Tipping Pheasant Hunt Guide

[JohnRov]

We're hunting pheasants at a local place. I'm assuming we should tip our guide. What's standard? There are 3 of us and it's a just a 10-flush hunt, about 1/2 a day. Thanks.

 

[trueblue1776]

Depends on who the guide is, and what relation he is to who you are paying to hunt.
Owner's kid may get $20 from me, it would be inappropriate to tip the owner. An employee would get more from me for a good hunt.

 

[Polishrifleman]

I don't have any experience in the hunt tip arena but here is how I would look at it.

What's the guide worth to you? What are they doing to earn your tip money? When I was a fishing guide we were tipped on catching fish which I din't think was fair at all. I still worked my butt off but the fish weren't bitting or whatever.

How much did you pay for the trip? Maybe look at it in an hourly perspective. You are hunting half a day but how long did they work to set it up for you and get you on your way?

 

[JohnRov]

It's $16.50/bird and $50 for the guide and dog.

 

[308win]

I shot geese at one private 'club' once. A 'guide' asked if he could join me as I was alone in the pit. I agreed and didn't tip. I called in the ducks we got; neither of us had any luck with the geese and I was working just as hard and calling just as well as he was.

Had I solicited his services I would have tipped. I believe the customary tip was $20 plus $5 for each goose which paid for dressing it. (This was in Union County Illinois in the very early 80's.

 

[Polishrifleman]

$30 a piece if you max out of birds, $40 if you don't.

Logic is he is charging you $16.50 per bird, i assume he is cleaning etc... so he is making some coin on that end. $50 for him and his dog for 4 or 5hrs (half a day) doesn't seem like a lot but again I don't have any experience.

 

[JohnRov]

No, it's $2 above and beyond for each bird cleaned. $16.50 is per bird/shootable flush. If you don't hit any, you still get charged.

 

[Polishrifleman]

$30 a piece

 

[308win]

4hrs; $25/hr comes to $30-$35 each. If he is contributing and not just managing the dog I would pay more and take a biscuit or two for the dog - he is the one doing most of he work.

 

[quicktime]

Kind of a parallel. I just booked my first guided hunt. It is for goose for three hunters about 700 bucks total. What is appropriate for that hunt seeing as I have already laid out a substantial dolllar figure. I know it is customary to tip but is there a general percentage used in the guided hunting world? I am originally from the food service industry where 15% for an average experience is expected. But it seems a little steep for the hunt mentioned above. I understand if the guide cleans a dozen geese that it should be higher but I am not really the kind of person to sit back and watch as someone else cleans my kill.

 

[308win]

It is for goose for three hunters about 700 bucks total.

I am in the wrong business; I need to be out leasing goose hunting rights. The last time I paid to hunt on a private club I believe it was less than $50 for the pit and decoys, no guide and it was the owner's call whether or not a guide was required (you had to audition you calling as his aim was to be sure you didn't ruin the next pit's chances on either side with bad or inappropriate calling).

 

[macFarlaine]

In the UK it is $56 a bird on a 200 bird day.We get two birds each at the end of the day,we clean ourselves.Tipping the keeper or guide who are usually is very poorly paid by the landowner ranges from $40 to $100.