Keith Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Hi - just spoken to a farmer who is willing to let me shoot over his land. He has 350 acres, which includes winter rape, and has neighbouring farmers who will let him have his permitted guns shoot over their land when they have problems. The only downside is that unlike my other permission where it's the Scotch at Christmas, this one wants £200 a year and he already has 2 others who shoot on the farm. It's not extortionate and I'll pay as he is nearer to where I live and it is a large farm with plenty of birds and rabbits, but was just wondering how common this is. Happy new year! K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul in North Lincs. Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 people pay £100 to Nppc to shoot pigeons which 99% of the time are not there!! If you have no other alternative then why not. When I was a young gun wanting to find permission, I took out an Agricultural Tenancy Agreement on some small paddock next to a gravel pit....and a small oak and hawthorn wood. I rented 22 acres from the Lincolchire Dioceese which cost me £200 a year. I shot, ferreted, roost shooted...stalked squirrels.....messed about with archery...set up clay traps.....did a bit of occasional wild fowling ...and at the time it was money well spent as far as I was concerned.... Nowadays I have ammassed alot of permission and wouldnt dream of paying.......but if needs must Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 There's something in me that just won't let me pay for any form of shooting!! However, like Paul says...if needs must I guess...but, for me, that would have been after LOTS & LOTS of rejections! Plus I guess then you don't feel indebted to your landowners...which could be a positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Harry Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 I woild not pay for that ammount of land. It will cost you in ammo, fuel and time to shoot his pest species that means he will make more money as he has less crop damage. Keep looking. Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beater Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 i would never had payed untill i moved from cheshire to worcester this spring. i've had so many knock backs its getting me down, thinking of offering a few ££ when i ask now. My dad is an agricultural contractor so finding permission was never a problem. From having 1500acres to shoot over with duck flight ponds, pheasants, rabbits & decoying/roosting pigeons to nothing. I've managed to get 1 permission from beating but limited to couple of fields till feb cos of game. Very greatfull to a PW member - Farmer, big thanks mate, for taking me out on his permissions giving me & the dog a chance to do what we love most. You dont half miss it when its gone . from being out 2/3 days a week to having very limited shooting. So given the chance of spending £20 down pub on friday or taping up farmer with it for days decoying, Think i may start doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 As needs must mate. Some areas are rammed with vermin where a landowner would be glad to have someone do it for them. Other generally more built up areas have a surplus of people seeking somewhere to 'get away from it all' which a landowner could turn to some small advantage. That seems a steep price given other people shoot it too but if it's all you can get then few could blame you for that. Pay for now till more comes along then drop out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auto culto Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 i personally wouldn't pay and i would also recommend everyone not to. The way i see it is this can snowball both ways. If everyone refuses to pay for pest control the farmer would soon be letting you on for free and his crops would be getting hammered. BUT if he mentions to his neighbours that he's getting an extra £600 in cash every year from shooters for doing nothing his neighbors would also start to think that they can earn a few quid in there pockets. They would tell there neighbors then We really do pay enough allready for the privilage of shooting, when you start to add up the costs involved (i sugest you dont) it makes you think twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustyfox Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Why should you the pigeon shooter pay for the farmers crop protection, as said above if word gets round that people are paying for pigeon shooting every farmer or land owner will do the same. Your providing a service to the farmer and you are paying him back by protecting his crops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted December 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Absolutely agree but the problem is that around the edge of London shooting opportunities are few and far between. I have one permission but it has few pigeons and practically no rabbits. Lots of local farms get paid by syndicates and shooting is hard to find. If the farm looks good I'll give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Its a hard one Keith. Do you feel happy paying 200.00? If you do and you can afford it then go for it. You have to think of your situation and what shooting you have. Fair enough I don't spend any money to shoot pigeons, rabbit and fox, but I do spend 600 quid on wildfowling clubs and a further £700.00 on game shooting. You could pay that 200 quid and you at least have the satisfaction that you are paying to be there so you are beholding to no-one. Correct? I know alot of guys have some good permissions on here, but they can come and go as easily as abc, if you pay for this bit and you pick some other for free you can drop this at a later date can't you? Regards starlight32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustyfox Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Why dont you ask for a taster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Harry Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 The Beater, I have a few fields of rape and some of beans at the moment and I am not very experienced at decoying. Father in law is keeping an eye on it at the moment but if the pigeons come in numbers would you be up for some shooting on the Worcestershire/Gloucestershire border? Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Personally I'd try and put the money towards a local game shooting syndicate, that way you know you'll have a set number of days game shooting plus and this is the big plus you can usually get involved with vermin control on the farm and the other plus is you usually meet other farmers and local guns so the invites to shoot elsewhere usually flow in. 350 acres with two other guns on it sounds like agro to me as the area is relatively small and you can pretty much guarantee the other shooters will get the hump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead-Eyed Duck Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 The answer is that you pay if you have to. I shoot over many farms in North Wales and pay nothing - the farmers are happy that I do them a favour. At another shoot close to where I live I pay (with 3 others) c.£500/year. For this we get vermin control, the odd pheasant and duck shooting on a couple of ponds. I live in a fairly well built-up area and farmers are always getting knocks on the door from shooters offering money. Now the lads who have replied "I don't pay" then they must consider themselves fortunate, and good luck to them. However (and there always is) a lot of farmers will be tempted by shooters offering money unless you have an exceptional relationship, or do jobs in return. There are plenty of shooters out there in competition with you for your free shooting rights, and it can only take one minor mistake on your part, or a farmer in a bad mood and you've lost it. If you are starting out in shooting, and if there is nothing else available, then paying is the obvious option if you have to. At least you will have an option - if you don't have any shooting rights then you don't have any options at all! Once you have acquired some land then you can start to consider "What next", which may be free. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted December 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Dustyfox is right, so I went up his morning and got a tour round the three diferent farms on offer to shoot on. One o 350 acres mixed rape, wheat and cattle. One of 170 acres with mix of rape and wheat and one of about 50 acres 10 mins drive from where i live with beans. All of it nearer than my existing permission and in total about four times the size with a better mix of crops. saw plenty of flocks there and quite a few rabbits. on the 170 acre farm there are pheasants and partridge and i can shoot them too. The farmer has also agreed he'd support a fac application if i make one, as all three farms have been fac checked by the local firearms officer. the farms has rabbits, foxes and muntjac. So, I'm going to have a shoot there on Monday and if I like it I will pay up. I agree with those of you who are worried by the principle but I have little choice being a townie with no decent farmland within reasonable distance and about 50 turndowns from farms up to 30 miles away. unfortunately my permission has no rape and i've seen hardly any pigeons - just scattered individuals and a few groups of 5 or ten in about 12 visits. and the rabbits here are hammered with myxie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cole890 Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 i think that i'd wouldn't mind paying £200 for what you've said above. obviously if you can get it for free then all the better but if you can't get anything else then you gotta do what you gotta do at the end of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Dustyfox is right, so I went up his morning and got a tour round the three diferent farms on offer to shoot on. One o 350 acres mixed rape, wheat and cattle. One of 170 acres with mix of rape and wheat and one of about 50 acres 10 mins drive from where i live with beans. All of it nearer than my existing permission and in total about four times the size with a better mix of crops. saw plenty of flocks there and quite a few rabbits. on the 170 acre farm there are pheasants and partridge and i can shoot them too. The farmer has also agreed he'd support a fac application if i make one, as all three farms have been fac checked by the local firearms officer. the farms has rabbits, foxes and muntjac. So, I'm going to have a shoot there on Monday and if I like it I will pay up. I agree with those of you who are worried by the principle but I have little choice being a townie with no decent farmland within reasonable distance and about 50 turndowns from farms up to 30 miles away. unfortunately my permission has no rape and i've seen hardly any pigeons - just scattered individuals and a few groups of 5 or ten in about 12 visits. and the rabbits here are hammered with myxie. i would pay but get in touch with the other fellers that shoot there and get friendly with them ittl help in the long run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trakker01 Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 with the price of equiptment & ammo, the time out, night out etc ,culling the pests & fuel used etc ...i wouldn't dream of paying.. in fact just of late i have got the land owners to contribute towards the ammo costs...for pest & crop control. ............if there's a nice bag on there & the land owner keeps the fields stocked , & managed to garantee my meat, & freezer ful.....then its worth a payment ,towards the upkeep. but fairs fair, ..........if they want paying for a problem THEY have......fair do's ..THEY CAN KEEP IT !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Don't we all pay for our shooting in some form or another .!!!! Like the whiskey, Gin, Vodka and boxes of chocolates for the farmer and his wife.. I have one farm that i give lots of rainbow trout to she would rather have that than booze,, Or am i the only one ( i don't think so ) that drops the goodies off at Xmas... I know its not the same as paying £200 but it is payment in another form.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 i have never had two pay for shooting where i live,its all ways been there 44 years of it. i would not pay for shooting and if 2 others shoot it i would not bother he just wants your money.tell him two sod of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rabgoat Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 iv'e never heard of anyone paying for shooting on farmland,the shores of lough neagh yes for wild fowling, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markm Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 iv'e never heard of anyone paying for shooting on farmland,the shores of lough neagh yes for wild fowling, Hawkeye your right mate and the rest. Rab welcome to England!!!!!! I won't tell you how much I pay for rent on our small syndicate 600a's and there is a queue at the door to take it over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rabgoat Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 iv'e never heard of anyone paying for shooting on farmland,the shores of lough neagh yes for wild fowling, Hawkeye your right mate and the rest. Rab welcome to England!!!!!! I won't tell you how much I pay for rent on our small syndicate 600a's and there is a queue at the door to take it over. iv'e always said that we don't know how well off we are over here compared to England..for fishing as well as shooting,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Sounds cheap to me Clay shooting costs me about £1500 a year, plus cartridges, petrol etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Just tell him you are fine paying him £200 for the year if he chucks in a couple of thousand cartridges. Some of mine give me those without any charge to shoot over their land, also get an invite to the beaters day shoot and a walk round at the end of the season clearing up the cock birds. Guess it depends where you live and how lucky you are with getting permission? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.