why oh why?

[BenBhoy]

Yeah exactly this. It baffles me.

It's only as baffling as would you let a stranger into your house, alone, usually at night, to wander about doing whatever they like?? Not everyone is as honest as they make out. Permission is a big ask of any landowner, especially if your a complete random knocking on his door.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

I'm called in by a large landowner a few miles away every year or two to shoot fallow. The chap who has the stalking and pays handsomely for it, only ever shoots bucks and large antlered ones at that. He's promised to reduce doe numbers but never does it.
The landowner is a regular guest of the boss on pheasant days and was complaining so the boss pointed him in my direction. Proving the point that if you're known to the landowner and have the correct reputation for getting the job done, you'll pick up stalking.
Most people are wary because they've been had over by someone in the past, naturally they're reluctant to be had again.

 

[TringSaint]

Round my way it's 100% land hoarders.
The people i know look after huge areas of land that they do everything on it, from deer to pigeons and everything inbetween.
The 2 I know very well both work full time and need help, but wont have anyone out with them incase they take their permissions, they don't even help each other!

One farmer we know very well asked us to come over and shoot some rats in the barns as it was getting out of hand. The night we were going down I had a txt saying don't bother as he'd mentioned to the chap with the permission we were going to be there and he kicked off about it.

I’m working more with other stalkers nowadays, for two reasons really - 1 - they are novices so they are learning the ropes, and 2 - I want to make sure my landowners get the service I promise, so extra hands enable me to hit my quotas.
It’s also nice to help others get on the ladder.

I am in the process of getting approval on 2 new permissions (hopefully!!) and these will be looked after by our little group of stalkers, not just me.

 

[sauer]

Well aren you wanting ground for free ?

You say your helping estate with culls so your getting stalking

You say you been in syndicate so you know the drill

Been a few advertised inverness way lately

You want stalking 99.9% of time your going to have to pay for it ...

Landowners in main won't give an unknown entity carte blanch free reign for.nowt

Money talks and stalking no different

Paul

 

[steve19]

I’m working more with other stalkers nowadays, for two reasons really - 1 - they are novices so they are learning the ropes, and 2 - I want to make sure my landowners get the service I promise, so extra hands enable me to hit my quotas.
It’s also nice to help others get on the ladder.

I am in the process of getting approval on 2 new permissions (hopefully!!) and these will be looked after by our little group of stalkers, not just me.

Im glad someone is helping out newer stalkers and people interested in it.
If only there was more people like yourself about.

 

[rutland]

I started out on paid stalking and slowly slowly got some land. We did an excellent job for the landowner which led to more via words of mouth.Ours is all based on trust and honesty. We have mentored several new stalkers and take great pride in how they have turned out. We are now in a position where we have 12 stalkers working over several. Estates. However I was approached by a big organisation to take newbies on which we did only for one to try his luck and sneak around us. The trust and loyalty I have with my landowners put a stop to this advance. I have now stepped back from mentoring until I gain my confidence in people again. Fortunately for us we do a good job so it is hard for a single stalker to do the same. This is my view based on my experience

 

[Chris Richardson]

Its not about qualifications, a landowner would rather have an unqualified person he knows and trusts than a qualified person he doesn't know.
Building relationships with landowners is the only way, that might be down the pub, beating, jobbing on farm etc.
Most of my permission is because I do jobs on farms, concrete, drainage, machine operation i will always jump if they need a hand, going today to hang a few gates in a cattle pen I concreted last week.

this 100 % its all about reputation and trust ive been asked if i have dsc once in 20 years ......

 

[valevelo]

It's only as baffling as would you let a stranger into your house, alone, usually at night, to wander about doing whatever they like?? Not everyone is as honest as they make out. Permission is a big ask of any landowner, especially if your a complete random knocking on his door.

Spot on. And with the amount of hare coursers about now, landowners are even less likely to let someone on unless either they know them, or they're recommended by friends. It's an annoying closed book that's hard to get into, but you can't blame them.

Add that to metal detectors constantly wanting ground.
"It's been covered 2 years ago and they gave up after finding loads of broken old horse tack".
"Ah but the tech is better, can get deeper"
"so there's going to be deeper holes not repaired properly. Great. Sorry but no. I'll ring you if we change our minds"

And then they turn up again a week later to try and ask someone else.

 

[timbrayford]

Never going to happen.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you but the government and Forestry England need to stop their "too many deer" whinge when controlling the New Forest fallow population appears to be well beyond them!