Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

I guess this is a dumb question, Why is it necessary to tip a guide if you're on a guided hunt? Isn't he/she on a salary?

The reason I ask is that I have been looking into a guided hunt for the past couple of years and have found out that I can't afford what I see. I recently got a brouchure from USO and they state that a normal tip is $300.00 for the guide and $75.00 for the cook.

In a restaurant a waitress/waiter normally works for tips or is partially paid (usually below minimum wage) and the tips make of the rest of their income. So I have always tipped generously.

Do you tip your plumber, auto mechanic, dentist, vet., etc. It appears it's the same deal, guide or plumber, mech. etc. Is this another way for the guide outfits to get another dollar out a hunter?

I'm sure this will start a fire, but I see no justification for the practice.

By the way, if I was going to tip anybody I could see a tip for the cook.

dog1

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Being a former guide, I can tell you that when I got a tip it was most appreciated. I don't know what a guide makes these days but when I guided in the late 80's I made $50 a day. Try paying the bills on that salary!

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

i have been a professional hunting and fishing guide for the past four years i guide fly fishing in the summers and i used to guide bird hunters in the fall. I quit guiding hunters this last fall when a hunter i was guiding didn't follow the ruels and took a shot that was too low and hit my dog. i was tired of hitting the ground every time a bird flushed any way. now i just train dogs in the fall

durring my career as a hunting guide i lead over six or seven hundred hunters and most (90+%) tipped. When you are on a guided hunt the person leading the hunt is providing a service for you and your buddies. He/ she is working hard to provide a quality experience that you paid good money for. tipping is the best way for you to show your appreciation for the guides hard work. you tip a waitress for bringing your food,or a bartender for pouring you a cocktail right? well, guides are providing a service just like they are (and i think we guides are working a lot harder for you)

also guides are some what counting on tips as part of their income their work is seasonal and they try to make as much as they can in the short time that they have to make a living. I never asked for a tip, i got stiffed a couple of times but generally the folks that hunt and fish with me have a great time and hopefully learned somthing durring the time they spent with me.

guides for the most part are not an salary and there are no other bennifits ( 401k medical or workmans comp) lotto is my retirement plan.

sorry for making this so long, but i hope it helps and i hope you tell your next guide how much fun you had on your next trip by tipping accordingly

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Well put Ugly Dog, Not to mention the long hours that go with it. The medical insurance that is not provided and at times it is much needed. Some guides are working for people also, the big dollar sometimes won't go to the guy who is doing the work. It goes to the person providing the service. When you buy a meal at a resteraunt the money does not go to the waiter or waitress. It goes to the owner to keep the operation going. I beleive that before one goes on a guided hunt that the tip should be figured into the cost before even leaving on your trip. I am not a guide so this is an unbiased opinion. I am lucky enough to live where I can gain intimate knowledge of my area and have harvested elk and deer every year. I do however go back east to visit my father and charter a captain to take me salmon fishing. I always tip well and give extra if we boat a good amount of fish. It makes him fish harder the next time. Remember to tip your pizza guy. He has 30 min. with your pizza before you get it.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Simply put most of the guides I have hunted with in the past, I now consider them my freind and not just my guide. If a few extra dollars is all it cost me to have a good freind for the rest of my life, so be it. It's small potatoes for a lifetime of memories.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

I still guide and the most of the clients tip. But the thing for me is making a new friend, having a good time and seeing a smile on the guys faces. A good hunt and a good fun experience with a new person is well worth the time and effort put in a hunt. My tip is doing my job and seeing the persons face lite up when his having the time of his life. No need to tip this guide, he's in the for the fun. Guides usually don't hire on for money, it doesn't pay that well. They do it cause they love to hunt and help people hunt. If I ever quit guiding professionally I'd have to find some friends who were less experienced and in need of assistance because once it's in your blood you can't just stop.

Tip all you want but I bet the guide just prays for a successful hunt.
A hunter once gave me a set of rangefinders it alot more than money because it was a personal gift.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

The guides are making good points. But, Remember it's your money. Most people saved for a long time and that guided trip could be a once and a lifetime
hunt. I have been on 4 guided hunts and I tipped. I think the 300 bucks is high
for the guide's tip. My rule if everyone busted there butt, and gave max effort.
50-100 for each guide, 50 for the cook. Now remember, you could hunt with two or more guides on a single hunt, so it adds up. I do not cash tip the owner of the outfit even if he/she guided me. I show my thanks,by giving him a nice knife, guncase or sending him a thank you care package in the mail. I would have no problem, not tipping or telling the owner I wasn't happy, if the hunt was a joke. Most guides don't make much money, the few I know make 400.00 a week and some have to use there own truck. So tips do mean allot. The
guides I know well, know there are hunters who can afford to throw money around like water and then there is the rest of us. If your happy with the guide tip, if not don't........Some cook' s work harder then the guides. Don't forget
tipping your business, if some in your hunting camp tips real big, it doesn't mean you have too also......I seen your question asked on many forms
and you get many answers and I enjoy some of them. Hope this helps.
Some people say you should tip a fixed amount 10-20 %, thats bull !.....on 10k sheep or bear hunt who would tip a extra 1k to 2k, but a big shot. On a 500 to 800 dollar hunt, you could end up tipping 250.oo or more ( 30 to 50%), two guides/cook, cooks helper, caper (caping), the guy who rushed the butchering..etc.....You make up your own rules....thease are mine.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

A tip is something given to another for giving something more, something extra.
My last hunt in Wyo for Prarie goats was a 3 day $1400 trip.
My guide went out of his way to find and area that held large goats and worked hard to get a nice wall hanger. We drove all over looking for 2 particular animals we put on several long stocks and we eventually harvested.
He recieved $300 from me as a tip as well as another $300 from my buddy.
We had 2 trophy Goats in 1 day. Both just missed book.(See the wide racked goat at SNS outfitters Web site out of Wyo my buddy looks like Opie in the picture)
I have another hunt booked for this year. When I arrive I expect the guide to have done his homework scouting. I expect him to be in shape as I will be and expect him to go above and beyond for me to get me a chance at an animal that I paid the outfitter for.
Successfull or not if he/she works hard to give me a chance then I will tip.
This subject has been going through my mind the last few week's as I just sent out 50%($4000) for this years multi animal hunt.
This is a bunch of Bling Bling for me and if you would like a tip, I expect you to go all out for me.
My opinion ;)

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Montana Bob,

Funny you should post to this topic cause I used to guide right above Painted Rocks lake. I still know a few folks in Darby.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Little Magnum,

I agree with you and most, a tip is a way to show your thanks for a good job. I just thought it was pretty forward and assumptive for the folks from USO to say that their guides get $300.00 tip.

I would venture a guess that most hunters across the country are like me and a hunt costing $2500.00 would be a considerable amount to come up with, then adding tips of $300.00 would put a hunt of a lifetime out of reach with all the other expenses added on.

I finally got to go to Co. on a tresspass hunt for mule deer this past year and after all cost, and that was a one way drive of 1800 miles, the overall cost was around $2500.00. I'm not real sure how I feel about guided hunts at this point, seems to me that somebody else is doing the hunting and the other person is just a shooter even though he/she has to walk just as far. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it, I've never done it and to be honest, I probably would if I could afford it. I'm trying to go back to Co. this year with my son and son in law to hunt elk, from what I've been told our chances are slim but I want to try it. If could hire a guide I wouldn't mind tiping him/her for a good job, I just thought the $300 was ridiculous. I think a tip is earned, not demanded as in the USO broucher. As a matter of fact I believe the cheapest hunt they offered was for $3400.00 for deer or antelope and up from there.

Maybe one day I'll get to find out.

Thanks to all for the input.

dog1

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Dog1......don't down play guided hunts. My last guided hunt, a spot and stalk
trophy whitetail hunt in Wy (1999), was the beyond a dream hunt. I saw so many 130 class whitetails, that it was mind blowing, one evening, I watched 8 diffeent bucks, hooking trees from a hill top all at the same time. Saw more rack bucks, then I would see in 10 years of hunting in my state. If it wasn't for the guide saying, we can do better...I would of killed one of those 130 class bucks right of the bat....In My state 3inch spikes get dropped, real quick. I ended up with a 150 class 5x5, that makes me smile everytime I look at it. That hunt was 2500 plus trophy fee of 500 for any deer over 140 class...One of the reasons the guide was working real hard to get me the best buck.
The 2500.00 doesn't sound bad, because it included the cattle ranch tresspass fee of 1400.00 That ranch allowed only 2 trophy hunters per year. Now I hunt
out of state public land that has big whitetails on it, shot a nice 8pt this year, my buddie shot a huge 142 class 8 pt, this year and we went 3 for 5 all 8pts on public land.... USO outfitters is a top notch outfit, from what I have seen. A co-worker with deep pockets has been on 3 hunts over the last 4 years, had been on other guided hunts and says USO is tops .....He has them put in for the long shot draws and it he gets drawn he goes. Out of my price range for now. He looks at it saying I would rather spend a little more and hunt on prime property, then have to go twice with someone else....He has had good luck with them But, you know how it goes more then likely someone somewhere didn't
with USO

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Compare the cost differential between a 1x1 hunt and a 2x1 hunt and you can easily figure out what guides make per day. Divide that into 18 hours/day, and you see guides don't pull in a very high wage!

When I'm deciding to book a hunt, I figure in 10-15% for tip. If I can't handle the full price of that, then I don't book. Unless the guide is a jerk or lazy (which hasn't happened often), he gets the tip I planned on from the start.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

If a $300 dollar tip for your guide is going to break the bank? Then you need to save more money before you plan a guided hunt.
If the hunting is bad then do not tip at all. Guides depend on there tips to help keep the lights turned on at home.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Like a waiter/waitress a guide depends on the tips to make a decent living. Contrary to popular belief guides are not paid great money, the outfitters makes the meat on the booked price not the guide. Like was said a good general rule is 10% of the price of the hunt and I think this may be where USO came up with the 300 buck number. Also don't tip based on harvest but based on the work/effort put forth by your guide. Most guides want/hope/pray that their hunters are successful but it is beyond their control some of the time, so look at his effort, work and measure the time had on the experience not the take home.

I think it is better to be up front on tipping then have clients not be prepared, getting stiffed after working your tail off for weeks(Yes weeks, as it is more involved than just taking you out, it takes scouting, preperation just like your own hunts but for more than one hunter) is not very fun. When I guided some of my biggest tips were from those who went home without an animal, b/c they knew I had to work even harder to try and put them onto game. Guides are measured on success and return bookings, so the last thing they want is a unhappy client as this may result in a total loss of income, as such most will work their butts of to make you successful thus the tip is a reward to the efforts made. Of course if you feel he/she didn't put forth the effort then tell them how you feel and why no or a meager tip was given, also let the outfitter know. As a guide I made many friends and that is how I viewed my job, taking a pal out hunting of course you want him to have a great time, enjoy the company, come back and ultimately be successful.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Having been a guide for hunters and fisherman and also a customer of both, I can say that as a few people above have said, If the quide goes the extra mile to make your hunting or fishing trip a great memory then a tip is in order. Not any certain amount, that has to be up to you and how much you can afford to tip. If I am short of money the tip will be small but later on I try to send a little more or purchase a nice gift for the quide. As a guide I could tell who the better off guys were and appreciated a small token from the working guy even more than a good tip from the rich guy. Anyway I charged enough to make what I needed to make and never really expected any tips.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

If the guide busts their butts for you, to ensure that you have a hunt of a lifetime........................You bet TIP them. It depends on how much you can afford, how hard they worked for you & how much you appreciated their help. These people don't have 401's, medical/dental/vision & profit sharing plans....................they do it for the love of the outdoors & the reward of seeing peoples success in the field. Sowhen you plan your finances for a hunt of a lifetime or dream hunt put a little extra a side for the Guide & Cook.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

I tend to agree 3000.00 just isn't chump change espeacially if your paying it in U.S. dollars that makes your trip Approx 5000.00 and then some money for souveniers and then the tip for cook and for guide .Now all you've accomplished here is to convince another hunter he can't afford your trip.
I agree that the guides deserve a tip and the cook's as well but I see no reason why you can't include it in the trip cost . This for sure would only be a trip of a life time that I doubt that I will ever be able to afford .

nubo

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Hey Dog1 ,
These trips are expensive no question. You need to "figure in" a tip just like you "figure in" the license. Guides are working very hard...think about it >> a good outfit (the owner) with bad guides equalls no business. Owners are making big bucks..sit down do the math.
But I will say this..and this goes for any profession. Everyone knows what they are getting themselves into when they take the job...Doesn't matter if your a lawyer or a guide. So there should be no crying about how hard you work and how little you make.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Hunting season is only a few weeks long in most States so its a part-time job...... or is it?
A guide, if he wants to keep working, had better put his hunters on whatever critter they're hunting or he won't be working for the outfitter for long. All before the season starts they're out in the fields and forests, up one mountain and down trying to locate game. During the season they finish up with a hunter or group and then spend their "free" time locating more animals.
I just returned from a hunt in NM where the guides not only put me on a bunch of animals, they included me in some of the after work activities. I was hunting alone and they went out of their way to make me feel welcome and comfortable.
Oh yeah, my guide and three others helped haul two large elk out of a nearly impossible location and then down the mountain to a truck. You bet your butt they got a tip and drinks and dinner!

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Outdoor,

I appreciate yours' and the others' reply. But I go back to my original question, do these same people or guides tip their plumber, carpenter, auto mechanic, Dr. , lawyer, etc.
I doubt it!

It looks like what's happening here has already happened in the big game hunting arena in other parts of the country. Because some have the money and are able to give big tips, it has become an expected habit. Like here in the southeast, deer hunting, and I hunt them, has made it just about impossisble for hunters to get on land that was once open because of leases, out of state hunters with the money, etc.

Looks like we have almost come full circle, the Lords of the land can and the little man is left out, i.e. money is the problem.

Some have said they made good friends by guiding, but I wonder at the end of the hunt how many of those told the hunter, " Heck no, no way, you've just become a friend of mine so keep your money." I also agree, anybody paying for a guided hunt should go ahead and plan the tip in his money if he plans on tipping, that's a no brainer. I feel that for the guide or owner of a guide service to expect it, it is pretty much assumptive attitude.

Let me pose another question. "Why wouldn't any reasonable person running a business just fiqure this tip into the total cost of the hunt and give the hunter booking the hunt a flat price and be done with it?" This would take it out of the equation and the guide and/or outfit owner could deal with the guides tip. Sounds like this tiping business has got out of hand.

I'm not knocking the guides work and ability, I'm sure he works' ten times harder than the owner, and the owner should be the one to reward him. Here again, we're not all loaded with money, but we want to hunt just as bad as though that do have it, probably more. Anybody that dosen't think $3400.00 plus a tip isn't a lot of money for the average person, either has a slop jar full under every bed or is dumb as a box of rocks.

dog1

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

You've struck on an interesting point.
Does anyone out there know that in parts of the West (as I've been told by outfitters and guides) that some land owners get upwards of $3000 per animal taken on their land.
If you pay the outfitter $5000 and the land owners get $3000 there's a big drop in the gross profit of the hunt. Then add to that the cost of the camp, vehicles, equipment, food, salaries, insurance, marketing, etc.and the per hunter profit leaves little indeed for the guide. As near as I can tell they make around $125-$150 per pay. If they were working the 240 days that full-time employees work, that translates into $36,000 a year. But they're not full-time so they get much less time at work and no benefits.
Many guides work doing seasonal work until its time to guide. They quit the seasonal job so they don't get unemployment from this season work at the gravel pit, grocery store or gas station. I know two guides that made less than $24,000 last year. Its hard to raise a family with three kids on $460 a week. They love the work and guiding is often the best paying job in these rural areas. Good work if you can get it as the expression goes.
Forgive me but the question of tipping a hard working, successful quide was settled a long time ago. Your tip should only reflect what you can comfortably afford and should never put you in any financial difficulty.
Tipping is always personal and no one should should feel pressured into doing something that is detrimental or distasteful to them.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Unfortunatly..tipping has a lot of pressure from what "high rollers" can afford to give. Let's face it a guide gets a $500 dollar tip & it raises his expectations of what may become a regular tip..just human feelings that all.
I can not see Owners adding in tip money to there price. I would think a owner is only concerned about his portion. What about the the guy that books a hunt and the guide is not up to par? You still paid for it, so good or bad he gets the $$.
I understand that being a guide maybe be the best job in the area BUT the bottom line is if they make 25K or 125K a year they knew that before they started so don't cry about it. WE all have done things for the "love" of it and we know that and like it or not thats part of the pay..you love doing what you do.
A better idea >> let the owners give their guides a piece of the business..a percentage of the profits. This would be a win win for everyone..better guides better business. Think a owner would dare share??

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

I think this tiping has gotten outa hand, sure these guides work hard and so do i, I dont work because i love my job its because i have to pay bills keep a roof over my head, and if the job didnt pay enough id have to find another, eventho i dont mind tiping i dont like to feel pressured into it, and it does take me years to save for guided hunts(try to take one every 2 years)so i dont let myself fall into this bs of i feel sorrey for the guide not making enugh money i feel he should be happy with any extra he gets my boss dosent come to me and say hey good job hears an extra 20 most of the time just having someone say they had a great time or a job well done is worth more than money, any one can just give money but did they really appreciate your hard work or just feel they paid for it well my 2cents

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

I am the owner and the guide. I do hire a few "draggers" on a need basis, but pretty much do everything myself. My wife cooks for the guests. I don't ever expect receiving a tip. When someone does tip me, I am very grateful and consider it a compliment, especially when the hunter that tipped me didn't get a bear. I don't do my job for the money (I used to make a heck of a lot more). I do it for the "quality of lifestyle" and the satisfaction I get when the hunter is successful. The shine in the eye of a happy hunter is enough for me. Even when I'm up to the elbows in bear guts, I tell myself "it's better than that damn factory".

I consider a tip a bonus.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

S rock >>> well said. We all know how hard you work but few are willing to admit why they do it..life style vs money. Hope you do well every year. I don't hunt bear but I would book with you right now if I did!

Rbou >> Your boss doesn't give you an extra 20 now & then ? :)

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

Good thread guys. I have a question for ya though. I'm trying to get things together a little bit now for an upcoming trip. We have an bow elk hunt set for opening week of archery (7 full days of hunting). We have one guide (not the owner) for two hunters. I understand that 10% is ussually the going rate, but I believe that would be for a 1 to 1 ratio guide to hunter. The cost of our hunts are $3500 per person. So what you think that our COMBINED (total for both of us) tip should be assuming we were happy with the guides services.

2 things I don't want to happen.

1. After the guide gets our tips he thinks "Those cheap SOB's."
2. I don't want to go broke.

What do you think?

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

If USO is recommending 300 dollars as a guide tip that is total BS. Makes you wonder what USO is paying guides these days. I don't like their MO as well as their "Licensing" program anyway but that is a different topic. I have only failed to tip a guide from hell only once in many hunts, actually I felt like beating the cr@p out of him the last day of the hunt and that would have been a worthy tip. But with decent hardworking guides I actually work it as a percentage mostly 15 % and also tip the cook separately. Last time I checked none of these guys are millionaires or have 6 figure salaries . Even if they did they helped me out and were there to help me get the most out of a hunt.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

You tip a waiter 15% of the cost of the meal, one time, one meal. It didn't take the waiter 3 days to get you the meal.

Outfitters are locking up land that us poor schmoes want to hunt on. Some of it public.

Guides do just that - They don't harvest the animal for you. They work for the outfitter. Most have experienced a tipless hunt and don't even look back. They do it out of love of the success. Guides spend the entire hunting season pointing out "shooters" to people who shoot at the shooters. Guides do not get all that time to hunt but when they do they do know the area and if they are successful they gut, cape, bone and drag their own. Most go for the meat few really care about "trophy".

Caping and meat processing are part and parcel to hunting. If you can't gut an animal or skin an animal then all you are is a shooter. I can shoot.

$4000.00 dollars to shoot at a live target is a bit too much especially if its a prairie goat.

I've said enough[:@]

EDIT POINT: I'm sorry I went off, I had a bad experience with

A rancher who hired an outfitter
An outfitter who hired a guide
A guide who was blamed for a rich idiot shooting and missing. (MANY SHOTS).

I have no problems with a rancher getting the best use out of his own property, most work hard to make ends meet. A rancher/outfitter has that right.

I do have a problem with an outfitter who leases hunting privledges on another mans land. Especially if the land is on the way to or on public land and access is by payment to the outfitter.

True an outfitter is just that, the company provides horses, food, shelter and services for hunters whose resources are miles away. That is a good thing for those who do not have the wherewithal to provide those basics for themselves.

Already it is hard for an average schmuck like myself to "draw" a special permit to hunt certain areas for certain game animals. Adding to the difficulty of the draw is limiting access to a certain hunt area by an outfitter who takes it upon himself to "protect the honey hole" from outside influences namely local resident hunters. That really isn't a bad thing but I prefer to deal with the rancher. and One bad experience for me shouldn't be the end of the road for some who opt to be outfitted.

I apologize for the outburst. I will remain DIY fair chase until I die.

RE: Gratuities (Tips) For Guides
 

when did it become the norm to tip someone for doing their JOB!
soon for me i hpoe when i install an ac or furn!
that been said i will tip on an individual basis--the guides need a stronger contact with the "owners" hey ---- maybe a guides union ooops swear word!!! ;)