Will a letter from the farm foreman be sufficient?

Joshua

Well-Known Member
As I'm now applying for my FAC, I understand I will need a letter of permission from the landowner. At the estate I shoot on, and have done for many years, it is actually the farm foreman/manager who decides who shoots and who doesn't. He gives the permission and he takes it way and frankly decides what goes on, and in all the four years that I've been shooting there, I've hardly ever seen the actual landowner. Will a signed letter from the foreman be sufficient or will I have to go directly to the owner?

Thanks in advance!

Josh:)
 
I would reckon any such letter would have to include the information that the foreman / baillif has been delegated the legal powers of the owner, just to be sure.
 
I would reckon any such letter would have to include the information that the foreman / baillif has been delegated the legal powers of the owner, just to be sure.


I'm not sure if the foreman has any delegated power or not. He just gives the permission.
 
I would then suggest you ask him formally if he has the legal right to give shooting rights, if he says no, you need the owners clarification, if he says yes then he should mention that fact in his letter.
 
I would say the answer is yes he has the power. The letter shows two things. One, the police has the knowledge you can shoot there. Without complaint there is no dispute. The second would be the complaint from the land owner. The letter shows that you atre there with the permission of HIS agent. To you all he can do is recind the permission. It is like a keeper asking you to shoot foxes. You don't need a letter from the Duke.
Jim
 
I was in a similar situation to yourself Joshua. When applying for my FAC I included a letter from the chap who takes me stalking on paid days over land which he leases the stalking rights, which I think is over different farms. My FLO was more than happy with that. I think your foreman should be fine if has controls who shoots and who doesn't. If that's the case the local FLO will know of him anyway I suspect.
 
Jimbo, unfortunately, a word from the keeper in these litigation oriented times is no longer enough, & I would certainly not advise a fresh shooter to go out & about without full knowledge of his legal standing, I have been on ground where "Foremen" have given instructions to people & stuff has gone pearshaped, then the "Foreman" has reverted to his correct capacity of just another worker who had zero authority regarding running of the property, written permission from the proper authority is needed as "Ignorance" is no defence.
 
For the five years I've shot the esate I've only met the landowner twice, so it might be a bit difficult in that respect. It was the foreman/manager who gave me the permission. I was lucky in the fact that I didn't go looking for it either, I was just given it. The guys a good friend of mine and he's done an awful amount for my shooting. I've known him since a boy.
 
The thing is it has to be in writing. The onus is then on the police to check the authenticity of the permission. Usually by phone they will contact the manager/foreman. He is putting his head in the noose if he lies to police. His job is on the line if he is allowing firearms onto the ground if it is outwith his remit. When you knock on the farmers door offering your services do you ask if he owns the farm. The police are looking for a letter from the authorised person controlling that piece of ground. My ground comes from the leaseholder on a forestry block. I have not seen the lease but if asked to do so he, not me, would have to prove authority,
Jim
 
The thing is it has to be in writing. The onus is then on the police to check the authenticity of the permission. Usually by phone they will contact the manager/foreman. He is putting his head in the noose if he lies to police. His job is on the line if he is allowing firearms onto the ground if it is outwith his remit. When you knock on the farmers door offering your services do you ask if he owns the farm. The police are looking for a letter from the authorised person controlling that piece of ground. My ground comes from the leaseholder on a forestry block. I have not seen the lease but if asked to do so he, not me, would have to prove authority,
Jim

Correct the onus is on him not you.
 
hate to point out the obvious, but i would be asking this question directly to my FLA not on an open forum. just give them a ring and "pop the question"

Skipp.
 
I'm not sure if the foreman has any delegated power or not. He just gives the permission.

You can gain permission to shoot on land from the manager as he is delegated by the landowner. If you have it in writing, there is only one person that the police will go after.
 
When I applied for a deer legal calibre the police accepted a written permission letter from the deer manager of the land I would be shooting deer on. They did check he was the manager but when I applied for my first FAC to my knowledge they never approached any of my references or the owners of the land I could shoot on! Best to have it in writing as it clears your back if anything goes wrong.

Mick
 
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