Gents,
In regards to seeking permissions, I have a few of them here in sunny SLO county California, and I can tell you what worked for me securing these permissions, and some other ideas I have in doing same.
First and foremost, emphasize that you will be doing all of your shooting with an air rifle. A lot of folks equate air rifle to a Red Ryder so you may have to educate them a bit on modern air rifles(when I tell them I’ve killed four wild pigs with mine, it usually gets there attention). Offer to come out to their property and show them your airgun kit, and let them shoot it. Most rancher/farmer types do some shooting themselves and would get a kick out of shooting them, and would get a better idea of you and your airguns capabilities. This also would serve to show the landowner how quiet a suppressed air rifle is. He needn’t worry about booming reports and all of his milk cows drying up as a result.
Secondly, tell the landowner you have no desire to hunt his deer, pigs, quail, dove, etc. If it works out one day that you do get to hunt other critters, great, but emphasize that you want permission to hunt unwanted varmints only.
Third…no charge. Your service is free. Permissions are hard enough to get as it is. Don’t get greedy.
If you do get a permission, make sure and ask intelligent and responsible questions. Are there specific areas they would like targeted? Are there any hazards I should be aware of? Will there be ranch hands out and about? What would you like me to do in the event I come across a rattlesnake or a badger? Give questions like those some prior thought before your first foray afield. It shows the landowner you’re a serious and responsible hunter.
I got one of my permissions when I went to the county ag inspectors office to get a permit to buy Methylethylbadstuff to spray on this year’s Mares Tail crop, whilst a landowner was trying to get a permit to buy Methylethylbadstuff to poison his squirrels with. Once I found out he had a squirrel problem, I introduced myself and gave him my airgun song and dance routine, we struck up a friendship and a permission was gained. The landowner loved it as he didn’t have to take the county mandated “Poisoning Your Ground Squirrels” class and test, nor did he have to come out of pocket for poison. And I absolutely annihilated his ground squirrel population.
I’d be willing to bet that most ag inspectors offices would be willing to let you hang a flyer on their cork boards advertising your services, which would of course include that you’ll be using airguns only and that your services are free.
Ranches are generally rural. Look for the closest cafe(ranchers love their cafes), feed store, or watering hole. Hang out at these places if possible(I personally specialize in hanging out at watering holes. Decidedly more fun than hanging out at a feed store) and try to make contacts. Ask if they’ll let you post some flyers advertising your services. One of my permissions came from…surprisingly…me and my wife’s weekly Thursday night visit to our local pub for dinner and a ranch manager we became acquainted with there. I’ve known this ranch manager for a while and had offered my services previously, but had struck out. This year he had a bumper crop of ground squirrels and no time to deal with them, so I got the go ahead. On my first trip out I wacked about 150 of the little buggers. The place was carpeted with carcasses. It looked like Jonestown the day after. The ranch manager couldn’t believe the difference I made and now wants me out there all the time! That’s a good problem to have.
If you have a niche or speciality, offer it up for a permission. Ranchers are always breaking equipment and such, so if you’re a welder or a machinist, offer up your services. If you’re a propellor head with computers, maybe they could use some help with theirs. I’m a shadetree gunsmith/machinist and secured my latest permission by working on a couple of rifles for a rancher. This particular rancher has about 20,000 acres, so that was time well spent doing some cleaning, re-torquing, and trigger jobs on a couple of rifles. I do fear that I may go broke buying pellets trying to keep 20,000 acres vermin free, though.
Always be polite. Even if they refuse permission and are a bit rude, be polite and thank them for their time. They may change their mind someday, or refer you to another ranch/farm with a rodent problem. If you’re a prick, nothing good is going to come out of it.
If you poke a hole in something you shouldn’t have, fess up and offer to fix it or have it fixed on your dime. I effed’ up a holdover the other day and ran a pellet through a PVC bait station. I texted the ranch manager immediately offering to build him a new one. I was mortified. He thought it was funny. But I guarantee you that that text left a good impression with him. And that aside, it was the right thing to do.
Hopefully some of you will find the above useful.
And on to a different topics…
Night vision scopes are illegal in California…no doubt. I didn’t know this until after I bought one…and I was a deputy sheriff for 30 years in this state! It would take an All Conference Prick of a cop to jam you up for having one on a pellet rifle you’re using to shoot rats with. But they’re out there, so beware. Not all cops are as cool as I was…
Ironically, ATN used to be headquartered in California…in South San Francisco no less!
It is absolutely, completely legal to hunt critters in California with lead pellets. The language in the lead bullet law is specific to firearms. That is not only my interpretation of the language, but also that of several Fish and Game coppers I've spoken about it with.
Justin
