Tipping a guide

[goshawk]

I will be doing an elk hunt this September and would like to know what the guidelines are
for tipping the guides and their help. I believe there will be a cook also.

Thanks,
Wayne

[TXD]

i have not been on anything guided, but in hearing from some guides what they have said about back in the days of say, those that taught them, it was simple as trading a skill for a skill. they were great at guiding, locating game and tracking, the customer may have been great at making custom knifes. now days a knife or the sorts aint gonna feed his family, it aint gonna put gas in his vehicle or necesities for his horses or mules if they provided them. now days its money, as far as how much, i aint gonna have any input there. i would be interested in hearing around how much others have done.

[bowriter]

I have been on both sides of this fence many times, as a guide and as a hunter using a guide. Elk guides, as a rule, work dang hard for their clients (if they are any good they do.) My first suggestion is not to base the tip on wether you killed an elk. Just ask yourself, did this guide do all he could to get me on elk? If he did, he derserves a good tip. Base your tip on 10% of the price of the hunt. $3000 hunt=$300 tip base. Then, if he packed out the meat, add $100. If he went over and above, add$50-100.

Most guides today have plenty of equipment. What they need is cash. The biggest tip I ever gave was a brand new Remington 300 Super Mag and $200 cash. I found out later the guide sold the gun within a week. I have given bows and arrows and quivers and binoculars. Guides want cash. The biggest tip I ever got was $1000 on a $2500 hunt. And the guy never pulled his bow back. The least I ever tipped was 10 cents. That was on a caribou hunt and I'm lucky I'm not in jail for killing a guide.

Bottom line. If the service a was good, do what you can. If it sucked, tip him $10 bucks. He'll get the idea. But don't penalize a guide for an outfitter's mistake and vice versa. Remember, on a fully guided hunt, there is usually a cook to look after as well. Minimum $50 if the food is edible.

[Dusty Britches]

My sister worked as an elk guide in colorado several years ago. I can honestly tell you that no guide in their camp (6 total) ever pulled more than $100 tip - even after packing out elk and putting up with bs from hunters.

One time, she was sent to find a couple of hunters who shot an elk, but were somewhat lost. She found them, cleaned, quartered the elk (while they watched) packed it out and when they got back, they gave the manager a $250 tip.

That said, I would think 10% +/- is fair.

[TheDude]

I appreciate tips but I don't expect them. I set my prices accordingly to make sure I'm getting paid fairly for what I provide. And with the tremendous price increase over the last few years I just don't feel like a guy should be obligated to pay a little extra after he's already shelled out a big chunk of dough. There are guys that have the money to do it and there are guys that don't. And I don't hold it against anyone. You don't always need a tip to realize you gave your customers a great time. I think more appreciation is shown with a big smile. But there are some guides depending on whether or not they work for someone else that rely on tips. Do what you can, but don't ever think that after spending the money you do for a good hunt that you owe anyone anything extra.

[imanut2]

Good advice TDude...but I was just thinking that a guide who works for himself probably gets paid more than a guide that works for an outfit...if both trips cost $1,500, obviously the self-employed guide gets it all (though he may have to pay a cook, land owner, etc.) while a guide working for an outfit will get considerably less...and that's the one I'd be more likely to tip more...also, I always sent a note to them after I got home thanking them for the memories, etc...sometimes I'd toss in a pic or two...esp if the guide was in the pic..course, I haven't gone on a trip in almost fifteen years..and never on an elk trip...so take this for what it's worth...just my opinion....and who knows, now that the kids are getting older and becoming interested in archery....there may be a trip or two in the not so distant future :D

As for the cook, if the food was decent, I tipped roughly the amount of tip you'd leave in a restaurant for a meal (example if I figured the meal would have cost me $10 at a restaurant, I'd set aside 20% of $10...or two bucks for that meal)...at the end of the trip, I'd add it up, add in some extra if he was good or did anything extra (like special requests...I like hot peppers :) ), etc and give it directly to the cook..course, I always tend to estimate on the high side, too...never knew when you might get the same cook...and who knows what they can put in your food when you ain't looking :D :D

[Tejas Raz]

This is one of those subjects that definately does not get covered enough. Those folks work hard for the money they make. A thoughtful tip can make all the difference... especially if the hunt was good and you want to go back!

Same goes for around the home front. We spend a good deal of time out at our lakeside marina restaurant. Our usual tip runs more towards 30%. High? Yes, but our service is second to none, we enjoy the wait staff, and they DO take care of us superbly! We never have to wait for a table and often, the table recieves extras that don't make it onto the bill. Same as on a hunt if you ask me.

[imanut2]

Ain't that the truth, Tejas. *At some of the restaurants we visit often, we seem to receive much better sevice than some of the others...but, as you pointed out, it's because they know you and know you appreciate their hard work (and they do work hard)...and are willing to go that little extra for you....and yes, I leave more than 20% in these cases...drives my dad nuts...he still believes two dollars is a good tip....no matter how much the bill...can't tell you how many times I've taken a ten or twenty and put it on the table after my dad left... *:D

So you are probably correct about tipping on a hunt or fishing trip....

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