New to Hunting Life..

[M.Doyle 0]

Hello,

 

My names Martin, im 25 and i live in Lymm.

I own and run a professional Tree Surgery business.. M.Doyle Tree Services. www.mdoyletreeservices.co.uk

 

Iv recently started shooting with my pcp air arms rifle, and wanted to know if anyone locally had any permissions that warranted another member.

 

id like to start rabbiting but dont as yet have any permissions myself. im confident with my rifle after spending hours of practise on paper targets etc.

 

if anyone can help, or fancys teaching me the 'ropes' of rabbiting that would be great.

 

Thanks in advance everyone.

 

M.Doyle

[HUnter_zero 58]

Hello and welcome!!

 

John

[M.Doyle 0]

Hello John,

 

Thankyou for your welcome post.

 

Martin

[The one 8,524]

Hello and welcome mate

[Col_c88 41]

Welcome to THL.. this site will help you go far, its defintly helped me.

 

if your struggeling to get permission, dress smartly (no flat cap/cap half way up your head, no camo gear etc. etc.) be polite, explain that your using an airrifle (for some reason when i said shoot they instantly assumed i use shotguns and said no). Offer to help out on the farm land..when you get the permission, respect the land, the owner.. ask if theres anywhere you cant go.. all that sort of polite stuff

 

being insured helps alot too.

 

good luck

[M.Doyle 0]

Thanks for your post col_c88

 

The first time I went an asked regarding permission, I was wearing casual clothes, jogging bottoms & tshirt, I politely said I was looking for a place to shoot, the lady replied, oh we already have people that pay us to shoot here, therefor a no.. An to be honest, I felt abit put off by this..

 

Could you advise on how I should perhaps go about asking?..

 

Should I say "hi, I'm wondering if you would like any help with vermin control"?.

 

Thanks.

[IanB 0]

Dress smart and ask if they have any problems with rabbit or wood pigeons, mention you only shoot with an airgun and also mention your a tree surgeon, trustworthy, etc a little background about yourself helps to break the ice, the permission will roll in

[Col_c88 41]

Yea mentioning you have your own business (or run a business) will defintly help, if they have any brain in them they will relise that if you mess up it could potentially mess up your business. example: my Dad runs his own Tileing and plastering business.. both the pickup, and my van are signed up with our business name plastered (pun haha) all over them, we mentioned this and just said things like if theres ever any problem its not hard to find us. etc. etc.

 

im assuming you would have some cards with you, you could just ask them to keep hold of the card even if they say no, I was in the exact situation you were, went to a farm, every single farm in the area was controlled by the syndicit that pay to shoot on the farms, we left cards with everyone, one guy ended up atually thinking about having some tileing doing in about a year.. he told us.. "come back in a years time ill see what i need".... we went back a year to the day.. he was shocked to see us " i didnt think you would travel all the way up here just for the shoot.. because you did,, you now have the whole shoot.. and a job.. do my bathroom for me".. we done it at a lower rate.. this farmer has actually told us we have prioty over the syndicut as we are doing a better job with the vermin we are more respectful to the land etc. (they just leave carcuss's lay all over and he has sheep so there bringing in the foxes)... weve just got his brother in-laws farm now too though havnt checked it out yet.. thats 4 farms over 700 acres and one a little less.... all because of politeness and persistance (though not too much it becomes annoying)

we go to at least one a week just about (tho not so much at the moment because i have damaged my foot)

another thing is to mention any faults you see on your way to the farmhouse (dont go wandering around the farm just take a good look on your way up).. any damage you can see from rabbits, any broken fences, dead sheep etc. etc..... always shut the gates behind you.. all the farmers i know are very wary and will notice things like this

 

again, dress smartly, be polite, offer your services, offer a hand around the land fixing fences or mucking out(its quit fun actually)

 

and when said no just say "would you mind keeping a hold of my card incase theres ever a need"....dont be put out by a no you will get plenty.. its getting harder and harder to get permission..

[j j m 6,571]

welcome bud

[HUnter_zero 58]

To be honest, I've never met a farmer who hasn't needed a hedge sorting out, or a tree taken down or something needed doing.

You are a an asset to a farmer. Call in some farms, not on a Sunday morning or a Saturday evening, think about when the farmer will be in his best mood. Call over with some cards, and say "hi, just wondered if you needed any tree work?", he isn't going to pay you BUT it's a start to a conversation. Say "well look, I noticed you have a hedge that needs to be sorted out, well if you let me a shoot a couple of rabbits for my stew, I'll sort your hedge out free of charge, what do you think?". The rabbits are costing the farmer, he hasn't the time for the hedge and you are offering to sort two problems out FOC, who could say no?

 

John

[lapin2008 1,587]

Thanks for your post col_c88

 

The first time I went an asked regarding permission, I was wearing casual clothes, jogging bottoms & tshirt, I politely said I was looking for a place to shoot, the lady replied, oh we already have people that pay us to shoot here, therefor a no.. An to be honest, I felt abit put off by this..

 

Could you advise on how I should perhaps go about asking?..

 

Should I say "hi, I'm wondering if you would like any help with vermin control"?.

 

Thanks.

 

I would have thought your work would place you in a perfect position to gain lots of permission very easily. If it was me I would just look to be having a chat with your clients that have land or even big gardens especially when there are signs of damage etc and see where the conversation goes from there. Its easy enough to sound people out as to their views without asking. So may be an idea to skirt round the subject a bit before blurting out about rabbiting.

 

Your also at a big advantage because you can easily demonstrate that you are respectable/self employed/sensible through your interactions with them etc so that should help as well

 

I have got a few decent chunks of land over the years through mates that are landscape gardeners and the like.

 

Good luck with it

[gadge 2]

Welcome