Wanted: Advice request - Tips and Insurance

[Win Mod 70]

After some comment / advice from those that have "hunted" in Africa previously. I'm off the SA in April for a week shooting predominently antelope (males non throphies). I understand the tipping culture in Africa from a trekking point of view, but after peoples thoughhts on an appropriate level of tip for the PH, Trackers, Skinners, Lodgae Staff...
Also what do people do in respect of travel insurance. Companies i've looked at (including my annual policy) exclude any activity if you are carrying a firearm. So obviously my rifle in transit would not be covered.

 

[A Guy Out West]

Tip based on how hard the people worked for you. We can buy travel insurance just for firearms here, you might be able to find someone to insure your gun on line. Just like during military service, tell the cooks how good the food was, praise them, and let them know you appreciate their work (assuming it was at lease decent). Do this at the first meal you have and you will be golden with the cooks. They will bend over backward to make sure your chow is the best possible.

 

[Hunt-Inter]

If your doing a cull hunt and i guess cost is circa 2k or so id be looking at cook £10/ day and PH £150 for the trip or so

 

[CarlW]

Ask the operator what he recommends tipping the PH and ask the PH what he recommends you tip everyone else. It will be more than just the cook, by the way.

Tips vary so widely in different contexts that it is hard just to give you a rule. For instance, on our DG hunts, most clients will tip the PH USD100/day and upwards. So for a 21-day elephant hunt they may give him say USD2500 as a tip. Obviously, that would not be appropriate on a cull hunt where the price of the hunt itself would only be a couple of K. It also varies between countries. The fenced hunting operations in SA and Namibia have a slightly different model from the other African countries. Ask your operator and your PH.

I would also say, tip on effort; not on results. As an experienced hunter, you know that there is some luck involved in getting your chosen species. Tip the guy who pulls his guts out but still fails rather than the lazy sod who spends the whole time on his phone but still manages to stumble across your quarry.

As an aside, tipping structures in African hunting cause more angst than any other part of the hunt. This is particularly so for Brits, most of whom would rather be torn apart by a leopard than they would wish to get it wrong socially. .

Finally, remember, it is a tip! It is a gratuity! It is a gift from you! Any PH or member of staff who gets snooty because he isn't happy with what you have given him needs a slapping from the likes of me, the operator.

Kind regards,

Carl

 

[Bushwack]

Travel insurance: Try
www.axa.co.uk or
www.direct-travel.co.uk or
www.postoffice.co.uk or
www.hsbc.co.uk or
www.thomascook.com

 

[Fabnosh]

Hi There

I use gunplan for insurance - the cover is pretty good but, not having made a claim in the past 5 years, I've no idea how well they payout. In terms of tips, it's really a personal thing. As some have mentioned, you should align your tip with how well you have been looked after and the quality of the experience you have had. As a basic guide I'd think about 8-10% of the hunting price for the PH,$10 a day for each trackers/skinner and whatever you feel is appropriate for the domestic staff.

Hope that helps