I would like to know what kind of tip budget I should squirrel away for a European hunt. Particularly curious about who should generally be considered besides the PH.
Check tipping guide for African hunts.
You will see two different tipping cultures.
Americans tip, Europeans do not tip.
What you need to do, ask exactly that question, to the first person of contact that you deal with who will be organising the hunt.
I will explain system of hunt in Croatia.
All hunting areas are managed by local hunting clubs.
They dont advertise the hunt.
Hunting agent, takes hunting guest and connect him with local club, which has something to offer.
Local club will assign a guide. Experienced club member. Preferably that speaks clients langauage, but sometimes it is not the case.
Lodging can be organized by someone from third party, local rented apartment, or hunting lodge of hunting club, or local hotel.
So, who to tip in this chain? If taking a room in private apartment or hotel, do not tip. Pay as per bill.
What I have seen, some foreign hunters tip only their guide, who walks with them, or sits in blind with them.
in that case, 150, 200 eur more then enough. And in case hunt is succesful.
BTW, day rate, informal, for the guide, is above 50EUR for a guide (rural areas in Croatia), this will be paid to him, by hunting club management after the hunt. Not by you.
My personal ways:
I dont tip in general, but I will likely buy a meal, or a round of drinks to persons involved in a convenient moment. One or five people who are around, when sorting out the game, after skinning and all. I would take them in local guest house for a meal if moment is convenient.
Presents to the guide, is another way of tipping.
But dont present only cheap hats and extra matches from the pocket, give present of some value, like hunting knife, good flashlight, backpack, rifle sling, binocular, etc.....
If I was invited for the big game hunt as a single guest, a hunt for free, then I would likely organize a meal for entire hunting party, and my hosts. This would usually mean, I will bring a lamb or piglet for barbeque, and wine and beer for the hosts. Then we would organize barbeque in hunting lodge after the hunt.
Some guides were making collection of cartridges given to them for present after the hunt, signed with pen or marker by the client on the casing.
DO NOT DO THAT!!!
There have been some serious problems.
As per law at my place, I can own only ammunition in caliber as per my registered gun.
So, guides would be taking and collecting cartridges with signatures of clients for years and keeping them at home, all the known calibers in the world they would collect.
And if they were caught during periodic police firearm inspection, guns were instantly confiscated, and then followed by few years of court trials. Some of them would loose guns for ever, some would get charges dropped and guns returned. Different lawyers strategy, from case to case
