my elk hunt I didnt get a shot, which pretty much upset me, also my guide I wasn't too impressed with, kinda felt like the outfitter found him late to guide me...not one of his regulars.....though it is bowhunting but still. I gave the guide about 5% tip, had he done better Id of had no problem giving 10%, and had I shot a big boy, even 15% id have no probelms with.

Anyone else feel the need to stiff a guide? ever? I guess my guide wasnt horrible, just couldve been better IMO.

Kodi

From my perspective, the choice of whether and how much to tip a guide does not depend on whether I harvest an animal or how big it was. Rather, I base the decision on how knowledgable the guide was about his hunting area, how hard he worked for me, his dedication to getting the job done, and how personable he was.

I have been on hunts where a top notch guide in an excellent area worked his tail off for me and yet we did not harvest an animal. Things such as weather, sudden wind shifts on stalks, the variances of migration patterns, and a host of other factors can thwart even a top notch guide. In such cases I always have given a good tip.

On the other hand, even a semi-lazy mediocre guide in a poor area will luck onto a super trophy animal once in a while. While I may tip such a guide, rest assured that it will be a smaller tip than the excellent guide on an unsuccessful hunt.

JT

My father and I both got skunked on a whitetail hunt last year in Canada. We stilled tipped him $150 because he did everything he could to get us a trophy. It's still hunting! Now, don't confuse a whitetail hunt with humping the mountains out West. We also tipped his wife $50 or $100 for all of the cooking that she did. I would however stiff a guide that didn't put in the effort or truly had no idea what he was doing.

jt

BuckAlley

I would head out on your trip planning totip your guide for a excellent hunt. 10% of cost is about standard. Then you'll be prepared, and if he dissapoints you tip him less.
A personal example is, the last hunt I went on with a friend of mine. We both really liked our guide. He worked hard for us, and when times were tough going he still found away to make it interesting for us. He was quite the character, I still laugh at some of his stories. Well our hunt was $3,800 for a 6day archery hunt. My buddy tipped our guide $300, but he only hunted 4 of the 6days, becasue he reinjured his bad shoulder. No fault of the guide or outfitter. I tipped him $400 as I hunted all 6 days, and he helped me toreached my goal. Neither of us were successful, but I went on that trip hoping for at least aclose shot opportunity. I was able to accomplish that. So I was really happy with the whole hunt. I also tipped the cook, and the hands some $ as well. All were fantastic.