How I Got My First Permission

[Will B 1]

Hi,

 

As newbee to the forum and someone who is just getting back into shooting Air rifles (and the odd spell of shotgun stuff when invited) I thought I would share my experience of how today I was given my first proper permission to shoot on a small farm right on my doorstep.

 

(A bit of back ground first) About 9 months ago I was invited to by a someone I pumped into through work to go and do a bit of air rifle target shooting, some clays, then a bit of rough shooting in the afternoon. I had shot as a young'un, my dad rented a workshop on a farm where we also lived and he had his own trap. We me moved when I was about 12 and I hadn't shot much since.

 

Fast forward 22 years and after this day's shooting I was hooked again - got myself an AA s410 and no where to shoot other than this chaps permission an hour and a half away, and the folks large garden.

 

So here is what I did in order to get on the pests!

 

I came to this site downloaded a letter from one of the threads and started writing to farms and golf clubs following up with phone calls. Had lots of really polite people saying good letter but they already had "guns" on the land.

 

Now I walk my dog on a farm 5 mins from my house it's small and run by and old boy. Any way I made it my mission to "bump into him" I found out his name did name then gave the dog as many walks as I could fit in! (before any one comments he was getting at least a mile or two a day anyway)

 

Eventually one morning I saw him struggling with a fence post I duly went of greeted him as "Mr xxx" to show some respect and offered a hand. I didn't mention shooting I just chewed the cud chatting about the weather, crops, cattle and such like. Over the course of a few months I'd see him from time to time and as his barley started to grow the crows and pigeon were hitting him hard. I pointed this out and explained I shot. I thought this had to be a dead cert and I was told "Im sorry already got a bloke"

 

So I said I would drop him a note with my number in case anything changed. So I took the letter I had previously downloaded from here and tailored it a bit and dropped a copy through his door along with a copy of my insurance. I said I was not wanting to tread on any toes but if anything changed etc etc.

 

I see the farmer around and continue to chat about the weather, crops, cows and pests. I never pushed the shooting again. Then this morning I see him in his tractor and he stops and comes over for a chat and I hear the magic words "My bloke ain't really shooting now you may as well bring your gun up" I thanks him ask him what he drinks and said I would drop round with permission slips later today!

 

For me the core things I learnt to getting this permission were:

 

Don't just talk shooting all the time, If you are chatting to a farmer know the difference between straw, hay, silage, wheat and barley etc. They can smell a "towny" a mile off! So even if you are a not from a farming background learn a bit about it and you will gain some credibility.

 

Try and target smaller farms as in my experience the larger farms that already have shoots with employed keepers are even harder to get air rifle shooting on.

 

Don't be pushy bide your time and keep asking about.

 

Lastly timing and approach seems to be key when I saw him today there were pest birds everywhere.

 

 

 

 

[Will B 1]

When I say "pumped into" obviously I mean "bumped into"

[perthshire keeper 1,239]

spot on with all of it, i some times do a round of my farms just for craic and a catch up, farmers love nothing more than a good winge! about every thing. get them talking and your away

[gosling1960 191]

What a great write up and credit to yourself for the way you approached the farmer.

[The one 8,583]

Aye if you can talk to them with out bullshitting them your on to a good thing there itching to talk to folk must get boring working yourself all day

[baw 4,360]

Excellent advice mate, it should be pinned. Summer is always the best time to gain permission when the farmers enemy is plenty. Have as much arrows to your bow regarding hunting skills as you can. If you see crows and pigeons, tell them you shoot. Rabbits, you ferret. Always gain trust for a few months before asking about brining inch a dog, if you've never seen a farmers face turn red with rage, wait till you walk up to the wrong one asking for lurcher permission lol.

[Will B 1]

Excellent advice mate, it should be pinned. Summer is always the best time to gain permission when the farmers enemy is plenty. Have as much arrows to your bow regarding hunting skills as you can. If you see crows and pigeons, tell them you shoot. Rabbits, you ferret. Always gain trust for a few months before asking about brining inch a dog, if you've never seen a farmers face turn red with rage, wait till you walk up to the wrong one asking for lurcher permission lol.

 

I agree about the dog side of things I always made sure mine was put back on a lead when I was stood chatting and that I picked up dog mess - That subject really made him annoyed - especially the idiots who put it in a bag but then choose to throw it in his hedge!