Stag stalking

wildfowler.250

Well-Known Member
How expensive is stag stalking? Say a day on the hill? And how steep,(no pun intended :rolleyes:) are the prices? Say a 6-8 pointer? How much does a royal cost?


Just curious as to what the normal prices are...gonna have to start saving!
 
fortunately I don't have to pay anymore, but I used to pay (a couple of years ago), around £120 for anything between 8 and 10 points, all included for the day.

I've seen some crazy rates of hundreds of pounds per day + trophy fees, and simply wouldn't entertain it. Shop around local highland estates and hill farms that have reds, you'll find much much better deals than those fancy ads in the back of BASC and Shooting Times!
 
My experience has been that stag stalking will cost you between £400 and £500 for the day including the stag.

If you haven't done it before and are reasonably fit then save as hard as you can and book a day or two as it really is a wonderful experience. I would always suggest 2 days at either end of the week as that gives you time to recover if you get out both days and also hopefully ensures you get at least one day even if the weather writes one day off.
 
fortunately I don't have to pay anymore, but I used to pay (a couple of years ago), around £120 for anything between 8 and 10 points, all included for the day.

I've seen some crazy rates of hundreds of pounds per day + trophy fees, and simply wouldn't entertain it. Shop around local highland estates and hill farms that have reds, you'll find much much better deals than those fancy ads in the back of BASC and Shooting Times!
How does one "shop around" hill farms for accompanied stag stalking?
I presume CZ452 is asking for an inclusive price for a day on the hill. If you can get hill stags for £120, book the season!!!
I reckon caorach is a little more representative of the norm.
S.
 
Some places charge about £150 for the outing and extra for the head/trophy,
As stated by` 6 pointer` this could make it £300-600 .
Also if you make a cock-up and wreck the carcase you may have to buy it at the game dealers price.

HWH.
 
As a rule expect to pay between £350 to £500 a day including the beast. However some estates push the price up during the first two weeks of October when the rut is generally at the peak.
 
I think bottom price is likley to be £350 top price for trophies start adding 0000,s
Won a stalk on a raffle a few years ago would have cost £470+vat per day shot verrry old 6 pointer and stalker would not let me shoot a hummel (not really into trophies)its the experiance of being there and getting there:D
 
Try the Forestry Commission, you pay one fee and that covers everything (outings and trophy)
Al
 
Local estate charges £450 plus vat per stag, mature stags of 6 to 10 points Royals are not shot by clients as a rule.

Nothing available this year all days have been let.
 
Things don't change I see :( this is one thing I have always wanted to do even if truth be known I am not fit enough to do it justice :oops: but the prices mean I cannot afford to do anyway. Back in 2003 when I was seriously looking it turned out cheaper to fly to the US and spend 10 days hunting Whitetails than a couple of days in Scotland. Now that has got to be silly price wise :doh:.
 
Things don't change I see :( this is one thing I have always wanted to do even if truth be known I am not fit enough to do it justice :oops: but the prices mean I cannot afford to do anyway. Back in 2003 when I was seriously looking it turned out cheaper to fly to the US and spend 10 days hunting Whitetails than a couple of days in Scotland. Now that has got to be silly price wise :doh:.

No its not silly , its unfortunate that you and a lot of others cant afford it, but there are plenty who can as I said
in previous post this season allready all let, and a big bit 2012 proves the demand is there.
One also needs to keep in mind that the stalking is the only income for a lot of highland estates.
The cost of employing a stalker are considerable and you will probably have the services of a stalker and a ghillie
The stalker will command a wage twelve months of the year where as a ghillie is usually just employed for the season.
A stalkers wage is not huge but he will need to be supplied with a vehicle and its upkeep, he is traditionally supplied with a house, just consider the rent you could get for a house alone if you did not have someone living in it.

That is why more and more estates are employing someone like me contracted for the season, I will command a higher daily rate than what they would traditionally pay a stalker, but they have no additional costs no national Insurance stamp, no house, no traditional perks.

Having said that its hard for a highland estate to make ends meet, unless they have some other source of income
sheep was the other thing that went on along side stalking, but there is not much money in sheep now, and again its
another house vehicle etc.

Of course some people are lucky and manage to find cheap stalking[ but cheap is not always good] but they are in the minority, traditional highland stalking is not cheap and we need to accept the fact.
 
We do stags at £320 per day , but that is 2 outings 4 hours in the morning
and 4 hours at night , stalks can be bought seperately am or pm , some guys dont like doing
reds this way and want to stay on the hill all day but we are nearly always booked up a year
in advance , no trophy fee on good stags
 
Thanks for the replies!

Where would you guys recommend looking at booking some stalking then? And what time of year to go? Am I right in thinking that during rut time there will be more stags about so the stalking is harder? As you are more likely to get spotted by the deer?

The only reason I mentioned a royal was purely because the trip would be a 'one off'. So really I would be after a good one to make it 'worth it'.

What is a hummel? I'm inclined to say a stag without antlers?

I've probably given the impression that I'm only into trophies. To be honest I am delighted if I get a 'good buck', doe or yearling ect. Generally I'd prefer to pay a few hundred and get a syndicate or something when you can go whenever you want.


On a slightly different note, what's the going rate for a good/medal muntjak, Chinese, billy?


Interested to gear your views! Stalking is not cheap :eek:


ATB!
 
We do stags at £320 per day , but that is 2 outings 4 hours in the morning
and 4 hours at night , stalks can be bought seperately am or pm , some guys dont like doing
reds this way and want to stay on the hill all day but we are nearly always booked up a year
in advance , no trophy fee on good stags

Thanks for the reply! Is that woodland stalking then?
 
No its not silly , its unfortunate that you and a lot of others cant afford it, but there are plenty who can as I said
in previous post this season allready all let, and a big bit 2012 proves the demand is there.

Back in 2003 I was in full time employment unlike now as I am F/T carer for my parents. The prices quoted means I would have been working about two weeks to pay for a day out and that is working it out on the pay rate back then on carers well it would mean saving it all for about 3 months which is not possible the saving more to pay for the trip and accomodation.
 
Thanks for the replies!

Where would you guys recommend looking at booking some stalking then? And what time of year to go? Am I right in thinking that during rut time there will be more stags about so the stalking is harder? As you are more likely to get spotted by the deer?

The only reason I mentioned a royal was purely because the trip would be a 'one off'. So really I would be after a good one to make it 'worth it'.

What is a Hummel? I'm inclined to say a stag without antlers?

I've probably given the impression that I'm only into trophies. To be honest I am delighted if I get a 'good buck', doe or yearling ect. Generally I'd prefer to pay a few hundred and get a syndicate or something when you can go whenever you want.


On a slightly different note, what's the going rate for a good/medal muntjak, Chinese, billy?


Interested to gear your views! Stalking is not cheap :eek:


ATB!

Where to book stalking well how long is a piece of string , plenty opportunities, what I would suggest and I am not
having a go at anyone, if this is a one off trip go for the traditional hill stalk spending all day on the hill, and go in the rut
October for best chance, you can't beat the rut for pure spectacle, if its going to be a one off then it will stay in your memory for ever.
Nothing wrong with woodland stalking for Reds, but its different, anf IMO lacks the excitement of the hill.
Woodland stags are bigger of course so chance of bigger trophy than on the hill.

Normally on hill stalking you will pay by the stag, not normally any trophy fees added, [there may be a fee for the stalker to prepare your trophy] but always check these details when booking, a lot of estates let their stags through agents, but you can save a bit by booking direct.
A Royal is different a lot of estates won't allow you that opportunity, and if you can get the chance then cost would need to be by prior arrangement.

Your assumption of a Hummel is correct.
 
Around about 350 for your day all in for 6-10 pointer.

My experience is that 12 + point beasts are kept for 'breeding' or the Laird / landowner or his/her guests.

If you have never been out on the hill for reds before I would suggest starting off with a go at the hinds (much cheaper and usually you will be allowed more than 1 beast per stalk) before taking on stags

Hope you manage to source some.
Let us know how you get on..

CVK
 
I would like a Bentley Continental GT but cannot afford one on my wages. What I can afford is a Landrover. I cannot see what the difference is when it comes to stalking. I also salmon fish but not on the beats I would like to have a go on sometime in my life. But I still catch my fair share of fish.

There is affordable stalking out there but it may not allow you to partake in certain aspects of the sport. So what? Better to be stalking for something/anything than nothing at all.
 
If someone just wanted to shoot a stag as a cull with out all the hill 'challenge' ie someone who is less physically able and couldn't tramp around the hills all day, I know a guy up north with enclosed reds that he would allow people to shoot providing they gralloch them for him and I'm sure it would only be a small charge if any. You could even buy two alive from him cheaper than the prices these estates charge for one dead... if you had somewhere to put them that is... £350 a beast when there's people, equipment and unseen extras to pay for seems fair ... right?? :-|

Canned hunting is not stalking yes before someone kicks off but I wouldn't point my finger and judge a stalker who's health prevented him accessing open range wild reds but wanted to shoot one. Trust me when I say enclosed reds are not fish in a barrel though!

I'm not selling this but if that helps someone get access to something they thought they couldn't then I'll pass on details by pm
 
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