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Farmers are funny folk


bakerboy
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There are a few fields (about 80 acres) really close to where I live (3 minute walk).

The fields (rape) are being hammered by pigeons, no matter what crop goes in it is the same every year.

 

I have introduced myself to the Farm on many occasions over the years, and once was able to sit down and have a cup of tea with the Farm Owner.

At this tea drinking episode the Farm Owner showed me a book of all the Pigeon Shooters he has on his list, Photo's, phone numbers, copy of SGC and insurance, I was really impressed, and I fully understood he does not what any more and it was plain to see he was correct.

 

During this week I saw the fields being hammered more than ever before, so decided to do the neighbourly thing and drop in see the Farmer and tell him what I had seen, I saw the son, explained what I had seen, informed him I had been in over the past few years and understood they were being well catered for, but thought you should know what was happening to the field.

 

The Farmers son was very grateful, I shook his hand and left with the ever hopeful goodbye of "should you ever change your mind here are my contact details.

 

The following day I saw the Dad walking the fields putting rope bangers into bins, I waited until he had left the field (I did not want to presume I would be welcome on the ground) introduced myself and walked with the Farm Owner back to his car. All the time I spoke with him and discussed the amount of damage that had taken place, he said "this is the worst year ever".

I said that with all the pigeon shooters he had on his system he would have been able to have this damaged sorted; He said can't get the people to shoot the fields when I need it and in the cold weather they don't want to come out.

I reminded him I lived at the end of the field, I am fully retired and can get onto the field easily and when ever he wanted. He grumbled on saying the only way "is to do it your self", all this time the Pigeons were flying in, and lots of them.

 

From the time I met him until he got into his car he never looked me in the eyes once, he never broke stride or said goodbye as he got into his car and drove off.

I think I can give this one up as a non starter :lol:

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They are a strange bunch, I have been shooting rabbits at one farm about 4 years, the first summer i cleared over 300 rabbits from 900 metres of hedge row. I always have a quick chat if the farmer is in the yard, at christmas some nice wine delivered. Now this farm have there own potato packing sheds, have i ever been offered a bag of tates, no. Like i said, a strange bunch

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They are a strange bunch, I have been shooting rabbits at one farm about 4 years, the first summer i cleared over 300 rabbits from 900 metres of hedge row. I always have a quick chat if the farmer is in the yard, at christmas some nice wine delivered. Now this farm have there own potato packing sheds, have i ever been offered a bag of tates, no. Like i said, a strange bunch

I'm a farmers son and live on a farm, we are not all strange I just see myself as a grumpy on ******, dread to think what others make of me, well I'll try not to loose any sleep over it.

 

And yes I wouldn't waste your time.

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We are farmers and even we think we are are strange breed, you want to experience an auction mart black tie do!

As others have said BB he sounds very cynical like he's heard it all before, perhaps a little devilment is required...make him a wager of a bottle that you can sort his woes..he may well not want to back out and tell you to fill your boots!

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It surprising how many farmers say they have a lot of pigeon shooters already, when you knock on the door and yet there is never anyone on the fields.

They also go to the expense of putting out gas guns and string bangers.

 

I have had success by asking to shoot just the field with the pigeons on and just on say, Thursday (or pick any day to suit).

Then I go back, tell the farmer how I got on and ask if I can shoot that field on another specific day.

They have always said Yes.

He can see that I am not asking for permission to shoot all over his land for my entire lifetime.

As he doesn't really know me, you can understand his reluctance to grant this.

 

I have gained a lot of permissions over the years with this approach.

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It surprising how many farmers say they have a lot of pigeon shooters already, when you knock on the door and yet there is never anyone on the fields.

They also go to the expense of putting out gas guns and string bangers.

 

 

I farm in Cornwall where a lot of Cauliflower, Cabbage and other brasicca's are grown and the problem is regarding pigeon shooting for us is by the time numbers have built up enough on the crop for pigeon shooters to make an effort it is too late, the crop suffered too much damage to be fit for sale.

Every year I probably get half a dozen calls or visits asking to shoot pigeon,rabbit fox etc whenever I asked them to come sort out a particular problem on cabbage they never can fit it in or will see what they can do " next week ", yet they have no trouble fitting it in on corn stubble where they will get decent shooting for this part the world, so now I keep to just 1 guy I know through work who will make an effort to stop a dozen birds hitting Cabbage as the price he pays to get to shoot the stubbles where is still no big bags but may make 80-100 over a weekend.

 

But in the case of farmers being funny folk, yep no doubt about it, you do get all sorts and farmers get more odd characters than most other professions, but it a shame he turned down what in this case would of got a problem sorted out and nothing better to be able to say to the hordes of strangers that turn up " sorry I got a good guy already on the case."

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He has probably already had his palm crossed with a lot of silver by some syndicate. Thats the problem

Got that problem on the biggest / nearest farm to me. Syndicate pays for rights but no-one ever goes. Farmer knows this and it winds him up but they must make it worth his while as can't get on for love nor money.

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There are a few fields (about 80 acres) really close to where I live (3 minute walk).

The fields (rape) are being hammered by pigeons, no matter what crop goes in it is the same every year.

 

I have introduced myself to the Farm on many occasions over the years, and once was able to sit down and have a cup of tea with the Farm Owner.

At this tea drinking episode the Farm Owner showed me a book of all the Pigeon Shooters he has on his list, Photo's, phone numbers, copy of SGC and insurance, I was really impressed, and I fully understood he does not what any more and it was plain to see he was correct.

 

During this week I saw the fields being hammered more than ever before, so decided to do the neighbourly thing and drop in see the Farmer and tell him what I had seen, I saw the son, explained what I had seen, informed him I had been in over the past few years and understood they were being well catered for, but thought you should know what was happening to the field.

 

The Farmers son was very grateful, I shook his hand and left with the ever hopeful goodbye of "should you ever change your mind here are my contact details.

 

The following day I saw the Dad walking the fields putting rope bangers into bins, I waited until he had left the field (I did not want to presume I would be welcome on the ground) introduced myself and walked with the Farm Owner back to his car. All the time I spoke with him and discussed the amount of damage that had taken place, he said "this is the worst year ever".

I said that with all the pigeon shooters he had on his system he would have been able to have this damaged sorted; He said can't get the people to shoot the fields when I need it and in the cold weather they don't want to come out.

I reminded him I lived at the end of the field, I am fully retired and can get onto the field easily and when ever he wanted. He grumbled on saying the only way "is to do it your self", all this time the Pigeons were flying in, and lots of them.

 

From the time I met him until he got into his car he never looked me in the eyes once, he never broke stride or said goodbye as he got into his car and drove off.

I think I can give this one up as a non starter :lol:

Ending your conversation with... As the other guys are fair weather shooters and you obviously have a big problem on these fields, would you mind if I have a go at them (pigeons), for a week or so and I'll report back how I get on?

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Same problems around me, you ask for permission and its "we've already got a bloke that comes", then I ask when he last came, "oh haven't seen him for a couple of years"!!! Also a friend of mine noticed some standing barley getting hammered last year by jackdaws and called in to offer his services, "it's bad luck to shoot them" was the farmers reply.....

On the plus side, Iv always had respect for farmers, ultimately they've got a hell of a job on they're hands all year round, hardly surprising they get a bit grumpy!!

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It surprising how many farmers say they have a lot of pigeon shooters already, when you knock on the door and yet there is never anyone on the fields.

They also go to the expense of putting out gas guns and string bangers.

 

I have had success by asking to shoot just the field with the pigeons on and just on say, Thursday (or pick any day to suit).

Then I go back, tell the farmer how I got on and ask if I can shoot that field on another specific day.

They have always said Yes.

He can see that I am not asking for permission to shoot all over his land for my entire lifetime.

As he doesn't really know me, you can understand his reluctance to grant this.

 

I have gained a lot of permissions over the years with this approach.

 

 

That's sounds like great advise I'm going to deploy it this year

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I had the reverse a couple of years back. Got permission to shoot anything other than game on a couple of hundred acres. Ok for starters but then I discovered dozens of spent ammo around the farm and on a couple of occasions other guns there at the same time even though I rang first expecting to be alone. The final straw was dog walkers - farmer actively encouraged locals to walk his grassy headlands. I nearly shot a dog which chased a rabbit out of a thick hedge. Too risky that farm so I stopped going.

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