Stalker62
Well-Known Member
That could backfire horribly with old and fat clients.....so a "friend" says...
How much and when do you tip a stalker?
- Thread starter Steff
- Start date
That could backfire horribly with old and fat clients.....so a "friend" says...
Yes and he could ger away with giving you £20
Ive been keepering for 30+ years.Minimum wage means nothing.Never has.Tips have always been the accepted way of making a poor wage a bit better.Especially if youre near the bottom of the ladder.
That could be offensive, rounder shaped clients of a mature mentality might sound better
Loler UK
Well-Known Member
Piece of string i reckon. I've not done much guiding in Scotland but have tips on roe, munty & fallow have ranged from a client that shot a 6 pointer (no medal fee charged as was unlikely to have scraped a bronze) and a nice munty buck in 1st ever outing outing tipping me nothing to being tipped £200 on the 3rd outing (1st 2 unsuccessful only seeing does and cull bucks) bronze 6 pointer and being told my prices were too cheap.
Tipping culture in the modern UK is very different to most other countries IMO. If i consider someone has gone above & beyond the normal expectation for any service I'd tip them with money or a gift whether that be a well paid van repair mechanic, or poorly paid waitress.
If i feel a stalker / guide had taken the **** a bit I'd probably tip them very little / not at all regardless of their wage being low etc. A friend went to an estate that i will not name told £480 for a stag, on the hill 8 stags in front of them, varying antler "hhhhhfftt can't see anything there i'm afraid" said the stalker, "you can take the one on the far left but it'd be an extra £250" 5 point stag, nice. I've taken out a few clients that'd had very similar experiences too.
Tipping culture in the modern UK is very different to most other countries IMO. If i consider someone has gone above & beyond the normal expectation for any service I'd tip them with money or a gift whether that be a well paid van repair mechanic, or poorly paid waitress.
If i feel a stalker / guide had taken the **** a bit I'd probably tip them very little / not at all regardless of their wage being low etc. A friend went to an estate that i will not name told £480 for a stag, on the hill 8 stags in front of them, varying antler "hhhhhfftt can't see anything there i'm afraid" said the stalker, "you can take the one on the far left but it'd be an extra £250" 5 point stag, nice. I've taken out a few clients that'd had very similar experiences too.
Tipping is a tradition and personally I like the traditions that go along with stalking and thats lart of the problem there are
more and more people taking up stalking that no nothing of the traditions and care even less.
Of course part of that is the fact that Highland stalking ( Re deer on the open hill) has been going on since the 1800s in
that time it has acquired a certain etiquette and tradition.
Where as lowland stalking is a relatively new phenomenon practically unheard of prior to the second world war tue deer
were shot before then but stalked no often driven to standing guns or oppertunist shots often with shotguns.
Very little tradition and what little there may be has been adopted from Europe mainly Germany..
Highland stalking has long been the preserve of the large estates whom employ a stalker on some estates several
stalkers ( one estate I worked on there was three of us employed as stalkers plus a Ghillie)
Times are changing and some individuals have managed to get leases on hill land and may let days but in the main
It is still estated that let days in the Highlands almost all employ a stalker whether that be full time ( which most still are)
or contracted for the season. Part of an estate stalkers job is to guide clients there is very little unaccompanied
In Highland stalking it is customary to tip the stalker who guided you, not tipping says one of two things either you the
client is miserable or the stalker did not fullfil the role he is engaged to do.
Most places I worked you would be asked by the Head stalker or perhaps the laird if the client "had seen you all right"
If someone was not being tipped on a regular basis the powers that be would presume that there was something lacking
In either has manner or the way he fullfilled his role.
Some estates give a guide to the minimum that should be tipped( Personally I don't like that a client should be free to tip
according to the service he received) nor should it necessary to do so while there is no hard and fast rule 10% is a fair
guide .
So if you have a day out for a Highland stag at £500 ( average price today) then a £50 tip would be about right
there are clients who tip considerably more and that is of course their right to do so.
For a blank day and the stalker tried hard to get you a shot half of that would be acceptable by the same token if he didn't
fullfill his role as he should have you are quite within your rights not to tip.
Personally I'm grateful for every tip I receive be it large or small provided it is given in the right spirit.
I have had everyting from foreign holidays ( never taken up)
Sums of money both extremely generous and horrendously miserable.
The worst being a client for a week at the hinds who ran out of bullets and borrowed from me he also borrowed
twenty pounds from me ( this was back when £20 was worth considerably more than it is today) as he invited me and my
Ghillie to joinhim for a pint when we came of the hill only for him to find he had left his wallet back at his B&B
When he left at the end of the week he handed me an envelope wich he said contained enough to cover my bullets
and my £20 plus someting for myself ,Ibthanked him and put it in my pocket as one does, it would be extremely
rude to open it in the clients presence.
When he left and I opened it gues what! Yes it was empty.
Finally it is customary to tip those in the service industry, so why not a stalker? As that is exactly what he is providing
a service.
more and more people taking up stalking that no nothing of the traditions and care even less.
Of course part of that is the fact that Highland stalking ( Re deer on the open hill) has been going on since the 1800s in
that time it has acquired a certain etiquette and tradition.
Where as lowland stalking is a relatively new phenomenon practically unheard of prior to the second world war tue deer
were shot before then but stalked no often driven to standing guns or oppertunist shots often with shotguns.
Very little tradition and what little there may be has been adopted from Europe mainly Germany..
Highland stalking has long been the preserve of the large estates whom employ a stalker on some estates several
stalkers ( one estate I worked on there was three of us employed as stalkers plus a Ghillie)
Times are changing and some individuals have managed to get leases on hill land and may let days but in the main
It is still estated that let days in the Highlands almost all employ a stalker whether that be full time ( which most still are)
or contracted for the season. Part of an estate stalkers job is to guide clients there is very little unaccompanied
In Highland stalking it is customary to tip the stalker who guided you, not tipping says one of two things either you the
client is miserable or the stalker did not fullfil the role he is engaged to do.
Most places I worked you would be asked by the Head stalker or perhaps the laird if the client "had seen you all right"
If someone was not being tipped on a regular basis the powers that be would presume that there was something lacking
In either has manner or the way he fullfilled his role.
Some estates give a guide to the minimum that should be tipped( Personally I don't like that a client should be free to tip
according to the service he received) nor should it necessary to do so while there is no hard and fast rule 10% is a fair
guide .
So if you have a day out for a Highland stag at £500 ( average price today) then a £50 tip would be about right
there are clients who tip considerably more and that is of course their right to do so.
For a blank day and the stalker tried hard to get you a shot half of that would be acceptable by the same token if he didn't
fullfill his role as he should have you are quite within your rights not to tip.
Personally I'm grateful for every tip I receive be it large or small provided it is given in the right spirit.
I have had everyting from foreign holidays ( never taken up)
Sums of money both extremely generous and horrendously miserable.
The worst being a client for a week at the hinds who ran out of bullets and borrowed from me he also borrowed
twenty pounds from me ( this was back when £20 was worth considerably more than it is today) as he invited me and my
Ghillie to joinhim for a pint when we came of the hill only for him to find he had left his wallet back at his B&B
When he left at the end of the week he handed me an envelope wich he said contained enough to cover my bullets
and my £20 plus someting for myself ,Ibthanked him and put it in my pocket as one does, it would be extremely
rude to open it in the clients presence.
When he left and I opened it gues what! Yes it was empty.
Finally it is customary to tip those in the service industry, so why not a stalker? As that is exactly what he is providing
a service.
Worst I’ve ever had was being asked to take out some of an estate’s family members for their first stalks (they didn’t have a stalker at the time and I was a friend of a family member). I duly took them out and got them onto beasts, and was allowed one for myself. Then did the lardering and clean up. The following day, the Old Man stumped up to me in quite a thunderous mood and harangued me for a good few minutes for failing to tip the keeper...
Stalker62
Well-Known Member
Gentlemen,
I did as you advised. I did try the shop but to be fair to them they may be still be in lockdown.
Last week I emailed Pure Fishing - next day I had a reply from their Graham Pirie asking for my home address.
This morning the tallest tube in the world arrived - within was the replacement distal end of my new rod.
Credit where credit is due: that is excellent customer service.
Well done Pure Fish and thank you Graham (I shall cc this post into a thank you email to you).
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Clubby
Member
As it happens after a small discussion he was given a collective tip by one gun. Which basically amounted to the tip he would have got off each of us if he had shown his ugly mug and said hello at some point during the day. And which is more costly is the fact we will never go back.
A well known shoot in Wales? Hmmmm
There aren't that many....
I'll resist the urge to hazard a guess as to where you might have encountered that sort of attitude after that kind of day....
Gsd99
Well-Known Member
That 600+ best come with some dirty women and cold beers to consider a tip
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Obviously you dont tip an airline pilot if the plane crashes but do you tip him/her if you land safely....he is after all just a glorified Cab driver.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
None of the tippers answered my question...noted!
palmer_mike
Well-Known Member
No I’d not tip him either way.
I’d have agreed a fee with his employer and he’d have provided the service he’s paid for.
If he feels he’s not paid enough for flying the plane then he’d better agree a pay rise with his employer, of course this may have a cost implication for the airlines customers.
Chanty Wrassler
Well-Known Member
I thought this topic was about how much do you tip a stalker, not how good was the service @Stalker1962 received
Very very true. You may get a free place of accommodation but some of them you wouldn't put a dog in. I was always fortunate in that respect but although keepering is a way of life, think if rearing ,4am to 10.30pm Late April to Mid August. No night watching now but used to be regular in winter. 7 Day week probably 340 or more days a year you need an angel for a wife who can manage the house on perhaps £250 a week.
Steff
Well-Known Member
Gentlemen,
just to give you some feedback on what has become of my trip to Scotland.
It‘s been a wonderful week with decent weather and some great stalking.
We (the stalker and I) managed to get three roe bucks and a red.
And there‘s been a very special highlight. A Highland buck which scored 121 CIC points and has been awarded a silver medallion! I am absolutely not a trophy hunter, but I have to admit - this really makes my day.
just to give you some feedback on what has become of my trip to Scotland.
It‘s been a wonderful week with decent weather and some great stalking.
We (the stalker and I) managed to get three roe bucks and a red.
And there‘s been a very special highlight. A Highland buck which scored 121 CIC points and has been awarded a silver medallion! I am absolutely not a trophy hunter, but I have to admit - this really makes my day.
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Gentlemen,
just to give you some feedback on what has become of my trip to Scotland.
It‘s been a wonderful week with decent weather and some great stalking.
We (the stalker and I) managed to get three roe bucks and a red.
And there‘s been a very special highlight. A Highland buck which scored 121 CIC points and has been awarded a silver medallion! I am absolutely not a trophy hunter, but I have to admit - this really makes my day.
View attachment 177307
Sounds like a great trip....how much did you tip in the end?
Alan
Steff
Well-Known Member
40 £ per successful outing. We are more or less friends, so I didn‘t want to overdo it.Sounds like a great trip....how much did you tip in the end?
Alan
But because of our personal relationship there was also a bottle of premium German Schnaps involved
.
What area were you in Rider?Gentlemen,
just to give you some feedback on what has become of my trip to Scotland.
It‘s been a wonderful week with decent weather and some great stalking.
We (the stalker and I) managed to get three roe bucks and a red.
And there‘s been a very special highlight. A Highland buck which scored 121 CIC points and has been awarded a silver medallion! I am absolutely not a trophy hunter, but I have to admit - this really makes my day.
View attachment 177307
Regards,
Gixer
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