I've got my first real guided out-of-state hunt coming up for antelope next month. I'm curious as to how much you guys tip your guides? There will also be a cook, so I'd assume he would get tipped as well. Thanks for the help.

Al

How long is the hunt, how much does it cost and is it 1x1 1x2, are food and lodging provided?

Mark

It's a 3 day 1x1 hunt. Lodging is provided in the form of wall tents and food is provided by a cook. Cost was about $1200.

Sevens

If I liked the food I'd give the cook $100 and the guide $150 if I was satisfied. All this is up to you of course but this is what seems right to me.

Mark

Mark is very generous.........Tipping is for service.....you get the service you leave a tp...it's a special thank you and is earned and not automatically given.

Take a couple "c" notes and a few extra $20.....decide at the end of the trip.

I read that 10% of the hunt for the PH or guide was a good starting point (up or down depending on service) and in a tent camp the cook usually is doing multiple service and can get a good tip also. I like to be a generous tipper and Vapodog's advice seems right in line.

I've guided in quite a few camps from Montana down to Sonora. What Mark mentioned is IMO quite generous for a 3 day hunt.

Not so much for the guide, I could certainly spring for 150-200 there.

For the cook now I'd be more inclined to go along the lines of $50.

Just my opionion but if the cook is picking up 100 bones per hunter then he is making more than the guide.

IMO once again but that is not the way I would tell my hunters to go.

Lastly about tips remember it is the guides effort your tipping for and not the size of the critter you take.

MD

I've heard 5% but, I believe it soley depends on their effort to ensure you a great time and a successful hunt.

Good Luck!

Reloader

Folks,

I knew you guys would kick my butt on the cook thing but I've been in camp where the cook not only cooked but did all the camp chores and was a mayor source of entertainment. I just think a good cook can add a bunch to the total experience of a hunt. On the other hand if the cook is sullen, lazy and the food is mediocre at most, give little or nothing when you leave. I also wholeheartedly agree with Mark Dobrenski's statement concerning tipping the guide on his effort not the size of the trophy.

Mark

At last check I wasn't getting tipped for my work.

With that said, 10-20% is what I see in the business. This is close to being on par with other "service" oriented businesses such as food service, etc. The tip should be given to the outfitter to let him decide how to divide it up amongst the employees and other support personnel. Giving individual tips "can" set a bad precedent. If he isn't fair with his employees, he won't have them long.

Tips should be based on quality of service and accomodations, not the size of the trophy.

$2000.00 Two day New Mexico antelope hunt 1x1 motel room with just ok food. $150.00 to guide

$3000.00 Five day Alberta mule deer tent camp on horses with wrangler/ cook. 1x2 $200 to guide $100 to Wrangler.

$3200.00 Five day Wyoming whietail hunt 1x2 motel just ok food $200.00 to guide.

$3000.00 Seven day British Columbia Black Bear hunt lodge accomodation and ok food. $250.00 to guide. He also cooked.

This is what I have done, hope this helps.
Have a good trip.

Hey joedjr!!!!!!!!!!

I usually work out tips around a 10% figure. If the hunt costs $3000, the tip for the guide would be $300. More if he did an outstanding job, less if not. The cook would get about a third what the guide got, if the cook did all of my meals. If the hunt demanded that the guide do a whole lot more, such as packing most of the food and cooking meals, etc., then the tip goes up. The tip depends upon what service is provided and the quality of that service. Good waitresses know how to work a tip upward by their attitude and the level of service they provide. So do good guides.

Some of the following is off topic. I think I have related this story before, but on one of my first big game hunts (a moose hunt in northern Alberta), two orthopedic surgeons were guided by Grant Midtdal, the other guide in camp. I later hunted with that guide at another outfit, and he told me what they gave him. The total tip from both was $50.00. My guide, Lenny Gransch, got $300. The cost of the hunt was $3000. Since Grant (the other guide) also helped with the cooking, I slipped him $50. He laughed about it and said I tipped him as much for cooking a few meals as the rich guys gave him for a whole week's hunting.

Sometimes you like a guide so much that when he starts his own outfit you go to hunt with him again, or when you come back to hunt with an outfitter the second time, you request that guide. This was the case with Lenny and Grant. I have hunted twice with Lenny since that hunt and will be going back to hunt black bear with him again this coming May. I hunted elk and moose with Grant four times, took my son-in-law one time, and a buddy another time. Grant got six paid hunts out of the one trip. Lenny is going to do just as well.

Just in case anyone is looking for a quality black bear hunt, Lenny's website is:
Ultimate Outdoors

Grant Midtdal does not have a website yet. He ran an outfit that traded under the name, Black Bay Outfitters. He specialized in archery elk and moose and also had rifle hunts for whitetail. I have lost track of Grant and don't know if he is in the business anymore.

This topic really concerned me too. I never went with a guide/outfitter till last Sept.

Maine Bear hunt: $1250 (reduced to $800). Food excellent, transport to and from Bangor (90 miles one way). 5 Days, log cabin on Bogg Lake. Efforts by guide/outfitter excellent.

Tip: $200


Alberta bear hunt: $2500, includes 2 bears, and unlimited wolves, lodging, food. Did not include 5 hour drive from Edmonton. Food excellent. Efforts, excellent. Tip: $250 to guide (also the cook).

New Brunswick bear: $1450, includes food, lodging, travel to and from airport(s) (either Moncton, Fredericton, or Presque Isle---all of which are 1.5 to 2 hour drive one way, included taxes, tags, and Canadian firearms fee. Food: better than excellent, guide---liked him so well, he'll be here in Ohio in a couple of months to hunt rutting whitetails in November.

Tip: (based on outfitter recommendation--%50 to cook), guide---$25/day.) But this was my first Canadian hunt and I wanted to tip what was appropriate. The outfitter stated that this was a very appropriate tip level.