Envy!!

[turbo33]

Don't you just envy the jounalists that write in our sporting magazines who always tell us to drive round all our land ( cos we have so much don't we!)to look for the places to get a big bag...letting them build up so you can make 100+ etc. Oh we should be that fortunate to be the only guns on our permissions!!

After 2 1/2 years of looking for shooting, I got permission on a 300 acre farm. There are 3 of us that go there which is fine as we tend to go once every two weeks between us so its not over shot. Its hard enough to scrape together a dozen birds a piece when we do. But its good to be out there.

The farm manager has let a new guy on there and he has been out 4-5 times a week for the last two weeks and guess what, not a pigeon in sight anymore Good news for the farmer and his rape fields, not so good for us. The other guys have made a lot of noise about it. I just quietly hope he will lose the enthusiasm with sitting out there day after day will no birds around. Bit frustrating though.

[stubby]

I can understand your frustration, but he's got his head screwed on right, commitment to the farmer as far as Im concerned, he'll be the guy that the farmer recomends to others, yup he may mention you other guys, as "those" who turn up once a fortnight, but he'll be the one that gets praised, after all, theres no pigeons, which is what the farmer wants, pigeons remember can only be shot for pest control, not sport

 

it always makes me chuckle when I talk to others about permissions, you'll find theres two sorts of shooters, dedicated to a farmer, or dedicated to their shooting, what I see from this, is some people want to say they have permissions as long as your arm, and they are quite happy to remove one or two rabbits/pigeons etc a day/night and go home, thinking that a few pests from each different permission makes them good, I look on it from the landowners point of view, one or two pests is nothing, I have basically two permissions, which took some getting, ones rabbits only with the FAC, a small place that I try to visit often

the other started as rabbits with the FAC, but went onto pigeons/shotgun etc

as you say, some shooters there will visit on sunny sunday afternoons, rather than, when the pigeons are there

[turbo33]

I repect your post Stubby, however its clear that even the farmer has found his visits excessive, and was going to have a word with him about it and other issues which I won't go into, but regard safety. To pick you up on the reccomendations aspect, from the conversation I had with the farmer, I think he would be more likely to reccomend Pol Pot! Fortunately he has a good relationship with us and appreciates that its a symbiotic relationship not just a blunt pest control excersise. It has been said before that shooters are one thing but reliable, safe etc etc does fortunately still count for something these days. Its not a sunny sunday thing with us, more a leave it for 4 days or so so its does the job for the farmer and us too.

 

My not so well put forward point was how fortunate some are to have huge amounts of productive land to shoot over and secondly there are those who when lucky enough to get permission abuse the entire package.

[vampire]

I think i might be one of those lucky ones who have an abundance of land to shoot on,most of the farms have other shooters after the same thing i am and provide a service to the farmers,i do have the luxury of selecting the best flight lines/crop fields etc,i am not worried about being there every day nor are any of the farmers because between us its covered,although i shoot pigeon i cant say its my favourite as i would rather be out with the rifle after rabbits and when we lamp it takes 2 1/2 hours to drive around my permissions and when the lanes are firmer i will be out twice a week again,no i am not a fair weather shooter but unless the farmer his self has wrecked the lanes then i will keep off them as other people use them,the farms that have muddy tracks are visited through out the year come rain or shine.

[stubby]

 

 

My not so well put forward point was how fortunate some are to have huge amounts of productive land to shoot over and secondly there are those who when lucky enough to get permission abuse the entire package.

 

also no disrespect meant here, but

 

scenario one;

you/me approach a farmer and ask if we can use his land to shoot either shotgun/rimfire at any thing that moves, thats on the general license.

 

we turn up on a variety of days, have a few hours shooting and go home, maybe informing him of what we have shot

 

scenario two;

you/me approach a farmer and ask if we can help with his pest control, he's over-run with both rabbits and pigeons and he accepts our offer

 

we turn up as much as possible, and hammer either of the two species mentioned, thus doing what we offered to do, we may never eradicate them 100%, but can give it our best,

 

now I can see your point, if more than one person has permission on the same area, as although your all getting a smallish bag, between everyone its giving the farmer a good reduction,

 

but on a permission held by only one person, its in your interest to show good results, otherwise he may well start giving it to others, thinking one cant handle it, then it results in the scenario that you first posted

[UKPoacher]

Farmers want:

 

1. No pigeons or rabbits on their land.

2. No damage to livestock, crops or fences, etc caused by shooters.

 

As far as farmers are concerned we provide a pest control service and it needs to be done to the satisfaction of the farmer. If we cannot provide a satisfactory pest control service the farmer will get someone else in who can.

 

The minute the farmer sees your attendance on his land as sport for you and not a service for him he will want you to pay for the privilege.