Tipping is always a great conversation starter. I am mixed emotions about tipping an owner/PH. For the most part I do not tip the owner unless something unusual or something truly beyond and above; like free animal or something.

So I was wondering what the industry norm is

Question:
Do you tip the owner who is your PH?

Choices:
Yes - always
Yes - only if something truly exceptional occurs
Yes - only when hunting dangerous game
No

 

It has been my experience the PH is tipped whether the owner or not. Tipping is normally related to the quality of the hunt, camp, and experience.

One thing to consider, the owner/PH may just be one partner in the operation and most likely the cost of the safari is going to the company not to who you think is the owner. I would guess this to be true especially on many dangerous game concessions.
Let's say for instance in Andrew's case, when you settle the bill, his partner's will need paid, but they weren't with you the whole time putting on a memorable and enjoyable safari, keeping you safe while collecting a wide variety of excellent trophies from his area, Andrew deserves a tip. Just my opinion.

I voted yes, for those reason's

Yes. Emily Post doesn’t really apply here. Margins are pretty thin, and to a large extent go back into the business. An owner needs to live and feed his family as much as a free lancer.

I have always tipped but I had the owner/PH decline once because he told me that he was the owner of the company and did not expect a tip.

As an owner I always refused and suggested they divide it among staff as they saw fit
However if I was also the PH I accepted and then shared with those who helped

I offered a tip to an owner, and he suggested that I add his tip into the staff tips. I thought that was a great idea, and followed his suggestion. He was my PH on the hunt.

I have tipped the owner. However, he has personally guided me both times. He is also a small operation with no other staff to tip.

I like that as it keeps his prices down.

I sm going back to hunt with him a 3rd time personally (4th time overall). I will tip him when we are through.

Two of my last 3 African hunts, the owner was also my PH. In each case, he was tipped just like an employee PH would have been.

I tip my PH, regardless of owner, freelancer or employee. Staff gets a tip in addition to PH.

quote:

Originally posted by DLS:
Two of my last 3 African hunts, the owner was also my PH. In each case, he was tipped just like an employee PH would have been.

I tip my PH, regardless of owner, freelancer or employee. Staff gets a tip in addition to PH.

+1

I am really not sure what the basis for not tipping the owner would be. If the owner has been the PH and put in the effort that would otherwise earn a tip, why should his or her being an owner mean they do not get a tip. Just like if my waiter at a restaurant was also an owner but he or she did all the work of the waiter and the service was deserving of a tip, why would I not pay a tip.

I tip the individual who serves as my PH. The fact that he owns the company has nothing to do with it. For my next hunt, a condition was that the owner be my PH. It would be ridiculous to not offer a customary tip.

Likely more, as I'm insisting on him splitting his obligations. I've been there from my own clients.

I always do whether he is the owner or not

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
I tip the individual who serves as my PH. The fact that he owns the company has nothing to do with it. For my next hunt, a condition was that the owner be my PH. It would be ridiculous to not offer a customary tip.

What Lavaca said. If the owner is the PH why would you stiff him? A tip is for personal service not wages. To me its irrelevant if the PH is the owner or not.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
I tip the individual who serves as my PH. The fact that he owns the company has nothing to do with it. For my next hunt, a condition was that the owner be my PH. It would be ridiculous to not offer a customary tip.

What Lavaca said. If the owner is the PH why would you stiff him? A tip is for personal service not wages. To me its irrelevant if the PH is the owner or not.

Mark

+1

Like others here, I have had Owner/PHs graciously refuse tips. Those times it was suggested to add the amount to the tip pool for staff.
On other occasions, the Owner/PH graciously accepted the tip.
Either was okay by me but I always kinda liked when the Owner/PH accepted. Made me feel like he recognized I truly appreciated all he had done.
Just my .02

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
I tip the individual who serves as my PH. The fact that he owns the company has nothing to do with it. For my next hunt, a condition was that the owner be my PH. It would be ridiculous to not offer a customary tip.

What Lavaca said. If the owner is the PH why would you stiff him? A tip is for personal service not wages. To me its irrelevant if the PH is the owner or not.

Mark

sorry, but I hate tipping. Just give me a bill for what the whole show costs and I’ll gladly pay it. This nonsense of having to figure out extras for normal services performed really ticks me off. My last hunt
I was advised to tip the game scouts— for whose “services” I had already been billed $100 per day.
Screw it! Just give me a quote for reasonable costs and I will pay it

I have went different ways on providing tips for most of my hunts.

I try to have the correct money exchange for the country that I will be hunting in. I usually have the money ordered in and travel with it in my carryon bag. However, I will do the same for pocket money for any country that I travel to. One has to remember that credit cards are not taken in small locations and some countries you are not able to use your credit card. (state department has that in play)

I try to use 10% of the daily fees as a reasonable way to go. If I have a great experience, the tip can or will go higher.

I usually ask the PH before I travel, how many will be in camp that will be in the tip line up with him included. I just need a number.

I have had PH's tell me that even one should receive the same tip as it causes hurt feelings. Then we hash over what is considered a reasonable tip.

I have been in camp where I included everyone for a tip, much to the surprise of the night watchman, or crew chef.

I have also been in camp with the owner/PH on some of my trips, they always were included in the tips for services provided.

No.

Exspacely not than he is the owner.
(Im an owner of an company also, and I dont accept any kind of tipps.)

If he was the guide also:
I will invited him for an great dinner (on the last day or so).

My PH/owner in Namibia asked us not to tip, and especially not to tip the staff, because they will start to expect higher pay. I’ve seen this in Mexico with some of our guides. A wealthy hunter comes down, leaves a huge tip and then they start expecting huge tips from the poor guys.

Tips and meat are an important part of the staff's compensation most places I've hunted. Also, there are a lot of people you never see that contributed to the success of your hunt, including the watchmen, who I believe were mentioned above, the assistant cooks, the mechanics, and the folks who did your laundry. They all worked hard and hopefully made a "happy camp" in Ruark's words. If they did, they deserve a tip.

The last day of a safari is always difficult in that regard when you fill out the final paper work. Some of you may never have met all of the people on that list, but I make a point of visiting the skinning shed, the kitchen and the motor pool during the course of a safari. I always ask for the PH's suggestions of a "good" tip for the 20 some odd people on the list. Then I up it for anyone who did something incredible.

Always tip everyone

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
Tips and meat are an important part of the staff's compensation most places I've hunted. Also, there are a lot of people you never see that contributed to the success of your hunt, including the watchmen, who I believe were mentioned above, the assistant cooks, the mechanics, and the folks who did your laundry. They all worked hard and hopefully made a "happy camp" in Ruark's words. If they did, they deserve a tip.

The last day of a safari is always difficult in that regard when you fill out the final paper work. Some of you may never have met all of the people on that list, but I make a point of visiting the skinning shed, the kitchen and the motor pool during the course of a safari. I always ask for the PH's suggestions of a "good" tip for the 20 some odd people on the list. Then I up it for anyone who did something incredible.

I don't do lists and better to work on a blanket fee and let others decide how it is shared.

I have never had an outfitter do this, but I would prefer that the list of folks that might be entitled to a tip, e.g., trackers, driver, skinner, cook, waiter, camp help, etc., be done in percentages that add up to 100%, e.g., tracker 10%, driver 10%, cook 8%, etc. Then you could simply decide on an aggregate amount for a tip, adjust any percentages as you deem appropriate if at all, and then pay the aggregate amount over to be divided per the percentages. It is a real pain in the ass to make the hunter start dividing up cash, putting it in envelopes, etc. Also makes it easier for the hunter to adjust the aggregate tip up or down without having to go back and try to adjust dollar amounts based on a recommended dollar amount that was provided. Outfitters could actually publish the list of recommended tip percentages so that clients and even staff would understand how any tip is going to be distributed to staff. I may start insisting on this in the future. Would make my life way easier.

I’d rather the Owner charge me more for the safari, pay the staff a fair and consistent wage and not have to worry about the stupid tradition of tipping.
With that said, I tip the owner and let him distribute the tips. I do not want to track down 30 different people and and try to figure out what is fair.

quote:

Originally posted by Jason P:
I’d rather the Owner charge me more for the safari, pay the staff a fair and consistent wage and not have to worry about the stupid tradition of tipping.
With that said, I tip the owner and let him distribute the tips. I do not want to track down 30 different people and and try to figure out what is fair.

+1. I would rather just have the tip build into the safari.
I had to hand out 17 envelopes on a hunt. I’m not sure how many wood gathers you need, but I guess quite a few.

I didn't mean to suggest that I had to track down everyone and deliver an individual tip. Just sign off on a tip sheet. Only exception is the game scout, who is not employed by the outfitter. I've had game scouts that were a big asset to the team, and others that just tagged along, to one, who wouldn't even go along because she was scared of her shadow. They were individually tipped accordingly.

As many here have already responded, I tip the PH regardless of their status within the operation.

In separate instances with different PHs, the PH was the owner of the outfit and took less than was offered as a tip. The excess was distributed to the camp staff in both instances.

As there is no culture of tipping in NZ I always have difficulty in judging a fair level. I ask the PH for guidance on tipping the staff and I use his attitude towards the staff as my guide to to how much to tip him. It makes no difference to me if the PH is also the owner. There is a difference of some order between the tipping on a DG hunt with some level of risk and a PG hunt.
If the game scout works as hard as the trackers he gets the same tip. If corrupt, nothing!