Tip on drop hunt?

[Jmartin]

What are your thoughts on tipping for an unguided drop hunt? Alaska hunt, transporter will be flying us in and dropping us off. If it was guided it would be a sure thing but what about a fly in diy hunt?

 

[Marble]

10-20%

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[western406]

Nope. Not like they are doing anything special just dropping you off somewhere.

 

[DenimChicken]

I have zero experience with this, but I have a hard time understanding why you would tip if it is simply chartered transportation. Truly curious if this is the norm.

I could understand if there is some service aspect to it or if he’s giving you tips and advice or going out of his way to do something. I’m not Scrooge and generally a good tipper, but some of this tipping culture is getting a little ridiculous.

 

[Jmartin]

I have zero experience with this, but I have a hard time understanding why you would tip if it is simply chartered transportation. Truly curious if this is the norm.

I could understand if there is some service aspect to it or if he’s giving you tips and advice or going out of his way to do something. I’m not Scrooge and generally a good tipper, but some of this tipping culture is getting a little ridiculous.

Me too. Curious as to what is the norm. First time with this type of hunt.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

We tip our pilots for good service that goes beyond expectations (unscheduled and no-charge meat backhauls, concierge services like reserving us a room if we’re coming out early, salt drops, tips and advice, etc.).
Consequently, when draw time comes around each year, we seem to have no problem getting flights booked. We love our pilots!

 

[AKDoc]

^^^^^Well said ^^^^^

I've done DIY transports every year for the past ten years. I personally tip staff persons based upon the service provided me by THAT staff person...therefore, not all get a tip. I have met many truly helpful and dedicated employees of my transporter over the years, and I tell each of those staff in person "thank-you" and give a tip...they are ALWAYS truly thankful. My tip values do vary across staff, but always the pilot(s) get the biggest tips from me.

Edit: I forgot to mention that my transporter asked the very first year that I not tip him, but instead directly tip his staff...I thought that was commendable.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

Nope. Not like they are doing anything special just dropping you off somewhere.

Do you tip your cab or Uber driver?

 

[HuntsKnez]

What are your thoughts on tipping for an unguided drop hunt? Alaska hunt, transporter will be flying us in and dropping us off. If it was guided it would be a sure thing but what about a fly in diy hunt?

I would

 

[Traveler]

I would tip unless service was terrible.

 

[LongWayAround]

@AKDoc @Greyinggrayling

Are you guys tipping the pilot every time they make a trip out or just at the end when you return?

For example, you fly out (tip?), they come back for meat (tip?), etcetera...

 

[AKBorn]

What are your thoughts on tipping for an unguided drop hunt? Alaska hunt, transporter will be flying us in and dropping us off. If it was guided it would be a sure thing but what about a fly in diy hunt?

Like AKDoc, I have been flying into the Alaskan bush to hunt moose or caribou since 2002...this year will likely be the last time for me. My thoughts:

A dependable transporter in the Alaskan wilderness is something not to take for granted. The good ones don't have to advertise, as they are typically fully booked by word of mouth. If the transporter is ONLY flying you in and flying you out (no other services), I would assess how much to tip by factors like the following:

- Clarity and comprehensiveness of communications before your flyout (so that you and they have the same approximate expectation of what is to be provided).

- Timeliness of service on the flyout date (i.e., if they say they are flying you out at 9:00 AM, you fly out close to 9:00 AM unless there are weather delays). Some people are very good at running a tight schedule, and some people have no time awareness at all.

- Organization - some outfits run like a well oiled machine, and it is evident that they have done this many times before. Other outfits can look like it's the first time they ever took someone into the bush.

- Communications/check-in during your hunt - when you are dropped off, are both parties clear on when and how often communications or check-ins might happen, and do you know how to contact them in the event of unpanned circumstances or emergency?

- Equipment quality and maintenance - If the plane or boat looks like it's on its last legs, that's always a red flag for me. Transport vehicle should at least appear maintained and seaworthy.


Forget the advice above about percentages, that doesn't really apply in the transport game. I'm flying into the bush in late August; my transport is running just under $4,000. No one is giving the pilots $800 for a flight that might take about an hour. I typically give each of the pilots that fly us in $100 apiece when they drop us off, and $100 each when they bring us home. They have seemed appreciative of that, and some have even commented "that's not necessary, you tipped me on the way in." I ask them to take it anyway.

Good luck on your hunt, let us know how it goes!

 

[Greyinggrayling]

@AKDoc @Greyinggrayling

Are you guys tipping the pilot every time they make a trip out or just at the end when you return?

For example, you fly out (tip?), they come back for meat (tip?), etcetera..

I tip at the end for the totality of the trip

 

[AKBorn]

I have zero experience with this, but I have a hard time understanding why you would tip if it is simply chartered transportation. Truly curious if this is the norm.

I could understand if there is some service aspect to it or if he’s giving you tips and advice or going out of his way to do something. I’m not Scrooge and generally a good tipper, but some of this tipping culture is getting a little ridiculous.

A fair and reasonable question. Flying into and out of the AK wilderness is a different animal than any other type of North American hunting adventure...

Been flying into the AK bush since 2002. Some guys are worth tipping, some are not. Examples from past hunts:

- One pilot didn't give any more details than we would be picked up in the field on X day. So, we waited at the pickup point for about 8 hours that day until they showed up. While there, we had a chat with one of the guides associated with that outfit (we used them for transport only, not guiding). The transporter once had left them for several days without check-in or communications, to the point where the guide shot a couple of duck to eat as he was out of food. That guy didn't get a tip.

- On one trip the pilots tried 4 times to land on a ridge in a stiff crosswind. Each time, they didn't feel good about the landing, and called no joy before touching down. Finally they apologized and said "I know this will cost you 1 hunting day, but we will come back tomorrow and get you in. This wind is just too iffy to take the chance." I had been videoing the landing attempts from the backseat, silently thinking "If this goes bad, at least the video might help people figure out what happened." Those guys put safety first, and they damn sure got a tip.

- In 2012 I didn't hunt, but was in Anchorage during hunting season. A huge storm rolled through the Interior, with sustained 60-70 mph winds and gusts up to 100 mph. One hunting group in the area I hunt had their tent sheared open by wind in the middle of the night. Altho the transporter could not land and pick them up due to sustained high winds, they flew over and airdropped a tent and a few other items to them so they had a stable camp.

- In 2019 our transporter flew over camp on the 2nd hunting day and dropped a small package off unsolicited. It was a note, checking to see if we were happy with the camp location, and offering to move us if we wanted. We were seeing plenty of animals, but a couple of other camps were not, so they wanted to check on us and make the offer. These guys always get a tip from me.

Unless you call Search and Rescue, in Alaska your transporter is realistically your only link back to civilization. The service they provide is somewhat different than an Uber of Lyft ride.

 

[AKDoc]

I also tip at the end.

 

[Jmartin]

Like AKDoc, I have been flying into the Alaskan bush to hunt moose or caribou since 2002...this year will likely be the last time for me. My thoughts:

A dependable transporter in the Alaskan wilderness is something not to take for granted. The good ones don't have to advertise, as they are typically fully booked by word of mouth. If the transporter is ONLY flying you in and flying you out (no other services), I would assess how much to tip by factors like the following:

- Clarity and comprehensiveness of communications before your flyout (so that you and they have the same approximate expectation of what is to be provided).

- Timeliness of service on the flyout date (i.e., if they say they are flying you out at 9:00 AM, you fly out close to 9:00 AM unless there are weather delays). Some people are very good at running a tight schedule, and some people have no time awareness at all.

- Organization - some outfits run like a well oiled machine, and it is evident that they have done this many times before. Other outfits can look like it's the first time they ever took someone into the bush.

- Communications/check-in during your hunt - when you are dropped off, are both parties clear on when and how often communications or check-ins might happen, and do you know how to contact them in the event of unpanned circumstances or emergency?

- Equipment quality and maintenance - If the plane or boat looks like it's on its last legs, that's always a red flag for me. Transport vehicle should at least appear maintained and seaworthy.


Forget the advice above about percentages, that doesn't really apply in the transport game. I'm flying into the bush in late August; my transport is running just under $4,000. No one is giving the pilots $800 for a flight that might take about an hour. I typically give each of the pilots that fly us in $100 apiece when they drop us off, and $100 each when they bring us home. They have seemed appreciative of that, and some have even commented "that's not necessary, you tipped me on the way in." I ask them to take it anyway.

Good luck on your hunt, let us know how it goes!

That is very helpful thanks. I thought percentage tip served a bit much.

 

[Jmartin]

All helpful comments thanks!

 

[DenimChicken]

Do you tip your cab or Uber driver?

Interesting question and that’s the first thing I thought of, and I do, but I don’t tip my airline pilot.

Great comments in the thread and certainly some well illustrated reasons to tip. For some of the service listed above, I would certainly tip.

 

[LoggerDan]

Yes