Tips vs. Gifts or both

[Timber69]

Planning a trip to SA in April to have our first hunting trip out of Alberta, Canada.
In our trips abroad, we have always took a bit of home to share with the folks that have made our stay so enjoyable. My question is. What should we take with us to give in appreciation for hard work done by staff to make our stay an awesome hunt and holiday?
What is hard to find in South Africa?
Maple syrup or maple whiskey? Local crafts and Curio's?

 

[Therack]

We took coloring books and crayons for the children of the cooking and cleaning staff. The office staff and PH got some “leftover” gear like batteries, gloves, gun cleaning supplies that we didn’t want to haul back to the US. The gifts were in addition to normal tips.

 

[Deleted member 43267]

I brought candy for the kids, sharpening stones, tweezers for pulling thorns, mini flashlights, and sewing scissors for some of the kitchen staff who also make crafts. All seemed to be welcomed, but that was in addition to tips.

Folks need money, and the tips get people through the wet season when many camps close. Next year, I am going to bring some books for the camp pre-school.

 

[Timber69]

Therack, were they well received or just a thanks so Mich?

 

[Timber69]

Thanks Jeff

 

[Therack]

They cooking and cleaning staff seemed very appreciative, most of them are fairly poor. The office staff and PH didn’t need the items I gave them, but they assured me they would be put to good use. I’m sure it’s nice to have extra gear around camp, most of the time it’s many miles to town to buy it.

 

[Red Leg]

The PH will appreciate your extra ammo if you decide to leave it (in addition to his tip). Otherwise, unless you are planning to gift Leica Binos or maybe a Zeiss scope, they and the staff really could use money. Also, check with your PH. If there is something they really need - for instance, a good quality trail camera for a leopard hunter is likely going to be much appreciated - bring that - along with a tip.

 

[BRICKBURN]

............ The gifts were in addition to normal tips.

Bring something you'd just like to share from home.

I discovered my tracker loved this stuff.

I just made sure that the kitchen staff made sure we had a good supply in the cool box. He certainly appreciated it.

Another, I arranged for some of his tobacco.

 

[ve7poi]

Maple syrup is something I bring for a treat for everyone at breakfast was the only thing they asked for when asked if I could bring anything over for them.
Then I do both small gift and money tip at end for staff.

 

[Hogpatrol]

This is in addition to $$$, My outfitter/ PH loved ginger balls. His wife asked for Hersehey's Cocoa Powder. Another PH loved Lifesavers, spearmint and wintergreen and went through two bags in a nine day hunt. It seems candy is a luxury in the bush in RSA. I gave the trackers clip on headlights with extra batteries, small Leathermans, camo baseball hats, MASH camo hats like Radar wore and $$$. I also brought over and left some crow dekes, a FoxPro caller and some fishing lures, mostly spinners, for the camp.
Never thought about the maple syrup. That's a sweet idea.

Edit: Just remembered we gave some candy to the kids and you'd think they were just handed a 100 rand note. Was told they're parents never buy candy. Next trip, ten pounds of the stuff.

 

[Philip Glass]

Having some misc stuff for staff or kids you see along the way is ok but how do you distribute evenly? Staff can be very jealous of one another. Candy for kids along the road no problem. I usually take something of use that I have asked the PH if he needs ahead of time. Such as trail camera, Havalon knives, or other PH tools and give to him the first night. It helps break the ice IMO. It is a bit disheartening that since most PH’s attend hunting shows around the world they already know about the newest and greatest equipment. So we can’t really surprise them very often.
As with your cash tips any gift should be in proportion to the hunt.
Just my thoughts.
Philip

 

[barbells.and.arrows]

We bought our tracker cigarettes the first day we were there ($40 US worth to be exact), and you would have thought the man won the lotto. We gave our PH arrows, a hogg father bow sight (husband wanted to reconfigure his bow set up when we came home), and random odds and ends that I didn't want to lug home (bandaids, OTC medicine I had brought, antibiotics we had taken with us, bug spray, some shirts I didn't like I had taken).
That was on top of tipping as well. Money talks, the other things are just nice add ons to do out of the goodness of you heart.

I would say whiskey, cigars, chocolates for the ladies (the good stuff, because their chocolate over there is sub-par or what I ate was), and hard candy. I thought about maybe yeti type cups for PH and what not on our next trip because no one had a "travel cup" in camp, and coffee is life. Favorite local coffee? I might take some of the pinon coffee on our next trip to give to the owner and his wife. Also I would consider packing any spare gear you've outgrown/don't use and giving it to PH's/trackers whomever. Stuff is expensive there, so next trip I'll pack my old binos and stuff like that to hand out to the PH to give to whomever might need it.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Dusty memory coming back to me, I gave an apprentice PH who didn't own any, mid-level Celestron binoculars. I later found out he went back to the states to work in traveling carnivals. He was more interested in two legged animals than the four legged variety.

 

[Eric Anderson]

Copenhagen.
I always bring extra. Apparently you can’t buy chewing tobacco in RSA. On one of my trips, I ran out, and everybody looked at me like I was nuts asking about a chew.

Anyway, the mint flavored seemed to be the most popular.

 

[CAustin]

The PH will appreciate your extra ammo if you decide to leave it (in addition to his tip). Otherwise, unless you are planning to gift Leica Binos or maybe a Zeiss scope, they and the staff really could use money. Also, check with your PH. If there is something they really need - for instance, a good quality trail camera for a leopard hunter is likely going to be much appreciated - bring that - along with a tip.

Plus one!