Toby,good luck !
Just be yourself and be genuine with the landowners.don`t take on more than you can handle, and be honest with the landowners .
I got a v one of the best patches in the country for certain species and I had a so called "friend" who I had got the permission with me, try to nick it off me behind my back,but he came unstuck as the landowner, told him to he was happy as it was,dealing with it through me.I was so lucky that I`d been straight with the farmer there ! And the so called "friend" is a leading member of a local deer management society !!!!!! I resigned as secretary from the society as soon as the farmer told me what had happened !
As I moving away soon,I have given it to a very good friend who is a 100% bloke, he`s worth giving it to !( dont let it go to yer head Blaser 3006 !!!)
The 3 types of "stalkers" (and I use that term loosley) who seem to have the large acreages are either, 1.folks with loads of £ or 2. arseholes who nick it, shoot it out (with no thoughts of management) and move on.or 3, genuine stalkers who care about management.
The trouble is, alot of landowners aren`t too concerned with management, as the have a problem with wildlife and want it dealt with,so they have whoever relieves their problems quickest !
In my area, it`s quite difficult to interest a farmer in cull plans, he just sees alot of deer or whatever and wants them got rid of, so, you may have to be seen to pleaseing the farmer first and operate your own cull plan quietly ,not trying to get the farmer involved with it. And as long as the farmer can see your doing something and you get on ok with him, (a joint of meat now and again doesn`t go amiss) you should be ok.
As for the antis, I drove a cattle truck all over Europe for best part of 20 yrs and I always found the easiest way to deal with them is to ask them to explain their argument in a civilized manner..... They can`t !!!!
all they can do is bawl and shout, don`t be scared of them, if you are, they are winning ! I`ll never let those prats win neither will I let the arsehole stalkers win either !!!!!