Waiting game or no thank you

[Dougy]

My experience is get to know the farmer, if you can away from his place of work. Does he have a local pub he drinks in? Don't be pushy, build some trust and rapor. Nearly all my bits have been from getting to know either the land owners or there friends.

Can you offer any thing in return ? Once you've built some foundations you may find yourself with a friend and permission to shoot.

[roadkill]

This^^^

 

One thing, I'd appreciate a door knocker a lot more if they turned up in the middle of January, when it's freezing cold, and still ask.

 

Funnily enough my door bell gets burnt out when the rape is being harvested.

This is the key , get out there in the winter and put the hard work in , also dont go looking for full time permission , find a field thats being hit hard locate farm and ask to shoot that day, also once you do get in it will open up neighboring farms... As for sharing all of my shooting and permissions started from this great site many years ago and have made some great shooting buddy's

 

Roadkill

[motty]

I must admit, i have never really found it that hard to gain farms to shoot on. I have had my fair share of knock backs, though.

[remmy1100]

weve all had knock backs its the nature of the job sometimes wrong face ,wrong place ,wrong time ect just dont get disheartened , keep at it but remain polite and thank them for there time,had many a call back from the gate ,too many people think there doing farmer a favour and start spouting off how its his loss ect ect when refused permission..once you get a permission youll find it easer to get on farms nearby all farmers talk to each other and watch whats going on . i help my farmers out around farms with anything be it sheep,fences mucking out ect and have good relationship because of it

Edited April 4, 2016 by remmy1100

[robbiep]

As Kyska has said, when the weather is nice, you see everyone out asking for permission.

 

Compare that to what happened to me a couple of months back. Farmer (who I vaguely know by sight) knocking on my door because he's losing lambs to foxes, on a horrible cold wet evening. Straight up there, out with the shotgun on a mountainside for a few hours while it's snowing and sleeting sideways.

 

Farming and pest control happens all year round, and it's just as important in December as it is in June. But you don't see many people out door knocking in the depths of winter.

 

Maybe that's the trick. Be out there in horrible conditions, not when you're the 11th person to come onto the yard that weekend !

[Hendrix's rifle]

As Kyska has said, when the weather is nice, you see everyone out asking for permission.

 

Compare that to what happened to me a couple of months back. Farmer (who I vaguely know by sight) knocking on my door because he's losing lambs to foxes, on a horrible cold wet evening. Straight up there, out with the shotgun on a mountainside for a few hours while it's snowing and sleeting sideways.

 

Farming and pest control happens all year round, and it's just as important in December as it is in June. But you don't see many people out door knocking in the depths of winter.

 

Maybe that's the trick. Be out there in horrible conditions, not when you're the 11th person to come onto the yard that weekend !

This. I got around 400 acres to shoot/pest control off one farmer because I went up in a foot of snow ready to rock I find if you make the effort and put in the work regardless of weather you will be rewarded for it

[scolopax]

Forget getting a permission form signed, not required and will put the farmer off as he immediately thinks he may be obligated. Ask for a one off go at a problem you have already identified, pigeons on rape, rabbits on the paddocks etc etc. I never asked for a permission, I always asked for a one off go, more often than not I was successful.

[JDog]

Would you share permissions with some of the unlikely types from PW?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It would seem that I do given the amount of PW members I have taken out in recent years. The two I had out last weekend were as unlikely as you will ever get.

 

Seriously though cold calling is difficult and sometimes embarrassing but it can reap rewards.

[muncher]

Strange one this, years ago i used to struggle getting permission ,now i have phoned ,called round and been given maps and a get at them, ive and had two knock backs in the last two years both farmers are a bit hot headed and sometimes i can catch them in a good mood but generaly they say no but never let that put you off . One bit of advice is dont go all camo and be polite and if they say no say ok thanks it was worth an ask .Also if you do shoot on another farmers land ask him how he gets on with his neigbour if well when you approach the new man say Jo Blogs i shoot his vermin he said give you a call ,sometimes works.

Edited April 5, 2016 by muncher

[Mentalmac]

I also think it depends on how you approach.

I was at a wedding at a golf club and I took some time during the group photo bit on the edge of the green to admire the view and noticed rabbit droppings.

 

I didn't immediately make way to the greens men or owner, I just waited until the next day and I found the gentleman's name who owns the club and wrote him a real actual letter (on good quality paper) - just saying how much I enjoyed being at the club, what a splendid view etc... whilst having my piccie taken with the happy couple noticed I was stood in rabbit droppings - I can help rid you of these, no charge as I require the meat, give me a call and we'll discuss...

Thought I'd leave it a few days and then follow up by calling by phone if I hadn't heard back - and true to form, I got a phone call. Took it real steady and just suggested I came over on my way home via the club and have a chat over a pint. Turns out he has been burnt a LOT over the years, from letting on a chap who turned thief, a chap who had a fight with a golfer whilst turning up blasting squirrels during daytime, guts left on green, cartridge cases laying around, 4X4 tracks on his well manicured grass, one chap even was shooting rabbits with a RF using the club house as a back drop and left holes in the render etc...

Suddenly I realised I was really in for a rough ride, but I was really listening and empathising with him - rather than at this point throwing the 'but I can do XYZ and I am amazing and clean and polite and respectful' and give it the sales pitch - I just joined in with some stories of bad people on other permissions I hold (time to name drop a few places). Then went on to discuss what I do with shot game (i.e back to the food chain, help by doing game demo's to the local scout groups where my dad's a leader) and some other bits and then led the convo away from shooting a little and he was very interested to talk about other things, find out other bits about me such as family/work/such like...

 

Then after a walk around he basically offered me the permission for this vermin ridden golf course, completely relaxed - but I then took a twist and imposed some self imposed risk limiting procedures and explained that these will help him learn to trust me and when he is happy he can relax them at his own pace. I.e - Call/text with response back from him before coming... learning the land exactly before being able to drive on it... 1 month probation where we would catch up in a month to have a pint and a chat again... no friends with me for now...

 

After a month he was keen to meet again and tell me I'm doing a good job. I had fell behind a little on the mole work I said I'd do on the side due to not being able to get there every day, so he asked me if I didn't mind if he paid a chap to do the moles but that was it - very happy with my shooting. I am now allowed to go whenever, just text him first, I even have the privilege of being allowed on in day light if I want for squirrels and I can bring friends without telling him (albeit I do anyway) etc... He often phones me to tell me whats happening there, a good relationship.

 

My point I'm rambling on about is that rather than throwing in the sales pitch, just listen and try to understand the person... I know that the above scenario is from a golf course which is different to a farmer, however I have got farm permissions too.

Last time for a farm I noticed big rabbit population (they are all on the verges and road by the farm) and some arable with a few pigeons, I noticed a large country house that was likely to have owned all the local land in years gone by, so went on google map when I got home - it has a huge garden - (4 acre garden with ornamental rose garden) - I door knocked them instead, just saying that I know that XYZ farm has a lot of rabbits so guess they are coming into your garden, I want a few for the pot and just wondered if you were having a trouble that my airgun could put right just the once, for free) and they were pretty happy to let me in the garden right away as they were due to call a pestie out as their rose garden was being hammered. Then I got the farm off the back of that. Incidentally, the large country house owners have since become friends and I often get invites to their parties and spend a fair amount of time with them. They even came to my wedding.

[Spewy]

After a few knock backs I managed to get 3 fields at the bottom of the farm for bunnies 2yr ago

I always text before I go as arranged

After he seen me and my son were keen I was at the farm dropping off some fish and scallops chatting he told me get your sgc and Fac

So now me and my son have both and now shoot over the 900 acre farm

I've learned loads from the farmer where birds are where he sees foxes and now even drops me off in the quad at the top of the farm

3 fields gaining trust now have 900 acres

If it helps the main thing just now is pigeons and crows in the farmyard

Stewart