tight as a ducks ****

I generally tip well, whether I am successful or not. If I feel that the person has gone out of their way then I will tip accordingly, to the point of excess. On the other hand, I am not averse to tipping zero when I feel that the service has not been up to scratch. Similarly in restaurants, I always ask the server to remove the "Discretionary Service Charge" and tip him/her personally.
 
OK, let me get this straight. So we have four or five guys book a couple of days cull shooting on an estate. For all we know they may be members here, they may be average working guys with families who have saved all year for a wee jolly.

They turn up, behave themselves, shoot some deer. The pay their account with the estate and buy the venison they shot at the going rate. So far they sound like perfect customers / clients.

Now they are getting slagged off on an open forums as miserable sh1ts, and there is the suggestion that if they have the cheek to book next year they can expect to get shoved in an unproductive high seat because they failed to sufficiently grease the keepers palms to do the job they are paid to do?

What a bunch of tossers.


CD,

you have summed up my thoughts exactly.

ATB
Moses
 
There's lots of ways of "tipping" without cash changing hands.
If those five blokes each posted a fantastic review of their outing on this and other forums that would be worth a lot more than any amount of tip.
That's not going to happen now, is it? The OP might have shot himself in the foot there!

Personally, I wouldn't give a cash tip, partly 'cos I haven't really got any, and partly because I believe that it's often the unseen bits of gratitude that go the furthest and last the longest. A personal recommendation from a satisfied client beats any tip in the long term, I should think.
 
OK, let me get this straight. So we have four or five guys book a couple of days cull shooting on an estate. For all we know they may be members here, they may be average working guys with families who have saved all year for a wee jolly.

They turn up, behave themselves, shoot some deer. The pay their account with the estate and buy the venison they shot at the going rate. So far they sound like perfect customers / clients.

Now they are getting slagged off on an open forums as miserable sh1ts, and there is the suggestion that if they have the cheek to book next year they can expect to get shoved in an unproductive high seat because they failed to sufficiently grease the keepers palms to do the job they are paid to do?

What a bunch of tossers.

Totally agree here,would you tip a builder, plumber, joiner these type of guys for doing there job, I am guessing probably not so why should other trades/professions get tips? Also who tips when the go to mcdonalds/kfc places like that? Nobody but yet if you don't do it in a restaurant your a tights***, I don't mind tipping but when people act like I have to then I don't.
 
OK, let me get this straight. So we have four or five guys book a couple of days cull shooting on an estate. For all we know they may be members here, they may be average working guys with families who have saved all year for a wee jolly.

They turn up, behave themselves, shoot some deer. The pay their account with the estate and buy the venison they shot at the going rate. So far they sound like perfect customers / clients.

Now they are getting slagged off on an open forums as miserable sh1ts, and there is the suggestion that if they have the cheek to book next year they can expect to get shoved in an unproductive high seat because they failed to sufficiently grease the keepers palms to do the job they are paid to do?

What a bunch of tossers.



+ 1


Many years ago I struggled to save enough money to book a weekends cull hunting and couldn't afford a big tip at the end, maybe give the guy a "drink" if he worked hard for me.

I certainly would't want to hunt anywhere if I was expected to give a £50 tip for sitting in a highseat.

I take a few guests myself now and I dont expect anything on top of the fee, one or two give me a "drink" and its appreciated but I would never work less hard for the one's who don't they have paid there outing fee and shouldn't expect anything less.

Wayne
 
I don't mind tipping but when people act like I have to then I don't.
+ 1 :-D

Slightly off topic sorry but this story always comes to mind when some one talks about tipping.


Many years ago I was asked to do the fox control on a local estate which had a big pheasant shoot on it, when asked what I wanted for doing it I asked for a days pheasant shooting which was agreed to.

I went to that estate using my own vehicle/diesel for three years once somtimes twice a week before I was finaly offered a days shooting (beaters day) At the end of the day I had a cap shoved in my chest with a grunt of "drink for the keeper" I turned and walked away and never went foxing there ever again.

Wayne
 
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When I was booking the day with my old mentor the day included a cup of tea on arrival before dawn after my 100 mile drive and a breakfast after the mornings outing usually. A sandwich before going out for the evenings stalk if one was hungry and a proper dinner after returning from the evenings stalk. I then had a 100 mile drive home. As appreciation I would always bring a couple of bottles of wine for the meal and sometimes a nice Bottle of Port to which he was partial too. I made the mistake of offering a cash tip on my first visit and he was slightly offended so I came up with this way. It worked because over the years we became friends.
 
Like it or not, it's part of the culture on some shooting estates, and in those cases I reckon it should be factored in to the cost of the whole experience. Obviously from the OP, this was a situation in which clients would normally be expected to tip a certain amount and they didn't.

If it's "form" for a tip to be given, that should be clearly communicated to, and understood by, the clients at the time of booking, not sprung on them at the end of the day. Most of these problems stem from miscommunication issues, rather than a desire to be cheap.

The whole tipping issue is a minefield, and it's even worse in the USA where it's a much bigger part of the culture with complex and unwritten codes for just about every transaction!
 
Many keepers rely on tips to boost their earnings. I don't think it should be something that is expected but is a good way of showing personal appreciation for "over and above the call of duty". I know of a few keepers (mostly gamebird keepers) who excel in providing the touches that can make a good day great.

Out of curiosity Norma 308, you begin this thread by giving the location of this event as being an estate on which you stalk by invitation. This to me would suggest you do not pay for stalks or venison. How much do you tip?
 
Perhaps the tipping-culture (which, other than in shooting/stalking seems to survive mainly in the USA) ought really to be quoshed here, and replaced by proportionately higher charges for the stalking/shooting?
That would certainly avoid the sort of disappointment we see at the start of this thread.

Absolutely. Tipping seems to have become a requirement these days, when it really should be an extra little bit that people give if and when they feel they have had very good service. People should be paid for the work they do fairly and adequately, and not rely on tips.
 
people have different mentalities on tipping, in some cultures you just don't do it, but in others you go over the top.

to be honest, to avoid unpleasantries, you should really inform stalkers/guests before they arrive whether the keepers are expecting a tip or whether it is factored into the overall price, yet with the caveat that extra tips are of course appreciated if the guest feels the level of service is worthy.

very simple to do, no confusion, everyone is happy.
 
I do not get a free house with TV, TV licence, council tax, heating, coal, electricity, Land Rover, quad, telephone, mobile, house decoration, estate bonuses at Christmas, un-taxed income (tips), clothing, boots, private use of a vehicle.
I know a pheasant 'keeper 5 miles from me that goes two Carribean cruises on his tips every year and though he may be the exception i personally reckon a tip should ONLY be for a special service... I have seen the hat go round for rubbish days and it is now expected.... A good 'keeper has a pretty good income and is well looked after by his pellet and wheat suppliers but in these days i find tipping off putting when the hand shake is offered at the end of an average to poor day...
 
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If they thought that, then based on the response that has resulted from the perceived underpayment they are probably not far off the mark!
;)

If you were in there position how would you feel Dalua!! Surly 19 beasts in 2 days is not bad giong.

I feel to show one's appreciation and gratitude can't be a bad thing.

Most keeper's will be on a flat rate, so a tip won't go a miss, that said they may have paid over the odds for the

Stalking Package which in turn resulted in a poor tip.

Rgds, Buck.
 
If you were in there position how would you feel Dalua!! Surly 19 beasts in 2 days is not bad giong.

I feel to show one's appreciation and gratitude can't be a bad thing.

Most keeper's will be on a flat rate, so a tip won't go a miss, that said they may have paid over the odds for the

Stalking Package which in turn resulted in a poor tip.

Rgds, Buck.

I turn up to work day after day, year after year. I do my job and draw my salary without the slightest expectation that anyone I do stuff for will give me any more money than I'm already getting from them. I'd be surprised if anyone offered me a tip, a bonus or indeed any other extra money; they never have yet.

Anyhow, back to the question: how would I feel?
I suppose if I had some kind of sense of entitlement to, say, at least £25 more of the paying stalking guest's money, then I'd feel disappointed and have a whinge about it on the internet.

If, on the other hand I regarded any kind of friendly gesture from a paying client (who in any case has every right to expect me to do the best for him, as I am paid to do this) whether fininacial or in kind in the spirit in which it was intended, I'd probably feel fine about it.

I'm still not quite clear what exactly these keepers did for their guests.
 
I understand the points about not having to tip stupid amounts to demonstrate gratitude.

my point was that if they collectively couldn't put in £10 each (which is the obvious choice for lowest value note to start your tip at IMO) it means that either 2 of the 5 didn't tip at all or they actually had to come up with a figure lower than the obvious starter note!

surely the obvious thing was all of them to chuck in a tenner as a starting point!?
 
Many keepers rely on tips to boost their earnings. I don't think it should be something that is expected but is a good way of showing personal appreciation for "over and above the call of duty". I know of a few keepers (mostly gamebird keepers) who excel in providing the touches that can make a good day great.

Out of curiosity Norma 308, you begin this thread by giving the location of this event as being an estate on which you stalk by invitation. This to me would suggest you do not pay for stalks or venison. How much do you tip?
i pay for any venison at the going rate
i tip in cash ....generally £20 a stalk
i also tip with gifts ......ie knives, books, camo suits ......at xmas
i also have taken clients out for the keepers and am doing so in the am .
as i originally said in my post tipping is a personal thing as a keeper myself perhaps i am biased and perhaps those that have berated my thread have a valid point ,i would generally prefer to not have a tip at all than a half hearted gesture ,incidently alot of keepers are having not such a good time and dont get the perks mentioned ....free this and that
good hunting
norma
 
I normally get a £50 tip if they have been successfull two stalks however i would not take anything if they had not !

When i pay for stalking i tip the same £50 for day or two outings, however for what i've seen some people charging on here for stalking i would not tip on top of large stalking fees !
 
Some times i despair at people and this is one of them times! Tipping is an option if it is not then put it in with the bill. I have took a few people out on request of my mate and have been offered tips, i would not take one. I feel that most people who pay for stalking after working really hard for there cash should not feel they also need to tip. I feel it is a form of begging.

Allan
 
Tipping

The keepers get payed to do a job why should they expect a tip.Stalkers pay enough for their stalking anyway plus accommodation this is not acheap hobby.At the end of the day i dont get tips to do my job why should they?
 
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