Recreational stalkers; is anyone considering a cheaper hobby?

BRACES of Bristol - Sauer 100 XTA Stainless Package
Reloader708

Reloader708

Well-Known Member
It's a constant barrage regarding the cost of living, everything from the weekly food shop to the cost of electricity and a suppose the cost of stalking to the recreational shooter.
We've have just had two separate syndicates pull out both stating cost as the reason. Cost of the ground, fuel, ammo, accommodation, and I suppose time.
Only this week I saw primers advertised at £20 per 100 and some loaded ammo (can't remember the brand) at £70 for 20 rounds!
The only recreational shooting I do now is a bit of unofficial target shooting, gave up on clays due to cost, and couldnt justify shooting deer without being paid for it!
So just to gauge mood, is anyone cutting back on stalking trips, giving up ground or perhaps giving up all together?
 
Unless you have your "own" ground, recreational stalking is an expensive hobby anyway. For me it's a day off work, diesel to get there, outing costs. I don't do overnight stays and I don't do trophies or tend to go out with the more expensive type of guides. Factory ammo at £3 per round is the least of my expenses!
If I stopped stalking altogether and stopped associated activities like range days I guess I'd save money. The more I did, the more I'd save by not doing it, but I don't yet feel as if I need to do that.
And I'm not rich! 😂
 
Reloader708 said:
It's a constant barrage regarding the cost of living, everything from the weekly food shop to the cost of electricity and a suppose the cost of stalking to the recreational shooter.
We've have just had two separate syndicates pull out both stating cost as the reason. Cost of the ground, fuel, ammo, accommodation, and I suppose time.
Only this week I saw primers advertised at £20 per 100 and some loaded ammo (can't remember the brand) at £70 for 20 rounds!
The only recreational shooting I do now is a bit of unofficial target shooting, gave up on clays due to cost, and couldnt justify shooting deer without being paid for it!
So just to gauge mood, is anyone cutting back on stalking trips, giving up ground or perhaps giving up all together?
Click to expand...

To many, cost is no issue whatsoever...

We have leases on here advertised for £5k per annum for Fk sake!
 
Reloader708 said:
It's a constant barrage regarding the cost of living, everything from the weekly food shop to the cost of electricity and a suppose the cost of stalking to the recreational shooter.
We've have just had two separate syndicates pull out both stating cost as the reason. Cost of the ground, fuel, ammo, accommodation, and I suppose time.
Only this week I saw primers advertised at £20 per 100 and some loaded ammo (can't remember the brand) at £70 for 20 rounds!
The only recreational shooting I do now is a bit of unofficial target shooting, gave up on clays due to cost, and couldnt justify shooting deer without being paid for it!
So just to gauge mood, is anyone cutting back on stalking trips, giving up ground or perhaps giving up all together?
Click to expand...
Personally my stalking comes off the back of shooting foxes and pigeons for farmers, foxing is the key with local shoots still running. One has a chap shoot them but not on the ground around that farm so I mop up those and in turn go stalking...
 
"Geld reagiert der welt" "Money talks", some folk make lots of it and others have not enough to get by, crappy world but that's how it is.
I stalk on my neighbours lease which is all around our village and I can get home in five minutes after leaving a high seat, he will not take a cent in payment for the last 12 years so I reload for him and his two son in laws.
 
I have the gear already and so giving up and selling up would only return a fraction of what I've paid for it.

I stalk for free for various farmers and landowners and wouldn't pay for it as it's there for free if you can be bothered to look and put in the time and effort. Most places I stalk are within a 10 minute drive and the furthest is 45 mins.

The costs associated with stalking are outweighed by the meat I get and so don't have to buy hardly any red meat at all.

Stalking is expensive only if you are doing it wrong.

A friend has just started and with zero experience (I'm going out with him while he learns) he's picked up a farm for free where the farmer is desperate for deer to be shot as he is regularly seeing herds of 70+ and this is in the South East less than an hour from London so no shortage of stalkers able to get there.
 
Reloader708 said:
…is anyone cutting back on stalking trips, giving up ground or perhaps giving up all together?
Click to expand...

No.

I’m fortunate to have - after many years’ snivelling :lol: - about 1,000 acres over which to shoot free of charge. I share my take with the landowners and a small number of friends.

Considering that Tesco, for example, is selling venison mince at £20/kg and venison steaks at £28/kg, even using my poor butchery skills on a Nosler BT-rogered munty will put £100 to £140 of free meat into my fridge. A few bobs’ worth of petrol and a £3 cartridge don’t affect my attitude much.

All of the above doesn’t even factor in the mental health and exercise benefits of hours on my own out in the woods and fields.

The only things that’ll stop me are infirmity, death or f****** politicians.

maximus otter
 
everyone needs some “ my time” whatever it is, particularly these days when some jobs are like a pressure pot, “my time” is just being outside with my dogs ideally with a rifle in hand and dare I mention fly fishing with the missus and grand kids,

one way or the other you pay for summink whatever it is and it floats your boat. crack on as always in moderation :rolleyes:
 
Plenty are packing in either partly through age and economics others for the the latter where money changes hands to shoot deer as no longer can be justified, all depends on your level of wealth and passion.
Still plenty who will pay for their stalking regardless of cost and probably return to been a niche pastime again is my guess, But there will be always be new recruits with money to spend who will be mad for it to fill the gaps as ever.
 
Free land to shoot on makes it worth while. Just the cost of ammo and vacuum bags for the meat.
I always give my landowners plenty of V so they get meat off their land and they get the deer managed, so not a bad deal.
 
boltgun said:
Plenty are packing in either partly through age and economics others for the the latter where money changes hands to shoot deer as no longer can be justified, all depends on your level of wealth and passion.
Still plenty who will pay for their stalking regardless of cost and probably return to been a niche pastime again is my guess, But there will be always be new recruits with money to spend who will be mad for it to fill the gaps as ever.
Click to expand...
One viewpoint is that covid boosted the search for land as occasional stalkers used it as a great means for escaping into the country legitimately.
Home or hybrid working also meant more were able to nip out first / last thing so permissions were getting increased activity.

Give it another 12 months or so and the norm will have resumed except that the deer numbers will keep rising and landowners will become frustrated that deer aren’t being taken and managed, so keep sending out those letters and land might come up for grabs.
 
When I started a few years ago I had no FAC, no experience, no land to shoot over and just did paid stalking. Once a month if time allowed was not destroying the pockets. wasn't after medals so probably spent between 100 - 200 depending on the species, this included the carcass and this is with having moved into the new house and with a little baby at the time. The amount of meat we didnt have to buy meant it paid for itself

compared tot he wildfowling club at c.£380 for a couple of pheasants or ducks per year if I was lucky or the bottle of whisky at 100.
 
The price of deer stalking is way over the top and i am not sure how some pay that price. For me it is as simple as i go out shoot a good number of deer a year and would say they more than off set the cost. Should i put a cost on my enjoyment if that's being alone or sharing the experience with some one else priceless.
 

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Stalking is pricey but these guys have to pay out and make a living which i agree with. (OTHER SPORTS ARE MORE COSTLEY PER DAY)

As with so many members we have to try and get a perm with deer on the perm due to cost.
Done my DSC1 in October 22 STILL waiting to get my first deer but will keep on knocking them doors.

Plenty of deer in west Sussex but most big estates love them and some are antis.
son in law lives in Wadhurst and his Family is well known in fire brigade as been asking for a perm for me . 🙏
 
Last edited:
TringSaint said:
One viewpoint is that covid boosted the search for land as occasional stalkers used it as a great means for escaping into the country legitimately.
Home or hybrid working also meant more were able to nip out first / last thing so permissions were getting increased activity.

Give it another 12 months or so and the norm will have resumed except that the deer numbers will keep rising and landowners will become frustrated that deer aren’t being taken and managed, so keep sending out those letters and land might come up for grabs.
Click to expand...
Plenty of folks want deer shot and removed by people they know and trust and not always for the right reasons others prefer to pay for the experience as it suits them and can travel the country seeing different corners of our countryside and meet different people keeping things fresh, new and interesting. So many different aspects, some pay, some get paid, others do it for free.🤷‍♂️ Could not imagine a situation where I ever would pay to shoot a deer but that’s just me.
 
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