TIPPING

[Hunting Hitman]

Well this is all fine and dandy but let’s get some real world opinions of how much of your money you would tip based on the following information.
10 day Elephant hunt 50k
PH-
Main Tracker-
Second Tracker-
Driver-
Govt Agent/Game Scout-
Skinning Shed-
Dinning Room Attendant-
Chef/Kitchen-
House Keeping-

This is the real world scenario and I’ve seen suggestions all over the place. Please remember this is your money you are tipping and not tipping from a scenario “ I tip 10% or 20% no matter what…

HH

 

[Safari Dave]

This is a subject with no correct answer....




IMO - go with Jerome's guidance. ( I probably tipped too much, but I was so happy with everything about my last safari, that I couldn't help it!)


I just pulled my PH (who did not own the company) aside and ask for his guidance on tipping.

He expected nothing, but I gave him $1,000 for 7 days hunting (he was perfect and provided exactly what I wanted)

I gave my gunbearer, who was also a PH (in training) $700. He told me that was the most he had ever been tipped.

I gave the camp cook and manager $300 each, and $100 to everyone else that helped out.



(Just this weekend, I went to a restaurant with no table service and did the electronic checkout as many American restaurants are doing now. It prompted me to give a 20% tip to someone at the counter who simply took my order. I navigated to "no tip" and choose that option. At this restaurant, I got my own drink and refills, picked up my food at a counter when my name was called. I assume that someone who worked at the restaurant picked up my plate, because there was no trash can or even a sign to tell you what to do when you were finished. Maybe the next patron, cleaned the table....

20% for pressing 4 buttons, you've got to be kidding!

 

[Manny R]

Tipping usually have extenuating circumstances in especially hunting. Example how hard did the PH work for you in getting your trophy or did you not get your trophy. A 10 day hunt and your got your trophy in 2 days and left camp.Your dangerous game charged you and the PH saved your life or a mamba bit you in the ass and your PH sucked out the poison. You must evaluate the whole adventure good or bad and base your tip on the experience. I feel you must tip no less than 10% unless you really had a terrible experience and if you had a great time the sky is the limit what you can afford.
Remember your tips besides the PH goes to others that deeply depend on their tips to survive and I have never seen a driver, tracker,skinner that was lazy or did not give 110% of their time to make your hunt enjoyable.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Tipping usually have extenuating circumstances in especially hunting. Example how hard did the PH work for you in getting your trophy or did you not get your trophy. A 10 day hunt and your got your trophy in 2 days and left camp.Your dangerous game charged you and the PH saved your life or a mamba bit you in the ass and your PH sucked out the poison. You must evaluate the whole adventure good or bad and base your tip on the experience. I feel you must tip no less than 10% unless you really had a terrible experience and if you had a great time the sky is the limit what you can afford.
Remember your tips besides the PH goes to others that deeply depend on their tips to survive and I have never seen a driver, tracker,skinner that was lazy or did not give 110% of their time to make your hunt enjoyable.

So let’s say 5k from your above comment and no added save your life nonsense…just a good hunt you enjoyed. Please break the 5k down by the above team as to who gets what please

HH

 

[Manny R]

I would divide up the $5,000 tip as follows:
PH $3000( I would ask him to divide any money up to people behind the scene I did not see)
Mian Tracker & Second Tracker $500.00
Driver $250.00
Game Scout $200.00
Skinning Shed $200.00 for each person (Usually 2)
Dining room $100
Chef $250.00
Housekeeping $200

 

[Safari Dave]

On my first safari (to RSA), my PH (who owned the company), told me to give all my tip money to the camp manager and let her divvy it out.

I think I gave her $700 (this was 16 years ago) for a 10 day safari.

I tipped my PH around $100/day and the tracker about $50/day.

Everyone seemed satisfied...


IMO - Use Jerome's guidance!!! - It's the best guide I've ever read.




I think Americans tend to over tip, because we have been beaten into submission by the "service" industry, that frequently provides lousy service.


I've only recently learned this, but in America, you are supposed to tip:

- everyone who has anything to do with anything in a restaurant
- everyone who touches your automobile at a "service" establishment, even if you would rather just park it yourself and walk.
- anyone who cuts your hair, works with your pets, blah, blah, blah...
- anyone who you might already pay to pick up your garbage
- anyone who delivers anything to your home
- the homeless dude who sprays water on your windshield and wipes it off without your permission
- anyone who touches your luggage, even if you don't want them to
- any one who take you on a tour, even if you were kidnaped.




You are supposed to tip 10%, if you were "unsatisfied" with their work.

It's ridiculous.

 

[Sourdough]

1. How much the PH or PH's make is irrelevant to how much to tip them.
2. How much the staff makes and whether or not they rely on tips to supplement their income is irrelevant to how much to tip them.
3. If an outfitter is underpaying his PH(s) and/or staff shame on him or her. But it's not our job as hunter clients to subsidize them.

Tips are meant to be, and should be performance based. AND they are completely discretionary.

I am a generous tipper, especially if a person(s) really shines while providing me a service.

And I'll even tip persons usually forgotten, for instance a restaurant's kitchen staff when they make my taste buds exceptionally happy. Pizzas to the Service Department of my car dealership when they take exceptional care with my vehicles. You get the drift.

I DON'T tip just because someone can steam a mirror if you put it in front of their face. It is performance based.

 

[Philip Glass]

There is a lot to discuss here so I'll just make one point on your post. It is not very equitable to tip the driver, skinner, and tracker the same. The tracker is the only truly skilled one of the three and deserves more than the other two.

 

[raytraps]

Last year was my first African Safari and my PH was totally awesome. He went the extra mile for me at all times. I harvested buffalo,sable,zebra,impala and springbok. I tipped my PH 5000, my tracker 400, the rangers 100 and 200, the cooks 100 each . I don't know if this was enough but it was all I had.

 

[Nyati]

Last year was my first African Safari and my PH was totally awesome. He went the extra mile for me at all times. I harvested buffalo,sable,zebra,impala and springbok. I tipped my PH 5000, my tracker 400, the rangers 100 and 200, the cooks 100 each . I don't know if this was enough but it was all I had.

5.000 $ tip to your PH !

Just don´t know what to say

 

[375Fox]

Last year was my first African Safari and my PH was totally awesome. He went the extra mile for me at all times. I harvested buffalo,sable,zebra,impala and springbok. I tipped my PH 5000, my tracker 400, the rangers 100 and 200, the cooks 100 each . I don't know if this was enough but it was all I had.

He was a very happy PH. That would be about 3x-4x his normal tip on a 10 day hunt. If I was going to tip PH that much above normal though I think I’d tip the staff higher than normal as well.

 

[375Fox]

There is a lot to discuss here so I'll just make one point on your post. It is not very equitable to tip the driver, skinner, and tracker the same. The tracker is the only truly skilled one of the three and deserves more than the other two.

On all hunts I’ve been on where we have had a dedicated driver, the PH has asked me to tip driver same as trackers. Driver is still a part of the daily hunting party. Skinner stays at camp and should get a lower tip.

 

[Philip Glass]

On all hunts I’ve been on where we have had a dedicated driver, the PH has asked me to tip driver same as trackers. Driver is still a part of the daily hunting party. Skinner stays at camp and should get a lower tip.

I guess it depends on where and what you are hunting. Provided I have a very good tracker who knows what he is doing, there is no way I would consider a driver to be on par with him.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

On all hunts I’ve been on where we have had a dedicated driver, the PH has asked me to tip driver same as trackers. Driver is still a part of the daily hunting party. Skinner stays at camp and should get a lower tip.

Totally disagree
The skinner is often forgotten and possibly most important job of all
If he makes a mistake or does his job badly you have no trophy or a bad trophy
He is the one working till 11 at night or later skinning and caping trophies shot that afternoon. Keeping butchery and akinning area clean etc etc
An important job indeed!
Or at least thats how it works at tallyho

 

[Manny R]

I am in total agreement with Tally-Ho. Going that far to hunt, enjoy the adventure what is another $100 or $200 more and knowing you have helped another family with food & supplies to get further down the road of survival .

 

[Red Leg]

Last year was my first African Safari and my PH was totally awesome. He went the extra mile for me at all times. I harvested buffalo,sable,zebra,impala and springbok. I tipped my PH 5000, my tracker 400, the rangers 100 and 200, the cooks 100 each . I don't know if this was enough but it was all I had.

I like to think that I am fair and generous tipper, but $5K! Were you hunting a couple of buff and free range lion in Tanzania? Otherwise that is insane. I am certain you will be the talk of the camp for a couple of seasons.

 

[375Fox]

Totally disagree
The skinner is often forgotten and possibly most important job of all
If he makes a mistake or does his job badly you have no trophy or a bad trophy
He is the one working till 11 at night or later skinning and caping trophies shot that afternoon. Keeping butchery and akinning area clean etc etc
An important job indeed!
Or at least thats how it works at tallyho

This thread might turn into 60 pages too. I’ll generally tip skinner $10/day and extra depending on the situation. A camp in a safari area with 10-15 staff tips add up to $2000+ very quickly. The skinner has an important job, but he can also set his own schedule somewhat and stay at camp. I always give the guys on the truck more. A camp in South Africa where it only consists of tracker, skinner, cook, maid is a different situation.
I actually got lessons from my taxidermist on turning ears. I check my trophies at skinning shed. He said I’m only customer to ever ask for a lesson.

 

[DieJager]

I used Jerome's guide as a reference. It was within the parameters he set. Without the guide I think I was one of those cheapy Europeans. Maybe I still am, who knows what they expected if I see enormous tips of 5k for the PH

 

[JimP]

I agree with Jerome's guide here on the forum. With a plus for extra service. I know that on my last trip I tipped my PH extra along with my tracker, they both deserved it.

For camp help you have to figure that the $5 a day or so may be a very good rate. If you have a number of hunters in camp at the same time that $5 adds up quickly.

But I figure my tipping on the personal service that I receive from someone that I interact with. PH, trackers, drivers, and others that are right with me for 12+ hours a day more than just someone who makes my bed and places clean towels in my room. But they all are important in my stay in camp.

 

[raytraps]

I like to think that I am fair and generous tipper, but $5K! Were you hunting a couple of buff and free range lion in Tanzania? Otherwise that is insane. I am certain you will be the talk of the camp for a couple of seasons.

Like I said this was my first trip to Africa. I have cancer and my PH became a good friend as well as my PH. He always helped me when the going was rough including cutting me a walking stick and having one of the rangers carry my rifle on our long walks. I hunted the Caprivi and had the greatest hunt of my life. I am going back this July(if my health permits) and I have requested the same PH. Maybe I am a little "insane" but I will tip him what he deserves.