How much to tip?

Lowedog · Nov 12, 2003

I'm sure this has been covered before but thought I would ask anyway.

I am going on a guided hunt next week and it is my first time doing so. I am wondering how much I should tip my guide.

Any help is appreciated,

Lowedog

WAmuleyHunter · Nov 12, 2003

lowe where are you headed?

Garrett.

PotatoWhisperer · Nov 12, 2003

Tips very on your expereince. If oyu felt he did the best job possible, tip him well, if not then don't! It's up to you! I've now been on a few guided hunts. 2 of them I didn't tip because I didn't feel they did enough in putting forth the effort...others have done well and they were tipped accordingly. It all depends on how YOU feel her did for YOUR hunt.

Scott G.

PS- remember, you already paid them to do a job/service for you...a tip is just extra that you feel is earned!

hedges · Nov 12, 2003

I think the guy was looking for a dollar amount.

Tips will always be diferent for how much money you have to begin with but if you can afford a guide you should be able to atleast drop a bill or two for a decent hunt.

NMRaptor · Nov 12, 2003

For our elk hunts this year tips ranged from $500-$900. Other tips were a new bow, new leica binocs.
-Raptor

Lowedog · Nov 12, 2003

Garrett, I am heading to Alberta to hunt muleys and whitetail.

$500-$900 ouch! I talked to a guy who told me he tips 10% of the hunt cost. I don't know what the outfitters pay their guides but I wasn't aware that the tips were so large. That's probably no big deal to doctors and lawyers and such. But I am just a lowely machinist and probably won't be able to do this again for a long time if at all. I guess I will go with PW's advice and let the guide determine his tip up to the 10%.

Thanks guys!

Lowedog

huntsonora · Nov 12, 2003

Tips are a bonus! Normally the 10% thing is just a rule of thumb, a lot like 15% is just a rule of thumb for waiters in a restaurant. If you get bad service you leave less and if you get great service and want to leave a little more then go ahead and do so.
I would get to know each hunter fairly well after a week of hunting with him and you can normally have a good idea of what is going to be too much and what was "affordable". I am sure that whatever your tip is your guide will appreciate it.

Drummond

Blueoak · Nov 12, 2003

For deer 10% is fine. I would do no more unless he got me something spectacular.

Drake · Nov 13, 2003

Being a guide myself I have been tipped anywhere from 50-1500 for mule deer depends on how much the client is worth. rich peps tip alot better than us poor folks

BigPig · Nov 14, 2003

10% give or take a bit depending on service.

Cass · Nov 14, 2003

Lol drake.
I don't hunt with guides, know a few of em outa colorado and N. / Central Nevada. I'd have to agree with PW on this one. If you have a good expierence i'd think you'd want to reward the guy who spent his time / efforts to make sure that happened.

-Cass
"Vegetarian : And old Indian word for bad Hunter"

Craig · Dec 4, 2003

How did your hunt go?

i was wondering if you got a new e-mail address. I keep getting them sent back.

Lowedog · Dec 5, 2003

Hunt went good. It was colllld!!! It wasn't quite what I expected but maybe I expected too much. I shot a 170" class muley on the first day of the hunt. Didn't get a whitetail but also came home a day early. My friend also shot a nice mule deer plus he got a whitetail. They have a lot of deer up there!

My email is still the same. My ISP does sometimes have a conflict with AOL though if that is what you are using.