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the subject of 'Tipping' the Gamekeeper on a Driven Shoot


chipper
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The subject of 'tipping' the keeper at the end of the day seems to be a very very hush hush subject.

 

So, whilst we're here and using our pseudonyms, is it safe to say what we think ?

 

A good friend (a ex gamekeeper) has always maintained that the bare minimum is 20 quid.....and of course this will go up accordingly.

He maintains that on a 100 bird day, he'd tip 20 quid (give or take a tenner, i.e if he drew an exceptional peg) and if its a 200 bird day , it'll be 50.

 

Would really like to know your thoughts ? ?

 

 

 

 

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When I was heavily involved with a large game shoot, this question was raised regularly. Start at £20 and work up above 50 birdsish was a good guide, but I think there are other factors; a poor weather day when the keeper and beaters have worked hard in non ideal conditions in my view deserves suitable recognition with 'a little extra' - even if the bag has been more reflective of the weather than the efforts. Also - if you happen to have inadvertently caused additional problems (e.g. arrive late due to unforseen traffic, delays between drives due to dog gone AWOL, or any little problem that upsets the keeper's plans) - a little extra to reflect the trouble caused does not go amiss.

 

Equally (as has happened to me only once in my 40 years shooting) - the guns overall have had a poor day, the keeper has been sullen and shown no enthusiasm, few manners, and no apologies, then less may be in order. Under this (very rare in my experience) circumstance, it is sensible for the guns to discuss matters and agree a stance. In the instance to which I refer, all guns agreed that a 'gesture of dissatisfaction' was appropriate.

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When I was heavily involved with a large game shoot, this question was raised regularly. Start at £20 and work up above 50 birdsish was a good guide, but I think there are other factors; a poor weather day when the keeper and beaters have worked hard in non ideal conditions in my view deserves suitable recognition with 'a little extra' - even if the bag has been more reflective of the weather than the efforts. Also - if you happen to have inadvertently caused additional problems (e.g. arrive late due to unforseen traffic, delays between drives due to dog gone AWOL, or any little problem that upsets the keeper's plans) - a little extra to reflect the trouble caused does not go amiss.

 

Equally (as has happened to me only once in my 40 years shooting) - the guns overall have had a poor day, the keeper has been sullen and shown no enthusiasm, few manners, and no apologies, then less may be in order. Under this (very rare in my experience) circumstance, it is sensible for the guns to discuss matters and agree a stance. In the instance to which I refer, all guns agreed that a 'gesture of dissatisfaction' was appropriate.

 

Some very valid points and wouldn't it be nice if some of the extra went to the beaters too!

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Excuse my ignorance. I am not quite sure about how it works. Using this simplistic example below:

 

Is that if say 5 guns shoot 50 birds in total, each gun tips £20. Or is it £20 for each 50 birds that the gun shoots?

If a team of 5 guns shoot a total of 50 birds, the tip would be £20 from each of those 5 guns

 

If EACH gun shot 50 birds, so that the team of 5 shot a total of 250 birds, then I would suggest probably £50 from each gun region.

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Hi chipper

No it's not safe to say what you think 😚😋

Sudename or not

Anyway

 

 

There are different types of driven day some

Corperare

Gest

Formal

And

Commercial

As said above a lot depends on the day you've had and the deal

Tin hat time 😋

 

Personally don't think you should be tipping on a commercial shoot especially if your paying overages or the whistle is blown on a shot count

It's a commercial shoot there selling a product doing there job so why the tip ?

 

Well I apreciate its controversial and very few will have experienced big pay days on a commercial shoot

Just my thoughts

 

Kettle on

All the best

Of

Edited by Old farrier
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You won't need a tin hat for this, but what is the difference between 'Corporate' and 'Commercial' as regards tipping? By 'Formal' I assume you mean the shoot owner, his family and his personal (i.e. non paying) guests?

 

My understanding is that a 'Commercial' day is one where you pay ££ per bird shot with a predicted bag of yyy at the end of the day - so the team of guns pays the shoot ££ x yyy pounds for the day. (Excluding any overages etc). The team of guns may be a roving syndicate, group of friends taking a day together, or a group of people who have never met put together by a 'sporting agent'.

 

I understood a 'Corporate' day is effectively the same, but the 'Corporation' who have bought the day for their guests pays the (same) bill. The team of guns are usually some 'Seniors' of the Corporation and their business contacts.

 

I don't believe these differ from a tipping point of view as the tip is an 'individual' thing. As a gun, I have been lucky enough to take part in all of the above except 'Corporate', and have always tipped.

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You won't need a tin hat for this, but what is the difference between 'Corporate' and 'Commercial' as regards tipping? By 'Formal' I assume you mean the shoot owner, his family and his personal (i.e. non paying) guests?

 

My understanding is that a 'Commercial' day is one where you pay ££ per bird shot with a predicted bag of yyy at the end of the day - so the team of guns pays the shoot ££ x yyy pounds for the day. (Excluding any overages etc). The team of guns may be a roving syndicate, group of friends taking a day together, or a group of people who have never met put together by a 'sporting agent'.

 

I understood a 'Corporate' day is effectively the same, but the 'Corporation' who have bought the day for their guests pays the (same) bill. The team of guns are usually some 'Seniors' of the Corporation and their business contacts.

 

I don't believe these differ from a tipping point of view as the tip is an 'individual' thing. As a gun, I have been lucky enough to take part in all of the above except 'Corporate', and have always tipped.

Corporate

Bought by a company as a perk to treat its staff to a day out

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Having been on a shoot where we met the 'Keeper' on the hotel car park and straight off he was muuttering about hating these 'small' days (125). They normally shoot 250 bird days, I felt that even £20 was too much. After lunch he counted we had 80 down and asked if we really wanted to do 'another drive'. We insisted and to say he was NOT happy would be an understatement. His reasoning........................."it costs the same amount of money to put on a 125 bird day as to shoot a 250+ bird day" his words, not mine. Funnily enough we have never been back. Another thing that I try to ensure that I do at the end of play, is to personally thank each beater, after all it would be a bloody long day without them !

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My view is you show your gratitude to the keeper for the day you've had.

On some shoots in the past I have tipped as much as £50 when there wasn't 40 birds in the bag. Like wise I have tipped £30 on a 150 bird day.

Ultimately it is down to the individual to decide on how much, but the £20 for up to the first 50 then £10 for every 50 over is a good rule of thumb.

I have also tipped less than the above mentioned rule of thumb if the day hasn't been as described. ie, I booked on for a pheasant and partridge day with the chance of some ducks, three quarters of the bag was duck, so I reduced my tip from the above rule.

Each to their own and if overage was charged, a small nominal tip would be passed.

 

Just my thoughts.

Edited by shoot and be safe
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My rule of thumb is £20 per 100birds, however it is also the minimum I would tip, so I would still tip £20 for a smaller bag. I think it also depends where you are shooting in the country. On my most recent day last week, that I've put a video up of, I tipped £30 (105 bag) because the birds were so well presented and I got a serious amount of sport.

 

I think that sadly because tipping is a tradition, some keepers take it for granted, which defeats the object. I've had days where the bag is miles below what was promised, days where the lunch that was promised has not been supplied, days where beaters have been skimped on so the drive can't be beaten properly, if you received similar "service" in a restaurant you wouldn't think about tipping, but shooting is so steeped in tradition that most people will no matter what.

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General rule is £20 plus £20 per 100 so

100 bird day £20

150 bird day £40

200 bird day £40

Etc

If the keeper has shown some very good birds especially for the terrain I tip more if I get the impression he isn't bothered I tip less.

 

If I'm invited to shoot I'm normally tip a bit higher.

 

It is becoming more and more noticeable that people aren't tipping especially loaders who are now often forgotten, even when they have worked hard for the gun offering advice and getting hitting stuff and clean the gun etc!

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I know of some local 'toff's' that tip a 'fiver' and have done for years. And they are gettin invited to some decent sized days.

 

I have also shot on some dog training days where the handlers have decided to all chip in a fiver for a tip, i usually say i'll give my own tip and usually £20 as small bags esp dog training days are bloody hard work and stressfull for keepers.

Shot in a couple of FT's and still tipped he keeper but i think he was quite surprised to get it, not sure if normal on a FT but i still appreciated all the work them and stops had put in to the day.

 

The only time i don't tip would be on a keepers day, if i have beat or picked up all season for them and possibly done other work as well i tend to think u deserve it.

Most of the keepers days i've been on the shoot/keeper supplies the food and a lot of drink to say thanks to all the boys for puting the effort in throughout the season.

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