Time for a dose of reality!

Hodadr

Well-Known Member
I am probably going to get blasted for this post, but I feel it is really time to speak out.
It's now becoming clear, and if you hadn't notice check out the BBC website that deer numbers have exploded particularly across the South East of England.
Judging from the numbers seeking stalking on here, its clear that their are plenty of people eager to do the deed for free, so why have we got a problem?

Stalking used to be a service, kill the deer to stop damage, stalker keeping most of the meat. I was recently invited to check out some land, it was clearly deer damage, which i informed the landowner,"sure i can get your numbers down" then he said great will i be paying by cheque! He wanted £8,000 for me to do pest control!

For those that seem to hord land and rent it out I say if you have land you have a responsibility to kill deer, call it management if you want, "but get some dead" as a keeper once told me, dont mess around with only one spiky and a a juvinille, FILL THE LARDER.
 
Living in the heart of the south east I know what you mean about deer numbers, the problem we have is that a great many of the farms are now being sold off, one field at a time to horse owners. When you look out over the fields you may see heards of 20- 30 plus deer spread across the fields, but not all ,in fact seldom do they all agree to have deer control.
As you can see we have many valleys full of deer, but because one or two don't want bambi shot they have a very safe haven to live and breed in.:evil:
 
Stalking used to be a service, kill the deer to stop damage, stalker keeping most of the meat. I was recently invited to check out some land, it was clearly deer damage, which i informed the landowner,"sure i can get your numbers down" then he said great will i be paying by cheque! He wanted £8,000 for me to do pest control!

How fat is that landowner, he certainly wants his cake. Greedy, greedy or is that just plain greedy.
When do you start by the way Hodadr??:lol::lol::D.

John.
 
Such is life. Why shoudn't a land owner charge money for it? Stalking is just another comodity worth money. There may be many who want stalking. If you get lucky you can get it for free. There are plenty out there who are willing to pay for it.
Many stalkers think that deer stalking is as important to a farmer as it is to them. Believe me to many farmers its way down the list of important things.
I'm a land owner but if i have someone hunting here its for free. Not every land owner is the same.
The other side is that many "stalkers" will gladly show up for the buck stalking and are nowhere to be seen when the does need culling.
Charge money and the farmer covers any damage the deer do and can also tolerate higher deer numbers.

www.prokennel.se
 
You don't say how big the area was. Is this another pity party thread. 3 types of people will go for such ground, The man who makes money out of stalking. £70 a morning £70 an evening, cull fee, trphy fee 2 guns a session not long getting a recoup and profit. The syndicate king 12 guns a £1000 a pop, he is 4 grand up already, and then the man that can afford it. Money talks, pure and simple whether it is the farmer or the FC wave greenbacks under his nose and you have stalking. The man least prepared to fork out ends up with the dreggs. The boys that got in early are lucky. They fight to hold what they have and that's not easy when daily the farmers have another hopeful knocking on his door. Making a tempting offer.
Jim
 
Probably a sign of our times, he who has the gold makes the rules! I just find it of low morals that a few unscrupulous people are in a land grab to charge fees for pest control which traditionally was done for free. Jagare, you have sort of hit the nail on the head and it was part of the point is was trying to make. I don't blame the farmers as diverse financial streams can help keep the farm going, but stalkers who invest time in land, acting as the farmers second eyes, usually when everyone sensible is fast asleep, generally don't pay for the priverledge, there craft and responsibility should be payment enough.
 
Land Costs

Gents

I live in Hampshire which seems to be one of the top doller areas to lease ground in the UK, this is caused by the number of Europians taking rights here & paying massive sums of money-most of these seem to have a tame Brit stalker who runs the show for them & just askes for the cheques when required-(nice work if you can get it):)

We pay over the odds on 3 seperate estates & private farms I manage & the only way this is viable on a financial basis is because we are a Game Dealers & get full retail value per animal-so an average pricket to me would be worth prehaps as much as £225, rather than 50 quid at the dealers up the road.

The prices have rocketed due to the demand for ground here thats viable to get to in a few hours from mainland europe.

Regs Lee
 
The problem I have with land prices, is a landowner moans about 'deer damage'. ok no problem you say,we can help you out. then he wants to charge you for the privalage of sorting his problem. It's bloody crazy if you ask me.
Different story when charlie is taking there lambs in the middle of the night.

Jonathon
 
The problem I have with land prices, is a landowner moans about 'deer damage'. ok no problem you say,we can help you out. then he wants to charge you for the privalage of sorting his problem. It's bloody crazy if you ask me.
Different story when charlie is taking there lambs in the middle of the night.

Jonathon

243varmint you hit on the nail too.

I understand that farmers need to have other revenue streams but there is also the fact that without people stalking, lamping and doing vermin control the same farmers would have major issues on their hands.

I flatly refuse to pay for land to lease..i'd rather spend the money on a small mortgage and buy my own land. Over the years the lease value would easily pay for the mortgage and the land goes up in value and I have better control and management of the wildlife.

It's sad that I can see this going one way and that is worse for the UK Resident stalker........EU "invasion" issues all over again.....So much for looking after the local farmers...then they stab you in the back and get some EU f**K whit in to manage their deer and vermin problems.

Why don't we all throw our land into a pot and create one big UK Deer & Management Syndicate???? And then invade Europe.....LOL
 
arthursc, while i was drafting this blog i had the similar though although i didn't think of the invaision of europe.

but i do think a not for profit, regional deer management groups are a good idea. Possibly under a national umbrella organisation, so the option a day tickets in different areas would be possible. Perhaps we could call it "Deer Unlimited" and run on a similar principle to the Wildfolwers Associations?
 
arthursc, while i was drafting this blog i had the similar though although i didn't think of the invaision of europe.

but i do think a not for profit, regional deer management groups are a good idea. Possibly under a national umbrella organisation, so the option a day tickets in different areas would be possible. Perhaps we could call it "Deer Unlimited" and run on a similar principle to the Wildfolwers Associations?

I agree...Forum Admin might kick the idea off...
 
Well not all of the south east of england is rampant with deer :rolleyes: from the east of Canterbury to where I live there is not one deer, and we have one wood that must be the largest stretch of unbroken woodland in Kent that runs from Hernebay through to Canterbury. And there are plenty of other areas in Kent the are devoid of deer.

As for people having stalking and not sharing, it tends to be the opposite on this site with most members. Many give their stalking away for free, and well done to them. Some charge, and why not if they have a large lease to keep, I am one of those, however I also have given a great deal away in the last 2 years to site members. In some 30 years of stalking I have only ever had two very small areas that I have got for free. All my other areas I pay the price.

None of this has happened overnight, it takes years of work to find suitable areas and hard work to keep them as well. This is something many folk do not take into account.

We have DC forming groups already around the UK, and as many on here have commented, somem of them have then muscled in on their stalking rights. You will never keep everyone satisfied in the stalking world.

Overall in less than 3 years I have racked up over 44,000 miles in my truck taking care of my two major leases, one in Sutherland Scotland and the other in West Sussex, plus another small area I have in Dorset. Takes time and money and the willingness to undertake such mileage to maintain the cull. Dont tar everyone with the same brush !!!

Sikamalc
 
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You don't say how big the area was. Is this another pity party thread. 3 types of people will go for such ground, The man who makes money out of stalking. £70 a morning £70 an evening, cull fee, trphy fee 2 guns a session not long getting a recoup and profit. The syndicate king 12 guns a £1000 a pop, he is 4 grand up already, and then the man that can afford it. Money talks, pure and simple whether it is the farmer or the FC wave greenbacks under his nose and you have stalking. The man least prepared to fork out ends up with the dreggs. The boys that got in early are lucky. They fight to hold what they have and that's not easy when daily the farmers have another hopeful knocking on his door. Making a tempting offer.
Jim

I agree with some of what jimbo has said apart from the man making money out of a £70 am and £70 pm stalk.. Cant see that after paying for the lease ( unless its free ) then accomodation, fuel,high seats etc etc its not likely to stop him doing the lottery imho

Id be the one looking for some stalking and happy to pay for the opportunity of becoming part of a syndicate..

Then i need to find a syndicate that can accomodate my pocket whilst persevering in finding some land of my own..

What i would say is that i have and continue to be indebted to many good men off this site that have helped me out on many occasions..

Terry
 
I agree with some of what jimbo has said apart from the man making money out of a £70 am and £70 pm stalk.. Cant see that after paying for the lease ( unless its free ) then accomodation, fuel,high seats etc etc its not likely to stop him doing the lottery imho

Id be the one looking for some stalking and happy to pay for the opportunity of becoming part of a syndicate..

Then i need to find a syndicate that can accomodate my pocket whilst persevering in finding some land of my own..

What i would say is that i have and continue to be indebted to many good men off this site that have helped me out on many occasions..

Terry
+1 if you look at it on an hour rate basis then £70 for 3+ hours is not a massive return, and for me its a darn sight cheaper than buying a whole lease that I wouldn't have time to use.
 
I think it's sad that stalking costs money. I have some that's free to me but it's by no means endless. I have four land owners willing to let me take Deer and on two of those areas if I was to take more than half a dozen a year I'd kill my sport.

I don't mind paying for a day to shoot other species (Red and Fallow) but I can't be doing with this pay for the stalk, carcass, trophy lark. Where I go costs me £60 and I can shoot more than one given the chance. No fee. That covers the guys costs and gives him some pocket money. I have nothing against that. When you have to pay hundreds (maybe even thousands) of pounds to shoot one good animal though, that's a bit much for me.

Perhaps it's because I'm a working class pest controller? I've got no urge to shoot the best Stag on the hill, in fact if I see a really good specimen I will always leave it even on my paid outing!
 
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