Cost of pigeon shooting - not happy

[bighit1985]

I agree with the comments above about people paying for pigeon shooting, this shouldnt happen, when I started out last year a couple of kind individuals took me out free of charge onto their permissions, I in turn, once i got a permission of my own, took out another member on my permission. This is the way it should work.

All the time people are going to pay, others will charge! which is wrong.

 

I believe that it shouldnt be allowed on this forum, If your a true pigeon shooter and love the sport you should take others out free of charge, or not at all if you dont want to worry about others, but dont go charging cause you cant handle it all. By all means share the cost for fuel and cartridges, but to charge just because you can is wrong.

 

I think that the moderators should bring in new rules to stop the charging of pigeon shooting and those who want to charge can go to other website like Guns on Pegs, and leave us true shooters to enjoy the sport the way it should be, FREE!!!

[Muddy Funker]

It does make me laugh, people that brag about I've got x/y/z permission covering 10,000 acres!!!

 

Can they really cover this amount of land alone?

 

I've got something in the pipeline, a 200 acre farm in West Sussex.

 

It's not a definite yes yet, however this has taken years and I mean serious numbers of years of asking around.

 

Just keep plugging away and you'll get something, even if its just a couple of acres in a horse paddock somewhere?

[Paxtond]

I'm in the process of gaining a permission, when its all passed anybody is welcome to join me. I hate shooting alone

[ozzy518]

Its not as easy as just taking out other members on our permissions. It ain't our land is it? I'd love to take members without permissions of their own out onto mine. Unfortunately my largest landowner is fairly strict on who shoots the land.

There are also threads on PW where people have taken others out as a favour who have then either taken the gesture as being given full permission whenever they like or approached the landowner themselves undermining the original member.

I agree though that charging for shooting pigeons ain't on.

Edited December 20, 2012 by ozzy518

[BRAD1927]

Well what do you know had a drive about today sp9ke to 7 farmer's with no joy spoke to the last one on my list and got to go back in the morning with proof of insurance and show my sgc so all being well i will keep you informed

[clakk]

good luck ive tried 12 different farms since my permission was sold and its either private syndicates or we got horses ,n they dont like it or family only.understandable with all the ****** doing farms over and getting away with it.frustrating too the number of people who can get u shooting no problem cos sister,brother uncle aunty etc got land/or a farm but when theyve all but promised u the earth havent actually asked their relative who then says jogg on n keep going .hope it pans out 4 u im keeping nocking them doors some 1 will have a pigeon blue field wants bashing off their rapeseed atb clakk

[chrispti]

Its not as easy as just taking out other members on our permissions. It ain't our land is it? I'd love to take members without permissions of their own out onto mine. Unfortunately my largest landowner is fairly strict on who shoots the land.

There are also threads on PW where people have taken others out as a favour who have then either taken the gesture as being given full permission whenever they like or approached the landowner themselves undermining the original member.

I agree though that charging for shooting pigeons ain't on.

 

 

All my pigeon shooting is on estate land, permit holders only, so I cannot take people out.

 

I do however, take people out wildfowling or rough shooting on Langstone wildfowlers land.....

Edited December 20, 2012 by chrispti

[colin lad]

have you tried looking smaller 1st ie horse paddocks large houses and small holdings,

i work in a farm shop in a small village and this year have had 5 people come in and ask if we know anyone who shoots or ferrets as they having problems with rabbits to which my usual answer is ..

well you can guess that one,

what i am saying is look away from farms and look at smaller holings etc these guys selling shooting don't bother with small places

then when you have done a good job word will get around

just my opinion

 

colin

[bighit1985]

Its not as easy as just taking out other members on our permissions. It ain't our land is it? I'd love to take members without permissions of their own out onto mine. Unfortunately my largest landowner is fairly strict on who shoots the land.

There are also threads on PW where people have taken others out as a favour who have then either taken the gesture as being given full permission whenever they like or approached the landowner themselves undermining the original member.

I agree though that charging for shooting pigeons ain't on.

I know its not your land, so you cant just take people out without speaking to the farmer first, but these people that charge quite clearly have the agreement with the farmer and it just isnt what should be about, I get the idea of people not wanting to share permissions if they are worried about people pinching it, but just dont take people out then, charging is just a joke!!

[leeds chimp]

I know its not your land, so you cant just take people out without speaking to the farmer first, but these people that charge quite clearly have the agreement with the farmer and it just isnt what should be about, I get the idea of people not wanting to share permissions if they are worried about people pinching it, but just dont take people out then, charging is just a joke!!

 

but the flip side of that is if someone has made the effort of getting the land and pays to shoot it then maybe they should get some money back...not including the cost of driving round the lands to check for activity and hopefully putting the paying guest onto a good spot and not just dumped anywhere

[castletyne]

 

 

but the flip side of that is if someone has made the effort of getting the land and pays to shoot it then maybe they should get some money back...not including the cost of driving round the lands to check for activity and hopefully putting the paying guest onto a good spot and not just dumped anywhere

 

Problem is they are tying huge areas of land up of which they are unable to control

 

Thats why pigeon shooters are seeing fields being hammered because the the person who has the permission is unable to get enough paying shooters

 

I know its a different matter if someone buys the sporting rights

Edited December 21, 2012 by castletyne

[al4x]

Ultimately the pigeon shooting companies do get the boot in the end, I know a fair acreage that they took on used to let numbers build up till it was worth their clients shooting, its now got gas guns on. Farmers don't take the hit on this for long and they do get the boot as the financial losses aren't worth the farmer letting the crops be eaten.

[BRAD1927]

Well the good news is I managed to secure 3 rape fields this morning, sadly they currently have gas guns on but sure if I spoke to farmer he would turn 1 or 2 off for the day.

All in all about 180-200 acres just the right amont in my opinion.

Keep trying guys its out there to be had.

As for the pigeon companies they wont be getting a penny of my money again, except for ####.

Hope they all go bust!!!!

[houlsby]

Never really had much from door knocking. Other than farmers thinking in a thief.. Iv had a couple but the better shoots are the ones from mates/mates of mates etc.

 

I travel a long way for my shooting tho. Recon the distance in between 2 of them must be 50 miles and in total I could do 100 miles by going to all of them in a day, that's before driving round them!

 

Once you get one, keep going. Manage the birds properly, I.e don't wipe every single bird/rabbit/fox you see out, take enough to reduce crop damage or solve his problem of the rabbits hammering "that corner over there" so you still have shooting for the next year.

 

As for PAYING to shoot vermin.. That's just crackers.

 

[Browning GTS]

I would never pay for pest shooting, but its funny how hard it can be to get a permission then another just falls in your lap. My latest land was obtained by a work mate speaking to his local burger van owner, one of his customers was moaning about all the pigeons hitting his bosses fields, my friend tells me, a quick visit to the farm. More pest shooting on a large game shooting estate. Plus over other land they manage. Was not even looking but gift horse and all that.

[happypig]

Brad well done,

Where in Amesbury..... i lived in durrington for most of my teenage years and still have family and friends there....

[-kev-]

If everybody stuck together and no one paid to shoot vermin we wouldnt be reading this chat, the blame lies with the people that pay to shoot pigeons rather than the others that go door knocking to get permissions.

[Rockers]

I agree in an ideal world pest control should be free for all with the ability to support the farmer when he needs it most but life is not like that round here. inside the m25 there is a syndicate costing over £1000 to shoot on. admitted its rough shooting but thats what the market dictates. thats why i drive over 565 miles to go wildfowling for a week.

[shakari]

Am I the only one who remembers a time when not only was pigeon shooting free but the landowners would usually also supply the cartridges & sometimes even lunch FOC?.

[cumbrian top shot]

One of the farms in our area has a cracking bit of land for pigeons and geese so decided to go and speak to him, but before I went one of my mates said you have no chance with that farmer he won't let anyone on shooting, I just thought what harm can it do so I went up and he was working in one of the farm buildings I just introduced myself and we got chatting initially he said no but we carried on talking then for no reason he said well I suppose you could shoot a few pigeons well I was made up, after a few outings and shooting a few good bags he spoke to me one day and said I have been thinking and you can have all the shooting on the farm and for you only and an odd friend or two, now he even calls me to say the geese are on or the pigeons are hammering the barley, The moral of this is I think is its all about the introduction of yourself to the landowner.

I have also accquired another 12 farms for shooting geese when I was told you won't get any as its all taken its took quite a bit of work but I have managed it so don't give up keep trying and you will get permissions in the end if you approach them in the right way.

[Cranfield]

The shooters, or guides that sell days pigeon shooting are mainly catering for the pigeon shooter that shoots once or twice a month, is too busy to get permissions (or service them efficiently) , or spend time on reconnaissance, someone who just wants to turn up and shoot.

There is nothing wrong with that

The amount you pay usually depends on the help the shooter/guide provides for you.

That seems fair.

 

Regarding "absentee" shooters.

I know pigeon shooters that have permission on farms, have families and work 5 days a week.

How often can they get out to shoot ?

Probably at the most once a week, if the weather is bad that day, it gets put off until next week.

So they may be crop protecting at the most 4 days a month.

That doesn't sound much, but they do have a life to lead and responsibilities to their families and jobs.

If they are "absentee" shooters, then that is a very large percentage of the pigeon shooters out there.

 

I am lucky enough to be retired and if the landowner knows you are going to be about 5 days a week, getting permission is a lot easier.

Where I share permission I don't shoot weekends, but am often contacted by the weekend lads to ask whats happening and where.

This works well for everyone.

 

I appreciate there are few things more frustrating than going round the farms and continually getting knocked back, we have all been there.

The important thing is to view the matter dispassionately, its not the fault of you, other shooters, the landowners, guides, etc., its just the way it is.

Persevere and you will eventually get your shooting, then look after it.

[kaunda]

I note from an agent's advert in the current Shooting Times # " Guided Pigeons in Norfolk - £160.oo ".

At that price I would expect a week's sport and want a pair of Purdeys and a loader thrown in.

I wonder how much the farmer gets out of this.

[rimfire4969]

 

 

I would try joining a diy game syndicate they can often be found for £500+ for the year

 

Many of them allow you as much Vermin shooting as you want

This is how I have most of my shooting. £300 per year DIY pheasant shoot 400 birds to wood, 10 walk one, shoot one days, plus as much vermin and pigeon shooting as I want over 700 plus acres.

[Tim Kelly]

I suppose people must occasionally have good days pigeon shooting with guides, but I have bought maybe four or five days over the years and they have always been poor. The last one, last winter, my mate and I drove a couple of hours up the M1 and met up with the guide. He took us for a ride round a few fields, where there were very few birds flying. He put us on a field and went off to earn his living. We had 2 pigoens come anywhere near our deeks all morning, which we killed. We rang him at lunch asking if he had any suggestions, so he came back and put us in another field for similar results all afternoon.

 

Now I know you can't guarantee sport, but I tend to think that if you're charging people to go pigeon shooting there should a least be some pigeons in the area to shoot. If you don't have many pigeons locally, then call up the customers and tell them to re-arrange for a later date rather than having them drive miles and take time off work to sit in a field for FA just so you can get your bit on bunce.

 

Living in London I don't have anywhere that would be practical to look after. I go beating on a couple of farms during the season and am in a little rough shooting syndicate , so I get what sport I can and thoroughly enjoy it. If I were to buy a days pheasant shooting I would have an expectation about the size of bag we should expect, but for some reason pigeon shooting is becoming as expensive as a cheap day pheasant shooting. Pheasants cost time and money to rear, pigeons don't. Pheasant shooting usually involves a keeper, or the bloke who looks after the birds taking his day to organise the day so that you get the shooting and he can't go off to earn his proper living after taking your money and dumping you in a field like pigeon "guides" do. I wouldn't object to paying £30-50 for someone to put me in a field that they knew the birds were using, but guides seem to be charging over £100 commonly now for doing next to nothing other than providing you withba way of sitting in a field, with a gun, without being prosecuted for armed trespass!

[BRAD1927]

I work full time and i could still put more hours on the fields if i could get the permissions.

I have just had a phone call from a friend to say he has 300 plus birds hammering a field so he's just taken some pics and we are off to see the farmer.