Aberdeen, Scotland

[Kiefer94]

Hi everyone, my name is Kiefer and I am posting here in the hopes of making contact with local stalkers/hunters in the Aberdeen area of Scotland.

I would like to get into shooting but wish to accompany people on their trip so I can learn more about it and get some first hand experience, while avoiding the package deals aimed at tourists.
I'm happy to pay for the experience if the price is right, and I would only want a small amount of the meat for my troubles.

If anybody reading this can help me or point me in the right direction feel free to respond to this post or we can arrange a phonecall chat some day

Thank you and kindest regards

 

[mrblonde]

Don't know of anyone around Aberdeen, but highly recommended Josh Osbourne at Northumbria Deer Services if you can make your way slightly further south? Do you live in Aberdeen or visiting on holiday?

 

[IntoWind]

Welcome to the forum! It's a great resource and I hope you manage to connect with some local stalkers.

There's plenty of good stalking and guides around Aberdeen. It's worth having a Google for "deer stalking Aberdeenshire" as there are a number of reputable stalking providers in the area. I'm sure there will also be forum members who can point you in the right direction.

In terms of cost, I probably wouldn't view most professional stalkers as offering "tourist packages" as such. The reputable ones are generally charging a fair price for their time, knowledge, access to ground and the work involved. Costs can vary quite a bit depending on the type of deer involved. Bucks and stags generally command higher prices, whereas does and hinds are often the most affordable way into stalking.

If you're looking for the most affordable route, I'd focus on roe does once the season opens in late October. That's generally where you'll get the best value and the emphasis is more on learning, fieldcraft and venison. Many guides will also let you take some meat home or buy the carcass at game dealer rates.

The best thing you can do in the early days is get out with a few different guides and stalkers if you can. Everyone does things slightly differently and you'll learn something from each outing.

In the meantime, YouTube is a fantastic resource. There's a huge amount of good stalking content available and the more background knowledge you can build before your first outing, the more you'll get out of it when the opportunity comes along.

Good luck, and hopefully someone local will be along with some recommendations.

 

[bullet chucker]

Welcome to the site.

BC.

 

[Rake Aboot]

The package deals offered to tourists is very often the best available. Some of the stalkers in your area are the best in Britain

 

[Kiefer94]

Don't know of anyone around Aberdeen, but highly recommended Josh Osbourne at Northumbria Deer Services if you can make your way slightly further south? Do you live in Aberdeen or visiting on holiday?

A bit far away for me currently but thanks for the suggestion, I will look into it in the future. Cheers!

 

[Kiefer94]

Welcome to the forum! It's a great resource and I hope you manage to connect with some local stalkers.

There's plenty of good stalking and guides around Aberdeen. It's worth having a Google for "deer stalking Aberdeenshire" as there are a number of reputable stalking providers in the area. I'm sure there will also be forum members who can point you in the right direction.

In terms of cost, I probably wouldn't view most professional stalkers as offering "tourist packages" as such. The reputable ones are generally charging a fair price for their time, knowledge, access to ground and the work involved. Costs can vary quite a bit depending on the type of deer involved. Bucks and stags generally command higher prices, whereas does and hinds are often the most affordable way into stalking.

If you're looking for the most affordable route, I'd focus on roe does once the season opens in late October. That's generally where you'll get the best value and the emphasis is more on learning, fieldcraft and venison. Many guides will also let you take some meat home or buy the carcass at game dealer rates.

The best thing you can do in the early days is get out with a few different guides and stalkers if you can. Everyone does things slightly differently and you'll learn something from each outing.

In the meantime, YouTube is a fantastic resource. There's a huge amount of good stalking content available and the more background knowledge you can build before your first outing, the more you'll get out of it when the opportunity comes along.

Good luck, and hopefully someone local will be along with some recommendations.

Thanks for your detailed comment, a few things there for me to consider. Many thanks