Struggling with permissions

[Graham11987]

Hi,

I'm after as much advice as I can get please. I feel like I've exasted all options that I can see and thought maybe you guys could help me. I bought a very nice air rifle about 5 months ago with the intention of getting back into rabbit hunting (something I used to do as a teenager with my fathers friend - unfortunately not in contact with him anymore).

Since I got the rifle I have joined the BASC so I am insured to shoot and I have been asking collegues, friends and family to ask around and try get me some land to shoot on. Unfortunately everyone they have spoken to has said no. The closest I got was a land owner said maybe and that he would hAve to arrange a meeting between us and his 7 tenant farmers, 3 months later he turned around and said no as he decided to take on a games keeper.

I have tried putting classifieds on forums on the Internet. But have had no nibbles other than someone asking me to get rid of some foxes fir them (which was a no can do since I only have an air rifle).

I have also tried driving through the countyside areas of York. Stopping whenever I see someone who looks remotely like a farmer and begging them for land to shoot on. The most common phrase being 'no, I already have someone shooting my land'.

I am going to try putting flyers in gates on fields this week since farmers are all out busy harvesting at the moment.

5 months on and I am starting to regret buying my rifle and am even considering selling it back to the shop before it depreciates further in value. If anyone has any suggestions other than offering to pay to shoot on their land (don't see why I should when I would be doing them a favour clearing pests for them) then I am all ears and would greatly appreciate all help!

 

[udamiano]

The problem that your going to come up against is syndicate shooters, these are usual groups of shooter that comb the farms and so and get permissions, Most farmers don't want different group on their land so anyone outside these syndicates gets a flat 'NO'
the best solution is to join the local air rifle club, and from there you'r probably get the contacts you want, and the invites to rough shoot. once your know with the local farmers, and they know your ok, then your find it a lot easier.
Anyway that's how it happens around here anyway. I hope this was of help

 

[Bushwhacker]

You're going about it the wrong way.

 

[johnboy]

You're going about it the wrong way.

The 'right' way being.....

 

[Lynx]

I sympathise with your plight as I have toyed with the idea myself. Trouble is that years ago when I was a lad I used to know all of the local farmers in the village I lived in and used to help them collect in the bails of straw during harvesting and had often done part-time work for them during my school holidays. It was relatively easy then to ask and be given permission. 40 years later and I have moved away from the area and even if I went back nobody would know me now from the next generation of farmers. I would love to get back to shooting though; it's a difficult problem to solve but I guess you just have to keep asking and don't give up.

 

[ged]

The 'right' way being.....

Well he could have started with an introduction!

Nobody with any sense and who owns land is going to give permission to take a firearm onto his property to someone he's never met before who just bowls up and asks.

The fact that the OP seems only to be able to see one side of the equation ("don't see why I should [pay] when I would be doing them a favour clearing pests for them") is enough for me to be worried already.

You need to take time on this. You need to develop trust, to show that you are someone who will not just cause a lot of trouble for people.

I'm afraid the answer from me would be a flat 'No' as well.

 

[Martyn]

Well he could have started with an introduction!

Nobody with any sense and who owns land is going to give permission to take a firearm onto his property to someone he's never met before who just bowls up and asks.

The fact that the OP seems only to be able to see one side of the equation ("don't see why I should [pay] when I would be doing them a favour clearing pests for them") is enough for me to be worried already.

You need to take time on this. You need to develop trust, to show that you are someone who will not just cause a lot of trouble for people.

I'm afraid the answer from me would be a flat 'No' as well.

I agree with Ged on this.

I have the opposite problem, I recently got offered a shoot but had to turn it down as I dont have a gun at the moment. But the shoot was offered to me because I know the landowner and have done for years. I think any landowner would much rather go with someone they know, or a friend of someone, or any trusted recommendation from someone they know than a total stranger - and landowners are not usually short of friends with guns. You have to get into the community. Join a shooting club, HFT or whatever and tackle it from the inside.

 

[gregor-scott]

Try the local golf courses too, I used to be a greenskeeper and we hated rabbits for digging the greens up but there were very few people around we could get to shoot them.

 

[Bushwhacker]

The 'right' way being.....

Landowners don't particularly like strangers driving up and down outside their property and asking questions.
Putting flyers on gates won't endear you to anyone either.

I think the only right way is getting to know people.

Try the local golf courses too, I used to be a greenskeeper and we hated rabbits for digging the greens up but there were very few people around we could get to shoot them.

It's always worth a go. I had someone approach me last week to clear a golf course. They said the air rifle boys weren't touching them and could I bring out my ferrets.

 

[Graham11987]

Ged - I apologise for not intruducing myself.

I am 24 years old, I have experience of shooting since I was 13, I achieved marksman with a .22 rifle while in the ACF and used to regularly go rabbit hunting with a friend of my fathers. I am currently the Assistant Accountant at Mercedes-Benz of North Yorkshire. I have prospects of becoming the Market Area Accountant in the next couple of years (not an assumption). I am a mature and extremely responsible person in a position of trust.

Intro done.

I'd like to explain why I refuse to pay to shoot on someone's land. To me it is a matter of principle. The way I see it is yes the land owner would be doing me a favour letting me shoot on their land, however I would in turn be doing them a favour by keeping their pests under control. Therefore a you scratch my back, I scratch yours situation. If people did not offer to shoot their land then they would either have to do it themselves which costs them money or they would have to hire a gamekeeper/ pest controller, again costing them money.

I have found 1 shooting club in the York area, however it would cost around £150 to join which would be an irresponsible amount for me to spend since we have just moved into a bungalow a few of months ago (so money is a little tighter than usual ATM) and my fiancée is now being made redundant.

I would have personally thought that the fact I was asking would be a credit to me. If I was irresponsible and untrustworthy would I not simply just go on the land and poach?

I'd like to thank everyone for their advice so far.

 

[sandsnakes]

May I suggest that you approach a land owner and ask them if they would mind you walking their land, taking appropriate care of crops and etc, with a set of binoculars. This will start a relationship and a conversation, tell them your looking at birds, foxes etc. This will show reposibility and respect for the land. At some point you can mention you used to do a spot of rabbit control with an air rifle and are a member of BASC etc. By the time you have walked his fields a dozen times, given him a brew, talked foxes and rabbits he will probably say, well if you want a bag a few the west, east, north, south paddock is over run with the them.

This will take time, but you will be learning your ground, thinking about the best spots to hunker down and earning trust. Give him a bottle of scotch at christmas.


I have a pal up in cambridgeshire, nothing made him more freaked out than a 'nutter with a rifle' asking him if he could shoot on his land!

 

[mrcharly]

graham, I'd suggest speaking to the gamekeepers. I'm from York myself and I know for a fact that some of the local gamekeepers get asked to help clear off rabbits from farms - sometimes they go, sometimes they send their son's with friends. Maybe ferretting, maybe using air rifles.

I used to live on a boat a few miles upstream of york. On the opposite bank to my mooring there is a rough shoot, used by a bunch of effing morons. They would shoot over the river (illegal), and even drew up on a duck flying above my boat - they swung their gun up traversing my boat - it was pointed directly at my wife at one point - and fired over the boat. So some farmers are a bit hesitant about shooters.

Try the gamekeepers. Sorry I don't have any contact numbers for you.

 

[huffhuff]

Speaking from personal experience, there are many avenues you can take - some work, some don't. The obvious ones you have tried, but whacking posters or leaflets on farmers gates isn't something I would advise. I agree with some comments above, but not others.

I have gained lots of permission, by simply asking face-to-face. 2 recent farmers didn't know me from Adam. But, I came prepared with a simple letter with all my details on including my BASC insurance. I had passed the farms many times, always noting what kind of times the rabbits were out, or where the pigeons were causing most damage. Maybe it was that knowledge that swayed them, maybe it was the fact I obviously knew what I was talking about, or maybe it was because I could provide 'references' from other local farms/garden centres/golf courses. Whilst on that farm, I noticed the farm over the way was being decimated by bunnies. Plus one evening I heard a few fox barks. I could see they had lots of chickens, so one day I accidentally bumped into him. I mentioned how I shoot over the road and I had noticed the rabbits and foxes. I didn't ask him outright, but more mentioned it in passing. A week later he phoned - a couple of chickens had been taken. 2 days later, one dead charlie.

One big swaying point you might like to consider, is mid-week control. Lots of land owners get bombarded with people wanting to shoot, but are only available at weekends. That's no good this time of year for example, you need to be available as and when the need arises. I also know many people that pay to shoot. There are many pigeon syndicates around - and fair play to the farmer/land owner. If they can charge for permission and people pay - then happy days all around (land owner gets something out of it, so do the people shooting - as in, they are not considering selling up their gun).

Have you tried 'pigeon watch'? They have a section there where you can ask for permission - not saying you'll get any. But if you're lucky, you'll find somebody in your area that doesn't mind taking you out with them. In the last few months, I have taken 4 people out. It's still my permission and they are only there on invite, but it's a win win situation really.

Keep plodding on though chap and you will eventually find something. I do keep reading lots of people are having problems gaining new permission, so you are not the only one. But unfortunately, being limited only to air rifle is maybe a negative for the majority of places you are enquiring. But use that to your advantage - contact local stables or livery farms. The fact you have a silent weapon, not prone to ricochet may be what they are looking for. Horses being injured by rabbit holes and scrapes is a big issue...

PM if you want any other info.

 

[adestu]

i have found that hanging out in my local gunshop,befriend the owner,help out.i had 500 buisness cards made that i hand out.left a plie in the shop and shop windows.talk to anyone,anywhere.i made conversation at a boot sale i was selling at to a guy and got round to his rabbit problem.i now have four permmisions to cover which i think is enough.dont stop asking,never lose hope that no matter how small a permission.one of mine is about two acres but lots of rabbits.email farmers,fruit farms,large houses with big gardens.contact local contractors who do gardening,harvesting for that foot in the door.chin up and good luck.
ade

 

[British Red]

The other one is offer to beat at a local shoot(s). Its the one place where shooters, landowners and gamekeepers congregate. Do it a few times and offer to help the gamekeeper with de-bitting poults and setting out the next year. Share around a brew. Get in with NOBs (National Organisation of Beaters and Pickers Up). Mention you would enjoy the experience of some shooting. Pretty much guranteed you will get offered a ride along on a lamping session or the like once they know you are interested and polite.

 

[joehoskin]

hi im joe i live in cornwall and i love ferreting the only problem i have is that i dont have any where to go any more , because i ferreted it out , and also the friend i used to go with has moved away so i am looking for some where to go and some one to go with. can any one please help.

 

[veryWildbill]

After loosing my permission (of 10 years) last summer due to a change of ownership I had so much trouble trying to find a new one I sold the airrifle and bought a canoe. If nothing turns up soon the 22lr will be next to go.

Good luck with your search.

 

[Dougster]

I have spent the last four years following a chap when he shoots, I've shown a great deal of interest in what he does, my wife has been his translator at twinning meetings and it transpired I taught his grandson. I have also been buying carcasses off him.

Recently he actually got down to writing on a bit of paper that he would take me stalking with him and within a fortnight I was zeroing my .243 on his land.

I've helped clear fly tipping with him, collected live traps for him and taken beer around, he's been for lunch a few times.

That's what it took to get a permission, he's introducing me to friends now.

I hang around my gunshop a lot chatting, they mentioned they had a wood burner so I take them a lot of kindling from the workshop.....

You see where this is going, they don't give a monkeys that I have a degree or what my career prospects are, it does help I can sign photos for their passports but I've been scratching backs for a long time before I got where I am.

Good luck.

 

[Tommy2]

Is that mercedes @ Pannal?