In the Beating Line

[DoubleTap]

Today went beating on the shoot that im normally shooting on. I let my friend have my day. Its so different watching the birds get shot by others instead of you shooting them. Very nice day until about 14:00pm when the rain came and started lashing down

 

1st drive:

The drive that normally shows alot of birds but this week ceased to perform. Pushed from the bottom straight to the top of the wood which in total is about 500yds long and about 200-300yds wide yet we only pushed about 20 birds out. Dont know why they werent in there. The feeders were all full aswell so they havnt been in there for a ew days now

 

2nd drive:

This drive is the best drive on the shoot and can produce good, high birds. We normally shoot 60 on this singal drive. Some birds flew very well in the 40mph winds but there were also some very low flappy pheasants aswell. The high ones were seeming a problem for some of the guns today but all the lower ones were either head shot or blown to pieces. More blown to pieces than head shot but never the less.

 

LUNCH

 

3rd Drive:

This drive was split into 2 parts. We first pushed a load of rough ground and young trees towards a relatively big wood and then did the wood.

The rough land, surprisingly, had alot of birds in it. None of the birds were shot at going forward but a few pulled back. £We then got to the wood and the rain started I stood as a stop on this one at the top of the wood.The guns lined up and the beaters pushed the wood through. 2 woodcock were shot and about 20 pheants. We could of shot alot more were i was stood stopping off but there were no guns there. Normally we have guns stood up the top but they never seemed to have any birds come thier way. It was just today when they did. **** law !!

 

4th drive:

Last drive of the day. Yes, dont have to suffer the rain anymore. We had to do a cover strip on the top of a hill. There was one or two birds but i wouldnt want to be sat in wet cover with high winds and rain on the top of a hill when there is a perfectly nice and shelterd wood a few 100yds away. The few birds that did come out didnt have a hope in hell of surviving flying over the guns. First one, explosion of feathers then a moment later . . . BANG followed by another explosion of feathers then a pause then another BANG.

 

End of the day. As some people walked down to pick up birds from previous drives and take them back to the farm my dad and i and a few other beaters sneaked back to the quad-bike. Bloody right aswell, why should we be responsible for carrying the guns birds. They shot 'em, they can carry 'em

 

Good day

 

BAG:

Pheasants, 2 Partridges, 1 Wooock, 3 Pigeons, 1 Mallard, 1 Fox and a Squirrel.

 

T96

[alexm]

Nice one!

 

It's nice to get a different perspective isn't it. I shoot on one shoot and beat on another shoot alternating weeks and these days I can honestly say I enjoy both just as much!

[DoubleTap]

its strange beacause i actually prefer a nice walk round the woods. Its also nice seeing the dogs working

[pestbry]

Our shoot is shoot 1 beat 1, this breaks the day up and you get to work your dogs/dogs as well.

 

Some days i get more enjoyment beating than shooting .

[UKPoacher]

I would rather beat than shoot any day. I love the camaraderie, pillock-taking and especially working the dog. I enjoy it so much I don't take my payment in cash, but settle for a 'brace'.