malkiserow Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 How about guns that have you searching for a bird they never touched? Nobody else saw it "fold up" but you have to look to be polite, even though your dogs looking at you with that, Not this **** again!! Is it the eye eye eye eeeeyyye one? Nope tap, tap, tap brpppp, hip, hip, hep, tap, brpppp, heyppppt, tap, tap, tap! i love beating! Bruuuud bruuuuuuuuud bruuuuuuud brrrrrrroooooooooooooouuuuuud That one Yes a sort of brpppppppppppp brrrrrrrrrroooooooooooouuuuuuuuud You see is it sort of the sound of someone kick starting a gay motorbike. Very odd, where does it come from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michufc Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 I have no idea maybe it's what happens when you watched to much telly tubbies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 How about guns that have you searching for a bird they never touched? Nobody else saw it "fold up" but you have to look to be polite, even though your dogs looking at you with that, Not this **** again!! We have one of those in our shoot. ' I have a pricked bird down in Bramble wood chaps, could do with a couple of dogs in there.' He rejoins us at the end of the following drive, red faced and emptied handed more often than not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 "I thought you said we were going to do seven drives today - are we packing up"? "Got a torch with you"? "But I would have had the bung hole on Wilberry Wood". "Well you go and stand in your bung hole in Wilberry Wood and we'll go to the pub - Oh, by the way, why were you half an hour late this morning"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man o kent Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Out of control dogs working cover 50 yds in front of the beating line and pushing the birds back over us beaters, and standing in the rain, snow , sub zero temperatures waiting for the guns to stop fannying around and get to there peg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 and standing in the rain, snow , sub zero temperatures waiting for the guns to stop fannying around and get to there peg! I am the Shoot Captain. I get more trouble just trying to move guns along than any other thing during the day. They are there to shoot. They pay a hell of a lot of money for that privilege. Then they want to stand in a huddle discussing the stock market, the price of beans, how they missed that high bird on the last drive, last night's television - anything. They get all evening long over a superb post shoot meal and a glass to two to mardle - but I have never been able to overcome this problem. You scream and shout - Who is number three? Can anyone tell me who is number three? Somebody must be number three. Who was number one last drive? Oh, that was me. Then you will be number three now! Oh, right... God - Why do I bother...Captains of industry and farming... But on the other hand they are lovely chaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00jacksonp Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Would you listen to you lot, Pickers up, picking up imagine that, Beaters making noise!! The cheek! I beat on a few shoots and some keepers want plenty of vocals others not so much, what do you do? Say no mate, the guns probably know best I'm keeping quiet. And guns who want birds leaving for their dogs...... What happens when a team of guns turn up without a decent dog amongst them? How do they know ? Should the pickers up hang back, leave the runners until they have assessed the guns dogs abilities ? Couldn't agree more. Guns complaining about beaters who to be honest don't generally do it for the measly £15 pounds. They basically have a team of volunteers working for them and they still complain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00jacksonp Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 How about guns that have you searching for a bird they never touched? Nobody else saw it "fold up" but you have to look to be polite, even though your dogs looking at you with that, Not this **** again!! Is it the eye eye eye eeeeyyye one? I think he means the yip yip yip gobble gobble gobble gobble yum yum yuuuuuuuuuuuuum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta06 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Couldn't agree more. Guns complaining about beaters who to be honest don't generally do it for the measly £15 pounds. They basically have a team of volunteers working for them and they still complain. Guns generally pay a very large sum of money for a service, which they expect to receive. If the beaters are poorly paid, they need to take it up with their employer (gamekeeper), NOT those in the gun line. Damn cheek!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Prawn Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 The 'annoying' noise beaters make - in my experience isn't that a passable version of the noise a flighting pheasant makes? And guns not being able to do simple maths of adding two each time they move pegs - it's a running joke at our shoot how hard people find it, we only do 4 drives each so not exactly rocket science but every drive the same conversation of "Who's three? Three anyone?" "I was three on the last drive" "So you're not three now! Who was one on the last drive?" "I'm one now?" "I didn't say who's one now did I?" eventually we find somewhere to stand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 £30 around here plus the beaters day invite of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00jacksonp Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 £30 around here plus the beaters day invite of course. I still wouldn't get out of bed for £30 Its not about the money! its the principle of people thinking there is still a socio economic divide and the peasants (beaters) have to do what the posh say hahahahahha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Not on my shoot they don't. I try to run a fun shoot and that means fun for everyone. I have three beaters who refuse to be paid. They just enjoy it. Two don't shoot but will still turn up to beat on beaters day. You need to find another shoot 00jacksonp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I beat (not so much now), pick up and shoot on a variety of driven shoots - I have been fortunate enough to see some fantastic and prestigious shoots from all angles and have found one thing in common, you get out what you put in. Anytime I, as a beater or picker up have offered a "Good Morning" to the guns I have invariably received a cordial response, similarly as a gun I have walked passed beating and picking up teams who do not even look at you and offer the same "Good Morning" which more often than not draws a reciprocal greeting. There is snobbery, and very often inverted snobbery, at work if it is allowed to manifest itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00jacksonp Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 (edited) Not on my shoot they don't. I try to run a fun shoot and that means fun for everyone. I have three beaters who refuse to be paid. They just enjoy it. Two don't shoot but will still turn up to beat on beaters day. You need to find another shoot 00jacksonp. Well i used to beat a commercial shoot and this is the reason i left. The shoot me and my dad started is a sydicate and is therefore laid back. The other shoot I occasionally beat / shoot is a farming syndicate and if anybody is rude to a beater would be a guns son or daughter ( resulting in raised eyebrows or fists) money based arrogance is the reason I have stopped visiting some shoots. An old saying I like to live by " if you hang around with Richard the thirds, you start to smell like one". Edited December 9, 2014 by 00jacksonp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 People who are rude to beater picker ups and loaders especially. Out of control dogs especially the one the runs from the start of the cover all the way through it up to the line to see a dog on a peg then runs back, use a lead. Poor/unsafe gun handling especially on the grouse moor. Biggest one this year the person who took home the 2 woodcock I shot that mrs Welshwarrior would have cooked for tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I've been beating about just as often as I've been a gun, so can see it from both sides really. Here's a couple of 'for instances': the first one related by a beater as a 'stop'. 'Where the hell is peg number 8? I've been walking around this bloody field for ages.' 'There is no peg number 8.' ' Don't be ridiculous, of course there's a number 8, I was 6 last time.' 'Then you're number 1 this time sir, there's only seven pegs on each drive.' 'Ah, right. Where's number 1 then?' 'Right back where you set off from.' A beater walks up behind a gun on the moors and says with a smile and a hand on his shoulder as he passes; 'You alright mate, you look knackered!' The beater was taken to one side following the end of the drive and sent home, never to return. The gun? It was the Duke of Westminster. 'Why hasn't the sweep been done?' 'It was done at the start Sir.' 'Why wasn't I asked?' 'You were Sir, twice'. Beater to gun: 'New hat?' ' Yes as it happens; a Christmas present from my wife'. ' She dunt like y'u much then eh?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoot and be safe Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 When picking up: Stuck up guests that want you to leave their pricked birds so their dogs can have ago. When beating: Guns that don't know what CLEAR sky and no shooting through the trees on this drive. When on the peg. Your neighbours dog running in and retrieving your dead bird, then disrupting the drive by flushing birds premature. On a paid day. Guns taking close birds. Not taking sporting shots. I don't mind my neighbouring guns taking "my" birds as long as they are sporting birds for them. If this happens then fair game for all and the service will be returned. On a rough shoot: Other guns not aware of the other guns position, not maintaining the walking line, shooting across the line, walking with their guns closed and hand on the trigger. At the end of the day: Other gun's taking the woodcock you shot and the first your dog retrieved, without asking Everyone rushing to get to the pub before the time in the field is over. Guns that shoot a large amount of the bag and refuse to take any home as they don't like pheasant. I have always made the effort to shake every beaters hand at the end of a paid day and thank them for their hard work throughout the day. If the opportunity arises during the day, I will also pass pleasantries with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepasty Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Why do beaters get so little when theres so much money being splashed around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Why do beaters get so little when theres so much money being splashed around? Beaters Day is worth £400 and they get it for free. That's why most of my guys beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Where I beat the whole day would be worth about £400, split between about 20 guns! Not much left by the end of the season usually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 That is a pity - One of my guys took 10 birds on one stand last year! Some shoots around here have their beaters day early on in the season. They put a bag limit on it but it ensures the birds are there. There are two small days after my beaters day. A walk up and a cocks day for the syndicate members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepasty Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 How many days on average do they have to beat to get invited to the beaters day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 (edited) How many days on average do they have to beat to get invited to the beaters day? We shoot four days before the beaters day. Most of my brushers, as they are known around these parts, have been with me for years. I have been running the same shoot for 23 years. Of the nominally ten guys five shoot. Then I have three pickers up over the season. They all try to make all the shoots but occasionally can't due work. So I could have eight for the beaters day. Then there is the syndicate of eight guns plus me. So 16 get to shoot on the day if they all turn up. (I never do as there is so much 'organising' to do) I don't mark the register or anything daft like that - If they have put in an effort to be here - and they all do - then they get the invite. They also get pretty much unlimited pigeon shooting once the game shoots are out of the way. On the day itself it is a sort of half walk half stand day but when the beaters are walking we make every effort to let them be a walking gun. We end up with everyone pigeon bashing in the largest wood. It's supposed to be fun. My beaters toe the line and do a very good job - If they don't I tell them not to bother coming any more... That hasn't happened for years. I have a waiting list of guys who would like to come so we can't be doing everything wrong. PS - If I call a work party for an evening or weekend in the summer I expect them to turn up - They wont get paid for this. Edited December 10, 2014 by Grandalf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 On the large shoot I used to beat on consisting of mostly local farmers plus a few guests, the beaters day was often the last day of the season. None of the regular guns would turn up to beat for the lads and lasses so it was always a case of walk one stand one. The final year I was there two of the guns turned up, and stood in the line to shoot and never took a turn at beating. It didn't bother me personally as I get plenty of opportunities to shoot and would often do mostly beating so the youngsters could get a fair amount of shots ( for some their only opportunity for the season ) but I grew angrier and angrier as the day went on seeing them taking a turn beating on THEIR day while two of the guns stood at pegs. Shortly after lunch I'd had enough, and told the two guns what I thought of them and left. I haven't been back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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