Boomstick Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 Hey guys, A long while since i've been on PW as religiously as I used to! Promise to make up for lost time tho So my dilemma: I am considering forking out for some driven pheasant shooting, but have never been before, and have a few questions..... 1) How does the pricing work?! is it per day, per bird, or BOTH?! (that would be a SAD amount of money!) 2) I have a benelli semi auto. Could i use this? or would I have to buy a cheapy side-by-side/over and under? 3) Being that I have no experience of such days, would I have to be guided? and if so, is this going to cost a truck load? 4) Ammunition type/quantity advice please! (preferably cheap!) 5) Anyone know of any hampshire based venues that take single guns for a day of shooting? I anticipate the communal PW brain will easily answer all of my newbie questions, Cheers guys, Boomstick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 ok firstly semi auto is out really as no one will really want a guest using one, Cost wise you get people selling small days which there have been two offers of on here recently you take a bit of a gamble but one worked out as very good value for money and the other ended in tears. This is your best type as the pay per bird day really you want to go with a team of guns and have shot before so you know no one is going to be greedy and take the proverbial as the cost of all the birds is split between the guns not how many you personally shot. as for a guide well you don't really get guides but if you need someone to stand with you for a few drives till you get the hang of it I'm sure they will be able to find someone. 30 -32 grams of 6's will be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 FAQ's http://www.gunsonpegs.com/pages/common/sho...f0a2eeac844654f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomstick Posted December 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 cheers for the replies so far guys! I already found that guns on pegs article! It was very good, but still left me with a few questions hmm... yes I think for the first time I would be far more comfortable with a pay per day, rather than per bird, arrangement. at least I know how bankrupt it will make me in advance haha! So looks like i'll be on the lookout for a cheapy SxS/over and under as well then! sad for my bank manager eh?! hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 or do some beating and you get to see what its all about how its done and get a day at the end of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomstick Posted December 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 or do some beating and you get to see what its all about how its done and get a day at the end of the season. Ah now see this would be fabulous! Learning by doing, or being around those that do. That is very much my style! However, I'm a med student based in london. With my current schedule, and the sheer distances involved, I think I would be crippled in regard to being able to get out as frequently as required to be a beater. This is why I do clay pigeon atm, as opposed to formal pest control or joining a syndicate shoot. I wouldn't want to be the guy the farmer rings for help with the pigeons, or who has to dodge his syndicate activities, to just let people down because I have to be on call etc. No good for them, no good for shooting in general, and so no good for me. I look forward to being based more rurally in the future, and really getting involved! Cheers, Boomstick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 just ask the question you may find a small syndicate you can pop along and beat for occasionally, probably won't pay but it will give you an insight which is far better than jumping in the deep end and just going driven shooting as there is more to it especially safety wise to most other shooting simply because there are more people about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomstick Posted December 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 I think i will ask about. I suppose I just presumed that I would be a useless acquisition! Maybe there will be some kind souls out there who have time for a busy med student, eh? Having said that, I am still keen to go for a shoot sooner rather than later. I'm sure that there must be a way around my novice status which is more short term. After all, I'm sure that there are PLENTY of utter ****s that go for a pheasant drive knowing absolutely nought about shooting. I, however, know that I am gunsafe, respectful, sharp and willing to learn. I just hope there is some way that I can go about this, and still get to go do some shooting this season! Cheers, Boomstick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 theres a guy advertising on here days near newbury I think, might be worth a pm and see if he'll help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris t Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 a semi is definately a no no on a pheasant shoot. A good shoot would offer a certain no of bird day. say 100 or 200. The keeper will then organise a day around this number. Keeping an eye on numbers shot and jiggle things around accordingly during the day. I have often been on a drive and the stop whistle gets blow early because plenty have already been shot. (don't want to shoot half your birds on the first drive now do we) Also if there are alot of birds on the shoot, you may see other guns not shooting at easy ones and waiting for the difficult high one to come. In order to save the bag numbers. In this respect it's very different from going out and trying to bag as many pigeons as poss. A lot of guns will be extremely happy if they have shot 1 or 2 very high birds and will not even talk about the easy low ones. Obvoiusly don't shoot at low stuff or you may get asked to leave. Lead flying over a neighbouring gun or beater at 10ft high is not nice.... Ground game is normally out of the question too for obvious reasons as well. Make sure you remember the numbering which is always explained at the start or you might get a bit of leg pull. Also shooting at your neighbour's bird is not great, unless you know them well. If you do I sometimes see if I can kill it after he's had 2 barrels at it. Good for a bit of leg pull after the drive if you get it. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 and ignore some of the ramblings on here suggesting the best way to shoot pheasants is if they stop while walking or are roosting up trees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groach1234 Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 and ignore some of the ramblings on here suggesting the best way to shoot pheasants is if they stop while walking or are roosting up trees Made me chuckle anyway some real sound advice there. In the current economic climate there is some real bargains to be had. Just the other week my dad took a gun on a large bag day which would have normally been £35 per bird inc vat but he got his gun for £20 inc vat. This was with a shoot who he does a lot of business with but needless to say, the deals are out there. However you may need the cheaper days to finance a new gun as the semi is a no no. Best of Luck, George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprinter Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Having said that, I am still keen to go for a shoot sooner rather than later. I'm sure that there must be a way around my novice status which is more short term. After all, I'm sure that there are PLENTY of utter ****s that go for a pheasant drive knowing absolutely nought about shooting. I, however, know that I am gunsafe, respectful, sharp and willing to learn. I just hope there is some way that I can go about this, and still get to go do some shooting this season! Cheers, Boomstick With that attitude you will go far Best way around your novice status is when you book your first day tell the shoot captain or keeper that you are a novice and invariably they will provide a loader or chaperone for you. If they are unable to do this ask if you can take someone with you, if the answer is no to these questions walk away. On my local shoot they will either get the game cart man or an experienced shooting beater to stand with you and point out which birds are yours and safe/ challenging shots for you. They should also explain to you at the end of the drive reasons for any birds which they called NO on, this way you will learn very quickly. You wont need to worry about remembering your peg number or humping your gun and carts about because your mentor/chaperone/instructor/pack horse will automatically stand you where you should be and all you have to worry about is hitting the good birds. All you need to do at the end of the day is give the chap a tip depending on how helpful he has been to you. Probably the worst thing you could do is turn up and shoot on your first one, you will be instantly recognised as "green" and your next door guns will spend more time watching what you are up to than shooting their own birds. Whats even worse is if the beaters cotton on to the fact you're green, then when they get to the end of the cover they'll all be looking out for you and keeping their heads down rather than beating out the last few yards (where most of the birds will be), i know this because i and most of the team spent most of yesterday watching for a gun that was mounting low and getting the hell out of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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