What's the going rate for tipping your guide on a guided hunt? I'm sure there's plenty that factors into it such as success rate, how good a time you had, etc but just curious if folks follow a base minimum when considering tipping on top of paying for a hunt.

10%

20 if u kill a real trophy that required guiding...not stopping at the numbered blind

Higher end of the spectrum if they cape it for you too

I might be in the minority, but I have never adjusted tip based on killing or not killing, or trophy size. If the guide put in 110%, or went above and beyond expectations (great meals, obvious work beforehand, caping and processing work, etc), they deserve a good tip regardless of other factors. If they dinked around and we just lucked into a good animal (which I have had happen), they don't deserve a big tip.

I usually tip 10-25% based on the guide and the experience. For me it's not always about numbers of fish in the boat. A guide that shows up on time, busts his tail trying to put you on birds or fish, is engaged w you during the trip w cocking or conversation or whatever is what I'm looking for. I've had plenty of salt water fly days where I only landed 1-2 fish but the guide busted his tail for me, taught me a ton, and I tipped 25% because of the experience not just the catch.

I guide for whitetail (basically sit in stand and make sure right deer is shot) a few x a year. Most of these hunters didn't pay for the hunt (companies do) and I get closer to 20%. 1k is not uncommon on a 5k deer. Also clean, cape, and entertain hunter (a little)

I always tip 10-20%, as stated above it directly depends on the quality of service that was provided not necessarily the outcome. I have ripped over 20% for world class animals and fantastic service, I have also not tipped as the guide was a sham and the whole fishing trip was a **** show.

dr_boogs said:

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is engaged w you during the trip w cocking...is what I'm looking for.

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Umm, what kind of guides are you hiring?

kosmostx said:

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dr_boogs said:

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is engaged w you during the trip w cocking...is what I'm looking for.

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Umm, what kind of guides are you hiring?

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Remember it's not the size of the tip that matters...

javajaws said:

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kosmostx said:

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dr_boogs said:

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is engaged w you during the trip w cocking...is what I'm looking for.

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Umm, what kind of guides are you hiring?

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Remember it's not the size of the tip that matters...

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It's the circumference?

Thanks for the replies. Figured it'd be similar to tipping when dinning out. The better the experience the better the tip. Going on my first guided hunt starting Wednesday and just didn't want to short change a guy that goes all out.

I see 10 to 20 percent out west but 10-15 is pretty much the norm. A lot of hunters throw me cash and a nice bottle of bourbon which means a lot.

dr_boogs said:

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I usually tip 10-25% based on the guide and the experience. For me it's not always about numbers of fish in the boat. A guide that shows up on time, busts his tail trying to put you on birds or fish, is engaged w you during the trip w conversation or whatever is what I'm looking for. I've had plenty of salt water fly days where I only landed 1-2 fish but the guide busted his tail for me, taught me a ton, and I tipped 25% because of the experience not just the catch.

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Edited for the autocorrect. Too much time on firearms forums I guess.

Was wondering this myself. Guided high fence whitetail hunt for customers. Probably 2 day hunt. Could be $5,000-7,000 Buck. It will be more of a sit in wait hunt. Not like a elk hunt type guiding. Have a hard time paying 500-700$ (10%) or $1000-1400 for what could only be a few hours of hunting.

There's typically work that goes into it on the front end for the guide as well, albeit not as much as a spot and stalk guide

cupofjoe04 said:

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javajaws said:

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kosmostx said:

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dr_boogs said:

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is engaged w you during the trip w cocking...is what I'm looking for.

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Umm, what kind of guides are you hiring?

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Remember it's not the size of the tip that matters...

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It's the circumference?

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Girth

Not being able to bottom out a tuna can but can touch all sides at once.

Honestly one of my favorite words too.

Girth Brooks

How does tipping practice differ for guides who take you to stands vs. guides who take you on the trails?

These days. The former will feel just as entitled as the latter.

AGGIE WH08P said:

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Was wondering this myself. Guided high fence whitetail hunt for customers. Probably 2 day hunt. Could be $5,000-7,000 Buck. It will be more of a sit in wait hunt. Not like a elk hunt type guiding. Have a hard time paying 500-700$ (10%) or $1000-1400 for what could only be a few hours of hunting.

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I hear you, but it seems strange to me that people can drop $7000 on a deer to just sit and wait for a few hours, but balk at $1000 for the guy who has put in work all year (or for many years) managing those deer and prepping the opportunity. I'm not saying guiding is as hard as an elk hunt (like you agreed), but neither is the hunting part. So, it just seems to me that if one side of the equation is easily worth it, the other side should be as well.

Not trying to be confrontational, it's just odd to me. And I have heard this sentiment quite often. I think if places charged $8000 for the exact same hunt & deer, and said "no tipping allowed", most of the same people would gladly pay it without thinking twice.

cupofjoe04 said:

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AGGIE WH08P said:

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Was wondering this myself. Guided high fence whitetail hunt for customers. Probably 2 day hunt. Could be $5,000-7,000 Buck. It will be more of a sit in wait hunt. Not like a elk hunt type guiding. Have a hard time paying 500-700$ (10%) or $1000-1400 for what could only be a few hours of hunting.

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I hear you, but it seems strange to me that people can drop $7000 on a deer to just sit and wait for a few hours, but balk at $1000 for the guy who has put in work all year (or for many years) managing those deer and prepping the opportunity. I'm not saying guiding is as hard as an elk hunt (like you agreed), but neither is the hunting part. So, it just seems to me that if one side of the equation is easily worth it, the other side should be as well.

Not trying to be confrontational, it's just odd to me. And I have heard this sentiment quite often. I think if places charged $8000 for the exact same hunt & deer, and said "no tipping allowed", most of the same people would gladly pay it without thinking twice.

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Alright this goes to a larger talk on tipping. 1) if you are the owner/guide, then price your hunts with your margin built in. Just like every business does. 2) if you're the owner and hiring work/guides, then price your hunts to include the overhead of paying your guides appropriately.

Tipping should be completely at the discretion of the consumer and not expected. This is how all business should be run.

In fact, I've got a little story about far this has gone. I realize this is an outlier but worth the share on how nonsensical some of this tipping has become.

When I was a youngin in the O&G business, I got invited on my first corporate fishing trip. It was 15 or so of us. 2-3 like me were low level guys. I got the invite because my VP didn't hunt or fish and told his counterpart to take me. Most on the trip were at least directors.

So anyway we go out to this place owned by the company that invited me. One of the VPs walks around to everyone and says hey we like to gather up the tips early. I suggest putting in yada yada. It wasn't a ton. But it was enough that at my salary I was like ouch. But you know that's part of the deal.

We have a great time. Catching fish having a good time. Start getting to know our personal guide. Eventually we find out all of the guides and cooks/house cleaners are actually employees of the company. Full benefits. 401k. Profit share etc. More vacation than I had had the time.

I'm thinking wait a minute. Why exactly are we tipping these guys? Or why are the company guys expecting the guests to tip them. They are literally doing their job just like me or anyone else putting in the hours at the office.

If I pay (which I personally never will) $10k to go hunt XYZ animal, what should I expect to get for that $10k? Wouldn't guide services and getting put on an animal be expected?

https://www.swanmountainoutfitters.com/question/what-is-an-appropriate-tip-2/

What is an appropriate tip?
January 31, 2021
By web_manager
The most important thing for hunters to remember is that guiding is a service business, and all guides throughout the world rely on their tips as part of their earnings. Having said that, like any service, they must earn it. There have been many published guidelines on the amount to tip: 10-15% of the hunt cost to the guide; $15-25 a day per person for the cook who also acts as a camp valet; $25 per person for each wrangler or packer that hauls your gear and/or meat. If you are coming with a group, it is always a good idea to talk with others about how much they plan to tip, so as to avoid embarrassment.




The trip I looked at was $5,800 and 7 days. So according to the FAQ, I should be in the $150 range for the cook, $100ish? for the wrangler (whatever that is) and another $580-870 for the guide.

Your wrangler takes care of the mules/horses and ensures you don't have to pack an animal out on foot!