# What’s standard gratuity for hunting guides?



## D Lodge (Jan 12, 2012)

What’s standard gratuity for hunting guides?
We’re currently at Little River Plantation in Ashburn (Yes, it’s outstanding)
We arrived last nite for dinner and Lodging.  Two hunts today (Thur.) and then dinner and Lodging tonight with a half day tomorrow.
We‘ve had 10 in our group.  4 did deer hunting and 6 did quail and they hunted birds in groups of threes. 
Guides (3) and cook (1) have been great.
What’s the right thing to do for gratuity?


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## Hooked On Quack (Jan 12, 2012)

$100 per guide per hunt, $50 a day for chef.


At least that's what we tip duck hunting.

Divided up between 10 is very cheap.


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## Jim P (Jan 12, 2012)

They earn it and could use the little extra cash.


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## Sam H (Jan 12, 2012)

If the guides were courteous , interactive....dogs were good...put you on birds,birds flew good,with at least a chance to limit on birds...I'd say at least$10...really good $20/hunt...If the food was Good and plentiful all three meals$75(thats $2.50/person/meal)I can't say for the deer guides...wouldn't have a clue for them , sorry


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## maker4life (Jan 12, 2012)

Tip'em well !


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## jkoch (Jan 12, 2012)

Deer guides--$100.00 per day


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## Etter2 (Jan 13, 2012)

jkoch said:


> Deer guides--$100.00 per day



That's ridiculous


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## The Rodney (Jan 13, 2012)

20% of the fee.


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## HOWCO (Jan 13, 2012)

*Guide tips*

Sorry guys but some of you are way off base here!

I guide bird trips as do lots of others on here and the money is always in the tips for hard working guides. Most clubs pay around $100 per hunt for the guide and the tip should be around $25 per hunter/per hunt min.
If you think $150 bucks total is alot for a guide to make in a  morning hunt look at the list below or go with me to the feed store
My truck or jeep/mule that we are riding on (fuel)
My dogs that we are using (FEED)
My time (at least 2 extra hours before the hunt and 1 after)
and thats not even going into the fact that myself or my dogs could get hurt/shot at anytime. 

Do the right thing and tip well, most guides really do it because we love the sport and running our dogs.
but lets be real here i dont think that waiter that you are tipping $75 bucks would take the three of you out and give you 3 hours of great memories for $10 bucks.
Pull your shotgun out at the table and see what he does!
A good guide with good dogs will make your hunt !!!


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## hwillk (Jan 13, 2012)

Tip well. 
When I raft guide the average tip is 20 bucks per raft. Each raft can hold 7 customers and a guide and each customer pays 50 bucks. The average group was 6 people. 
If the guides are doing well and doing their jobs a good tip can go a long way, think return trips. The tips  help guides pay for the equipment that they need to run these trips.


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## BirdNut (Jan 13, 2012)

$20-25 a half day, per person, for quail hunting.


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## Dfowler (Jan 13, 2012)

I guide for a living and Standard for our plantation is $50 for every half day you hunt....Not sure on kitchen staff...if you expect the guide to remember you on your return trip slip them about $100 a half.


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## macondaly (Jan 13, 2012)

*Been a Member for a two years and finally......*

Can't help but speak up.

As a "retired" guide from several top shelf plantations in South Georgia I will tell you that the fellas paying $10 to $20 per day would be well known and avoided like the plague at a place like Little River.  If you pay 15% at a restaurant and a days hunt at Little River is $800 you should tip your guide (who will have to work harder for you than any restaurant server will for you) $120 for a good job.  A hunt of a lifetime?  You would be surprised what a regular Joe that spent six years saving to come on a three day trip will tip when his wildest dreams are surpassed.  

My favorite place to guide had a recommended per day minimum and wanted to know if there was a problem if the amount was not tipped.

By the way, tip well and the next time you go your guide will be lobbying to take you to best areas and going the extra mile to make you hunt the best he can before he gets his tip.


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## Boar Hog (Jan 15, 2012)

How much for alligator guides?


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## Etter2 (Jan 15, 2012)

How about a ten day hunt?  I'm going on a ten day lion hunt in Idaho next year.  There are 4 guys that run trails, look for tracks, etc.  there is also a cook.  Am I really supposed to tip over $2000?  Because I am not going to.


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## Sam H (Jan 15, 2012)

Etter2 said:


> How about a ten day hunt?  I'm going on a ten day lion hunt in Idaho next year.  There are 4 guys that run trails, look for tracks, etc.  there is also a cook.  Am I really supposed to tip over $2000?  Because I am not going to.



Boar hog and Etter2....This is strictly for bird hunting fees....Not alligators and mountain lions...ie:Upland Bird Hunting Forum.......


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## Etter2 (Jan 15, 2012)

Sam H said:


> Boar hog and Etter2....This is strictly for bird hunting fees....Not alligators and mountain lions...ie:Upland Bird Hunting Forum.......



So, it's not a logical question?  Lion guides do a Edited To Remove ProfanityEdited To Remove ProfanityEdited To Remove ProfanityEdited To Remove Profanity of a lot more work than a quail guide.


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## maker4life (Jan 15, 2012)

Then go to the lion forum and ask it .


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## Jim P (Jan 15, 2012)

X2 what you said


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## BirdNut (Jan 16, 2012)

I think our visitors are using sarcasm to make a very valid point.


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## D Lodge (Jan 16, 2012)

First off – Thanks.  This feedback confirmed we were thinking in the right direction.
We did *$100 per hunt */ per guide on the bird hunts.  A.M. hunt $100 (_per group_) -- P.M. hunt $100 (_per group_) with exception that we tipped Donnie, _the chief guide_, $150 for his single hunt with us and the extra stuff he tended to.
For the Deer hunt guide; flat *$150*.  His role wasn’t all too involved and the deer we killed were taken off site to a processor who did the cleaning & quartering.  The processor was paid $125 for (5) deer.
Cook - *$150*.
Strangely the birds wouldn’t fly on Thur. morning (_it hadn’t got cold yet either_) and that made for a less than decent impression.  Thur. afternoon was better.  Thankfully _(@ 34 degrees_) Fri. A.M. was good also for the Bird shooters.
Little River’s typical set up is (4) bird hunters per guide.  The fee is an additional $100 if you want only a pair of hunters.  I don’t agree with this arrangement.  (2) should be typical and (3) as acceptable but the maximum.
Closing comment:  regarding *Sam H.* -- at least$10...really good $20/hunt...  You’re cheap.


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## Sam H (Jan 16, 2012)

D Lodge said:


> First off – Thanks.  This feedback confirmed we were thinking in the right direction.
> We did *$100 per hunt */ per guide on the bird hunts.  A.M. hunt $100 (_per group_) -- P.M. hunt $100 (_per group_) with exception that we tipped Donnie, _the chief guide_, $150 for his single hunt with us and the extra stuff he tended to.
> For the Deer hunt guide; flat *$150*.  His role wasn’t all too involved and the deer we killed were taken off site to a processor who did the cleaning & quartering.  The processor was paid $125 for (5) deer.
> Cook - *$150*.
> ...




The $20/hunt I was talking about was per person/hunter....NOT Total tip of $20,that would be an insult....which would of been an $80tip...and this is a guideline(as I said "at least")...Hard to tell on the tip ,without the experiance what you recieved from the hunt


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## muckalee (Jan 16, 2012)

Sam H said:


> The $20/hunt I was talking about was per person/hunter....NOT Total tip of $20,that would be an insult....which would of been an $80tip...and this is a guideline(as I said "at least")...Hard to tell on the tip ,without the experiance what you recieved from the hunt



Sam,  Dont lose any sleep over dlodge's comment.  First he asks for advise and then after he gets it, suddenly becomes an expert and condemns you for your help.  Go figure????


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## Boar Hog (Jan 16, 2012)

Sam H said:


> Boar hog and Etter2....This is strictly for bird hunting fees....Not alligators and mountain lions...ie:Upland Bird Hunting Forum.......



I fail to see where it specified bird hunts only! "What’s standard gratuity for hunting guides?" I guess if you don't have a bird dog in your avatar you probably shouldn't bother reading these threads. Sorry "Sam" to waste your time responding to my useless ill placed post.


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## BirdNut (Jan 17, 2012)

muckalee said:


> Sam,  Dont lose any sleep over dlodge's comment.  First he asks for advise and then after he gets it, suddenly becomes an expert and condemns you for your help.  Go figure????



Exactly.  And Day 1 birds did not fly.


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## D Lodge (Jan 17, 2012)

Sam H. – thanks for setting that straight, I misunderstood your initial response and respectfully express regret for the comment.  Can’t speak for him; but it seemed that MACONDALY read it the same way…. My mistake.

Let me repeat from my last post - *First off – Thanks*. I greatly appreciate the feedback.  For the record, Hooked On Quack confirmed we were thinking in the right direction. 
As for _muckaleee_ -  Thank you *very very  much *for sharing your wisdom and letting me visit your forum.


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## Setter Jax (Jan 17, 2012)

If you don't have your own dogs, hunting preserves up North charge 25.00 per gun for guide services,  no more than 3 guns (safety factor for hunting party, guide and dogs). Some don't charge you for guide services, you just have to tip the guide. The hunt package is what you make of it, you plan your own hunt, i.e. how many birds and what kind of birds.  Up north at a preserve, I only hunt pheasants, chucker or huns.  We usually hunt 3 guns and for a 1/2 day morning hunt we tip 50.00 to 75.00 dollars, total, depending on the guide how the birds flew etc.... 

I think most of the Hunting Preserves in the south are overpriced. Not meaning to start an argument or offend anyone, it's just my own personal opinion.  Prices up north are a lot more reasonable, that's why I make the drive up north every year, plus I hunt the family farm. There are a few good affordable places in the south, but you have to search hard to find them. Maybe if I was loaded with extra cash, I would feel differently, but putting 3 kids through college, I'm looking for the best bang for my buck.

That is the acceptable rate up north, nothing cheap about it, different standard of living up north I take it.  Most guides are local and just enjoy working their dogs. Getting paid to do it is icing on the cake. I've had guides try to give me back the tip and I insisted they take it.  These aren’t fancy plantations, they are family farms that run a hunting preserve after the crops are in and have bird dogs and run a bird dog kennel and bird dog training on the side.

SJ


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## Jim P (Jan 17, 2012)

I have been to Ashburn plantation a few years ago (I beleave they are no longer in bussiness anymore)let me tell ya it was a experience of a life time first claa on every thing. It takes a bunch of money to operate these places and you really get what you pay for, so I beleave they earn what they charge.


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## Michael (Jan 17, 2012)

In the 30+ years I've been guiding, it's been my experience that tips are rarely "right" 

Guide a couple of Southern Gentlemen that respect you, your dogs and the game hunted, have a great time, no problems and both give you a $100 tip. 

Guide a couple of slob hunters that muzzle blast you, shoot your dogs, keep you on your toes trying to insure they don't shoot each other. Don't say what you really think when they explode a quail on a close shot or go so far as to shoot a quail after it lit, well those are the days you don't get any tip at all


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## muckalee (Jan 18, 2012)

Ive seen a couple of comments on this thread that states that "how the birds flew" is a point to consider on how much a guide should be tipped.  
I dont see how in the world a guide can control how the birds fly!
 Tip him based on his work ethic, personality, knowledge of game, how he works his dogs; but dont grade him on something he cant control.


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## muckalee (Jan 18, 2012)

Michael said:


> In the 30+ years I've been guiding, it's been my experience that tips are rarely "right"
> 
> Guide a couple of Southern Gentlemen that respect you, your dogs and the game hunted, have a great time, no problems and both give you a $100 tip.
> 
> Guide a couple of slob hunters that muzzle blast you, shoot your dogs, keep you on your toes trying to insure they don't shoot each other. Don't say what you really think when they explode a quail on a close shot or go so far as to shoot a quail after it lit, well those are the days you don't get any tip at all



About 2 weeks ago (and right at the end of a hunt) I had a covey rise and was watching singles land to my right.  When I looked back to the left dust was flying and shortly here comes my pointer coming by to pick up a dead bird. 
Needless to say that guy wont return.   And he is a friend of mine.  He'll still be a friend, just wont hunt.


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