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One of Us |
And if he's the owner and still functions as the PH without distraction during the hunt he should get what ever you would normally give to a PH working for him. To do otherwise is just an excuse for not tipping. Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary. ______________________ DRSS ______________________ Hunt Reports 2015 His & Her Leopards with Derek Littleton of Luwire Safaris - http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/2971090112 2015 Trophy Bull Elephant with CMS http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1651069012 DIY Brooks Range Sheep Hunt 2013 - http://forums.accuratereloadin...901038191#9901038191 Zambia June/July 2012 with Andrew Baldry - Royal Kafue http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7971064771 Zambia Sept 2010- Muchinga Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4211096141 Namibia Sept 2010 - ARUB Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6781076141 | |||
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Cant say I agree. next time youre in tanzania, please check out the price of buying or renting a modest house. You'll be very surprised! Housing NOT cheap (unless one lives like Masai) Also go to grocery store and check the prices of common items. almost everything decent is imported, except for what's locally grown. a box of kellog's breakfast cereal is over $8.00 US (as it is imported from UK) not cheaper to live there at all (unless one chooses a very low standard of living) Also: not every PH working in a certain African country lives in that country year round. In TZ many PHs are from South africa, Zim, United States and Europe. they still need to bring enough money home to there families each year. | |||
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Never said inappropriate...stupid was the word I used but maybe illogical was a better choice. I am just a straight up guy...tell me what it cost...and if I want it for that price...I'll buy it. If PH's and staff need money...build it into the daily rate. That is what I do. I don't expect somebody to tip my barn help cause their horse was well cared for while it stayed in hospital. Seems much more logical and straight forward to me. Just my opinion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991. | |||
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You must be a popular guy at the local restaurants. Mike | |||
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Hi Gents: This is an issue I'm pleased is addressed here. My experiences are many with tipping. Poor hunts get zip. Camp staff always should get a tip unless they are really not doing their job. If the hunt and trophies are poor, chances are it is not the staff member's fault. However, my last hunt in Matetsi the attitude of the staff was so poor (not a "thank you" for introductory gifts and two threw their cash tip on the ground at the end of the safari saying, "more"--I picked up the bills and walked away.) For a former PH I tipped him a .460 Weatherby for going above and beyond the call of duty when I became very ill and the next year in Tanzania he received 10x40 Leica binocs. The next year, back in Zim, the hunt was so poor I gave him $200 and thought I overtipped for what I received. (We have since parted company as he would not address the issues of poor quality hunts with me--just today, in fact). Once I have had the PH keep the staff tips I gave him to hand out--telling the staff the American was a cheap bastard (this guy has since lost his Zim PH license). This may have happened another time but I do not have confirmation of it--just the pissy looks of the staff when I departed). The problem I have is with expected tips regardless of the quality delivered. My first hunt in Zim (1994) a young and arrogant PH told me what he his tip was to be--on the first day of the hunt! Also, I tend to be less of a tipper to the owner as he is making the big money on the hunt and more so for a working man who is the PH. Many may disagree with this--sorry. I hope to be in Zim later this year as I today sent out emails as I won't be hunting with a former friend and PH. I will tip based on the service I get to the PH and always to the staff. Cheers all, Cal _______________________________ Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska www.CalPappas.com www.CalPappas.blogspot.com 1994 Zimbabwe 1997 Zimbabwe 1998 Zimbabwe 1999 Zimbabwe 1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation 2000 Australia 2002 South Africa 2003 South Africa 2003 Zimbabwe 2005 South Africa 2005 Zimbabwe 2006 Tanzania 2006 Zimbabwe--vacation 2007 Zimbabwe--vacation 2008 Zimbabwe 2012 Australia 2013 South Africa 2013 Zimbabwe 2013 Australia 2016 Zimbabwe 2017 Zimbabwe 2018 South Africa 2018 Zimbabwe--vacation 2019 South Africa 2019 Botswana 2019 Zimbabwe vacation 2021 South Africa 2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later) ______________________________ | |||
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One of Us |
Lane, Just curious--Do you simply object to the tipping system but continue to participate in it, or do you never tip as a matter of principle? Like you, I am a professional and do not get tips, but that's the way it is for everyone in my profession. If in another industry, tips are the norm and often make up a significant part of the income of the recipients--especially the lowest ones on the totem pole--does it make sense to refuse to tip? After all, there's no reasonable expectation that the rest of the world will join with you and cause the market to shift safari prices accordingly. A more likely result of a refusal to tip in response to hard work and an exceptional experience is a group of people who think you're cheap, a jerk, or, perhaps, French. Again, are you just stating that the practice offends you, or are you opting out, regardless of the consequences? Not messing with you here; just interested in seeing your reasoning, since I know you're not a dummy. | |||
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No...I play the game like all. The folks I hunt with are friends and I take care of them properly. If the system were as it was meant to be...a bonus for a job well done...no problem. But...as stated by many...that is not it. It has become the actual pay and I think that is an illogical way of conducting business. The equivalent would be...me operating on your horse for the cost of supplies then saying if you liked my operation...please pay my professional fee...knowing if you didn't that I could not feed my kids...and would be pissed. Just illogical. I don't expect it to change. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991. | |||
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Thanks for the clarification, Lane. I don't disagree with you. | |||
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ok, so if an operator charged say $150(varying DG and PG obviously) a day, more on the daily rate and published all tips and gratuities were included in the rate, how many hunters would go for this as a set in stone policy rather than voluntarily pay the PH and camp staff what they feel is a deserved tip.......I would be really interested to hear everyones views on this . My view is that it should not be a set in stone principle as it allows poor service to creep in and as the amount is set, the tip amount is the same. No I still believe that a PH and staff should work as hard as possible to make a clients trip the best it can possibly be, and it is purely and simply the clients decision to tip as they see fit. Debating the cost of living and earnings of PHs and Clients etc is irrelevant. The general consensus in this entire thread is simply that Tips should never be expected, but are always welcomed and the decision on whether to tip,or how much to tip lies squarely with the client. | |||
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One of Us |
Agreed and only time I did not receive a tip from a a very wealthy and well known individual was when I booted him out of camp for swearing at my staff. I gave him a tip, a verbal one. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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Bravo, sir I can only hope my first African PH has the same values. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Give me the simple life; an AK-47, a good guard dog and a nymphomaniac who owns a liquor store. | |||
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First off lets not call this fee that is EXPECTED a tip or at least not in the traditional terms. My wife and I experienced, what we consider, the ultimate embarrasment pulled by our PH in Tanzania 3 1/2 years ago and yes it still makes me hot! We had arranged, ahead of time, with a well known Safari company-who posts here-to pay the majority of our tip after the safari due to the fact we were traveling to two other countries after we left TZ and did not want to have over 2K of U.S. currency on us. After hunting on the last hunt day our PH sat us down in the lodge and we talked about tips and gave him some med's we had and told him we would send more from the U.S. and gave him $350.00 U.S. and some clothes he had expressed an interest in when we were hunting and told him he would get more $$$ from the company when we settled up on the account as had been agreed upon. He then proceeded to bring the Government scout in and told us to give him $350.00 for his services. Nice way to solidify things with the G-man at our cost, which we did. After I expressed my displeasure at this stunt he then called in all 11 of the hunting and camp staff and paraded them in front of us saying they, meaning my wife and I, want to talk to you!!! We gave all the cash we had and half of our clothes not to mention the 10 multi-tools we had already given as gifts to many of these same guys and the anti-poaching staff and all of the school items we brought for a local school, almost a suitcase full. When I got in the PH's face about this he said, "I want to make sure everyone gets something they are very poor." Although this guy had a vested interest in his countrymen, as he grew up in the is area of Tanzania, this is still a cold blooded stunt. No I did not tell the U.S. owner until months later after we paid the balance of the increased government fees-no fault of the safari company and in all fairness they did help us get a better rate on our returned trophies. But we did send the med's we promised and a pair of binoculars to the head tracker. We've never heard one word after that. Did it matter that we had to put up with a rich asshole from Texas and his mini-me adult son and all of their "me first" condesending crap? No offense to nice rich Texans. But hey, they are wealthy and regular customers of the safari company. Did it matter that another very well known PH spent a few days in camp with his "VERY VOCAL" AND USUALLY DRUNK WIFE? Or did it matter that they would have drunken arguments in their tent after lunch when we all were "taking a few minutes"? No, we were still expected to "tip" as usual. I read a comment,that is part of this thread, that we should tip cuz the PH has had to "risk his life". Now this is the biggest of all. PH's are PH's because it is prestigeous and a good life, for the most part, and it is what they want to do. They work as a PH for the same reasons we hunters Hunt, especailly dangerous game! I was in Law Enforcement for 33 years with a major state agencey and about 20 of that undercover---don't tell me about risking your life--- I've risked my life too, I don't ask anything of anyone cuz I knew that was part of the deal going in like Law Enforcement Office AND EVERY PH. If that is the criteria then we better start paying out to our two sons, one in the Army and one in the Air Force who truly do risk their lives and the thousands of other men and women who do the same. But you know what even if we did our sons, and I'm sure most others, would not take a penny because they too knew that going in and they are doing what they do for reasons far greater than money. How about the safari company to whom we paid their recommended amount at about 15% and on top of that an additional $150 to the tracker, $75 to the cook and $40 to the housekeeper--US $$$'s. Then when we felt we were being double charged by the company that did the dipping and crating because they said their is an extra shipping charge "over and above" we were told by the PH, that's between you and them. No matter they recommended that company and they were the ones who had sent our head, horns and capes to them. If my wife and I were hard to get along with I could understand but if we have a fault I guess it is we are not. So let's call "tipping" what it is, it IS A SURCHARGE that you will pay even if you have to put up with crap in camp or things don't measure up like it or not. So, is just that and let's not be trying to cover it up like a cat in the sandbox by using excuses of people risking their life and other veiled comments to hide the fact of what it is and Americans get the jab everytime and if we don't like it--I guess the safari companies figure there are enough fish in the sea. Maybe being the guppy is my own fault! The display of PURE POWER is nothing short of AWESOME ! 1 JOHN 3:18 | |||
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500 fan, That is quite a sad tale and it is the norm to write and sign a tip chit if you do not have the cash on you. The PH was totally out of order and to force you to pay is unprofessional to say the least. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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I would name both the PH and the outfitter involved in this. This is totally outrageous! | |||
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Fairgame, If a client set you down and explained his position was not in favor of traditional tips how would you react? In other words, it was nothing against you and no problem with the safari, only that his stance on tips were in conflict with yours. Both you and the client have polarized views on the subject, what do you do? | |||
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Tips are bonuses nothing else. Yes staff sometimes expect it everytime but that is not the client's problem it's the outfitters to resolve the matter. Frederik Cocquyt I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good. | |||
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One of Us |
I have read all the posts with interest. Personally I see a tip as a complete bonus which should not be expected. however having booked my first DG hunt in Zim this coming June, I've now discovered that a tip is absolutely expected and almost makes up the balance of the staff's wages. I've saved up for a considerable time to afford my DG hunt (tuskless) and do not have the luxury of earning hard currency (USD).I could not add any other animals to my safari as I'm at the limit of my budget. Some of the recommendations here are the perogative of the rich for whom a few hundred dollars is chicken feed. I believe a little perspective is needed. Instead of comparing the tip as a % of the daily rate, I would like to see the tip compared to the daily wage of the person receiving the tip. If the staff cannot make ends meet without tips, then surely the outfitter is underpaying his staff? If I can afford to tip the ph a couple of hundred USD,it seems I will be looked at as a cheap skate because the last big-spending oil baron flung a couple of thousand around. JCHB | |||
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Administrator |
Precisely! | |||
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One of Us |
Accept the clients decision. It is not my job to argue with a customer. As stated tips are a bonus and never guaranteed. This is always explained to the staff. I have in the past recommended that certain individuals did not receive a gratuity due to a discrepancy or poor performance on safari or in camp and I inform them why. This is then normally reflected in the lump camp tip. Any individuals to be tipped outside of this is at the discrepancy of the client. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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One of Us |
I feel compelled to add my most recent tipping experience....In 2010 I retired and as my retirement gift to myself I decided to go for one of those big Botswana elephant bulls. They are expensive but I figured it was "now or never". I had a great hunt and when it came time to settle up I gave the PH $2K and said "this is all I have--for everyone". He did a lot of figuring and then passed out the tips in the traditional manner by calling the staff in one at a time, handed them the money and indicated it was from me. Towards the end of the process it occured to me the PH had taken no money for himself. I felt horrible that I had not brought enough money and asked him why he kept zero for himself. He replied that both he and the staff enjoyed the hunt and that was good enough for him. The following day we were off to Kasane where he found me lodging, took me shoping and refused to allow me to pay for lunch stating that he "was not only my professional hunter but my host as well". He was a perfect gentleman and very gracious despite receiving no tip. Some months later, after getting a federal income tax refund, I contacted him as how to send him his proper tip. He refused, citing the same reasons as before...he and the staff had enjoyed the hunt and that was good enough for him. His name is Gareth Flemix--he works for Greg Butler Safaris and I highly recommend him. | |||
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one of us |
this is a long thread and I am not sure I have commented before, but one thing that really pisses me of is a PH who treats the staff like crap. If you want a nice tip, treat others with respect. | |||
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+1 I believe people, esp staff, should always be treated with respect irrelevent of things like tips. The bush is a great leveller and quickly strips away things like rank, title, fortune and education etc. A please/thank you cost nothing and go a long way to establishing good relationships. | |||
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Guys I appreciate your understanding and yes this, I believe, could have happened to about any of us. I'm not going to list the companies or the PH's due to the fact I've spoken with the owners and if they don't clean it up it will eat them from the inside out and eventually ruin their business. Besides, some hayseed, which I'm proud to be from the heart of the U.S., from Nebraska calls you and tells you about this PH bringing in everybody but the guys in the skinning shed, and he may have just forgotten about them. Then he says your premiere PH and his wife were drunk and playing the Young and the Restless in camp; he's going to take it with a pinch of salt and say it's all blown out of proportion. Well it was not and I figure we all make mistakes and I do believe it is possible the one company owner may have not known about this until I told him. But my chances of hunting Tanzania again are as slim as hell and he and I know so we are really no factor in his future. Unless he wants to take the initiative to look into the matter nothing will change. due to the fact he never did contact me for more details I believe he swept it under the carpet and let it go so his top PH can be on TV every couple of months. Look, I understand the poverty in Africa is far beyond anything in the US and my wife and I know that. That is why we are involved in water projects with two faith based organizations, have adopted-financially-two children and personally participate in mission trips every 3 years. I'm not saying this to pat us on the back but rather to say I do understand this PH's-well what I chalked up to passion for the people he grew up with. But it is still bullshit to do anything of the sort that he did. I will tell anyone who calls me for specific reference information but not beyond that. Besides I'm sure I was off that list right after my phone call south. One other thing, it's STILL NOT TIPPING it's a frickin' SURCHARGE!!! PERIOD!!! The display of PURE POWER is nothing short of AWESOME ! 1 JOHN 3:18 | |||
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without names your post are worthless. do your fellow forum members a solid and give them a heads up. i cannot imagine why you would want to protect a ph who pulled a stunt like this, its not like you are going to hunt with them again, is it? | |||
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I tend to disagree and 500 Fan has well illustrated a negative example of tipping without calling names. I am sure if you sent him a PM or gave him a call he would be able to satisfy your interest. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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Coming from New Zealand where we do not have a tipping culture (I know some will try & dispute this!) I struggle with this subject. Our minimum wage for a basic unskilled worker is around $ 14.00 per hour or so. We even have laws for youth wages for school kids working in supermarkets or petrol stations. Even they get $10 per hour or more. On the other hand a friend said that his wife who has worked in a bank in the US for over 10 years earns around $10 per hour! Given the above comments as background, I wrote to a few people here on AR about my dreams & hopes / plans for an African safari in the next couple of years. I laid out my inexperience with tipping so that I can budget accurately. One PH came back with a blunt reply that tips were not an automatic expectation and that he gets mad when the subject is raised .... That actually made me feel very comfortable that I will not be embarrassed by him if my tips were less than some other wealthy client. If I plan a Buffalo / PG hunt for say $15,000 total and then add $3000 for flights etc. I would really struggle to add much more for tips. I would have to cut back on an animal or two in my PG list so that I can also tip a total of $2000. This is a very big part of my learning experience about the etiquette of other cultures / professions. "When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick." | |||
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Nakihunter You most likely won't be the first Ausi/Kiwi hunter the PH has had. It is my understanding that PH understand that different cultures tip differently. And, over the course of a hunt the PH is likely to get an idea of the clients background. An oil baron who is constantly bragging about his fancy vacation homes and yachts is going to have the PH anticipating a big tip. OTOH a blue collar worker who is on his first hunt to Africa(for which he has saved for years) will not have the PH anticipating anything more than a modest tip. If all you can leave is $1,000 USD for the PH and his staff(on a $15,000 hunt) that would be fine. Jason "You're not hard-core, unless you live hard-core." _______________________ Hunting in Africa is an adventure. The number of variables involved preclude the possibility of a perfect hunt. Some problems will arise. How you decide to handle them will determine how much you enjoy your hunt. Just tell yourself, "it's all part of the adventure." Remember, if Robert Ruark had gotten upset every time problems with Harry Selby's flat bed truck delayed the safari, Horn of the Hunter would have read like an indictment of Selby. But Ruark rolled with the punches, poured some gin, and enjoyed the adventure. -Jason Brown | |||
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Or you could do a search of 500 Fan's posts and include "Tanzania" in the search terms and find your answers in about two minutes. I am a bit confused because 500 Fan seemed to recommend his Tanzania PH and outfitter/booking agent in the past. I guess his feelings changed when he had time to reflect on the happenings? Jason "You're not hard-core, unless you live hard-core." _______________________ Hunting in Africa is an adventure. The number of variables involved preclude the possibility of a perfect hunt. Some problems will arise. How you decide to handle them will determine how much you enjoy your hunt. Just tell yourself, "it's all part of the adventure." Remember, if Robert Ruark had gotten upset every time problems with Harry Selby's flat bed truck delayed the safari, Horn of the Hunter would have read like an indictment of Selby. But Ruark rolled with the punches, poured some gin, and enjoyed the adventure. -Jason Brown | |||
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JBrown does a nice job of detective 101 but making assumptions like that is just as wrong as...well if I told you of another trip where a baggage handler in Joburg, SA wanted to charge us an over weight fee of $265.00 to be paid in small U.S. currency. So to assume the airline was SAA just because we were in South Africa would be just as wrong as his assumption. fairgame seemed to grasp the point of what I was trying to get at and back it up with fact and experience. I was not trying to bury the Safari Company if that were my intent I'd have done that long ago in other ways. I was making a point based upon personal experience and fact that I stand behind tipping, today, is not a gracious bonus it is an expected surcharge! Guys look at the websites some are now even telling you, they will say suggesting, a percentage! For the good companies that do give a good portion to the local people and support schools etc. great but the ones that claim to do this but fatten their own purses will answer for it on their own time. I've made my point you all can make whatever rookie assumptions you like. TERMINUS! The display of PURE POWER is nothing short of AWESOME ! 1 JOHN 3:18 | |||
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Now, this is a PH I want to hunt with and TIP WELL! For my own part, I have tipped well on hunts, tipped poorly due to poor attitude and/or performance, had the owner essentially refuse a tip when serving as a PH, and have also tipped the owner/operator happily. When it comes to good hunting, once you have been doing it enough, I think you get a feel for what something is worth. Often I have felt like the deal I was getting was just "too good" and I am, in those cases, happy to tip very well. Other times, regardless of whether game is taken or not, I feel like the value is just not there given the price, and tips decline. Obviously, this is much less true for the staff vs. the PH or owner but I think most hunters over-tip staff anyway. I once tipped a native fishing guide $100 for four days work and I think I made his month. I think I have also under-tipped an owner when the hunt deal was pretty darn good because I had committed to a "full price" hunt the following time I came up. Frankly, any decent outfitter knows that repeat business is the ultimate tip! | |||
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500 I do take offense to your candy-ass name calling BS, not because I'm against name calling(obviously), but because I was trying to help you by keeping you from getting a hundred PMs asking for names. And if you didn't want to nail the CSer who pulled this stunt, you should have never named the country or mentioned that the booking agent posts here. Maybe you are a bit passive aggressive????? Anyway, here are the posts that you made that led me astray(BTW the details in these posts clearly match the comments you made above):
Jason "You're not hard-core, unless you live hard-core." _______________________ Hunting in Africa is an adventure. The number of variables involved preclude the possibility of a perfect hunt. Some problems will arise. How you decide to handle them will determine how much you enjoy your hunt. Just tell yourself, "it's all part of the adventure." Remember, if Robert Ruark had gotten upset every time problems with Harry Selby's flat bed truck delayed the safari, Horn of the Hunter would have read like an indictment of Selby. But Ruark rolled with the punches, poured some gin, and enjoyed the adventure. -Jason Brown | |||
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Wow! A rather heated topic, but understandably so. I'm not sure I can say what's right or wrong, but I do believe this. Never should the PH/Outfitter assume or insist the hunter MUST tip anyone, him included. I do appreciate when they give me guidance as to the amount I should give, when I ask. But lately I have seen it feel more like, "here's the tip bill too", don't forget it! And frankly, the bill is often pretty expensive as well. Last week, I finished a 3 week safari in the CAR. Now, by no means did the PH/Outfitter insist I tip anything, they handled it just fine. I asked for their input, they gave it to me, but told me the final decision on tips/amount was totally up to me. I gave the PH $3,000.00, they recommended about $2,000.00, but I was really please with his efforts. The staff, including the trackers, I tipped $1,350.00 total, as they suggested. Then, I gave each tracker (3), an additional $100.00 as I too was pleased with their efforts. Lastly, the shower water dude, I kept him so busy with bringing me cold water during the day to quickly rinse off with, that I gave him an additional $50.00 for his efforts as well! Total, I tipped $4,700.00, plus some socks, a couple leatherman's for the trackers, etc. This tipping game is starting to get very expensive, but not sure what to do about it??? | |||
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Starting? The PH "recommend $2000", for himself? And you ended up giving a total of $4700. IMHO the whole system is out of control. Jim "Bwana Umfundi" NRA | |||
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What were the total cost for the safari? I think this is way too high. | |||
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JB, the outfitter recommended the $2k for the PH, not the PH himself. Keep in mind we hunted for 3 weeks, so $1,000 per week is not out of line for the PH, IMO. Especially considering the effort he put forth on the Bongo. I was thankful for his effort, his knowledge and expertise was incredible, and I felt he earned the tip I gave. Prior to leaving I took $5k in cash, out of the bank. Figuring to use almost all of it for tips, and I did. Ya, its expensive, but so is the hunting! | |||
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Halgeir - You're looking at about $46,500.00 for the 3-week safari, plus trophy fees. My total tips to PH/staff was roughly 10% of the daily fees. | |||
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Aaron, on my hunt last year, I did almost exactly what you did with tips. Sure, it's a lot of money, and sure, I worked very hard to earn it, but that doesn't make it any less deserved by the people who received it. As I noted above, when one budgets ahead for tipping (and airfare, taxidermy, side trips, etc.), there's no problem with unexpected expenses. Especially when dreaming of and planning a first safari, hunters often think of the price of a hunt in terms of only daily rate and trophy fees, and don't consider many of the extras. I was guilty of this when I first started planning my safari, but I quickly realized I was dealing with big numbers and needed to get a firm understanding of exactly how much I would be spending. I put together an Excel spreadsheet detailing expenses, e-mailed the safari company every question that I had (to the point of annoyance, I'm sure), and ended up with nothing but positive surprises on my trip. And I feel good about giving healthy tips to everyone who made the experience great. | |||
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Sandy - As I know quite well, and have hunted with the same PH/staff as you did last year. I am quite certain they earned every penny you gave em! | |||
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This is the part that always troubles me...the planning ahead for it. Not that I begrudge...just that I DO like to plan ahead. I like a good estimate of the tips at booking. I always heard a rule-of-thumb PH tip was one daily rate. Any input there??? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991. | |||
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I always tip the PH $100/day, with a minimum of $2,000.00 for any dangerous game hunt. If I have more than one PH, as I have had from time to time, I tip them both $100/day. I tip the trackers $400-500 apiece and a similar amount to the cook. And, I take care of the others in a basically proportional manner. I probably tip less than a few hunters, but more than most -- but my view is that the gratuity is but a small piece of the expense for an African hunt and I want to ensure that this small piece doesn't result in even a tiny degradation in the experience due to bad feelings. I like for the PH and his staff to be happy when I show up for my next hunt. Everybody has their own view about tipping -- I don't know what's "right" but I'd rather be known for over-tipping than being known as ungrateful for a job well done. When you get bored with life, start hunting dangerous game with a handgun. | |||
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