Ray is right. Money as deserved, of course, but I like to give tee-shirts as a bonus. The fellows do seem to like logos. A special gift to a tracker can be your backup "just-in-case" binoculars like the $19 pair you can get at WalMart. Last year I gave away mine to a tracker and he had them around his neck from before sunrise until I last saw him at night. He even wore them to the airstrip when we met the charter for the flight home. Ball caps that you don't use at home will easily fit in you bag, too.



Make sure you first o.k. everything you give with the P.H. as the whole pecking order in camp can be upset with what you think is proper.



This time next week we will be boarding the plane for ATL, then AFrica... not long now!

Cash is king. However, we brought several wrist rocket sling shots with marbles or steel balls. The skinners and the kids loved them. Basically, in about 5 minutes, the kids were killing birds and pigeons. They were a big success.

Sling shots--now that's a new thought, though I've not seen any kids around camp on my trips. I think there is some confusion here between tips and gifts. Extra gifts of cigarettes, hats, t shirts, knives seem to bring smiles, but that should not be confused with the tip. The tip should be discussed with the PH. Some will have you give the tip directly, others absolutely want to handle it, you giving him a "camp" tip lump sum that he distributes. Discuss it with him before you do anything regarding the tip. The little gifts I have found to be of little concern to him.

As a gift, at the beginning of a safari I gave the guys t-shirts and caps. These I purchased in bulk over the Internet at http://www.shirtwholesaler.com (the olive D156 cap for $3.40/ea and the Hanes 50/50 in green and sand at $3.50-$4.00 each for qty 12). These were worn during the trip, and I assume thereafter. At the end, I follow the PH's suggestions regarding tips (money) as long as reasonable.

I hope this isnt taken as an improper question, but what amounts are considered proper for the various people?

M1, this comes up a lot, and it really depends on the type of hunt (plainsgame or dangerous game), number of days, what country you are in, how the outfit divvies-up the money (some have standard percentages)...and to some extent what the last guy gave. Which is why this is a fair question to discuss with your PH before the hunt. On my most recent hunt, I gave $80/ea to the PH's 2-trackers and driver/assistant (some PH's will have more/less people, and of varying capacities such as skinners). It was just 8-days, but it was for tuskless elephant (quite dangerous) and they were all terrific. I also asked the PH how they typically spent it, so I knew they were just not going to go get "pissed" for days. The camp staff, which includes everybody else (no skinners though), was tipped $100. This one is somewhat controversial, but I gave the game scout $40 as he was excellent and helped with the hunt wherever he could; had he been a prick like some can be, I would not have tipped anything. But again, talk to your PH, preferably before you get there.

Some guys don't tip anybody at all, but on a whole the Americans are said to be the "best tippers". Not all cultures tip, and it was interesting to hear the PH's rank the countries (which I won't do here!). The PH's don't seem to really mind about themselves and are happy to get the day rates, but they are genuinely bothered if the hunter does not give anything (even a token amount) to their guys, especially if they have done their jobs.

By the same token, it is possible to do more harm then good. In the Caprivi, an American who purchased an "expensive" big-4 hunt at the SCI convention was pleased with the hunt, and as such gave the trackers and camp substantial tips (several hundred dollars each). They all binged and the outfitter did not see them for a week. One ended up in jail and is probably still there after a skirmish over a woman at one of the "cuca's" (I think they are called). What the outfitter suggests here is that the tip is given to him, and he distributes it. So again, it varies.

I think I will be sticking with just cash in the future. I really think the days of giving trinkets is in the past in most of southern Africa. By the time the season is half over, the trackers probably have all the knives, hats, flashlights, etc. they can handle. I just figure that the same routine goes on most every hunt, week in and week out. As far as the PH, I think cash is what they want, just like us. Most of the PH's I know travel as much as I do, going to the US, Europe, Canada, Mexico, every year for the bookings at the safari shows. The ones whos homes I have been in have all the trappings of the average American, and would regard a gift of a flashlight or knife much as we would.

RBHunt,



One would think that most of the staff would have a lot of caps. But, on both of my last two safaris (Tanzania and Zimbabwe), which occurred in the middle of season, there were staff members who had no caps and were very appreciative of the gift. The PH's who I gave my knife to (value of $100) were very appreciative of the gift. One PH showed it off to two other PH's.



For you to imply that the gift of a knife or flashlight to the PH is some how improper or impolite is absolutely wrong. I don't force a gift on the PH. I asked him if he can use the knife and the flashlight, then he is welcome to them. All of whom I have asked have always been very gracious and appreciative.



Regards,



Terry

Tips amounts have way too many variables.

I went on two hunts for plainsgame in Zimbabwe with the same outfitter. The camp staff consisted of two PH's (I had a hunting partner), 2 trackers, 2 skinners, cook and 2 camp helpers. The PH's did the driving.

My very basic rules subject to my next whim, i.e. usually how the hunt went, are roughly as follows:

(expressed as percentages to take out any time factor)

The PH got about 10% of the base cost of the hunt.

There was a camp tipping pool that was supposed to cover "all the help" including the trackers and skinners. The PH recommended an amount equal to about 1 1/2% but I gave 2%.

Although we weren't supposed to tip the staff seperately your tracker and skinner do work their butts off for you in the field. I will warn you DO NOT TIP ANYBODY UNTIL THE END OF THE HUNT. The trackers were senior to the skinners. For instance my tracker was the uncle of my skinner. I gave the tracker about 1 1/2% of the base cost of the hunt and the skinner abut 1% of the base cost of the hunt.

Consult with your outfitter about what a good tip is, before you go. He works with his staff everyday and he has to explain to them when you are gone, that the cap or T-shirt, although they have enough now to open a pawnshop, is not just promotion items that you got from a 'rep'.
Out of good manners they will give you the full colgate smile, but later the PH must hear that the skinner can not feed his family with knives and watches.
If your good intentions is genuine, ask your PH what the staff earn in a month and tip them accordingly and do it in person that you can see if they are so happy with you as you are with them.

Weidmannsheil !

PH's seem to be shrewd at hinting what posession of yours they want. I'm sure you will hear comments like "That's a really nice backpack", later, "I really need to get a backpack like that", later, "Where did you get that backpack?" At the end of the trip the backpack stays.

There is a booming pawn shop business over there from PH's selling off gifts. I remember a quote from a PH when I commented on his lighter, "A previous hunter gave it to me, I was going to pawn it, but it is pretty nice so I decided to keep it".

One year after getting back I had my in-laws that were going to the same place a month later take a camo fleece coat for a tracker. The next summer when I went back, there was Opah walking around with it on. I inquired and was told that they always laugh because they don't think he ever takes it off

Your gift may get pawned for cash, or it may just be viewed by the recipient as even more valuable then cash.

The trackers I've seen are so into trying to be as professional and hardworking as possible that it makes their day that you appreciated them enough to not only give cash, but leave a posession of yours.

The last post brings up a point I was wondering about- when I was in RSA, the trackers and skinners never seemed to have enough warm coats and what they had were in terrible shape. The nights and mornings were very cold, frost was common in the mornings when we were there in Apri.
I have access to Columbia Sportswear factory stores just about anywhere I go around here. I can get their fleece pullovers and vests for a song during their sellouts. Would this be something the camp staff would use and keep or would that be a waste of time? (on top of a cash tip). I'm just not interested in giving something that won't be appreciated and isn't needed, since it is obvious many of the camp staff needed many things.- Sheister

I have been in some safari camps were the staff were provided clean uniforms with the safari company logo on them. Obviously this is not the case in all instances. In the situation where they don't have clothes to wear to keep them warm, I am sure it would be appreciated. I am just not sure that it is the part of the client's requirements to try and bring enough clothing to dress the camp staff. I still think the best tip is cash.

Matt,
You must be talking about Titus Hilifilua. The most skillfull tracker and stalker I'v ever seen.

The days of the 19 century where you gave the natives some glass beads, copper wire or similar are gone.

What they want is CASH.