Shooting Rights

[wannabe_keeper]

I run a little pheasant shoot over approx 100 acres.

We provide mini driven days of 30-40 birds.

Although a small acreage the land is almost ideal for a 'mini' shoot with little shaws, woods and copses which form the mainstay of our drives.

At present it is all under mutual agreement with the farmer and no money exchanges hands between us.

The first year we both stumped up some money and broke even with the days we sold so go back what was put in.

 

The first year produced 5 days: 37, 41, 48, 29, 35 (approx 50 shot on walk round days in Jan)

300 ex layers released.

 

This year we also have 5 days with 600 ex layers released.

 

Anyway... the point of my post is to inquire about the cost to purchase shooting rights.

I have grown fond of this little farm over the last couple of years and would like to continue my shoot in the future.

The farmer is a true gent but without sounding harsh, he won't be here forever.

 

I had an idea and there's nothing to say he will even go for it but maybe after another season or 2 to offer him a cash sum to purchase the shooting rights over his little farm so I can continue about my ways in distant future.

 

The farmer has no children to pass the farm onto and often jokes that it will end up going to 'London Money'.

I'd hate to see the farm split up or built on! Does owning the shooting rights give me any say in what happens to the land?

Any idea's/thoughts/comments or what a suitable value may be would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

WK

[JDog]

Shooting rights are very rarely sold off in perpetuity from the land over which they are exercised. Having the shooting rights on a short or long term agreement gives you no rights whatsoever other than to shoot over that land.

[wannabe_keeper]

Thanks for the comment. So rather than a purchase of the 'rights' a long term lease may be a better proposition.

Well it's only the shooting i'm interested in.

 

I guess what i'm kind of getting at is where do you stand if the land is sold and the owner wants to say have horses which conflict with shooting or worse want to build on it the land or sell it off in parcels etc..

[pontbeck]

I couldn't see a solicitor allowing, or advising, a client to sell something ( the shooting rights ) that would compromise the future sale

[Proudly]

Enjoy it while you can....

[silver pigeon69]

The first year produced 5 days: 37, 41, 48, 29, 35 (approx 50 shot on walk round days in Jan)

300 ex layers released.

 

Are you saying you shot 240 birds and only released 300?

[michufc]

That's one hell of a return on your birds and if so no wonder you don't want to give it up

[ezi bez]

The man is obviously doing his job right, dont knock it till you've tried it, any way good on you wannabe keeper. Like they said enjoy it whilst you can , I also think that asking said farmer cannot hurt, at least you will know if he would agree to sell or let long term.

Atb in your efforts to ensure the shoot stays alive. Ezi.

[B725]

One the farms I shoot on sold some land about four years ago the sporting rights were withheld from the sale of the land as it made no difference to the value,if it was part of a shooting estate then the out come would have been different you have nothing to loose by asking if he will sell you the sporting rights.

[wannabe_keeper]

I know the percentage looks ridiculous but it based on the fact that we have 2 very large shoots either side of the farm who release a lot of birds. They shoot 3 times a week, we shoot once a fortnight so leaving it quiet means a lot of birds turn up from elsewhere. I know the keepers and release a few birds to ensure no bad feelings for gaining a few of theirs.

 

I'm pretty sure that sporting rights can be sold separate to the actual land itself. As others have said, I have nothing to lose.

Maybe another season and I'll put the idea to the Farm owner.

 

Thanks.

[fse10]

You never know he might remember you in his will

[scotslad]

I would be surprised if a farmer sold of sporting rights seperate, in most cases it will devalue the land, or put off potential buyers (2 neighouring estates may be interested to extend there shoots/farm but no good if no sporting rights) Think in scotland they have changed the law to make it a lot harder to sell land without the sporting rights.

 

Do u realise the sort of cash u will be talking about?

 

Dunno wot sporting/stalking lets are going for per acre down ur way but i would imagine u will have to pay 10-15 times the going rate upfront (so if 10quid for easy sums be looking at 10-15k)

 

If for some reason those neighbouring shoots stop or change there pens u may no longer get there birds. Would it still be worth having?

If the farm is sold and new farmer comes in and is not so shoot friendly and object's to u driving over fields or wants to fell any woods. (Esp if he is gettin no benefit or income from it) Is it still worth it?

Dunno wot age u are or job u do but u will laways be tied to it, thngs do change or u moe away ith work etc.

 

100 acres is a very smal area to run a shoot and u admit ur relying on ur neighbours birds for sport, i would enjoy it while it last's.

Some big shoots near me who u thought money/birds was never an issue putting tens of thousands down, have changed things in recent years and some of the neighbouring syndicates that used to shoot 60-100% are now really struggling to shoot 20-30%

[CharlieT]

As a very rough guide.

 

To buy they will cost whatever it takes to tempt the owner to sell. Remember that owning the shooting rights generally only give the holder the right to stand with a gun and does not give the right of vehicular access or to erect pens or grow cover crops or for that matter any say in cropping, woodland management or farm development or diversification.

 

Renting shooting rights on a longish lease is around £5 - £10 per acre and plots for cover crops will be in the region of £250 to £500 per acre (dependant on arable productivity and loss of cropping revenue).