nderfel Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 I am planning to spend the day driving round Dorset door knocking in the vain hope of securing some shooting. I suspect it's going to be futile but don't ask don't get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simjakcal Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 all the best you don't know unless you try.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevo Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 Best of luck mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 Good luck, you have to cover lots of miles , but when you get a foothold it can spread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 (edited) Don't bother knocking on Farmers doors unless you can see Pigeons feeding on their fields, as they will all generally say no to you. Much better to find a farm with a Pigeon problem, then offer to help keep them off " just for a day". Very few Farmers are going to give a complete stranger access to their land for ever and a day just after one knock on the door, put yourself in their place, how would you feel...? Cat. Edited September 20, 2014 by Catamong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nderfel Posted September 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 thanks all, wise advice Cat - I get the train to London with work a fair bit and I am going to target an area today that I have seen huge numbers of pigeons, corvids and rabbits on as I wiz by. I am not concerned about the nearby train lines as these fields stretch on for miles . That's the plan, to point out I have seen them and could I help control them We shall see Either that or I'll wear a low cut top and mini skirt but being 6 ft 3 " and 16 stone that might hinder rather than help my cause Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 I am planning to spend the day driving round Dorset door knocking in the vain hope of securing some shooting. I suspect it's going to be futile but don't ask don't get. Good luck," the just one day pitch " is your best approach, if you see pigeons try and describe the field as a drilled rape field will probably have been wheat if it is direct drilled, if it was a bean field you will see some stalks left on the headland or around a bit the have had to drive around.....note any cultivator left on the edge ready to start as a reference point. DO NOT start waving perm slips under his/her nose... Not a lot but it will give you chance to mention a field and if he says it is not his field then you can ask who's it is!! Just standing there is hard but by mentioning something they deal with will stop you rambling on... Good luck again...... TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nderfel Posted September 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 Thanks TEH, more sage advice. When, by the end of the day, I have over 2000 acres including deer rights you are welcome to come down for a visit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 Thanks TEH, more sage advice. When, by the end of the day, I have over 2000 acres including deer rights you are welcome to come down for a visit I only need the space the deer is standing in to bowl it over so don't be shy...........lol No camo rags on this morning....check shirt, cap (non camo) waist coat.....no tie as you will be tongue tied enough lol TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 (edited) I only need the space the deer is standing in to bowl it over so don't be shy...........lol No camo rags on this morning....check shirt, cap (non camo) waist coat.....no tie as you will be tongue tied enough lol TEH I agree, decent country clothes and no cammo. Edited September 20, 2014 by JDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightymariner Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 If you are going for the day, I would knock on as many doors as you can, regardless of whether you see pigeons on fields. Expect a no, but if they do, ask if they might recommend a neighbouring farmer who might give you permission. And, I would ask if they think they may need your services at some point during the year, if so, could you call back? At the very least you can discount the definite no's and maybe have some positive leads for the coming months. It's the long game! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nderfel Posted September 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 Thanks all. The good news..... I met and spoke to some lovely people and stopped at my favourite pub for a pint of ringwood best on my way home. The bad news, all of the farms, pyo and equestrian centres I spoke to lease from one of two estates who manage all shooting and seem to have the entire Avon valley sown up. Plan b - if you can't beat um join um. Going to see if there are any shoots on those estates who need beaters, offer than and see if it's an 'in' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 Thanks all. The good news..... I met and spoke to some lovely people and stopped at my favourite pub for a pint of ringwood best on my way home. The bad news, all of the farms, pyo and equestrian centres I spoke to lease from one of two estates who manage all shooting and seem to have the entire Avon valley sown up. Plan b - if you can't beat um join um. Going to see if there are any shoots on those estates who need beaters, offer than and see if it's an 'in' Best too have a plan, even a bad plan is better than no plan at all............ Glad you went door tapping, but I bet there is a plot out there you missed, try again as at least you know where not to go.... Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. --SPOCK, Star Trek (2009) TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew f Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 if they give you permission give them a bottle of something for xmas keep them sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 Try some of the smaller farms in your area. They may be owner-occupied and not owned by the estates. Even Tenant farmers on large estates have the right to control vermin, which includes pigeons, so that might be your way in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 Try some of the smaller farms in your area. They may be owner-occupied and not owned by the estates. Even Tenant farmers on large estates have the right to control vermin, which includes pigeons, so that might be your way in. That might well be in some places but most of the estates round our way have started there game shooting or very close to having there first day on the Partridges , and now with most of the crops in pigeons are doing very little damage as far as the game keepers are concerned and the last thing they want is someone shooting near there pens on stubble so even if the tenant farmer said yes on ours it would still have to go through the keeper who would normally say no. I would say if there are shoots nearby put your name down for a days beating and then try and turn up as much as possible even if it mean taking a days holiday now and again then you would have your first foot on the ladder........Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 Don't bother knocking on Farmers doors unless you can see Pigeons feeding on their fields, as they will all generally say no to you. Much better to find a farm with a Pigeon problem, then offer to help keep them off " just for a day". Very few Farmers are going to give a complete stranger access to their land for ever and a day just after one knock on the door, put yourself in their place, how would you feel...? Cat. The best advice you can give anyone looking for pigeon/crow shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuy Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 The best advice you can give anyone looking for pigeon/crow shooting. +1 in my view the best way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevo Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 +1 in my view the best way +2 200 acres of good pigeon land so-to-speak is better than 2000 acres of baron wilderness . stevo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb1271 Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 WE NEED AN UPDATE.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nderfel Posted September 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 WE NEED AN UPDATE.......... update is still the same as my last post, unfortunately, try and get an in by offering beating to the big shoots. There is clearly a lot of people looking for a small amount of shooting in Dorset and I need to be clever about it, there is a place that grows turf to sell and I am going to give them a shout, surely someone who grows grass for a living is going to want someone controlling the rabbits? Its frustrating because we are surrounded by fields and countryside here, thing is half of it is big estates and the other is the new forest. I shall keep going and sooner or later something will come up, it always does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 update is still the same as my last post, unfortunately, try and get an in by offering beating to the big shoots. There is clearly a lot of people looking for a small amount of shooting in Dorset and I need to be clever about it, there is a place that grows turf to sell and I am going to give them a shout, surely someone who grows grass for a living is going to want someone controlling the rabbits? Its frustrating because we are surrounded by fields and countryside here, thing is half of it is big estates and the other is the new forest. I shall keep going and sooner or later something will come up, it always does. Have you got any wildfowling or pigeon shooting clubs within a reasonable distance from you? as a lot of wildfowling clubs have got land to shoot pigeons on and you will be with like minded people who might be able to help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 (edited) As above, randomly asking people to shoot on their land (as in any time) is unlikely to get a great response. Wait until pigeons are hammering a field of rape in the winter perhaps when you can offer some actual crop protection, and ask to go on a specific field the next morning and just for that day as a one off. Don't make a nuisance of yourself turning up every five minutes asking to shoot either, permanent shooting takes a long time to build up so don't spoil your chances by just door knocking....once they've said no that could be a wasted opportunity forever. Good luck Edited September 22, 2014 by Wilts#Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted September 26, 2014 Report Share Posted September 26, 2014 I was fortunate to know a couple of local farmers socially so when I started it was relatively easy to get a foot hold. But since then I have spread out in all directions. Once you have a farmer in the parish and you can use him as a reference then it gets easier. I called a farmer this spring as I had seen pigeons on his rape, explained I shot pigeons for his neighbor and asked if I could pop and see him. I arrived 5 min later and he said "no problem." I was a complete stranger to him but he had called his neighbor and checked me out before I arrived. But as others have said, cold calling now is not the right time. When they are struggling to keep the pigeons off the rape ...then is the time to ask. I asked one farmer last winter and he knocked me back saying pigeons were not hitting his rape...I'm sure if I'd asked the year before when the rape was been hit hard he would have taken me on. It's all down to timing, catching the farmer in a reasonable mood, with 5 minutes to spare and when he has recently seen 300 pigeons feeding on his rape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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