sikamalc
Administrator
What clients?
Like you mate, I've had a few over the years. But in general not as many as some, perhaps I am more tolerant
General costs of an accompanied stalk...
- Thread starter Antonyweeks
- Start date
Like you mate, I've had a few over the years. But in general not as many as some, perhaps I am more tolerant
Don’t think it’s been mentioned but I’m always surprised by comparing rates between taking someone out to shoot a deer and those of a plumber, hairdresser or solicitor
Given the guide or AW often provides the authority for the ground, has the necessary insurance and takes the full responsibility for someone shooting a full bore rifle - where they may miss or their bullet may exit at an unusual angle or be deflected and cause injury or death further on; I think £85 to £100 per outing is pretty cheap.
Nonetheless I’ve learned there are ****s who charge folk a lot for a walk in the countryside so if I were looking for paid stalking, I’d find out if they were any cop first
Given the guide or AW often provides the authority for the ground, has the necessary insurance and takes the full responsibility for someone shooting a full bore rifle - where they may miss or their bullet may exit at an unusual angle or be deflected and cause injury or death further on; I think £85 to £100 per outing is pretty cheap.
Nonetheless I’ve learned there are ****s who charge folk a lot for a walk in the countryside so if I were looking for paid stalking, I’d find out if they were any cop first
Antonyweeks
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone for the replies. Much appreciated. Like anything in life I think there are clearly decent guides and probably a small number of not so decent ones! I'm a mortgage broker and can absolutely say there are lots of idiots in the profession and a few utterly brilliant ones like me (!!! 
).
Anyway, really interesting conversation so thanks for the input. Looking forward to getting out and getting experience!
). Anyway, really interesting conversation so thanks for the input. Looking forward to getting out and getting experience!
pezz69
Well-Known Member
Compare it to a driven day.... £500 plus overage plus tip, plus fuel and shells. Getting into near enough £600 if not more and some are moaning at a £100 an outing plus a shot fee and paying for a beast.
Maybe people should take up driven shooting if their bothered about paying for a days stalking and then come back....
Maybe people should take up driven shooting if their bothered about paying for a days stalking and then come back....
kieran222
Well-Known Member
If you look through the write ups you will see plenty of stories about people who have been on paid stalks. Generally thanking their guide, so that is a good indicator of satisfaction. As said before, cheapest stalking is does in the winter. This time of the year its roe bucks and munties. As said before, don't bother with munties as the cover is getting too high. Try and arrange an outing for a cull buck and stick to that. Some guides don't charge differing prices depending on the head, ideally this would be your best option. Expect to pay about £1/lb for the carcase, roe will be up to about 40lb.
James0586
Well-Known Member
I have been watching this thread with interest and there has been some really good points made. For me I have had to pay for a lot of my stalking and I can see for a newbie this can be quite scary.
As soon as you can get your head around the actual outgoings for the guide it can be less of an issue. Just so you know I have been with good guides and one absolute shocker but that’s life.
The easiest way I would explain this is as follows.
£stalk fee = £££ to go for a walk on the guides ground (covers guides skills time & overheads etc)
£shot fee = pulling the trigger on the agreed animal
£Carcass = game dealer rates if you want the meat.
If you are not sure of what you are paying for don’t pull the trigger!
For example:
AM/pm stalk= £80
shoot a roe doe =£40
Carcass to keep =£40
Total outing you should pay= £160
A tip= entirely up to you!
Do not quote me on prices it’s purely an example.
Find someone locally to you and give them a call and get out into the field, most guides are good people who want you to be successful rather than fleece you and will give you on the ground experience as you go. Try not to think much about it and just get out and enjoy it.
Good luck
As soon as you can get your head around the actual outgoings for the guide it can be less of an issue. Just so you know I have been with good guides and one absolute shocker but that’s life.
The easiest way I would explain this is as follows.
£stalk fee = £££ to go for a walk on the guides ground (covers guides skills time & overheads etc)
£shot fee = pulling the trigger on the agreed animal
£Carcass = game dealer rates if you want the meat.
If you are not sure of what you are paying for don’t pull the trigger!
For example:
AM/pm stalk= £80
shoot a roe doe =£40
Carcass to keep =£40
Total outing you should pay= £160
A tip= entirely up to you!
Do not quote me on prices it’s purely an example.
Find someone locally to you and give them a call and get out into the field, most guides are good people who want you to be successful rather than fleece you and will give you on the ground experience as you go. Try not to think much about it and just get out and enjoy it.
Good luck
Last edited:
Here we go again somebody asks for some info on prices and it goes downhill from there.You pays your money and takes your choice. If it’s to dear don’t pay and don’t stalk
Antonyweeks
Well-Known Member
Thanks. That’s useful. I’m happy to pay just didn’t want to get had!I have been watching this thread with interest and there has been some really good points made. For me I have had to pay for a lot of my stalking and I can see for a newbie this can be quite scary.
As soon as you can get your head around the actual outgoings for the guide it can be less of an issue. Just so you know I have been with good guides and one absolute shocker but that’s life.
The easiest way I would explain this is as follows.
£stalk fee = £££ to go for a walk on the guides ground (covers guides skills time & overheads etc)
£shot fee = pulling the trigger on the agreed animal
£Carcass = game dealer rates if you want the meat.
If you are not sure of what you are paying for don’t pull the trigger!
For example:
AM/pm stalk= £80
shoot a roe doe =£40
Carcass to keep =£40
Total outing you should pay= £160
A tip= entirely up to you!
Do not quote me on prices it’s purely an example.
Find someone locally to you and give them a call and get out into the field, most guides are good people who want you to be successful rather than fleece you and will give you on the ground experience as you go. Try not to think much about it and just get out and enjoy it.
Good luck
Do your homework if they have been in business for a while you should be ok the stalking world is a small one and the rip off merchants tend not to last long.
Get a clear lIst of all charges before signing up ,don't be shy about asking and the supplier should be just as forthright
with the answers there should be nothing hidden , but be realistic everyone likes a bargain but if it sounds to good to.be true it usually is.
Exact prices are hard to give as jt depends on sex and species for example woodland deer are usually hunted dawn
and dusk so price quoted will be for an outing normally around three hours.
If you decide to go for red deer the Highlands it is a full day or until you have achieved a successful stalk .
Stags are sol d by the stag so if you want to shoot more than one in a day expect to have to pay for it
again all this should be made clear prior to booking
Red hinds are also sold by the day on many places there is no limit to how many may be shot on others there may be
but again all this should be made clear prior to booking.
If stalking males expect to pay a fee for trophy preparation ,you are under no obligation to pay this and can take the head away and do it yourself ,though for the cost involved it might be better to let the stalker do it but its entirely ul
to you.
Usually carcasses can be purchased at Game dealer prices again the price will vary depending on species and supply
and demand again do your homework and find out the going rate at the time this may vary a bit from.dealer to
dealer but there is usually not much more than a penny or two per kilo between them don't expect to pay more
than dealer prices and a reputable business should not try charging any more.
Tips are always a controversial subject but a gratuity will always go down well with the stalker the spirit it is given with
being appreciated more than the actual amount.
And finally many friendships are formed that can last a lifetime between stalker and client in what started as a business arrangement.
Get a clear lIst of all charges before signing up ,don't be shy about asking and the supplier should be just as forthright
with the answers there should be nothing hidden , but be realistic everyone likes a bargain but if it sounds to good to.be true it usually is.
Exact prices are hard to give as jt depends on sex and species for example woodland deer are usually hunted dawn
and dusk so price quoted will be for an outing normally around three hours.
If you decide to go for red deer the Highlands it is a full day or until you have achieved a successful stalk .
Stags are sol d by the stag so if you want to shoot more than one in a day expect to have to pay for it
again all this should be made clear prior to booking
Red hinds are also sold by the day on many places there is no limit to how many may be shot on others there may be
but again all this should be made clear prior to booking.
If stalking males expect to pay a fee for trophy preparation ,you are under no obligation to pay this and can take the head away and do it yourself ,though for the cost involved it might be better to let the stalker do it but its entirely ul
to you.
Usually carcasses can be purchased at Game dealer prices again the price will vary depending on species and supply
and demand again do your homework and find out the going rate at the time this may vary a bit from.dealer to
dealer but there is usually not much more than a penny or two per kilo between them don't expect to pay more
than dealer prices and a reputable business should not try charging any more.
Tips are always a controversial subject but a gratuity will always go down well with the stalker the spirit it is given with
being appreciated more than the actual amount.
And finally many friendships are formed that can last a lifetime between stalker and client in what started as a business arrangement.
I do both believe me the stalking option is good value.
Try the BASC deer stalking schemes. They will lay everything on and all you have to do is turn up. There are no hidden costs and you know what to expect. If you go to Thetford the stalker will be first class and he will train you.
CH
CH
Mick9abf
Well-Known Member
Guided stalking is like any other service you get. You go on advice, experience and pay your money knowing it might not work out for you just as you could blank on ground of your own.
Cost is down to the individual and their own personal circumstances, expectations and pocket. In a supply and demand industry nobody is going to give it away and as has already been said people are trying to make a living off it, heaven forbid they even make a profit!!
It occurs to me that biggest problem is some (and I say some) people take up or want to take up stalking but don’t have ground, or the opportunity to get ground but yet they feel that people with ground or leases should provide them with cheap stalking and because they are paying ‘expect’ a result.
As with every new hobby or interest people throw money at training, optics the ‘need’ to immediately get a FAC; you see it on here frequently “if the FEO is knocking you back because you don’t have ground just get some proof of paid stalks that’s what I did blah, blah, blah”.
This is all well and good but you end up with someone in exactly the same position who doesn’t have any ground but now has a rifle and is frustrated because they have nowhere to use it.
If your not willing to pay, find another hobby (where you will experience the same financial challenges), or don’t spend heaps of cash buying a shooting set up for a once a year gig with the added issue of having to jump through hoops every 5 years to keep and use an estate rifle and spend your money on more stalking.
Some people are more than happy to have a couple of days a year which they pay for, if you want more you just have to pay for it, I’ve said before - suitable stalking ground is finite and people wanting it is going up which like everything is reflected in the price.
I will also say (again), we have some of, if not the cheapest guided stalking in Europe when you boil it down and it seems to be a British thing to question or moan about cost which doesn’t seem to be as prevalent abroad as they just accept it’s the price (And I’m Scottish)!!
Cost is down to the individual and their own personal circumstances, expectations and pocket. In a supply and demand industry nobody is going to give it away and as has already been said people are trying to make a living off it, heaven forbid they even make a profit!!
It occurs to me that biggest problem is some (and I say some) people take up or want to take up stalking but don’t have ground, or the opportunity to get ground but yet they feel that people with ground or leases should provide them with cheap stalking and because they are paying ‘expect’ a result.
As with every new hobby or interest people throw money at training, optics the ‘need’ to immediately get a FAC; you see it on here frequently “if the FEO is knocking you back because you don’t have ground just get some proof of paid stalks that’s what I did blah, blah, blah”.
This is all well and good but you end up with someone in exactly the same position who doesn’t have any ground but now has a rifle and is frustrated because they have nowhere to use it.
If your not willing to pay, find another hobby (where you will experience the same financial challenges), or don’t spend heaps of cash buying a shooting set up for a once a year gig with the added issue of having to jump through hoops every 5 years to keep and use an estate rifle and spend your money on more stalking.
Some people are more than happy to have a couple of days a year which they pay for, if you want more you just have to pay for it, I’ve said before - suitable stalking ground is finite and people wanting it is going up which like everything is reflected in the price.
I will also say (again), we have some of, if not the cheapest guided stalking in Europe when you boil it down and it seems to be a British thing to question or moan about cost which doesn’t seem to be as prevalent abroad as they just accept it’s the price (And I’m Scottish)!!
cervusguide
Well-Known Member
Each to their own, shop around, ask questions, 9/10 your better off going off recommendations from others rather than plucking something off an add that you don’t know anything about.
Everybody has different pricing structures depending on lots of different things, self employed, estate employed, species of deer, etc
As an example ours is priced as I would want to see it priced if I was looking. £80 per outing per person, £60 per cull animal regardless of sex or species.
That’s it, simple. Only extras are a rifle if required at £20 an outing (it’s my own personal equipment which cost me a few thousand) and carcasses if you decide to take one which would be at current rates.
What some people might see as cheap is expensive to others and vice versa. There is no right or wrong, just do your homework, don’t be lazy about it, simples.
Everybody has different pricing structures depending on lots of different things, self employed, estate employed, species of deer, etc
As an example ours is priced as I would want to see it priced if I was looking. £80 per outing per person, £60 per cull animal regardless of sex or species.
That’s it, simple. Only extras are a rifle if required at £20 an outing (it’s my own personal equipment which cost me a few thousand) and carcasses if you decide to take one which would be at current rates.
What some people might see as cheap is expensive to others and vice versa. There is no right or wrong, just do your homework, don’t be lazy about it, simples.
If you are supplying a rifle under the estate exemption rule build the cost into your fees and charge it to everyone
whether they require a rifle or not why? Because its illegal to charge for the use of a rifle, don't believe me check out the
estate rifle exemption ,you can charge for ammunition used but not the use of the rifle.
cervusguide
Well-Known Member
I know what your saying but pointless charging for something that not everyone needs. Who’s to say the rifle is included but the hiring is of the optics sat on top
Put it as a charge for hiring the rifle on the invoice and you’re breaking the law.
Put it as a charge for use of ammunition and you are fine.
Only put it on the invoice if the client needs to make use of the estate rifle facility.
Simple!
Mick9abf
Well-Known Member
From my experience I would say that if I was looking to stalk Roe buck I would expect to pay an average of about £150- 250 for a representative buck not including the carcass and that wouldn’t be getting your pants pulled down IMO.
There are places that predominantly deal with foreign clients and charge what I would say is the norm in Europe (which is why I say UK stalking Is generally cheap), who pay an outing fee plus a trophy fee per gram which is undoubtedly more expensive, but then they aren’t worried about your one outing custom as there are plenty of foreign clients who will block book a week which makes better business sense for that vendor - fair play to them.
The unfortunate side effect is that it pushes leases up in that area and prices local boys out, I’ve experienced this, not great but that’s life.
To shoot a red stag without taking any other days I’d expect to pay anything from £350-600 (often plus VAT) for my day depending on location and other factors (garron ponies etc).
Sika stags I’d expect to pay anything from £350-500 ish for a representative.
None of the above would include medal fees and I’ve not included other species as I’ve little knowledge of the costing but you may get cheaper and you may get more expensive (female species are always cheaper).
Knowing the prices some people pay to knock a golf ball around a particular course or against the cost of a season ticket for a premier league team I would say it’s fair value for money.
I don’t have a lot of cash so I have always tailored my shooting to fit my pocket, if you don’t have ground and are uneasy about paying that sort of money then you need to take up a different hobby.
I want to shoot a decent palmated Fallow at some point and I expect I’ll have to pay the region of £350-400 for my day. If I could get cheaper even better but accept that out with personal friends or contacts nothing is free in this world.
There are places that predominantly deal with foreign clients and charge what I would say is the norm in Europe (which is why I say UK stalking Is generally cheap), who pay an outing fee plus a trophy fee per gram which is undoubtedly more expensive, but then they aren’t worried about your one outing custom as there are plenty of foreign clients who will block book a week which makes better business sense for that vendor - fair play to them.
The unfortunate side effect is that it pushes leases up in that area and prices local boys out, I’ve experienced this, not great but that’s life.
To shoot a red stag without taking any other days I’d expect to pay anything from £350-600 (often plus VAT) for my day depending on location and other factors (garron ponies etc).
Sika stags I’d expect to pay anything from £350-500 ish for a representative.
None of the above would include medal fees and I’ve not included other species as I’ve little knowledge of the costing but you may get cheaper and you may get more expensive (female species are always cheaper).
Knowing the prices some people pay to knock a golf ball around a particular course or against the cost of a season ticket for a premier league team I would say it’s fair value for money.
I don’t have a lot of cash so I have always tailored my shooting to fit my pocket, if you don’t have ground and are uneasy about paying that sort of money then you need to take up a different hobby.
I want to shoot a decent palmated Fallow at some point and I expect I’ll have to pay the region of £350-400 for my day. If I could get cheaper even better but accept that out with personal friends or contacts nothing is free in this world.
pezz69
Well-Known Member
Depending on where you shoot and bag size yes, yes you can, but I feel stalking is far better value for money and don't take any great interest in driven shooting anymore other than beating and watching dogs work.
Which is better value and at what level is always personal. I mean I know of shoots where a day is uphill of £1200 but then again there are some estates where stalking a red stag will cost quite a lot too. The point I was trying to make (rather poorly it would appear) is that we should at least compare siilar price points. Sorry for any confusion.
David.
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