Permissions, if you don't ask you don't get.

devon deer stalker

Well-Known Member
Hi All,
I often hear fellow deer stalkers complaining that no land is available anymore for stalking, well it just isn't the case.
I picked up a new farm last year by recommendation, 500+ acres.
But i have had my eye on an area for some time, only 100 acres but steep valleys (typical Devon!) surrounded by woodland, and made tentative enquiries without approaching the farmer directly, the same answer kept coming back, 'oh deer stalker ..... has shot there for years', but i had never heard any shots or seen any other stalkers on the land.
So i was driving past the farm this week and saw the farmer working, got chatting and asked the question, 'does anyone control the deer on your farm?' i was very surprised when the answer came back, 'nope, we stopped the other stalker coming nearly 10 years ago (i didn't ask why), do you want to shoot my deer?' so i guess you know what my answer was!
So don't despair, there are still farms out there with nobody stalking, just ask!
Cheers
Richard
 
Hi All,
I often hear fellow deer stalkers complaining that no land is available anymore for stalking, well it just isn't the case.
I picked up a new farm last year by recommendation, 500+ acres.
But i have had my eye on an area for some time, only 100 acres but steep valleys (typical Devon!) surrounded by woodland, and made tentative enquiries without approaching the farmer directly, the same answer kept coming back, 'oh deer stalker ..... has shot there for years', but i had never heard any shots or seen any other stalkers on the land.
So i was driving past the farm this week and saw the farmer working, got chatting and asked the question, 'does anyone control the deer on your farm?' i was very surprised when the answer came back, 'nope, we stopped the other stalker coming nearly 10 years ago (i didn't ask why), do you want to shoot my deer?' so i guess you know what my answer was!
So don't despair, there are still farms out there with nobody stalking, just ask!
Cheers
Richard

I have the same experience, farmers telling me that nobody has ever asked them for permission to shoot on their land.
As a novice stalker I am quite happy with land which may not hold that much deer but gives me the opportunity to get some experience. And for free.
One thing leads to another and before you know you get an introduction to the neighbours.
And than there are farms/estates that have been 'managed' by a stalker who has taken on so much land that he can't cope and never shows up.
An approach now may not result in permission now, but may be productive in one or two years time...
For example I went to see a farmer who owns a large woodland opposite my house and left all my details, never heard from him again. However a year later I got a call and an invite to join his professional pest controller for a few outings.
Tenacity pays off.... Slowly slowly catchy monkey.
 
Another fellow stalker off here, just picked up 1000acres in Cornwall , just for the asking
 
I just picked up rabbiting permission on 350 acres. On the way out was asked if I am licenced to shoot deer?? happy days. Getting rabbits or foxes is a good way to get your foot in the door.
​Atb Steve
 
Another fellow stalker off here, just picked up 1000acres in Cornwall , just for the asking

Well that's a bit of rarity, most of the ground down here is either
A) sewn up tight
or
B) every Tom Dick and Harry shoots it
or
C)crap ground with nothing much on it
 
Well that's a bit of rarity, most of the ground down here is either
A) sewn up tight
or
B) every Tom Dick and Harry shoots it
or
C)crap ground with nothing much on it
That's what i'm saying, you might assume its sewn up but just occasionally it isn't.

Another fellow stalker off here, just picked up 1000acres in Cornwall , just for the asking
Blimey, that must be half of Cornwall!

Cheers

Richard
 
Hi All,
I often hear fellow deer stalkers complaining that no land is available anymore for stalking, well it just isn't the case.
I picked up a new farm last year by recommendation, 500+ acres.
But i have had my eye on an area for some time, only 100 acres but steep valleys (typical Devon!) surrounded by woodland, and made tentative enquiries without approaching the farmer directly, the same answer kept coming back, 'oh deer stalker ..... has shot there for years', but i had never heard any shots or seen any other stalkers on the land.
So i was driving past the farm this week and saw the farmer working, got chatting and asked the question, 'does anyone control the deer on your farm?' i was very surprised when the answer came back, 'nope, we stopped the other stalker coming nearly 10 years ago (i didn't ask why), do you want to shoot my deer?' so i guess you know what my answer was!
So don't despair, there are still farms out there with nobody stalking, just ask!
Cheers
Richard

Totally true as if you don' ask you wont get. I do beleive now that there is a large portion of luck involved and money is starting to talk more and more as farmers etc.. are soon learning how big and a cry for help/ land is required out there. I'n all's honesty if I clearly hand the £'sssssss i would say no.
 
Totally true as if you don' ask you wont get. I do beleive now that there is a large portion of luck involved and money is starting to talk more and more as farmers etc.. are soon learning how big and a cry for help/ land is required out there. I'n all's honesty if I clearly hand the £'sssssss i would say no.
Weeman, sorry i didnt make that clear, no money changed hands, but i always look after the farmers whose land i shoot over one way or another, i treat people as i would like to be treated in their position.
Cheers
Richard
 
If the was ever a time to ask, it would be now.
It seams to be on the telly every day, a door won't open if you don't knock on it.

​Good luck
 
Weeman, sorry i didnt make that clear, no money changed hands, but i always look after the farmers whose land i shoot over one way or another, i treat people as i would like to be treated in their position.
Cheers
Richard

I'm not saying you did mate and I'm sure like all we always look after the folk that give. Its just those who do charge are puttings fees up.

A little while back a stalker who I don't know offered 10 % to the farmer more than what my mate was paying, but pleaseingly the farmer declined as he didn't like his attitude and isn't money motivated.

I was offered a place in a small syndicate few years back, it contained four stalkers with lucky to take 4 roe each, I averaged it out due to the terrain etc 1 roe in four visits each, we was quoted off the land owner £2500 = £625 a pieace and he wanted the carcasses but we had first refusal to purchase them. I worked it out as I'm tight as cramp includeing fuel etc work out around £250 ish with several trips etc for the price of each roe taken excludeing purchase of carcass. None of us took him up on the offer.
 

Seems there's plenty of roe on it.
He's very lucky if he's found 1000 acres of un-stalked, good quality Roe ground in Cornwall for free, like I said "its a rarity"
You could easily spend a week knocking doors round here and come up with nothing.
 
Nice one, there are lots of bits that haven't got anyone stalking but you have to hit lucky at times. Get the farmer on the right day when he has been seeing plenty about and noticed damage and you might be surprised. Some take a lot to build up trust, a local one here booted someone on here off when he caught him shooting muntjac instead of the rabbits and foxes agreed after experiences like it you realise why they don't just let anyone on at the drop of a hat. Others reserve it for beaters and friends but you find once you breech that circle and become known to them you start getting invites rather than having to ask. Round here this year the fallow have trashed large areas of woodland removing most of the bramble on lots of game shoots so the opportunities have been opening up all over the place its just about getting lucky.
 
my advise is too not always think big i had twenty acres of rough land with a few fallow on it and no vehicle access every deer shot involved a nightmare of carcase extraction, after a few years of keeping the land owner happy he mentioned he had spoke to his neighbour got that bit as well another twenty acres.After a few years my areas have grown all through word of mouth with no knocking on doors from me and I now take a good number of fallow each year.I have one area of a hundred and twenty acres that is made up from five landowners.
 
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