How much and when do you tip a stalker?

Hi I always find this a weird thing within shooting. It has become an expected thing, how many other people get tipped to do the job they are getting paid to do. If I was a guest at a stalk or game shoot fine but if I’ve just paid £800 to stand in a gun line why do they expect more?
Waiters, taxi driver, Hotel porters, hairdressers to name but a few.
 
Tips should be what you personally think of how well you were looked after and catered for. I can't stand being told I HAVE to tip such and such an amount. If I feel the person did a great job and went above and beyond I will happily tip, within my means of course.
 
Ken Dodd used to have a way of tipping taxi drivers.
At the end of a journey he would reach into his wallet and "palm" a little something into the top shirt/jacket pocket of the driver with the words:-

"Have a drink on me".




Turns out it was a teabag
 
The point I was trying to make is:

If the stalker honestly declares all tips then tax will be paid on them.

Therefore why supplement their wage by tips so the employer can avoid having them taxed (when the tips will be taxed anyway)?

I think in all honesty we can guess the answer to this...........
 
Are you really suggesting the person is working for £2.50 an hour , where do you get these figures? ( what happened to the national minimum wage ? )
Yep I’m stating it as an absolute fact that it happens ! Take it you don’t know a lot of keepers ?
 
It’s like American Hospitality, pay them so poorly that the guests have to pay for the services and top the employees wages up to a liveable wage. So the the man in charge gets double bubble.
 
Many people on here are doing Keepers work albeit part time without really knowing it , some for free and several are paying for the privilege , A keepers work is a love for the Job the wage is just a bonus .
 
This was my point how has something that should be optional become a mandatory thing. I understand keepers don’t get huge wages but most get a free lifestyle along side it, can live in some beautiful places and do a job that they wanted to do. I am also a part time keeper on a local shoot where I have a gun and work dogs at a 30 day shoot near me, so I do understand how it works and how much work is involved. Myself and 7 mates were in wales on our yearly boys shoot at a well known and well respected shoot. We were met and guided round the day by a pleasant enough fella, the shooting wasn’t up to much, weather not good,not the high bird day we were after. It happens, so in for dinner at the end and as we finished our farewell port in walks a tweeded man that we haven’t seen all day. You guessed it he was the keeper coming to get a tip. He even apologised for not being around he had stuff to do.FFS. This is what I have a problem with.
 
It happens, so in for dinner at the end and as we finished our farewell port in walks a tweeded man that we haven’t seen all day. You guessed it he was the keeper coming to get a tip. He even apologised for not being around he had stuff to do.FFS. This is what I have a problem with.

Whilst respecting the view that "tipping" should be a private matter between parties - your post rather begs a question.

Did you tip the "Tweeded man"?
 
OK gents you are off to NZ to "hunt" Red Stags,here is the price list from a place I looked at today....

Tell me now you tippers how much you would pay after taking one of the below?
SCI = Safari Club International for those unsure.


Red Silver up to 360 SCI - $6,500

Red Gold up to 400 SCI - $10,000

Red Stag 401 - 450 SCI - $14,000

Red Stag 451 -500 SCI - $19,000

Red Stag 501-550 SCI - $29,000

Red Stag 550+ SCI - $39,000

Red Stag 600+ SCI - Price on application
 
Having received tips for guiding people both on the hill and the river the amount varies such a lot from person to person.

I once had a guy who had booked a week on the river but after the first day he decided it wasn't for him. He paid my wages for the week(self-employed at that time). He also insisted on giving me a £300 tip. This is the best I have every had by a large margin.

I have also had a guy at the bucks for a week. We had a hard week, basically because he shot poorly. We got in the region of 7 bucks and one of them was a silver. When he left he left a tip with the boss. When my boss was handing it over he said "I am embarrassed to give you this". For a split second I thought oh it must be big. However when he handed the £20 over I thought mmm what a pratt! It was really a bit insulting considering I had cut and cleaned all of the bucks heads too. The following year I was working elsewhere but my old boss phoned up and said the same fella is booking another week and would like me to guide again. My old boss told him that i was working elsewhere. The client then said "well cant he take holidays to guide me". I politely declined the opportunity.

A financial tip does make a difference to wages but I would never expect X amount. I do hope that because I always try to provide the client with the best time they can have, it is appreciated. I would rather see the appreciation on their face, a few good words and hope they have good memories for a long time rather than be insulated by 20 quid for a week
 
Having received tips for guiding people both on the hill and the river the amount varies such a lot from person to person.

I once had a guy who had booked a week on the river but after the first day he decided it wasn't for him. He paid my wages for the week(self-employed at that time). He also insisted on giving me a £300 tip. This is the best I have every had by a large margin.

I have also had a guy at the bucks for a week. We had a hard week, basically because he shot poorly. We got in the region of 7 bucks and one of them was a silver. When he left he left a tip with the boss. When my boss was handing it over he said "I am embarrassed to give you this". For a split second I thought oh it must be big. However when he handed the £20 over I thought mmm what a pratt! It was really a bit insulting considering I had cut and cleaned all of the bucks heads too. The following year I was working elsewhere but my old boss phoned up and said the same fella is booking another week and would like me to guide again. My old boss told him that i was working elsewhere. The client then said "well cant he take holidays to guide me". I politely declined the opportunity.

A financial tip does make a difference to wages but I would never expect X amount. I do hope that because I always try to provide the client with the best time they can have, it is appreciated. I would rather see the appreciation on their face, a few good words and hope they have good memories for a long time rather than be insulated by 20 quid for a week


That would sicken you!
 
I do hope that because I always try to provide the client with the best time they can have, it is appreciated. I would rather see the appreciation on their face, a few good words and hope they have good memories for a long time rather than be insulated by 20 quid for a week

This doesn't add up.

The guy has spent out the thousands for his week at the bucks.

You have done the job he paid you to do.

He has fulfilled your criteria of appreciating your work and has obviously had good memories, because he asked for you again the following year.

Where is the insult?

You obviously do base it entirely on the financial value if you see £20 as an insult.

As that is the case, if both you and your boss think it was not enough, then you should at least let the clients know what is expected, rather than leave them in the dark and moan about it afterwards.

The client is buying your guidance after all. So give him the guidance as to how much the week is going to cost without the mystery and risk of disappointment for you.

Alan

PS As a self employed artist craftsman I have never received or expected a tip from a client. I design and give a quotation and have to stick to it whether at my loss or gain. All the projects are "One-Offs" so that introduces an element of chance just as in your bad weather or bucks in the next estate problems.

My future work depends on the 101% I put in to every project and the resulting portfolio.

A returning client, or a client's recommendation to others is certainly my best extra-curricular reward.
 
Last edited:
Gentlemen,

I will be visting beautiful Scotland shortly. I have booked four days of roe stalking with probably two outings per day, so eight outings in total.
I am uncertain on what the common way is to tip the stalker. Do I do this per outing, per day or at the end of the week?
And how much is appropriate?
Thanks for your help in advance.
End of your week, and totally depends on your experience with your stalker. If he/she goes the extra mile and works hard for you and you’ve had good craic, give what you can. If he’s a grumpy arse hole that’s driven you round in a truck or sat you in a high seat and you haven’t seen deer, I will let you figure that out.
Don’t lose any sleep over it though, Just have fun!!
 
This doesn't add up.

The guy has spent out the thousands for his week at the bucks.

You have done the job he paid you to do.

He has fulfilled your criteria of appreciating your work and has obviously had good memories, because he asked for you again the following year.

Where is the insult?

You obviously do base it entirely on the financial value if you see £20 as an insult.

As that is the case, if both you and your boss think it was not enough, then you should at least let the clients know what is expected, rather than leave them in the dark and moan about it afterwards.

The client is buying your guidance after all. So give him the guidance as to how much the week is going to cost without the mystery and risk of disappointment for you.

Alan
Recently I cut the grass 4 times for 2 neighbours because the are holiday homes and they could not get here during lockdown. As soon as one of them got here he came around to thank me and gave me a box of biscuits. I said the fact that he came and thanked me was enough and vety much appreciated. The other neighbour when i told him i had cut the grass never said thanks, said he hadn't noticed then to add to the insult asked if I knew any kids that would do it for a fiver to let him know. Now, i dont really need a fiver nor a box of biscuits but one neighbour I will continue to help and the other I wont.
The guy who gave me the 20 quid didnt thank me personally either and I think he only want me to guide him again because he thought, rightly so, I would put my heart and soul into getting him deer
 
Back
Top