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Pigeon, Corvid, rabbit’s :- general pest control


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Quite a new shooter based in Essex looking for the opertunity to get out in the field and learn! I’ve done a small amount of live quarry shooting and would love to get more involved even if just a one off day/evening. As you will all no doubt know, finding permissions is extremely difficult even more so for someone with no track record. Any offers would be greatly appreciated 

I’m available most weekends,  and some weekday evening with advance notice (due to work hours ) 

scott

Edited by Spr1985
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Not far from me.  As a start, have you looked into Colchester Wildfowlers?  Not sure if they are recruiting new members but they have some pigeon shooting too, I used to be a member before I got my own permissions, it’s good to have a track record.   Also, try signing up for beating next season at some of the shoots nearby, there are quite a few in our neck of the woods.  The other thing I’ve found useful is to try to spend some time looking around farm land, spring drilling’s will be going in soon and if you can find the pigeons then the land owner will be more interested in a quick chat and maybe let you on for a day.  My advise would be to start slow and build up and be mindful that farmers near us are sick of coursers so distrustful of strangers.

https://www.colchesterwildfowlers.org.uk/

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Thank you for the advice mate, it’s appreciated.

two friends are members of Colchester and another friend a member of (I think) Rochford 100 he took me out on a guest ticket for an evening flight where I took my first teal 😁 and I’ve actually already looked at both websites, I don’t believe Colchester take on until late spring/early summer once the season is over and people are free to do marsh walks etc. But it’s something I’m already considering. 

Ive also been taken on a guest day on a small diy pheasant syndicate where inshot my first pheasant, and will be returning next season to help with feed days and beating etc. 

I regularly drive through the countryside between Witham and great dunmow and as far out as between Cambridge  - Haverhill and Witham and always have my eyes open, only this afternoon I saw what I would imagine to be between 500 and a thousand pigeon coming off two osr fields right next to each other.....my problem is I know how busy farmers are and the rubbish hours they work and I’m not quite sure I’m comfortable disturbing them as the last thing I’d want to do is annoy them/ hem off. 

Ill take on board what you’ve said and hopefully I’ll make some in roads, 

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Hey, to be honest mate, if the farmers spring drilling’s are being hit by that volume of birds they’d love to hear from you.  Also, I don’t think they are crazy busy this time of year, well maybe counting money and orderring this years Range Rover and booking the 2 months in Caribbean post harvest 😀

Sounds like you are doing the right things mate! It’s not something that happens over night, especially as you are newish and don’t have a track record, it took me a year to get permission on the farm next door, initially it was a no but then after a year with cwc they were moepre than happy to let me on and we’ve become good friends since.

Your hesitation in disturbing people suggests you’ve got the right mindset, if you can find out who owns the land you refer to then dive them a call expka8ng what you’ve seen and ask if you can have a crack one morning and see how it goes, be polite and clear up after yourself and tell the farmer your success and who knows where that will get you.  Be prepared for set backs, it’s not you it’s people that have been before you, perseverance is your friend!

Edited by PPP
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🤣😂👏🏻 ok I take your point, after reading that I’ll just have to forget it or I’ll be going up there drive way with a very awkward smirk on my face!  But on the same hand puts a different perspective on it so i shall give it a try. 

 

Thanks again 

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4 minutes ago, Spr1985 said:

🤣😂👏🏻 ok I take your point, after reading that I’ll just have to forget it or I’ll be going up there drive way with a very awkward smirk on my face!  But on the same hand puts a different perspective on it so i shall give it a try. 

 

Thanks again 

No harm in trying... a brief ‘ hi, I’m X, I was just driving past and notice your OST being hit by several hundred pigeons.  I’m licensed/insured/responsible shotgun owner and I wondered whether I could help at no charge in removing your vermin’ cant Really upset anyone...

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19 minutes ago, Teal said:

Not sure where you are in Essex, but saw this post this morning. See you have a shotgun, but not sure if you have an air rifle and maybe make a start to getting bigger permission https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/feral-pigeons-in-barns.272418/

Worth buying an air rifle. The fact I have one has found me two farms which had horrendous barn pigeon problems and that led to pigeons on the crops etc. 

Stay in touch and let us know how you get on. 

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So gentlemen, I paid a visit to the farm office this morning, no one around but a phone number on the door, I gave it a call and spoke to the gentleman in charge.  I told him who I was and where I was based and what I had noticed when driving past,  he came across thankful of my call and information and was interested in my offer of help. It then all fell apart. He asked me where I shoot, when I gave him this information and it didn’t contain any local permissions where he could check my capabilities or lack of he said “as I can’t check your form and on grounds of possible safety issues it’s a no today, but I shall make a note of your number and maybe give you a call next week when I have more time” 

so my first “no” was not as painful as I imagined 😁 and although I’m not holding out much hope of a phone call I shall wait and see what happens if anything. 

 

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11 minutes ago, Spr1985 said:

So gentlemen, I paid a visit to the farm office this morning, no one around but a phone number on the door, I gave it a call and spoke to the gentleman in charge.  I told him who I was and where I was based and what I had noticed when driving past,  he came across thankful of my call and information and was interested in my offer of help. It then all fell apart. He asked me where I shoot, when I gave him this information and it didn’t contain any local permissions where he could check my capabilities or lack of he said “as I can’t check your form and on grounds of possible safety issues it’s a no today, but I shall make a note of your number and maybe give you a call next week when I have more time” 

so my first “no” was not as painful as I imagined 😁 and although I’m not holding out much hope of a phone call I shall wait and see what happens if anything. 

 

All part of the process in gaining your first permission , at least you spoke to someone and you now know it isn't that painful , at the end of the day you haven't lost anything and in a weeks time you might have everything to gain , the first one is always the hardest , once you have got the first the others will soon follow , keep looking and GOOD LUCK

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Yes certainly give him a call or even a text, I find many farmers/game keepers are just bsuy with their handsfull when the phone rings but a beep for a text they can answer later and normally do ... the joy of texts.  The response you got was most certainly positive and well worth following up.  Make it clear your not a here today gone tomorrow merchant.

Fingers crossed it comes good for you.

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Thank you both for your responses, I had been considering following it up after giving him some time to mull it over but wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do, but after reading that I shall try him again next week if I’ve not heard anything back 👍🏻

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