As an amateur stalker I believe I offer a service to the landowner therefore I will not pay for it. However I do make sure relationship-building is done properly with regular visits, a Xmas card + bottle, stay in touch, letters/emails/texts/newsletter, and offer the farmer/landowner a share of the venison on a regular basis. In most cases the relationship quickly turns into friendship and trust.
I have some 1,500 Acres of Cotswolds land to stalk over, including some prime woodland, and have never paid a penny, and keep some 80% of the venison. Admittingly several of my landowners don't have a serious deer problem and I take very few animals on some of the farms - maybe 2-3p.a. on a typical 300 Acres farm.
However I do make it very clear to my landowners that my activities are 100% non-commercial so I will never sell any venison or take paying guests, as that would be a game-changer.
I resent the SD posts where people appear to accept that they pay for access to land where they shoot a limited number of deer - however if in your case you can't get free stalking than you'll have to be pragmetic - but this could potentially lead to a situation where you put yourself under pressure to shoot more and more to get 'value for money' - is that in the landowners' or the herd's interest?
The situation for profs is of course entirely different- and the relationship should be based on sound contracts and business agreements.