as a rule, i start the 1st of september, but this year ive got a new pup ready to start so am gonna start once august gets hear,just a little and often, just to stack the odds slightly in the pups favour, as regards to permission, i like many on here have worked hard to get it and work even harder to keep it, so if the farmer says go, i go,coz if you dont theres always someone else will step in. i prefer not to simply because the ground is like concrete and its far too hot, as a rule if i have to go out in the off season i generally take either the .22 or the .223 depending on what needs done,