Quick question about tipping.

Pheasant Feeder

Well-Known Member
Had a conversation with a mate the other day, and he was telling me about some stalking trips he'd been on.
He has just shot his first stag without out the aid of a guide or gillie this year.
He was telling me about previous trips and prices etc. and how on his second trip to a certain estate stalking hinds, his buddy got two shots under the instruction of the gillie whilst he had no shot. He was feeling a little disgruntled about this, and the subject of tipping was mentioned (by me) it appears that he has paid for his stalking by a cheque made payable to the estate. He had taken some rabbits for the gillies birds of prey and a bottle of scotch but had not shown his appreciation financially.

My question is am I right in thinking he should have tipped his guide in recognition for the effort he has put in to getting him onto the deer, and if so what would be a suitable amount?

If I take a let day shooting pheasants I expect to tip the keeper, so would normally expect to do so for a guide/gillie.

Your thoughts please.
 
See earlier thread titled "as tight as...." for everyone's opinion on tipping!
I should say that your mate had shown his appreciation financially by paying the full amount as requested.
The fact that he also made a small gift in kind to the ghillie is quiet enough IMHO.
 
I think it all depends on whether your friend thought of his guide did to help him try and get close enough to the deer to get a shot. From what you say your friend knew he had birds of prey and he also brought a bottle whisky. This is tip unless the whisky was consumed by the whole group during their stay. Again the value could have been quite low for a cheap supermarket blend or over £100 for quality old malt.
Personally providing the guide wasn't just going through the motions during the day and he put in the effort this should be rewarded by a tip. On a day with the pheasants it is easy to measure your success in relation to the expected bag and tip accordingly. Stalking is different as you may only have one or two chances during the day luck, weather, changes in wind and other factors play such a huge part.
On most estates keepers are not paid a vast sum and even a few quid would be regarded as a bonus particularly if it was on top of the bottle.
 
Depends on whether you have taken a day with someone who is selling the stalking or an estate with an estate stalker, if you are dealing directly with and being accompanied by the person suppling the stalking probably not.

If through an estate then yes, unlike what the previous poster thinks we are not payed a fortune and our wages reflect the fact that we will get tips, how much to tip well thats always a difficult question, you should tip according to the service you receive.

Suppose I am lucky in the sense that when a client makes an enquiry, they receive an agreement listing all the do's and don'ts this includes a minimum amount that they should tip the stalker, depending on whether they had a
successful day or not, they also have a form to fill in at the end of the day so if they have any complaints this is there chance to air them, these are returned in a sealed envelope so we the stalkers don't see their comments.

Now for the good news:stir: we also have one to fill in on the clients


We have the say in whether future bookings will be taken from an individual.












Non tippers may draw their own conclusions:rofl:
 
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when a client makes an enquiry, they receive an agreement listing all the do's and don'ts this includes a minimum amount that they should tip the stalker, depending on whether they had a successful day or not

1. Be very careful about what you post on a readily accessible internet forum.

2. If your employer enters into agreements with clients for them to pay monies directly to his employees, then he is getting into the realms of conspiracy to evade pay as yew errn deductions, employers' and employees' nashional inshoorance kontrybooshuns, and valyew addit tacks (spelling mistakes deliberate to confuse search engines)
 
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