Part time professional

[arron]

Also trained deer dog ( to be kept separate from deer ),

 

[User00040]

I will try and make a list of things needed to be a self employed contractor.

Dsc 1
Dsc 2
Deer management qualification
Quad ticket
Firearms ticket
Driving license
First aid
Register as a food business
Insurance (trade not the stuff you get as a member of a shooting organization)
Register as a business (remember you have to pay tax on any profit. )
You need a accountant if you are not willing to do it yourself.

Rifle
2nd spare rifle
Scope ( recommend a day night one in England remember your not there for sport or fun?
Mounts
Thermal
Sticks
4x4 truck
Trailer
Quad ( with insurance)
Chiller with painted floor, sink
Larder equipment
Rail system
Electric hoist

You have to build a big network of contacts to even get a look in on the contracts.
You have to build a relationship with multiple venison outlets and produce a perfect carcass every time. (this is very important it will generate a big proportion of your income.

There are lots of small things as well but I think this is a good start.

Aye, bear in mind for some contractors it's an 'occupation' not a 'profession' so to speak. Got plenty money behind them already whether it be from their own doing (fair play) or inheritance/'sponsors'...

It's not a game to get into for sustainable returns, that's for sure.

 

[bullet chucker]

Plenty' of the correct ammo?

BC.

 

[Hayduke]

Phil you could be a ranger and build guitars on the side.

Sous chef would pay you more but would probably be similar in terms of anti social hours. Evenings and weekends as opposed to have your weekends back but work dawn and evenings!

 

[Phil A.]

I will try and make a list of things needed to be a self employed contractor.

Dsc 1
Dsc 2
Deer management qualification
Quad ticket
Firearms ticket
Driving license
First aid
Register as a food business
Insurance (trade not the stuff you get as a member of a shooting organization)
Register as a business (remember you have to pay tax on any profit. )
You need a accountant if you are not willing to do it yourself.

Rifle
2nd spare rifle
Scope ( recommend a day night one in England remember your not there for sport or fun?
Mounts
Thermal
Sticks
4x4 truck
Trailer
Quad ( with insurance)
Chiller with painted floor, sink
Larder equipment
Rail system
Electric hoist

You have to build a big network of contacts to even get a look in on the contracts.
You have to build a relationship with multiple venison outlets and produce a perfect carcass every time. (this is very important it will generate a big proportion of your income.

There are lots of small things as well but I think this is a good start.

I could probably tick everything off that list within the year minus the quad and larder (not the cheap bits of course)

Got my food safety and health and safety level 2. Very good understanding of HACCP from managing a professional kitchen.

I see now that a contractor is not like the building trade where you get 10 to do a job. You hire “The” contractor to do the job and let them organise it all.

Sounds like I need to get myself as much experience as I can for now. Meet as many people as I can.

Does anyone know any contractors in the North East/Northumberland or North Yorkshire area I could speak to?


Really appreciate everyone’s feedback. Starting to get a better idea of how the industry works.

 

[sikamalc]

Contracting, especially night shooting is a thankless task, and very hard work. It might seem like a dream job, but its not. In my opinion. Building up your own business and taking clients out is vastly different. To a certain extent more enjoyable and maybe not quite so much pressure. You get to meet all sorts of people, mostly good people. On the down side you very occassionally get a right numpty.

 

[Ruby Tuesday 2]

My past experience tells me that the quickest way to lose the passion in something is to have to earn money out of it..

 

[User00053]

Suppose it would be possible to strike a balance in theory if the stars align and a few contractors do have other jobs/incomes and mix and match along with guides who do seasonal stuff.
Good luck with the quest just keep hammering on closed doors and eventually one will open.

 

[Overlay]

One thing for sure they ain’t no short cut as some might think, you’ll need to get qualified and experienced, plan your journey, as far as gear goes get the best that suits your job, the shine comes off pretty quickly otherwise when you have to keep replacing kit due to the quality or being unsuitable.
if after a time you fall out of love with shooting as a job it is because you approached it the wrong way, try before you commit if you can, because its not an easy path high and low points cut in on a regular basis, start off in learning curve mode and gain a steady momentum just like any new for you business - planning and can do attitude is top of the list

good luck and enjoy the time as it flies by

phil

 

[Bowland blades]

I’m curious as to what the options are for someone who wants to pursue a career in stalking but only as a part time profession.

I spoke with my local FC and they told me they only had a full time trainee position that I had to relocate for or they used contractors.

The local wildlife trusts don’t manage their deer it seems either.

Is I’m there such thing as a part time contractor? If so who should I be speaking to?

Forgive my naivety in being new to stalking but I never do anything by half!

Cheers,

Phil

Stalking and managing deer are two different things . If your new to it i seriously doubt someone will pay you and if they do ... ? How long will you last ? Remember everyone if they think so or not are continually being assessed as to their worth.
Over time , and i mean decades not months or a few years of meeting folks and a reputation is built and is passed around and you will get offers but the likely-hood is at that stage it will be you that turns the majority down .
Try to enjoy your stalking you are doing , when it becomes a job its generally not that well paid and comes with an uncertain future ( especially at this point in history regards the deer ) . Its not an easy job and takes its toll on your body and mind don't equate it to that May morning in the woods waiting for a Roe buck , think about stuffing big heavy reds into the back of the pickup our spotlighting in constant drizzle at 1 am or breaking and seizing up a chain on the argo at the top of a mountain.

 

[Bowland blades]

I will try and make a list of things needed to be a self employed contractor.

Dsc 1
Dsc 2
Deer management qualification
Quad ticket
Firearms ticket
Driving license
First aid
Register as a food business
Insurance (trade not the stuff you get as a member of a shooting organization)
Register as a business (remember you have to pay tax on any profit. )
You need a accountant if you are not willing to do it yourself.

Rifle
2nd spare rifle
Scope ( recommend a day night one in England remember your not there for sport or fun?
Mounts
Thermal
Sticks
4x4 truck
Trailer
Quad ( with insurance)
Chiller with painted floor, sink
Larder equipment
Rail system
Electric hoist

You have to build a big network of contacts to even get a look in on the contracts.
You have to build a relationship with multiple venison outlets and produce a perfect carcass every time. (this is very important it will generate a big proportion of your income.

There are lots of small things as well but I think this is a good start.

Overkill , Contracting your taking beasts to an estate larder or driving each in . More professionals have only DSC1 , quals First aid and Forestry yeah that's become a thing likewise ATV training . Lets not over-face things because all of the above wont get you any place without experience and being known and that takes time

 

[User00053]

also take into account as others have said guiding is not unlike gamekeeping or running a pub all about been nice to people and personable to some folks who you would rather kick in the teeth, culling very hard work in all weathers with no romance involved
And strong of arm with high pain threshold an advantage.

 

[NickJ]

I could probably tick everything off that list within the year minus the quad and larder (not the cheap bits of course)

Got my food safety and health and safety level 2. Very good understanding of HACCP from managing a professional kitchen.

I see now that a contractor is not like the building trade where you get 10 to do a job. You hire “The” contractor to do the job and let them organise it all.

Sounds like I need to get myself as much experience as I can for now. Meet as many people as I can.

Does anyone know any contractors in the North East/Northumberland or North Yorkshire area I could speak to?


Really appreciate everyone’s feedback. Starting to get a better idea of how the industry works.

Henry at Wildlife Management | Deer Dynamics | Scotland is Northumberland based

 

[Phil A.]

I have a couple of years before I can think of making a real change anyway so I’m just going to keep on a mix of getting out with guides, trying for my own ground and seeing if any professionals will let me tag along.

It might turn into something, it might stay a hobby but I’ll hopefully have picked up some valuable skills along the way that’s for sure.

 

[rem284]

Usually if the contract is fls or fc the deer will be lardered into their larder so you won't need a larder. If the beat is just roe deer with good roads then you might get away without needing a bike

Summer months is a killer for contractors. It used to be that it wasn't worked so the contractor would turn to something else. However they now insist that a certain percentage of culling of males is done during the in season period.

 

[Pete6.5]

Overkill , Contracting your taking beasts to an estate larder or driving each in . More professionals have only DSC1 , quals First aid and Forestry yeah that's become a thing likewise ATV training . Lets not over-face things because all of the above wont get you any place without experience and being known and that takes time

I wouldn't get my contacts without all of the stuff I've listed. Without all of the stuff listed you are just the same as most other hobby stalkers and then you are competing with them all. When shooting a few hundred a year on multiple contracts having your own larder (at home) is a must it massively stream lines the process rather than making special trips every time and compresses the collections.

 

[Limpo]

Can you still take out trophies from the UK to the EU?

Not sure although the guy I did my DSC1 with about ten years ago used to sell big stags to Germans, Swedes and Americans. I even saw him sell a park deer stag to a German guy who literally flew over here, shot the stag and flew home leaving matey to send the cape over to him. Thee is a lot of chat about banning trophies but I think that is more about African big game. Trophies ain't my thing at all sure someone on jere does the trophy stuff?

 

[Hayduke]

Contracting takes a special breed, many think they can do it, in reality very few are tough enough. Long hours working alone, physically demanding. As good as you might be at rolling deer over in serious numbers (high hundreds if not four figures), extraction, and lardering usually at night and in quick time. You now need to be even better at form filling, risk assessment, H&S, lone working procedures, faff and paper work for a government contract. Unless you work under someone else they do that sh!te and you go and do what you’re told.

 

[Bowland blades]

I wouldn't get my contacts without all of the stuff I've listed. Without all of the stuff listed you are just the same as most other hobby stalkers and then you are competing with them all. When shooting a few hundred a year on multiple contracts having your own larder (at home) is a must it massively stream lines the process rather than making special trips every time and compresses the collections.

Well i am not typing my view because i haven't got most boxes ticked because i have . Thing is i have only been asked the once about them and that fella was not someone i would have fancied working with after speaking to him as an ass on the phone is a bigger one in person .
Most Estates the head stalker in charge has DSC1 and ATV quals , First aid . Not all of those will be in date. Check out with FC guys although they have to re- take shooting tests the greatest amount will only have the basics to comply.

 

[Dan Newcombe]

I guess that depending on your definition, I would be a part time professional in that I have a full time job but I also get paid for stalking / shooting deer.

It’s doable but it takes a bit of commitment and most of the work is at night, it’s not ‘stalking’ in the traditional sense.

Takes a long time to build up a portfolio that even starts to make sense let alone would stand alone as a single income.