It seems you can't please everyone!!!

Jelendeer

Well-Known Member
Taking out stalking clients can be a testing experience at the best of times. We feel we're pretty fair on both our prices, and the level of expertise we deploy in order to ensure we end up with a satisfied customer.

Our guides always try their best to get the client the experience and the shots they are looking for, but - as I'm sure most professional stalkers know - when the weather is against you, the wind all over the place, and the deer not doing what you had expected, the job can become stressful for both the guide and client alike. Add this to the fact that you are being followed by a noisy and inattentive client, and there's only ever going to be one outcome.

For the first time we had a Belgian client become very unhappy because he hadn't shot the beasts he had expected to. It is obvious that this gentleman thought that the stalking would entail sitting in a high seat and blasting numerous animals in an evening (which he assured us he had done on other estates).

On a carefully managed estate where deer numbers are maintained within the carrying capacity of the woodlands, then to get your deer you're going to at least have to put some work into it.

Surprised was I, to receive a complaint from our client DEMANDING free stalking OR ELSE! (so you might see a thread emerge from Belgium pretty soon!!).

I would just like to remind anyone planning to stalk wild deer with us that we are dealing with wild animals which have a mind of their own, they go where they want to and when they want to.

Whilst all our guides work hard and give their best to help the client get his/her beast, they are not magicians who can make deer appear at will, nor are they adept at summoning divine intervention to change weather patterns because we have a client out, so that leaves us with good old fashioned luck - and unfortunately on this occasion, luck favoured the deer.

Watch for the incoming!!! ..... And I'd be interested to hear from other stalkers who have had similar experiences.

Best wishes

Mike.
 
Mike

There are no certainties in stalking, and most "sporting" stalkers understand that and indeed recognise it as one of its attractions. As the French would say "c'est la chasse".

If all the pleasure comes from pulling the trigger then better they choose a target range as the destination.

Don't let it detract from all the other great experiences you, and your other clients, have had.

willie_gunn
 
Remember standing in the hockham deer management tent at the midland and having to supress a laugh when a punter was asking the bloke whether a beast was guaranteed on an outing and appearing surprised when they couldn't say it would. Where do these people come from?!?

Novice
 
Plainly your client had no idea of what deer stalking is all about....& there are probably many similar folk who 'Hunt' from a high seat in Europe. Shame really that your client appears not to have gained enjoyment from being out in the wild actually hunting, rather than waiting to ambush his quarry from somewhere tucked up & cosy. :banghead:
 
Leave your Client to us I am sure he will provide us with good sport. I to offer hunting and the kill to outing rate works out to about 2.5 outings to a kill, however some pepole seem to do better than others.
Some people are 'deer blind', there can be deer infront of them and the cannot seem them unless you point them out, they never glass enough and they are normally short of field craft skills.
 
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I have stalked with Jelen many times now and have shot a good few beasts with them. I have always seen animals even if I have not pulled the trigger through my own decision or the animal did not present a safe shot what ever the out come I have enjoyed the day for what it was a stalk in some cracking countryside. Maybe this chap should look at his own stalking capabilities before putting down a superb outfit such as Jelen. I'm afraid if you are huffing and puffing about and crunching around what do you expect. If only Carlsberg made stalkers. Best of luck Mike hope to catch up soon.
 
A very honest and up-front post there.
I have had only a couple in seven years. Both times invovling 2 friends, 1 had success the second didn't.
1 was not happy to be sat and had paid for "stalking".....even when the conditions didn't favour stalking,(yds did its best with its knowledge of the grounds to try and produce deer).
One sent a snotty email shortly after returning home ....rather then say something to me on the trip, (i could have walked him all over the wolds for hours if thats what he wanted with very little chance of deer in those bleak conditions). But not knowing I did my best for him.....what i would have done if out on my own.
the other time an unsuccessful client sulked in his hotel room on the last day while his mate went out stalking, the sulky one recently rang me for a letter for his renewal(even after owing money he wouldn't pay the whole amount even though my guides were available it was his choice to stay in, I had to send staff home and still pay them) and then when i refused said i thought i was god (ring a bell??)
I'm afraid we have to meet all sorts of people and can only hope the good outweigh the bad. But 2 in 100's i can cope with. What i do find is many novices DO expect you are god and can just conjure up a deer, not always LOL
regards john
 
Put him in a deer park next time, just an idea.
Cheers
Richard

I would expect that this client would still find an issue with this type of culling. Some people are only happy when they're moaning. We've all met them and they come from all walks of life. Clearly an idiot who should go and do something else instead! Just ignore him Mike and never entertain him again. As soon as we start bowing down to these people then the end is near! Most people enjoy the thrill of the hunt regardless of the outcome. Clearly not this bloke!
I'll take a stalk with you Mike, as soon as my pennies have built up and I'm sure that it will be enjoyable regardless and will write a true report on our day out in our wonderful county!
 
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The fact that sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't makes it hunting. The client clearly confused this with killing which is a totally different activity. The unpredictability adds to the enjoyment of the day in my book. Hope it works out ok for you.

Chris.
 
It seems to me your Belgian client had the wrong expectations. Now why would that be? Was he not told what to expect?

On some continental shoots I have been the keeper knew exactly when the deer were coming out and when. Say 9 times out of 10. But then these shoots were carefully managed by having short intensive shooting periods interspersed by long periods of rest.
In the UK some shoots seem to be stalked virtually every day. That makes life difficult.
 
I recall my first stalking outings where I saw little and it was not really stalking either the the outfit just dropped me off at a high seat and left me then returned later so "see" how I had done. On three such outings the only deer I saw were those dead the stalker showed up with when he came to collect me from the seat.

However through them I made contact with a really nice chap, sadly no longer with us as he died a few years back from cancer, whom I stalked with, yes we stalked the Sussex woods, my First Roe was a doe and we stalked her. Tony then said I know where she is headed and have a double seat over looking the clearing so we stalked to the seat and quietly climbed in. We didn't see that dark coloured Doe, she must have changed her mind and gone off somewhere else, but we did have a few deer come into the clearing and I took a nice doe from a group of three deer.

At the shot 7 Deer we could not see ran off. Tony said quick shoot another. I declined as after taking my first Roe I was not going to spoil the morning by taking a snap shot at a moving beast. Tony though disappointed at a missed chance of another towards his cull target understood.

I still stalked with the first outfit at least twice a year for several years and in fact I shot my first Roe Buck a 3 pt Switch through their services.

It brought it home to me that I was learning and in fact even though I flt a bit miffed a few times using their high seat on their lease I was still learning although did not realise or see it that it quite that way at the time :oops:.

Now if I get time later I'll write a funny little Story about a Belgian client that Roger had out one day after a nice Roe Buck.
 
It took me 6 paid-for outings before I grassed a deer... that's life! Anyone who doesn't understand the game should go to the range (as has been stated)...

Some people are 'deer blind', there can be deer infront of them and the cannot seem them unless you point them out, they never glass enough and they are normally short of field craft skills.

I don't think this is relevant. Isn't this one of the reasons they employ a guide... they spend all day everyday looking at a PC screen, not fine tuning their eyes (to spot a well camouflaged deer 150 yards away in a hedge) and practising field-craft... I'm lucky in that I grew up in the country and have been shooting for years (now I drive a desk) but every time I go out I'm amazed at what I do not see (and I think I'm pretty good at spotting things)... my guides to date have been excellent in pointing out unseen quarry and for that I thank them BUT I do think it's part of the service.... (sorry Paul ;) )
 
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To be honest, no matter what type of business you are in you occasionally will get clients like the one mike and John describe that will never ever be happy unless they get what they want delivered how they want it and without having to pay for it, and even then they will complain about something beyond your control !
 
Prometheus has got it spot on! If you take enough folk out you will see all types of people, and eventually get a delusional moaner. I have to deal with Pigeons, Geese and Roe. I've had bad days at them all and will no doubt have more in the future, but what some clients loose sight of is that you want them to have a good time just as much as they do. Sometimes things are outwith your control, but you've still got to make a living. I wonder what my bank manager would say if I couldn't pay my mortgage and I turned up with the excuse "sorry mate, it was wet and windy last week and the deer didn't play ball" :cuckoo:
 
Isn't this one of the reasons they employ a guide... they spend all day everyday looking at a PC screen, not fine tuning their eyes (to spot a well camouflaged deer 150 yards away in a hedge) and practising field-craft...

Ouch, you know how to hurt!! ;)

How exactly do these guides go about "fine tuning" their eyes? :eek: Do they have some eye exercises that can be practiced each morning? :D

I don't see what relevance it is whether you use a PC all day or not, or whether you're country born and bred or not, but guides most certainly do not hold a monopoly on the ability to spot deer!

A guide is employed because they will (or certainly should) know the ground, know the deer on that ground, and know the habits of those deer. Therein lies success.

willie_gunn
 
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How exactly do these guide go about "fine tuning" their eyes? :eek: Do they have some eye exercises that can be practiced each morning? :D

I don't see what relevance it is whether you use a PC all day or not, or whether you're country born and bred or not, but guides most certainly do not hold a monopoly on the ability to spot deer!

I'm not saying clients should rely on guides to do their spotting for them and aimlessly bimble about eyes closed until they are presented with a deer.

What I am saying is that when I used to live in the country and get out with the gun at least once a week I could spot a bunny at 500yds (okay, I exaggerate but you know what I mean :eek:), I definitely notice the difference not getting out so often has had on my ability to spot things, lucky to see a bunny at 50 yds these days :doh:... every little helping hand I can get from a guide when on a stalk is greatly appreciated :D

I believe, that simply by guiding, even once a week, guides ARE fine tuning their eyes, they are used to scanning the land and quickly identifying an anomaly in the shape of a deer or other quarry a damn sight better than the guy who sits in an office all day and gets out for a guided stalk 3 times a year...

Surely you must agree...

(And rather than meaning to send this thread spiralling off on some tangent I was merely pointing out that Paul's comment wasn't really relevant to the initial subject of the thread... oops!)
 
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hopeing not to divert the thread but some good points, i think guides who are on the ground often will notice that stump(again), (having looked at it a dozen times in the past) same as i haven't noticed that stump there before (ah its a deer!!)
 
Having been out a few times with guides recently, had the weather been crap, had I not shot anything, I myself would never hold that against the guide/stalker who was taking me out.Would I book again,of course I would.
**** happens and lady luck has a way of shining on some, and not others.
As has been said it’s very difficult to please everyone and there are no certainties.
 
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