Issue with nearby Landowner

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12gsnapcaps

12gsnapcaps

Well-Known Member
I shoot over about 300 acres, I have an open ticket.

Three landowners have the land between them, none of them mind me shooting. They're all top blokes and I get on with them and their families.

A fourth landowner is a very difficult man and is just a pain. He's a townie that's moved to the countryside and has more money than sense.

He doesn't like me shooting and makes things up to the other landowners. First it was that I was 'shooting towards his wife in the dark: (I was 400 yards away, it wasnt even dark and I was shooting the opposite direction to his property!)

Today hes contacted two of the other three landowners and said that a 'bullet whizzed past his head' - which is ballistically impossible as I was shooting a 17HMR a MILE away from his farmhouse at an angle Into the ground - oh and at a hardox 500 plate!

I don't know what to do about this guy, he's already causing drama and I fear one or two of my three landowners are going to tell me to stop shooting as it's just not worth the stress and hassle to them.

Any advice is welcomed!!
 
Soft skills would be my suggestion. See if you can strike a conversation, maybe invite him over for some fine venison and wine or offer him a nice slice of venison. Talk to him about the deer, take him out glassing, get him to sit on a highseat or out on a day to give him a feel for things and maybe he might come around and actually be a stalker. There might also be opportunities for either some rough shooting or clays, all of which might help with his understanding of firearms and in my view its usually the fear of a firearm and all the negative press that scares people. Whatever you do, keep smiling and agree to some of the stuff he says which can always be corrected later. Also better to do some damage limitation with the current neighbours as well.
 
I already have! I've been over and offered him some beers, he shouted at me from behind his gate and then walked back inside. offered him firewood and he never replied to me. He has my number and yet he never messages me if he has a problem, he goes to the other landowners. Not sure what more I can do.
 
firstly I would approach your 3 land owners and ask them if they have any concerns and what they would like you to do about it. Then I would be tempted to ring the police before you go shooting and inform them of your intentions and that they may get a call from a neighbour that has a tendency to lie.
Then you can let him make a fool of himself?
 
Should I contact my FEO and make him aware of this situation? I've thought about it in the past but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot here.
 
Convince other landowners to put in a good word with some assurance from their side and also see if they can try to get him to state what his concern is. If he's one of those deer huggers or vegans, then I am out of options. Else if you could figure out what he likes or his hobbies, might give some idea as to how to approach him. Some people could be just unreasonable in which case it might be a case of maintaining the current relationship with the existing neighbours to ensure that you can continue to enjoy the previlege. Also might be worth saying hello to your FEO to give him a headsup of some of the allegations, but I would hold back on this based on what other SD members have to say. It could have the potential to go the other way if someone claims a bullet wizzed past their head, which is a very serious allegation.
 
Exactly, that's what has me worried. I can attest that it did not happen as it's literally ballistically impossible for it to have occured. He may well have heard the supersonic crack and thought it was a 'whizz' or something similar, however I was shooting a frangible .17HMR at a hardox 500 steel plate, at an angle towards the ground, a mile away from his property, oh and I should add I wasn't even shooting in the geographical direction of his farmhouse.

He's very unreasonable.
 
12gsnapcaps said:
I shoot over about 300 acres, I have an open ticket.

Three landowners have the land between them, none of them mind me shooting. They're all top blokes and I get on with them and their families.

A fourth landowner is a very difficult man and is just a pain. He's a townie that's moved to the countryside and has more money than sense.

He doesn't like me shooting and makes things up to the other landowners. First it was that I was 'shooting towards his wife in the dark: (I was 400 yards away, it wasnt even dark and I was shooting the opposite direction to his property!)

Today hes contacted two of the other three landowners and said that a 'bullet whizzed past his head' - which is ballistically impossible as I was shooting a 17HMR a MILE away from his farmhouse at an angle Into the ground - oh and at a hardox 500 plate!

I don't know what to do about this guy, he's already causing drama and I fear one or two of my three landowners are going to tell me to stop shooting as it's just not worth the stress and hassle to them.

Any advice is welcomed!!
Click to expand...
Do you have to shoot a gong? no not really.
What do you shoot on the land ? Rabbits .22lr so quiet....17 has a right crack in the report...

Personally I would be concerned abt my fac than shooting a gong.....as if he elevates the complaint's then it is a road to misery.
 
I shoot rabbits, fox and deer on the land, (and also zero my rifles and practise) I like the gong as it's an audible report - I stretch my rifles out to distance.

Shooting at 7pm on a Monday isn't bad. He's a mile away. The gun has a supressor. If we're going to castrate ourselves to only shooting .22 subsonics for the fear of the noise annoying others then we might all aswell hand in our tickets now.
 
Frankly, I think the thing to do is simply steer clear of him. You may well think that's acquiescing to him (and you'd be right) but the thing you want is to keep the peace, keep your permission and keep your tickets. Of course it might only amount to a nuisance when all's said and done, but potentially you have more to lose than him. With 300 acres, I imagine you can shoot well out of sight of his property, except perhaps when you know he isn't around.

It might be worth asking the other landowners to ask him what his problem is, seeing as you will be providing a service to them that he is interfering with, but again will that stir the hornet's nest? Only you can tell that.

There can't be that many shooters who, at some time haven't had bolshy people living nearby. The best policy just might be just to suck it up, buttercup.
 
12gsnapcaps said:
I shoot rabbits, fox and deer on the land, (and also zero my rifles and practise) I like the gong as it's an audible report - I stretch my rifles out to distance.

Shooting at 7pm on a Monday isn't bad. He's a mile away. The gun has a supressor. If we're going to castrate ourselves to only shooting .22 subsonics for the fear of the noise annoying others then we might all aswell hand in our tickets now.
Click to expand...

Same as what I shoot with out the gong or 17. Hope you get a fix.

A lad once had a old boy call the police each time he went past his house on the farm track to shoot...
Same thing shooting to the house blah blah.
The police spoke to the lad and he explained he had the rifle in a slip etc then got onto the land.
So I suggested to take a couple of golf clubs and golf balls in the slip, same mo he turned up the old boy called the police. They turn up with the lad chipping a few golf balls with no gun...
The old boy never called the police again after they spoke to him...

work smart not harder. good luck
 
I would consult your landowners and explain what this guy is up to. I would then keep a diary of everytime you are on the ground and also let your landowners know and record it.
I would talk to your FEO. They must have plenty of such people who are obviously just out to cause trouble. Better to be up front than be asked by your FEO, why did you not report this earlier. You have done nothing wrong, and if your landowners are willing to confirm all of this and back you up, I dont see a problem.
I think we have all had similar experiences over the years with such people.
 
I've a adjoining landowner who's anti shooting (told me so & when I offered to close a gate after him he told me no he'll do it). The other land owners want the deer reduced but not wiped out so trust me to do so.

I'd probably avoid shooting gongs etc (if it was my own land I wouldn't ) and just continue stalking / rabbiting.
 
I fear at least part of the Op's problem may arise from the following: "I was shooting a 17HMR a MILE away from his farmhouse at an angle Into the ground - oh and at a hardox 500 plate!"

If the Landowner in question feels you're using the adjoining land as a rifle range as distinct from engaging in deer & varmint control you may well find he wins the day and the landowners you do get on with do indeed find life simpler without the headache.

I know it’s not what the Op wishes to hear but sometimes its better to take something that is less than ideal and far from what you currently enjoy but better than ending up with nothing. We also need to remember there is always at least two sides to a story.

I hope it all works out for the Op.

K
 
Try and get the other landowners on your side, without making a big fuss, also log every encounter with this man and what was said, and log everytime you go shooting in this area, even if there is no incident., I know it's a pain in the bxxxxx but one day it will save your bacon.
 
Several key points.

1) You are acting totally within the law provided that

a) you have lawful permission to shoot on the land concerned. I would ensure that you have this in writing and have confirmation that nobody else holds the sporting rights over the land concerned

b) and projectiles do not go beyond the boundary

2) and your FAC is conditioned appropriately for that land concerned.

i would make you have your landowners onside. And I would keep away from his boundary.

I had a similar situation a few years ago. I did raise it with my FEO. The gentleman’s name was taken. After he had rung up the police a few times he was visited by the police who told him in no uncertain that a) i was lawfully carry on my business and b) they were viewing his complaints as waisting the Police time, and this may result in prosecution.
 
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