I am always surprised to hear these stories. As a relative inexperienced beginner (been shooting for just 5 years) I manage to get prime Cotswolds land offered to me to stalk on without any money changing hands, to the point where I now pass the request on to others who I know and trust and who are looking for more land. Yes, I did struggle when I started with deer stalking, but getting the DSC1 was helpful and now having the LANTRA L2 and DSC2 has been very helpful. When I struggled and had lots of doors closed in my face I got some guys together and started a DMG - the DMG has had backing and involvement from our local Police, the Cotswolds AONB, The National Trust, Conservation Charities etc. etc - and with the help of those credentials you will slowly get there. Whether this particular DMG is going to be viable long-term remains to be seen but on a personal level it has helped me and a few trusted members to reach our objectives.
Yes, you do need to show commitment, help out with some jobs on the land, show yourself to be reliable and honest, but most importantly I think you need to show you have qualifications and be totally 100% non-commercial. You have to agree with a landowner that you don't have to pay; you don't get paid by the landowner; you stay well away from 'trophy-hunting'; you don't bring shooting clients; you don't sell any venison so don't gain financially from the asset you take off the land; you bring the farmer/landowner a regular supply of butchered and nicely packed and clearly labelled venison; and you make the farmer/landowner understand that you do them a service by controlling the deer.
And most importantly: You have to do what the landowner wants you to do. It is his land and his deer, after all.
