As someone who 'occasionally' runs across fields and through farms, I find that it helps not to look too professional with farmers - so wearing posh running togs with reflective stripes, hi viz colours, orange reflective triathlete sun glasses, pirate hats and humping huge garmins on your wrist is a no no and always likely to put the local farmer's back up. Equally you mustn't look too amateurish either - running in road shoes and clean running togs is a total give away and you'll have the dogs set on you before you can blink.
Ideally try and look like you know what you're doing and, if you stop to say anything, don't ask directions what ever you do. "Lovely day" will do just fine and it works even better if said when its actually pissing with rain. Old tatty running stuff, ideally plastered in mud is perfect equipment and maybe wearing normal shorts (I often wear what are essentially not too lary surfer beach shorts) rather than high cut running shorts (or worse still body hugging lycra cycle shorts) all adds to the 'I know what I'm doing so don't ***k with me' look.
I haven't been shot at yet
