Getting a foot in…

[Huntsman92]

Seeking advice on getting access…

I’m very keen to take this seriously, having come from a country upbringing I am genuinely interested in managing our natural resource, came to shooting from wanting to put well sourced meat on the table and am not shy about putting in the hard work… but surely it can’t be this difficult to get opportunities!?

I am serving armed forces, completed DSC1, completed additional guided stalking at great expense, final got my FAC for .308 and shotgun while based in Northern Ireland, have applied to DDM (2yr waiting list!). Recently relocated to Aldershot and am seriously struggling to find opportunity / permission for land to shoot over that isn’t going to cost an arm and a leg.

I am not a tourist to the ‘sport’ that wants pictures next to bucks, just access to well sourced meat and to give back to the community. I want this to form a key part of my and my families lifestyle, but I’m close to packing it in.

What am I doing wrong?

Yours

H

 

[artschool]

sounds like you are doing nothing wrong.

 

[VSS]

Getting your first bit of ground takes time. Be patient.
Once you've got one bit, more will just fall into your lap, provided you do a good job.
Landowners talk to each other.

 

[Tim.243]

Seeking advice on getting access…

I’m very keen to take this seriously, having come from a country upbringing I am genuinely interested in managing our natural resource, came to shooting from wanting to put well sourced meat on the table and am not shy about putting in the hard work… but surely it can’t be this difficult to get opportunities!?

I am serving armed forces, completed DSC1, completed additional guided stalking at great expense, final got my FAC for .308 and shotgun while based in Northern Ireland, have applied to DDM (2yr waiting list!). Recently relocated to Aldershot and am seriously struggling to find opportunity / permission for land to shoot over that isn’t going to cost an arm and a leg.

I am not a tourist to the ‘sport’ that wants pictures next to bucks, just access to well sourced meat and to give back to the community. I want this to form a key part of my and my families lifestyle, but I’m close to packing it in.

What am I doing wrong?

Yours

H

Start with rabbits pigeons foxes, harvest is starting soon so all 3 will be visible when the crops are cut. Those 3 are your best route to the Kings Deer.
You can eat rabbit/pigeon, in fact my friend makes me rabbit mince as he has a lot of my pigeons and it is very nice bit of fine onion/chillies in the mix. flour and fry

Try not to go to the farmhouse 12.45-2pm He will be having his dinner.
Don't go dressed tip to toe in camo.
1 farm I shot pigeons and foxes for 3 years then was given the nod for deer.

 

[75]

There's probably be a post along very soon saying it's all about money. I generally disagree with this (although there are clearly exceptions). My experience is trust trumps money every time. So you need to find a way to build trust with landowners / keepers etc, be that through working in agriculture, beating, picking up etc. It will take time but it is how I have got a foot in the door on pretty much all of my ground over the years. You are in a very highly populated area of the country though so there will be lots of competition so be patient - 2 years waiting list for DDM may well be the fastest route; don't expect to be given permission after a couple of days beating.

And as @VSS says - landowners talk. Do a good job on one farm and there's a fair chance your name will come up in conversation when the neighbouring farmer is complaining about "those bloody deer".

 

[geoshot]

In the south/southeast there's a lot of demand for shooting and limited supply, so, it is to some extent a matter of being prepared to pay for it - at least in the early days
Free or low cost stalking in this part of the world is very hard to come by, for the above reason
It took me a while to get my first bit of stalking by invite, and only a short while after that to lose a bit of ground to someone who was prepared to pay way more than I was for the access
But, as 75, Tim243 & VSS have said, be prepared to put the work in, be careful about your approach to landowners and you might get yourself access - eventually
Sad to say it, but, in the early days you probably are going to have to pay one way or another (guided stalks/syndicates/direct to landowner) in this part of the world

 

[Heym SR20]

Build experience, take guided stalking. I grew up in South Oxfordshire. Farming friends down there get inundated with endless requests for permissions to go stalking. It takes time and patience, but guided stalking builds experience but with no long term commitment. However there are guides and there are guides …..

 

[maximus otter]

You’re doing nothing wrong. The issue is that we live in a small, overcrowded, over-legislated country; a land where “Everything not compulsory is forbidden.”

Your scenario is repeated time and again in posts on this forum, and l wish to God that there was a simple, guaranteed solution: There isn’t.

My only suggestion is to network like crazy. You have ten friends, each of them has ten friends, each of them… Put your name about, and ensure that your mates do too. Sooner or later it will reach the right ear.

My route to my permissions? I did the above. One day at her work, a colleague of my wife’s mentioned to her that she rode her horse on a friend’s farm, and was fed up of deer appearing and spooking her mount. My wife pounced, the colleague got me face to face with the farmer, and l got 640 acres!

A while later, Farmer B mentioned to Farmer A that he was cheesed off by the number of CWD munching his crops. Farmer A replied, “An ex-bobby shoots them for free on my land…” Boom! Another 300 acres.

Keep at it. Join BASC if you haven’t already. Consider going for DSC.1 (qualifications and insurance are very reassuring to landowners.)

Good luck!

maximus otter

 

[Mike1979]

Just confirming what the other guys have said really. Dont assume you will walk onto a farm and get permission to shoot deer, look at the other aspects of pest control like foxes, crows, pigeons and start there...hopefully over time the deer will follow.

I have been shooting for over 35 years and have a lot of ground that I work hard to look after ...but there are virtually no deer. I shoot with a friend who has lots of deer...but its a 5 hour drive and I go 5 or 6 times a year and am prepared to do this both as I get to see a good mate and shoot all his deer Plenty of people who want to shoot deer but arent prepared to put in the hard word to do so.

Good luck and keep going

 

[purdeydog]

You’re doing nothing wrong. However your expectations maybe slightly displaced.

No one is going to give you stalking and certainly not a patch you can stalk on at will. I know you’re not asking that.

Large amounts of land is tided up by just a few and they don’t like sharing in general, especially in Hampshire.

A lot of land is owned by wealthy family’s and businesses. They can’t take a risk on a new person they don’t know messing up. Often who ever is running the shooting on an area of land, they need to know beyond your stalking skill that your not a clown. Land owners couldn’t care less about stalking certificates. They just want to know your sensible, safe and capable.

Try getting in on some pheasant beating, it’s a tried and tested way and works. Plenty of shoots near your way.

I’m not far from your at all. In the winter I may be able to get you an outings on the does.

 

[wb2710]

If you are still serving, try the DDM (Defence Deer Management route), they look after MOD land and ranges (think Salisbury and Catterick type areas but UK wide).
I'm no longer serving so have no contact details but someone within your unit will be able to help, could start with Humane Resources or the PTI's.
They should have a full training programme to bring you up to speed on. Most are serving or former serving Military or Civil Servants.

 

[charlie222]

From your op you say you want it to be part of your lifestyle. How about learning a new skill that you can offer to farmers? For instance up here if you approached a farmer and said 'i see you got a wall down, I've learnt to dry stone wall recently but rarely get a chance to use the skill can I rebuild it' they are highly likely to say yes because they've very little to loose and finding a couple of hours to gap walls is hard for them. The same could be said for hedge laying. As previously mentioned, once you're on good terms with one landowner the rest will follow, you just need to find a imaginative way to get in. Good luck, stick with it.

 

[kenbro]

You’re doing nothing wrong. The issue is that we live in a small, overcrowded, over-legislated country; a land where “Everything not compulsory is forbidden.”

Your scenario is repeated time and again in posts on this forum, and l wish to God that there was a simple, guaranteed solution: There isn’t.

My only suggestion is to network like crazy. You have ten friends, each of them has ten friends, each of them… Put your name about, and ensure that your mates do too. Sooner or later it will reach the right ear.

My route to my permissions? I did the above. One day at her work, a colleague of my wife’s mentioned to her that she rode her horse on a friend’s farm, and was fed up of deer appearing and spooking her mount. My wife pounced, the colleague got me face to face with the farmer, and l got 640 acres!

A while later, Farmer B mentioned to Farmer A that he was cheesed off by the number of CWD munching his crops. Farmer A replied, “An ex-bobby shoots them for free on my land…” Boom! Another 300 acres.

Keep at it. Join BASC if you haven’t already. Consider going for DSC.1 (qualifications and insurance are very reassuring to landowners.)

Good luck!

maximus otter

If you read his thread starter you will see he has a DSC1.
K.

 

[Scotty99]

As others have said you are doing nothing wrong, it just takes patience, hard work and resilience all of which I’m sure you have developed well in the forces. Keep at it, don’t give up. Book paid for stalking in the short term to gain more experience and to keep the interest and momentum going.

Take on any form of vermin and pest control you can rats, squirrels, pigeons, corvids and foxes. Get yourself a PCP air rifle as lots of farmers and small holders have vermin problems around their outbuildings and it’s easier for them to give air rifle permission that for a powerful centre fire rifle. Take whatever opportunities you can to get started and see where it leads.

If you’re not already a member of BASC join if only to get the £10M public liability insurance that will put a lot of landowners minds at rest when you get started. Get some business cards printed that say what you are looking for and what you have I.e DSC 1 and BASC insurance include an email address and mobile number. These are useful to leave with farmers and landowners at the end of your initial conversation, they may not want to give you permission straight away but may mull it over first and then contact you later, usually after a fox has shown up or a herd of fallow have moved in and damaged fencing and crops.

I have done all of the above and now have land in various stages of permission development, some where I have permission to shoot deer, others where it’s foxing only and no deer but deer are present and one where it’s squirrels only and only with an air rifle.

If you are still struggling come the doe season PM me and I’ll see if I can get you a stalk on Fallow does in Worcestershire.

Best of luck.

 

[Chris Richardson]

Getting your first bit of ground takes time. Be patient.
Once you've got one bit, more will just fall into your lap, provided you do a good job.
Landowners talk to each other.

And that’s the rub provided you do a good job ! As you say landowners talk to eachother and it’s all about trust , but the amount of stalkers I’ve taken out or offered to take out who are either useless or “ busy “ is insane , then in the next breath they say they want their own ground

 

[Spear Chucker]

Watch "Kind Hearts and Coronets" for inspiration. Make friends with a stalker. Find out where he stalks. The rest-as they say- is easy.