What does the average deer hunter spend ? UK.

[John Gryphon]

I feel for you blokes that have to pay to stalk and then pay to retain the venison,some of the mentioned costs imo are just terrible.

I'm still paying for guided stalks. At £150 a time, which is a morning or evening session.

At 10? 20 times a year? That is a lot of dough on top of the rest of the usual costs involved.

I see in this instance @ 150 quid for just a morn or evening that there is real value in a full days stalking from dawn till dusk here in Vic hunting our wild deer Its not all hard yards as I do confess to an occasional nap in the bracken or tussocks at noon on a full days hunt.
In fact that reminds me of a time 4-5 years ago of one of the lads that I snapped at 1PM one day having a siesta..I woke and heard him snoring and snapped away,he did get a stag that week too.
His stag cost him the fuel to drive from interstate.

 

[Loki]

Hey John

Was he not warned or aware of all the 'nasties' that lurk in that environment?

L

 

[John Gryphon]

Ah! Middle of winter mate, the bitey ants all underground,snakes hibernating etc

 

[dartmoordog]

What part of Victoria are you John?

 

[captdavid]

In Texas, Most game is sold by the head. The most common are blackbuck antelope. native white tail, Axis, fallow, sika(3 species/sizes) and Reds. We have many others, both inexpensive and super priced, but the others, with the exception of blackbuck are the deer. we also have a lot of feral hogs. Hunts are sold per day, most being two days. Semi-guided(taken out and picked up) cost $200-$300 per day. a fee is added $300-$500 per doe/ hind, hogs ae free. This includes skinning and Quartering of the game. If one only shoots hogs it's just the per day fee. Buks are anywhere from $1500-$5000. The more costly usually include guide, food and lodging.
I usually go on:
Red hind hunt $600 free pigs
two axis hunts $350 each, no pigs
two 1,5 day pig hunts $300 each
capt david

 

[John Gryphon]

What part of Victoria are you John?

North East DD

 

[sharkey]

I feel for you blokes that have to pay to stalk and then pay to retain the venison,some of the mentioned costs imo are just terrible.





At 10? 20 times a year? That is a lot of dough on top of the rest of the usual costs involved.

I see in this instance @ 150 quid for just a morn or evening that there is real value in a full days stalking from dawn till dusk here in Vic hunting our wild deer Its not all hard yards as I do confess to an occasional nap in the bracken or tussocks at noon on a full days hunt.
In fact that reminds me of a time 4-5 years ago of one of the lads that I snapped at 1PM one day having a siesta..I woke and heard him snoring and snapped away,he did get a stag that week too.
His stag cost him the fuel to drive from interstate.

This is the difference when there is an abundance of public land to hunt. It's even better in Victoria ATM because there is also an abundance of deer.
Just north of the boarder in NSW public land only accounts for 11% of the area although we can only hunt State Forests which bring it down to only 4%, though thats still several million hectares. Freehold & land under private tenure suitable for hunting is about 60% of our land area. This private land also has more abundance of game than state forests. Hunters are now realising that there is value in paying for access as it improves their opportunities. It's nice to have a choice, particularly when one of the least expensive choices is the best hunting & the best game animal on public land like Victoria has. I doubt many on this forum could actually comprehend how good it is ATM.

 

[dartmoordog]

North East DD

I have traveled quite a lot of Australia, four month long trips, and have seen a lot of Victoria, it is stunning. Walwa and Corryong come to mind in the northern part of Vic, it absolutely fantastic country.

 

[John Gryphon]

Corryong is about 1.5 hours from home,I know other deer hunters from there. It is stunning mountain country as you say.
One mate lives in Perth WA 3500 kilometres west and loves it so much that he bought a house in Corryong to use as a base to hunt from when he trips over to the North East.

 

[User00047]

I think the mean average would be about £1000/year. For each person paying £2000 to be in a syndicate, there’s a guy quietly going about, not paying anything at all. Stalking access doesn’t have to cost money. People only choose to pay for what is hopefully, quality hunting, if they have the spare cash.

 

[devon deer stalker]

If there is an "average DH"

Just on deer hunting access....NOT guns/ammo/fuel and other add ons but for the permission costs only and how many times a year for a total of?
I ask as I have no idea whatsoever.

Do I ask how much money you have in your bank account?
Cheers
Richard
PS I only charge £75/outing!

 

[gonzo]

My £150 per stalk is guided. So I'm paying for a few hours of someone's time and hopefully learing something on the way.
I'm only going out a few times a year at the moment.
But if a syndicate place is, guessing.... £1-2k per year? I'd need to be getting out a lot to be on par with a guided stalk.

 

[rem284]

I get paid to shoot and everything needed supplied. I also have private shooting that costs me some venison and the cost of rifle, quad, trailer ammo etc.

 

[User00048]

Including fuel, new firearms, ammunition...a couple of £1000...

I myself don't pay to shoot deer but have permission to and take between 30 and 40 per year, last year was 34.

I definitely spend more on equipment that I have to but I enjoy it and if you have the money to spend and you enjoy it, there's no problem. It's better invested in that (objects with a re-sale value and objects that produce you something in return) than a regular trip to the pub, where your money literally goes straight down the toilet! lol

Everyone's budget is different and some people also prioritize certain things above others. Provided you enjoy what you do and have what you need to do the job, that's all that really matters... be it you pay to shoot or have various area's of land built up over the years.

 

[John Gryphon]

PS I only charge £75/outing!

Compared to our hunting I don`t see that as value at all Richard...note italics.

Including fuel, new firearms, ammunition...a couple of £1000..

Fuel can be a real cost with the many miles to some destinations in Victoria and using low gear 4wd use for hours at times and adds to the mix.

I wouldn't count new firearms as they dont evaporate like fuel.

 

[User00048]

Compared to our hunting I don`t see that as value at all Richard...note italics.



Fuel can be a real cost with the many miles to some destinations in Victoria and using low gear 4wd use for hours at times and adds to the mix.

I wouldn't count new firearms as they dont evaporate like fuel.

With the new rifles, what I meant was, we could all spend less on ones that still do the job but some of us like looks and a certain feel or also the brand reputation and will spend a lot more.

I for one am a sucker when it comes to a nice sidelock side by side shotgun.. I wouldnt need another but if one I like comes along, it will probably be bought!

 

[John Gryphon]

but some of us like looks and a certain feel or also the brand reputation and will spend a lot more.

Agreed and there are many that follow that idea indeed but don`t become any better at stalking...too concerned with scratching the new and shiny lol.
Wasn't suggesting you btw.

 

[User00048]

Agreed and there are many that follow that idea indeed but don`t become any better at stalking...too concerned with scratching the new and shiny lol.
Wasn't suggesting you btw.

I think its possible to have the best of both worlds. Get something that looks nice, that is tough to the elements and works above standard, but not be scared to give it a few knocks and scratches. Every scratch or knock tells a tale, like with a guitar.

 

[John Gryphon]

but not be scared to give it a few knocks and scratches.

Yes true but from my experience those owners are few and far between.

I remember meeting a bloke on one of our deer stalker group`s club hunting weeks in the bush..he was touting that his boots were the best (because of cost @ $400 a pair) I noted that they hadn't a mark on them,his Toyota Sahara was the best vehicle in the bush also and without a mark on it....his rifle was the same,best brand,best calibre,best ammo,best gun oil,best gun case best best best. According to the camp cook he never left camp. And his best rifle didnt get a scratch!

 

[User00048]

Yes true but from my experience those owners are few and far between.

I remember meeting a bloke on one of our deer stalker group`s club hunting weeks in the bush..he was touting that his boots were the best (because of cost @ $400 a pair) I noted that they hadn't a mark on them,his Toyota Sahara was the best vehicle in the bush also and without a mark on it....his rifle was the same,best brand,best calibre,best ammo,best gun oil,best gun case best best best. According to the camp cook he never left camp. And his best rifle didnt get a scratch!

Haha wow. I like to think of most of my rifles as "well kitted out" but they also also have scratches and dings. One example is a Browning xbolt in an eclipse stock with a Swaro z6 gen 2 scope. Owned from new. The objective bell has a big ding and scrape already, i admit that particular thing made me wince a little once i noticed! The laminate stock has scratches all over it already...not sure how I do it but it certainly gets used.
Tend to focus on what i'm after and how to go about it safely, more than the welfare of the rifle i'm using