How much to tip your hunting guide?

[Swamp Fox]

I’m not a millennial but I find it laughable that boomers chit on anyone. Talk about gov entitlement! They live off it, and have left a path of destruction in their wake!

Few of em saved enough when pensions stopped so now they’re overly dependent on Social Security and Medicare, broken systems. Too many piglets and not enough tits. Fabricated economic strain. Then they’ve over strained healthcare and insurance systems with their propensity to indulge in the Standard American Diet, booze and tobacco and the resulting after effects. Let’s not even talk about the environmental damage. I’m certainly no liberal and I love my Boomer parents. I just find it humorous to hear Boomers casting stones as they simultaneously demonstrate a complete lack of introspection. That generation has left its mark on nearly everything in society today, and other than military service, not much of it is positive.

It's a good thing that you can show us the way, I guess ...

 

[Swamp Fox]

Part of my job is helping extremely wealthy individuals get into and out of spacecraft. That's a service! Should those guys be paying me 10% of their $40 million ticket? I want my compensation!

Need any skycaps/baggage handlers? 'Cause I can throw luggage around like nobody's business ...

 

[Swamp Fox]

We can still talk about it.... have you ever traveled internationally? The US is one of the only places tipping is the norm. I have been laughed at for trying to tip in Europe... the server straight up said. "We pay our people a living wage here."

Phuckin' Europeans ...

 

[Kilboars]

Guided hunts always feel like I’m really just a John. Usually starts off great and you let them work but in the end it seems like their just running down the clock and they don’t seem to want to work that hard knowing that you’ll be gone in a few days and they’ll be on to their next John/hunter.

And I tip great even when I’m not successful. Guides love me for that but I still go home with empty coolers

When I was successful on a hunt it was because I stopped listening to the guide and figured out my own hunt and told him what I wanted to do.

Just feel like they were keeping the game for themselves or another client.

But that’s me.

And I’m going on another guided hunt Sept 1 so I’m trying to stay positive but not sure how many more Sept I have.


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[Kilboars]

And that’s maybe half the guides I’ve had.


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[HTNFSH]

Guided hunts always feel like I’m really just a John. Usually starts off great and you let them work but in the end it seems like their just running down the clock and they don’t seem to want to work that hard knowing that you’ll be gone in a few days and they’ll be on to their next John/hunter.

And I tip great even when I’m not successful. Guides love me for that but I still go home with empty coolers

When I was successful on a hunt it was because I stopped listening to the guide and figured out my own hunt and told him what I wanted to do.

Just feel like they were keeping the game for themselves or another client.

But that’s me.

And I’m going on another guided hunt Sept 1 so I’m trying to stay positive but not sure how many more Sept I have.


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Feel the exact same way. I think it's worse the last week of archery because they've been running "hard" for a month straight. I've done three and said never again. I still would like a horseback pack in and pack out, but hunt on my own or with a buddy. I can't imagine paying big money, some for some of these $15k- $50k hunts and feel the same way.

To answer the OP, 10% if unsuccessful, 20% if I killed, which hasn't happened yet.

 

[TBearguide]

I have never asked this question, but people ask me a lot. Assuming you have had a very hard working guide and he has done all he could do to give you a great hunt, how much do you tip him? I will give my thoughts first without giving an answer.

1. Whether I harvest an animal factors in, but not as much as you think. Generally if the guide puts in same effort on a no harvest hunt as a harvest hunt, the tip is going to be the same.
2. I do not try to “bait in the guide or outfitter” by saying if I get a Boone and Crocket or a Pope and Young you are going to get “x”. The reason I have been on both sides of the fence. When younger, I could barely scrape up the money to go. Now, money really isn’t an issue and if someone wants to get in a bidding war over who the outfitter is going to put on the 390” inch bull opening morning, they better have some pretty deep pockets to get ahead of me. But, I do NOT play that game. Period.
3. Being prepared and ready when I get there for the first days hunt means a lot to me. That seems basic, but I have had some guided hunts where it was the third day and they were still trying to figure there $hit out. For me what I am paying an outfitter for takes place BEFORE I get there - at least 80% of it.
4. I factor in what the guide most likely gets per day from the outfitter and where we are. In other words for an Alaskan hunt the guide gets more dollar for dollar because things just cost more up there - a lot more.


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Great question. I've been an assistant guide for 10 years in Alaska. I've always heard the 10% rule from the outfits I've worked for in the state. However most clients I've had have tipped way less, i had one guy do 10% and he did not harvest a critter, but was also being very particular and we saw a lot of animals.
I can also tell you I spent 16 days with a man and his son and he missed a grizzly bear and did not find a legal bull moose and I got zero tip. I cooked 2 meals a day, packed their lunch and worked my tail off to get them opportunities and no tip was hard thing to swallow. Yes, I got a daily rate from the registered guide, but the tips are important. You can always ask the ower/registered guide was it fair to them, but plan accordingly and bring cash. Most assistant guides are doing this as an extra job, so money is important.

 

[Kilboars]

I’ll usually pay them $200 a day whether I harvested an animal or not, as long as I feel they tried and had their head in the game.

Afterwards I write it off or go back again. I never burn a bridge.

I’ve always read that you should listen to and trust your guides, but I speak up and make them explain themselves now. I’ve had a lot of them run off game because you’re careless and or just not paying enough attention to the wind.

Disclaimer: I’ve only bowhunted. Some guides seem like they only guide rifle hunters.

Live and learn.

 

[Mojave]

I have a friend that is a lawyer and he does a foreign hunt every year. He does a lot of hunts in Europe, and a few in Texas. All of his first hunts were in Texas and he got "schooled" that it was proper to tip a guide at least 20%. That was the Texas way.

He drinks a lot of top shelf stuff all the time and his wife doesn't own anything that has words on it other than Chanel or Prada. She has $1200 ball caps. He likes to put on a good front. He tips $1500 on $5000 hunts.

Another friend is a nurse, and hunts all over the world, Africa, Canada, Western USA every year. He tips 5-15% depending on the situation.

Killed a big leopard, and wounded a cape buffalo a few months ago. Had a good safari that was about $30,000 and left $3000 in camp.

Kind of the theory that if you can do it, then do it.

Someone wrote earlier that if you couldn't tip 10% you shouldn't take a hunt. Not sure I'd go that far.

Tip what you can afford. That is the only aspect of it.

 

[HornPorn]

Went on a $60K hunt this year. Asked outfitter before getting there, he said 10-20% is customary. I brought $9K which comes out to 15%. After hunt was over and it was time to leave tips, I asked the outfitter, "how much is a good tip for the ladies at base camp?". $600. Ok. Now the rest ($8,400) I split between my lead quide and assistant guide.

I went on a dall hunt once that was 30K and the outfitter said $1,500 to $2,000 was a good tip for the guide, which is 6%.

Went on a $10,000 elk hunt and the outfitter said $500 to the guide was a good tip. That's 5%

Some guides get paid a higher daily rate by their outfitter, and some don't. Every situation, every hunt, is going to be different. You don't want to make the other hunters look bad by tipping your guide 3X what the other guides got because you got deep pockets, just like you wouldn't want to give a tip with money you worked hard for, and find out it was the smallest one in camp by a longshot. Clients and guides talk and compare notes. There's no ATMs around the campfire to make it right. That's why you ask your outfitter ahead of time, and not a bunch of strangers on the internet, especially on a forum where people take pride in/thump their chest over NOT using guides.

 

[dtrkyman]

This a hole guide has some stories of pathetic hunter's but won't get into it

I have been tipped nothing, but only twice I can remember, and have been tipped extremely well, old Texas rancher tipped me $500 for half a day fly fishing, he didn't even fish and his wife struggled to cast 2ft, she did lose a really nice brown and we had fun!

Tip based on the guides effort and realize some young guides get put into positions they are not ready for by their outfitter, most I have been around do their best and clients always crapped out before I did!

 

[Mojave]

Tips are money.

Money is a personal thing.

For a lot of guys, saving for a bunch of years to go on a hunt for a guy, another $500, 1000, 1500, 2000 might not be possible.

You tip what you want, you tip what you like, you tip what you can afford. Same as anything else.

It's nuts that a hunter, should be told by a guide not to come if he can't tip x. If you went to a steak house and the waitress stood outside and shooked you down for 20% would you come in?

Money drives outfitting.

Outfitting is a numbers game. The more clients you can take, the more you will make. The more clients that are successful with nice animals, the more money you can charge. If the game can take it because you have the land, wildlife and guides you can make a lot of money.

As long as you keep your expenses low, have lots of trophy animals and can fill the seats you will make money.

An extended bad season, a shit attitude from a bunch of guides, or weather or mother nature crippling the game can end your business.

I agree with the statement that you are basically a John. Sometimes you get the champaign room experience, sometimes you get screwed over. Depending on how much the guide and outfitter do their job, how much game is left, and how the weather works. A lot of variables.

Because I moved overseas again this year, and I didn't draw anything in America I am not doing much hunting this year.

I have hunts booked for 2024, and I am looking forward to the experience.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

What if the guide is the owner, you already paid the owner, do you still tip? Honest question.

 

[MtnW]

Most of my guides have been outstanding, I have tipped them 20% on my last eleven out of fourteen hunts even on some pretty expensive hunts. I feel if I need to save up for hunts I also need to save up for the guides tip. I did have a few train wreck hunts 2019 and others in 2003 , 2001 where the owner/outfitter was also involved in the guiding where I had a terrible experience, I gave a ZERO tip. Most guides I have hunted with have really been fun to hunt with. Getting older now and my do it yourself days are over with. I really try to do my homework now more than ever before booking hunts.

 

[Hof]

As a fishing guide I do my best to work my tail off for my clients every day whether the fish are biting or not. Very rarely are the tips less than 10%, and most days closer to 20. If there are days that are less I am genuinely concerned that the folks didn’t have a good time or something was wrong.

I’d expect to do the same for a hunting guide. Hired guides that aren’t owner operators truly rely on tips as a solid portion of their wage. That being said, ya still gotta earn it!

 

[Hof]

What if the guide is the owner, you already paid the owner, do you still tip? Honest question

I haven’t seen a difference in tips as the owner/operator versus the times as a hired captain. So I’d tip the same….based on effort

What if the guide is the owner, you already paid the owner, do you still tip? Honest question.

 

[Mojave]

Owner/operator. I am not sure if I would tip or not. You are already paying him directly. I am sure he would hold his hand out if you opened your wallet.

 

[MattB]

It sounds like the root issue is that some of you have hunted with bad outfitters. I’ve had one guide in 25+ years who didn’t give full effort through the entirely the hunt.

 

[AKBorn]

"Money is a personal thing.

For a lot of guys, saving for a bunch of years to go on a hunt for a guy, another $500, 1000, 1500, 2000 might not be possible.

You tip what you want, you tip what you like, you tip what you can afford. Same as anything else.

It's nuts that a hunter, should be told by a guide not to come if he can't tip x. If you went to a steak house and the waitress stood outside and shook you down for 20% would you come in?"

Mojave nailed it.

I did 15-16 remote flyout hunts in Alaska over the past 22 years. The first 4 were guided, the last 10-11 were unguided. In those 22 years I have been into a lot of remote AK locations, and rubbed elbows with a whole lot of guides and hunters who were guided.

Based on my personal experience and all of the other hunters/guides that I came in contact with, my personal opinion is that a very select group might warrant a 15-20% tip; the rest of them are still learning their trade, or don't have the planning/logistics/people/problem solving skills to deserve anywhere near that amount.

A percentage tip for a big game hunt is a dumb idea right out of the gate, for everyone but the guide. I paid $9,000 for a guided moose hunt in the early 2000s. The cost of guided moose hunts is now $25,000 - $30,000 in Alaska. Why should the "industry standard" tip for the guide be 3 times what it was in the early 2000s, when:
- The hunter's income likely did NOT triple over that timeframe
- The animal numbers in most places in Alaska dictate that the 2024 hunter will NOT likely have as good a hunt experience as I had in the early 2000s
- The hunter is NOT getting 3 times the service that was provided to me; why should he pay 3 times as much for it?

I laugh when I read someone say that if someone can't afford to tip, the hunter shouldn't book the hunt. Let's turn that around and see how it sounds:

If the guide/outfitter can't afford to work for the base rate without a tip, they shouldn't be in this business.

 

[Mojave]

Mojave nailed it.

I did 15-16 remote flyout hunts in Alaska over the past 22 years. The first 4 were guided, the last 10-11 were unguided. In those 22 years I have been into a lot of remote AK locations, and rubbed elbows with a whole lot of guides and hunters who were guided.

Based on my personal experience and all of the other hunters/guides that I came in contact with, my personal opinion is that a very select group might warrant a 15-20% tip; the rest of them are still learning their trade, or don't have the planning/logistics/people/problem solving skills to deserve anywhere near that amount.

A percentage tip for a big game hunt is a dumb idea right out of the gate, for everyone but the guide. I paid $9,000 for a guided moose hunt in the early 2000s. The cost of guided moose hunts is now $25,000 - $30,000 in Alaska. Why should the "industry standard" tip for the guide be 3 times what it was in the early 2000s, when:
- The hunter's income likely did NOT triple over that timeframe
- The animal numbers in most places in Alaska dictate that the 2024 hunter will NOT likely have as good a hunt experience as I had in the early 2000s
- The hunter is NOT getting 3 times the service that was provided to me; why should he pay 3 times as much for it?

I laugh when I read someone say that if someone can't afford to tip, the hunter shouldn't book the hunt. Let's turn that around and see how it sounds:

If the guide/outfitter can't afford to work for the base rate without a tip, they shouldn't be in this business.

We are paying 3-4 times the price of the hunt in 2000 in North America. In Africa outside of plainsgame hunts, prices have also tripled.