Tipping: guide is owner?

[bubba1]

BTW I tip. I've been on the other end running my azz from an hour before the hunters, cleaning animals while they eat and drink, sharpening knives and getting rid of carcasses about in time to take hunters to stand for the evening. Pick up the hunters, clean game and take pics, go back out to take that one guy out til 2am to call predators then back up at 4:30 to get hunters back out in stands. That's after driving 225 miles to the ranch for the hunt and then, once hunters have gone home, the handshakes and hugs are over and the hangover is starting to fade, the long drive home.

The tip is nice. What makes it worth it is the smiles, the hand shakes and thank you's, and knowing memories were made all around.

I like that thought. I would hope that all guides/owners feel that way.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

I definitely understand what you are saying.

What if it is a Mom and Pop hole in the wall and the Owner is serving as well as owning ?

Id still tip if it was a great/good experience.

Do you tip the auto mechanic, the clerk at the post office, salesman at the shoe store, cashier at Cabelas... etc... ? When did tipping become the thing to do and where can I get a copy of the book that tells folks when and who to tip..

[LiftAndShoot]

To me, guiding and ownership of a hunting operation are both business endeavors. Unless otherwise noted, the cost of the package is inclusive of payment to the guide, upkeep, etc. Which is to say; the guide is putting money in his pocket just from you being there unless the package details stated otherwise.

All of that said; it's still a service industry. If the guide goes above and beyond the call and the descriptions of what the listed service are, then a tip seems appropriate (commiserate with the effort). I would think that a guide being an owner necessitates even more work out of that individual, so I can't imagine not tipping if the experience is good. But, it's also subjective. If a guide totally busts his (or her) rear and puts me in good spots, treats me well, and I have a good time (and the promises of the advertisement are lived up to), I'm going to tip well. If that stuff doesn't happen (up to and including seeing/killing game) I will not tip as well. Pretty simple, really.

[jer_james]

Do you tip the auto mechanic, the clerk at the post office, salesman at the shoe store, cashier at Cabelas... etc... ? When did tipping become the thing to do and where can I get a copy of the book that tells folks when and who to tip..

To be honest, I dont use a post office, lol. I have tipped an auto mechanic. I have also just felt like adding a little extra for a great experience, no matter where its at.

A good firm handshake, pat on the back (be careful with this one) and a smile with some eye contact goes a long way as well.

[texsdr]

If the owner is Guiding and doesn't have a staff who is doing the behind the scenes work(Cooking, Cleaning, Making coffee and so on). This deserves a tip.

If the owner has a staff and takes interest in you as a customer and personally guides you, deserves a tip.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

Alrighty.. Y'all got me curious so I went to the internet (Google) and asked it WHO to tip... And lo and behold y'all is right...

It seems that it is now the accepted practice to tip pretty much everyone including the guy who lets you in front of the line at the super market..

Gosh darn it.. I'm glad I ain't got all that much time left on this rock, things just don't make good sense anymore. Used to.. you knew who to tip and how much..

It was simple.. You tipped the waitress at the cafe and the bartender/waitress at the watering-hole and if you was in the big city you tipped the taxi driver if they helped you with your bags. But other than that folks neither expected or accepted tips for doing their jobs.

Now.. I got to start tipping the folks that take my money at the first window at McDonald's and then tip the other folks who hand the food out the 2nd window..

I got to tell y'all... with retirement just around the corner I'm gonna curtail a lot of shopping and doing, 'cause I can't afford to add 15% or 20% to every darn thing I do...

The next design project contract I get; I'm gonna tell the customer that I'll do a better job if he'll just tip me 20%... 'course I'll have to split that with the laser operator and the metal forming folks, so I better make that 25%...



Seriously... If this is the accepted norm, that means a $650 day of fishing is really $780 or maybe even more.. Priced me right out of the deal right there...
That's more that 2 weeks bring home for me after taxes and insurance.. Oh well, I got priced out of deer hunting too..

[DRT]

A guy that has been doing my A/C work for over twenty years got a text yesterday at 6:30am. I got up at 3am to go to the lease and discovered it was getting warm in the house. At 7:30am he returned my text. Last night my house was cool and my wife was happy. The $147 bill got a $175 check. When he asked me why I told him it's not just the repair. It's the fact that I can text him before the azz crack of dawn, he replies, calls me twice during the day to update me on when he will be there and takes care of me regardless of how busy it is. Every time.

Yes that's what he does for a living and he charged me for the service call and the part. But being able to complete the running around I needed to do because he kept me updated made a difference in my day as well as letting me know he cared about my families situation.

And let's face it, I'm not going on a $650 fishing trip if I can't afford $75 or $100 for a tip. When I was young it was different. And I wouldn't knock anyone who can't afford a nice tip. But maybe that should be considered into the hunt/fish trip budget when saving up for it. And that may be our fault for not teaching our young hunters that to begin with.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

A guy that has been doing my A/C work for over twenty years got a text yesterday at 6:30am. I got up at 3am to go to the lease and discovered it was getting warm in the house. At 7:30am he returned my text. Last night my house was cool and my wife was happy. The $147 bill got a $175 check. When he asked me why I told him it's not just the repair. It's the fact that I can text him before the azz crack of dawn, he replies, calls me twice during the day to update me on when he will be there and takes care of me regardless of how busy it is. Every time.

Yes that's what he does for a living and he charged me for the service call and the part. But being able to complete the running around I needed to do because he kept me updated made a difference in my day as well as letting me know he cared about my families situation.

And let's face it, I'm not going on a $650 fishing trip if I can't afford $75 or $100 for a tip. When I was young it was different. And I wouldn't knock anyone who can't afford a nice tip. But maybe that should be considered into the hunt/fish trip budget when saving up for it. And that may be our fault for not teaching our young hunters that to begin with.

I think you're missing my point.. You tipped your repairman because you chose to... it wasn't expected or mandatory and I'll bet he never told you that you would get better service because you tipped.

As for teaching youngsters to tip for service... That's a new one.. or at least it is to my generation, when I was growing up it was always "you give a days work for a days pay" "Never shirk your duties" It was never agree to a price and then expect a tip for doing what you agreed to do...

I don't have a problem with tipping for exemplary service from a guide... I have a problem that it is now EXPECTED and in at least one case DEMANDED..

I've been tipped as an archery coach, a hunting guide, a scuba instructor, a pizza delivery driver, auto mechanic and several other service related jobs I've held in the past 50 odd years. But not once did I expect it or modify my level of performance because of the expectation or lack of a tip. If I had done so, I'd have a hard time looking myself in the mirror...

And yet in this very thread there are several statements about.. If you ever expect to return for another trip you BETTER tip.. That attitude is what I have a problem with.. And I would never do a return trip with a guide that has that attitude.. PERIOD I don't care how good he/she is..

[Bear82]

All prices should be built into what you are buying. Even restaurants. Owners should pay employees more. The only tip they should receive is feedback on if the service is good or bad. If its bad, then the waiter will know to change or they will be fired. The owner will also know when I dont return. Tips should only be for exceptional extra services provided.

[topshot]

Entitlement, that's your problem America (USA).

If you expect a 'tip', it isn't really a tip but rather a 'hidden fee'. If you do a crap job, or even a decent one; then get mad that you don't get a tip, your problem may just be an entitlement mentality.

A tip should be an unexpected sum of money, or advice for the one doing lousy work, given for a job done above average and beyond the scope of work to be expected/agreed upon.

The employer should pay the employee what he deserves for his/her work. If the customer wants to tip, let him do so at his discretion, and generosity.

The expectation of an obligatory tip takes away the joy the 'giver' has in presenting it to the one who has done the work.

I tip the lady who cuts my hair 20-30% because she not only cuts my hair at the level I pay for ($40 fee) but she does so in a way that makes the time enjoyable and provides good conversation and makes sure that I am 100% happy with how it looks. If I ask her to take off another 1/4" she does it without any issue. This kind of service deserves a tip, and I know she would provide the same, even if I didn't give one.

[rtp]

Pretty nice to see that the vast majority have answered OP's question the way I see it. Guiding is a service and if you are pleased with the service you receive, then tip regardless of who is providing that service. For you none tippers, I guess you just want the outfitter to build in the tip fee upfront into the price which will increase the fixed cost? If so, then that makes part of the hunt price discretionary but mandatory. I tend to like the way the industry is run now.

[codyw2006]

I have hired a handful of guides before and some were owners of their business and some were just employees. I have had levels of service all over the scale, I had one guy that i booked litterally only show up to take me to the stand and pick me up and then make all kinds of plans that he would conveniently forget about the next day to put us on our animals. He didnt not get a tip. I had one guide who would spend every spare minute going over different tactics and such to make me a better hunter over all most of the stuff he was teaching me didnt even apply to what we were doing but he wanted me to be the best hunter i could be. He got a great tip. All depends on the level of service to me.

[denowt]

Entitlement, that's your problem America (USA).

If you expect a 'tip', it isn't really a tip but rather a 'hidden fee'. If you do a crap job, or even a decent one; then get mad that you don't get a tip, your problem may just be an entitlement mentality.

A tip should be an unexpected sum of money, or advice for the one doing lousy work, given for a job done above average and beyond the scope of work to be expected/agreed upon.

The employer should pay the employee what he deserves for his/her work. If the customer wants to tip, let him do so at his discretion, and generosity.

The expectation of an obligatory tip takes away the joy the 'giver' has in presenting it to the one who has done the work.

I tip the lady who cuts my hair 20-30% because she not only cuts my hair at the level I pay for ($40 fee) but she does so in a way that makes the time enjoyable and provides good conversation and makes sure that I am 100% happy with how it looks. If I ask her to take off another 1/4" she does it without any issue. This kind of service deserves a tip, and I know she would provide the same, even if I didn't give one.

$40 + tip for a haircut, dang!!!

[Ætheling]

For you guides out there what's the percentage patrons you take out tip you? I ask because to a lot of us the fee alone is all we can afford let alone at 20 percent tip. If I'm gonna pay 5-6k for an Elk or 1-2 grand for a Trophy WT that's a hell of a profit. I would imagine. If it's customary though it would be good to know to add when pricing something like that.

[denowt]

For you guides out there what's the percentage patrons you take out tip you? I ask because to a lot of us the fee alone is all we can afford let alone at 20 percent tip. If I'm gonna pay 5-6k for an Elk or 1-2 grand for a Trophy WT that's a hell of a profit. I would imagine. If it's customary though it would be good to know to add when pricing something like that.

Get ready for the customary, "if you can't afford the tip, don't book the hunt" type comments.