Tipping your air transporter for AK moose

Jolley78MT

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 22, 2022
Messages
213
Hi all,

I'm going on my first AK moose hunt out of bethel this September and was wondering what the general consensus is in regards to how much $$ to tip the pilot?

Thanks in advance
 

Larry Bartlett

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Messages
1,502
There is no real consensus on tipping pilots. Most will confess they don't tip at all. Those who do say they are treated very well by their pilots before and after they tip. Smooths the gears IMO. Shows good faith and appreciation, which goes a long way still.

If you can do 10% of your total bill you'd be in classy shape. If you can only do a few hundoes still a good idea. Those who fly frequently start to develop their own way of tipping over years of flying with a pilot. I gave one of my favs a 4-season tent worth $600 because he didn't have one and needed it soon. Gave another a used raft because he needed one. Still others get whatever I can afford or sense they could use. Hope this helps

lb
 
OP
Jolley78MT

Jolley78MT

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 22, 2022
Messages
213
There is no real consensus on tipping pilots. Most will confess they don't tip at all. Those who do say they are treated very well by their pilots before and after they tip. Smooths the gears IMO. Shows good faith and appreciation, which goes a long way still.

If you can do 10% of your total bill you'd be in classy shape. If you can only do a few hundoes still a good idea. Those who fly frequently start to develop their own way of tipping over years of flying with a pilot. I gave one of my favs a 4-season tent worth $600 because he didn't have one and needed it soon. Gave another a used raft because he needed one. Still others get whatever I can afford or sense they could use. Hope this helps

lb
Thanks Larry
 

bmrfish

WKR
Joined
Aug 15, 2015
Messages
326
Good question. Curious to hear the answers.
Last year between 2 of us transported out of Bethel, we tipped about 15%.
Split about 20% each for the 3 pilots that dropped off, picked up moose, and picked us up plus the head coordinator dude in the hanger. The other 20% we split between all the other guys on the crew. We made sure to hand everybody their tips personally and thank them. They are all working their asses off.
The year before about the same except one pilot did it all for us so we gave him the big chunk. He said it was a lot. We told him we wanted it to be a lot.
I’m sure we will hear a diversity of opinions on tipping but by the time we add up all the costs on something like this, the difference between being cheap and generous is relatively small.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

AKDoc

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
May 16, 2015
Messages
1,533
Location
Alaska
I greatly appreciate the pilots and the hard working staff in the hangar...some of whom have become friends over the years. All of those guys do work their asses off day after day during hunting season!

I do the same as shared by LB and bmrfish regarding tip size, and I've also given some items. I do make a point of personally handing each person their tip with a handshake and a very sincere thanks. The amounts we tip varies across the staff...the pilots get the largest tips from us. Everyone is always truly appreciative when we pause to tip and thank them before heading home.
 

cnelk

WKR
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
6,799
Location
Colorado
Ive given $300-$400 cash and also a bunch of moose meat - like 50+lbs.

He really appreciated the meat.
 

SliverShooter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 30, 2018
Messages
203
Location
Bozeman, Montana
There is no real consensus on tipping pilots. Most will confess they don't tip at all. Those who do say they are treated very well by their pilots before and after they tip. Smooths the gears IMO. Shows good faith and appreciation, which goes a long way still.

If you can do 10% of your total bill you'd be in classy shape. If you can only do a few hundoes still a good idea. Those who fly frequently start to develop their own way of tipping over years of flying with a pilot. I gave one of my favs a 4-season tent worth $600 because he didn't have one and needed it soon. Gave another a used raft because he needed one. Still others get whatever I can afford or sense they could use. Hope this helps

lb

I try do do the same as LB, maybe a little more. I consider my pilot a friend who takes good care of me. That, and not many pilots will let their clients go solo.
 

carter33

WKR
Joined
Apr 12, 2017
Messages
473
Location
Fairbanks
I have always tipped, sometimes not 10% even as that’s a hefty add on for a 5-6k flight per person flying with two. I have always, and I mean always, been on time and had all my gear and meat packed and ready for pick up.

Weather windows can be small and I think the least a client can do is be in order on the strip. If the transporter does right by you I think a tip is also almost customary, at least a couple hundred.
 

Thess87

WKR
Joined
Jun 28, 2017
Messages
493
Location
Kansas
Just to be clear I’ve flown out of bethel and tipped along the lines as most of you are talking. And I guide deer and Turkey as a part time job so I know how it feels to be appreciated and shafted. But what’s your thoughts on this? I feel like 90% of the time everyone I know that guides pretty much gets 10% or lower (mostly lower). And that’s for a fully guided hunt. Although I do it cause I don’t want to be that guy why should a transporter tip be as much as a fully guided hunt tip? Both should be more I’m just throwing that question out there.
 

Tod osier

WKR
Joined
Sep 11, 2015
Messages
1,615
Location
Fairfield County, CT Sublette County, WY
Were I going with an operator for moose out of bethel or a 40 mile caribou hunt that offers jacked up prices for transport I'd probably not even consider a tip, whereas, were I paying someone to transport me at what I thought were typical rates I'd absolutely consider a tip.

I wished I'd known to tip Bob back in 2013 on a North Slope hunt.
 
Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Messages
951
Location
north idaho
What if the pilot is the outfitter? I had one outfitter many years ago, tell me to not tip the outfitter, he was already paid, but tip the employees.
 

Nails

FNG
Joined
Jan 2, 2022
Messages
27
I was a pilot for a transporter for several years. As such, I never even knew what the company charged for the flights. I could have easily found out but didn't. Figuring out some percentage of the cost of the flight never crossed my mind.

Like anyone, I appreciated a tip but never expected one. $100-$200 was great.

The company set the cost of the flights and paid me fairly. I was fine with that.

One thing that does stand out in my mind... many clients over the years had me do fly-by's with their trophy antlers on the wings or floats or me air dropping them extra candy bars, etc. and always promised to send me some photos's of it, or cool video's that they got. Never, in all the years did anyone follow thru. I was always disappointed in that.
 
Joined
Nov 3, 2017
Messages
1,456
Location
AK
It depends on the structure of the company.

Some pilots are quite literally doing it all. Some pilots show up to the dock to a full airplane (fuel and gear) basically ready to fire it up and go. When they get back they literally pull up to the dock and walk in and eat a sandwich while the plane is unloaded, cleaned, fueled, and reloaded; and then hop in and go. And that's just the way to business is structed.

As stated above, the pilots are compensated very fairly. They're doing what they love, but are still providing a service so I tip them a bit. The dock boys are covered in moose juice all day. They're hand working guys in their late teens/early 20's cleaning rafts, planes, tarps, tents, etc out in the rain and wind. They take care of me when I need a piece of gear/fuel. They package and ship all my moose meat while I'm still out in the field. I don't see my moose from the time it leaves the field until I pick it up in great condition in Anchorage. I take very good care of those guys.

The young lady that picks me up at the airport has already picked up all my air cargo and has it waiting for me at the hangar. She wakes up at 5 am to cook us breakfast. And then runs us around town to run errands and cleans up after us (bed sheets, dishes, etc). I take very good care of her too.

Typically I'll do 10% spread out with a different percentage of that given to each person as I see fit. It's up to you what you want to do with the owner. I understand the argument either way there. And each owner's involvement will be different so I won't recommended on what I don't know. I typically bring a gift for the head cheese. That's been a yeti cooler full of beverages, pistols, custom knives, or gear I know he needs/has commented on.

Another thing I'll do is take a booze order from the crew and include that in the stuff I ship out. Usually a bottle for each person. And I take orders to have lunch delivered for everyone on the back or front end of the trip.

edit on the pilot tip: when you haul a moose to a pickup area that's not the original drop off place, try to make sure a plane can back the float up to it. If the pilot has to wade moose quarters through knee deep water 50 feet from shore to the float because you didn't want to pack another couple hundred yards to a better spot or load it in the raft and take it back to the drop off, you better be tipping that guy appropriately!
 

Larry Bartlett

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Messages
1,502
As a hunt Planner (sort of outfitting in a way) I don't expect tips. I tell my groups to just take care of their pilots. Some guys insist when we go above and beyond and that's all good too.

This lifestyle has always been a spendy endeavor, even more since the pandemic. Prices are stupid. It's the generosity and sincerity that you're paying forward. The cash helps no doubt.
 

HuntHarder

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Messages
1,946
Location
Phoenix, Az
I tipped my outfitter/ pilot $900 on a 8k hunt last year. I appreciated the fact that he moved us in the middle of the hunt. All in all it was a smooth hunt and I appreciated it.
 

cnelk

WKR
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
6,799
Location
Colorado
My pilot charged $850 per person & $850 per moose. When I went last year just as a caller for my buddy, I still tipped him $300. My buddy [who killed a moose] did the same
 
OP
Jolley78MT

Jolley78MT

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 22, 2022
Messages
213
Appreciate everyone chiming in, it's new for me and I definitely didn't want to be "that guy" that didn't tip appropriately
 

Jon Boy

WKR
Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
1,715
Location
Paradise Valley, MT
I was a pilot for a transporter for several years. As such, I never even knew what the company charged for the flights. I could have easily found out but didn't. Figuring out some percentage of the cost of the flight never crossed my mind.

Like anyone, I appreciated a tip but never expected one. $100-$200 was great.

The company set the cost of the flights and paid me fairly. I was fine with that.

One thing that does stand out in my mind... many clients over the years had me do fly-by's with their trophy antlers on the wings or floats or me air dropping them extra candy bars, etc. and always promised to send me some photos's of it, or cool video's that they got. Never, in all the years did anyone follow thru. I was always disappointed in that.
I also never had clients that promised to send me pictures, actually send. Even after persistently asking. Never got that.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 

alaska_bou

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 9, 2020
Messages
228
The one time I hunted out of Bethel, our pilot didn't bother weighing us or our payload and it took him three attempts just to get off the water. Once airborne we started losing altitude. I could see panic on his face before the airspeed increased, and the rest of the flight was uneventful. After we were dropped off, the same plane and pilot picked up three big guys who just finished their hunt. They crashed into the trees on takeoff. That operator had three different plane crashes that year. Needless to say, I didn't tip.
 
Top