Tips for guides

Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
81
Location
LA
Going on a guided elk hunt next week and curious what is standard to tip your guide?
We will be hunting private land if that matters.
Thanks
 

norsepeak

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 26, 2014
Messages
171
I've been guiding elk, sheep and mtn. goats for about 15 years and I've seen just about everything for tips...Usually, if you had a great time and the guides have worked hard for you, 10% is normal. That being said, I've had clients that were successful that tipped nothing and guys that were unsuccessful that tipped really big...just depends on how hard the guide works for you and how good of an experience you've had. I had a client one time for archery who shot a huge bull, but made a bad shot...we searched for over 80 man hours but didn't find the bull...he tipped me a jar of canned tuna....smh...lol. So the bottom line is base it on your experience.
 

RO1459

FNG
Joined
Jun 13, 2020
Messages
65
We tip ten percent if the guide has worked hard. If not, then as low as five. If the guide works really hard and we are successful then we give and extra hundred. We always get both a cow and bull tag, so if the guide puts us on a double we tip an extra five percent.
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
6
I had the same question last year, and 10% seemed to be an answer I got regularly. So that is what we tipped.
 

Doc Holliday

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
Jun 15, 2016
Messages
2,617
I am going on a guided private land elk hunt this year. Cost of hunt was $10k. Here is what the outfitter said about tipping:
20200913_082942.jpg
 

elkguide

WKR
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
4,608
Location
Vermont
I'm with norsepeak. 10% is pretty standard but I've had tips from $50 (1%) to $1000. I'd say the average was between $400 + $500. Also if you're in a camp with a cook and a wrangler, don't forget them. A $50 or $100 makes their work in camp feel appreciated too.


The $50 hunter was absolutely miserable and after he shot a nice 6X7 down in a nasty hole (in a place that was called "Bitch Creek" for a good reason) he only then became a little bit more tolerable. At a restaurant back in town made a big deal about how I was the best guide that he had ever had and that I really deserved the big tip he was giving me and he shook my hand with a $50 bill in it. I guess I was in a bad mood because after seeing that it was a $50, I opened it up and told him that he should probably keep his $50 for gas on the way back home as I left the restaurant! Probably wrong and rude but it sure made me feel better!
The $1000 hunter seemed to be more concerned about how I was doing and after he missed a shot at a nice bull did nothing but apologize for not making the shot.
 

LLB

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Messages
116
Location
Middle TN
I've done 3 guided private land elk hunts in CO. Cost of hunt was $4500. I gave $50 to the cook and $450 to the guide the 1st year. 2nd and 3rd year I gave $100 to the cook (new cook, excellent chef) and $500 to the guide. Outstanding service from the guides on all 3 years, I just went with the standard 10% the 1st time, gave a little more on the other hunts. I was successful on all 3 hunts, 2 cows and a 3x5 bull, but I would have tipped the same if I hadn't tagged. The fact I went back 2 more times after the 1st trip shows that they were a first class outfit (except for the 1st cook).
 

Laramie

WKR
Joined
Apr 17, 2020
Messages
2,616
$100 per day is appreciated if the guide works hard. % of the hunt means little imo. As others have suggested, search old threads. There is good info in them. Lastly, don't tip out of obligation. I would never want to encourage someone to stay in a line of work they aren't good at.
 

h8brick

FNG
Joined
Sep 12, 2020
Messages
93
Location
Belton MO
I'm with norsepeak. 10% is pretty standard but I've had tips from $50 (1%) to $1000. I'd say the average was between $400 + $500. Also if you're in a camp with a cook and a wrangler, don't forget them. A $50 or $100 makes their work in camp feel appreciated too.


The $50 hunter was absolutely miserable and after he shot a nice 6X7 down in a nasty hole (in a place that was called "Bitch Creek" for a good reason) he only then became a little bit more tolerable. At a restaurant back in town made a big deal about how I was the best guide that he had ever had and that I really deserved the big tip he was giving me and he shook my hand with a $50 bill in it. I guess I was in a bad mood because after seeing that it was a $50, I opened it up and told him that he should probably keep his $50 for gas on the way back home as I left the restaurant! Probably wrong and rude but it sure made me feel better!
The $1000 hunter seemed to be more concerned about how I was doing and after he missed a shot at a nice bull did nothing but apologize for not making the shot.
lol love it
 
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