Things that annoy you on a driven day

[Blackpowder]

Over recent years I have been fortunate to be a guest at proper driven days which have covered three different Estates and can only say that every thing has been done in a proper manner. Plenty pickers and dogs , shot game treated with respect and backstops on the look out for runners. On some do it yourself shoots I have found people throwing dead quarry in a heap for wet dogs to trample over them, it only takes a few minutes to brace up the birds from most small shoots and arrange a place to hang them properly. Again on beat one stand one shoots I find fellow Guns/beaters arrive without a stick and think clapping their hands while strolling a long a woodland path is beating. Again on walk and stand some participants seem to need to shout Over, Back Right Left often for the same bird. If someone standing in a Gun line cannot hear or see a pheasant being flushed over them its time for them to stay at home.

 

Blackpowder

[southwest_colonel]

I like to introduce a total novice on my first day each year. I have a hour with them a few days before to go through the day, what will happen, etiquette, what they can and cannot shoot at, safety, insurance etc etc. I then stand with them all day to advise on which birds they can and more importantly cannot shoot. Start them on an easyish one as I don't know how good they are and see how we go from there.

 

At the end of the day we have all been novices and made mistakes shooting low birds etc, I like my novice to get a good if short grounding in doing the job properly.

 

I totally agree, it's nice to introduce new people to our sport and that includes a bit of 'teaching'. Of course, it requires one to know that they're a novice... I have a friend coming along to a shoot in January, and she was good enough to say she hasn't shot on a driven day before (she's an excellent clay shot). So, we've had a quick chat about the basics at the pub, and then I'll stand with her for a drive or two at the start of the day to make sure she's happy with where she can/can't shoot, when to shoot (when NOT to shoot) etc etc.

 

As for what annoys me on a driven day? I try to let very little annoy me - it's supposed to be relaxing. I'd rather people didn't use their mobiles, but generally the only thing that does annoy me is unsafe shooting. There's no excuse. Much more will irritate me if I'm working, but I won't let it show... customer service face...

Edited December 16, 2014 by southwest_colonel

[rimfire4969]

Walk one shoot one, the guy who always walk on the outside of the wood and works their dog in the edge. Very often its the same guy who when in the wood walk along the path.

[Suffolkngood]

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 ?

This is very much an ' us and them' debate and shouldn't be. I'm an experienced game shot and regularly beat. Neither the guns, beaters or pickers up can have a day's shooting without the other. If you shoot but don't beat either go beating for a few days in all kinds of weather for very little financial reward or stop criticising. Ultimately the beating line is controlled by the keeper. If too noisy he'll ask them to quieten. If too quiet, he'll ask them to make themselves known. If you're a beater, please try to understand that the guns have invested a hefty sum of money to be there. Now this doesn't give anyone the right to be miserable, rude or unsafe. Just remember one cannot do without the other and enjoy your day.

[Grandalf]

and enjoy your day.

 

This is what so many people have lost sight of in these days of 'big bags' and high costs.

I shoot, keeper, pick-up, and run two syndicates. (One fowling and one game). Don't make a penny for doing it.

But, and it's a big but, the day I don't enjoy it I'll quit.

There was a time when I was much more intense about the whole thing. Now, I suppose with age and experience, I realise that enjoyment is the only reason for doing it.

I sincerely hope that everyone attending my days enjoy the experience. If they don't then I am failing them.

I do wish some of the younger guys would relax as well.

[Suffolkngood]

This is what so many people have lost sight of in these days of 'big bags' and high costs.

I shoot, keeper, pick-up, and run two syndicates. (One fowling and one game). Don't make a penny for doing it.

But, and it's a big but, the day I don't enjoy it I'll quit.

There was a time when I was much more intense about the whole thing. Now, I suppose with age and experience, I realise that enjoyment is the only reason for doing it.

I sincerely hope that everyone attending my days enjoy the experience. If they don't then I am failing them.

I do wish some of the younger guys would relax as well.

You're a very busy man by the sounds of it.

Don't get me wrong...some thing's do get up my nose but it's usually just the lack of good old fashioned good manners and courtesy.

If I feel something is unsafe....I will and always do speak up (even if it upsets someone). Too late for regrets if something goes horribly wrong. I'm sure your guests enjoy themselves and like you, the day I dont get butterflies on the first drive of the day is the day I stop.

Good luck with your shoots. You never know...our paths may cross one day as you're not too far away.

All the best

Mark

[Grandalf]

You're a very busy man by the sounds of it.

Don't get me wrong...some thing's do get up my nose but it's usually just the lack of good old fashioned good manners and courtesy.

If I feel something is unsafe....I will and always do speak up (even if it upsets someone). Too late for regrets if something goes horribly wrong. I'm sure your guests enjoy themselves and like you, the day I dont get butterflies on the first drive of the day is the day I stop.

Good luck with your shoots. You never know...our paths may cross one day as you're not too far away.

All the best

Mark

Fressingfield and shooting, my game shoot, tomorrow.

 

Safety is paramount and I don't ever let that slip.

Enjoyment is the reason we do what we do.

[Suffolkngood]

Fressingfield and shooting, my game shoot, tomorrow.

 

Safety is paramount and I don't ever let that slip.

Enjoyment is the reason we do what we do.

Good luck for tomorrow. You're just 40 minutes up the A140 from me.

I'm out next Monday and the following Saturday.

[Suffolkngood]

Fressingfield and shooting, my game shoot, tomorrow.

 

Safety is paramount and I don't ever let that slip.

Enjoyment is the reason we do what we do.

Hope you had a successful and enjoyable days shooting.

[Grandalf]

Good luck for tomorrow. You're just 40 minutes up the A140 from me.

I'm out next Monday and the following Saturday.

 

 

Hope you had a successful and enjoyable days shooting.

The day was good. Heavy rain all morning and my jacket sprung a leak! One gun was going to be late due a work problem so I told one of the pickers to bring a gun with him to fill in 'till the member arrived. He was happy.

Then another gun texted me to say he was sick. So the other picker was quickly equipped with a shotty to take over that peg. He then phoned his brother to get his own gun over to him pronto - it arrived before the second drive. He was happy.

The late gun turned up at lunchtime so the pickers got all morning then shared the one peg for the afternoon. So they were happy.

One other member went sick and sent his dad to replace him so he was happy. His dad I mean.

The tractor driver didn't turn up so was replaced with one of the brushers. He was happy with a big tractor to play with.

The nine guns shot at 2.3 to 1 so they were happy.

They shot 99 head - mainly pheasants so the keeper was happy.

One guy shot his first ever woodcock so he was happy.

Our retired surgeon, who only started shooting about six years ago, shot the highest pheasant of the day, a veritable angel, so he was happy.

The rain stopped at lunch so that made us all happy - especially the brushers,

The meal was superb and the malt flowed which made me happy.

So all in all we enjoyed the day - except the two who were sick at home.

[Tim Kelly]

Sounds like "The Pharrell Williams" shoot! Glad you all had a good day. We got soaked first thing, then blinded afterwards too. I shot a partridge, so I was happy!

[Suffolkngood]

The day was good. Heavy rain all morning and my jacket sprung a leak! One gun was going to be late due a work problem so I told one of the pickers to bring a gun with him to fill in 'till the member arrived. He was happy.

Then another gun texted me to say he was sick. So the other picker was quickly equipped with a shotty to take over that peg. He then phoned his brother to get his own gun over to him pronto - it arrived before the second drive. He was happy.

The late gun turned up at lunchtime so the pickers got all morning then shared the one peg for the afternoon. So they were happy.

One other member went sick and sent his dad to replace him so he was happy. His dad I mean.

The tractor driver didn't turn up so was replaced with one of the brushers. He was happy with a big tractor to play with.

The nine guns shot at 2.3 to 1 so they were happy.

They shot 99 head - mainly pheasants so the keeper was happy.

One guy shot his first ever woodcock so he was happy.

Our retired surgeon, who only started shooting about six years ago, shot the highest pheasant of the day, a veritable angel, so he was happy.

The rain stopped at lunch so that made us all happy - especially the brushers,

The meal was superb and the malt flowed which made me happy.

So all in all we enjoyed the day - except the two who were sick at home.

Well your reply made me smile so I'm Happy too. Sounds like a very successful day.

Such a relief when you get let down at the last minute and are able to 'slot in' a stand by ... or two...or three...So frustrating when you can't and it takes the shine of the day for all concerned.

 

Good luck with the rest of your season.

 

All the best

Mark

[Alycidon]

that's got to be the fairest way. On my local shoot there are no pegs, the chaps in charge decide where people stand. To be honest, it's that kind of attitude that has completely turned me off of game shooting

 

I shot as a guest on a shoot like that, only once. Never fired a shot all day from a bag of about 50 and 8 guns. In fairness the 'home' guns were all taking the best spots and sending guests out on the wings every drive.

 

 

I regularly shoot as the guest of a Duke (southern England), who stands on peg 5 on every drive!!! It amazes me people complain, yet we are all his guests! :-) For me, it is 'his shoot, his rules' :-)

 

 

And if he is paying then fair enough, you accept the invite knowing that but most days on that type of shoot there will be plenty to shoot.

 

Thats what happens when royalty shoot also.

 

 

One other point that annoys me is guns taking a bird that is crossing in front of them but flying directly to another gun. In my opinion that bird belongs to the gun its flying to not the first gun it flies within range of. I have a very severe fall out with a gun in another shoot on this issue, as a result I will no longer shoot with him ever again. A good shot and greedy to boot spoils can using these tactics spoil everyones day.

 

A

Edited January 16, 2015 by Alycidon

[OJW]

I tend to only shoot with friends in syndicates to avoid the below problems. If I go on a random day with people I don't know the following annoys me.

Unsafe shooting. Lack of etiquette in general. Having to justify why I didn't lift my barrels to a bird. Just because Joe blogs thought it was a good bird, it doesn't mean I did and I'm picking my birds. Same would go if I decided a bird was to good for me and I risked only pricking it. Being shouted at while mounting and firing on a bird. I was boomed at not so long ago "GO ON TAKE IT" while pulling the trigger - very distracting. Banter AFTER the shot if I miss is fine. Being asked "how many did you get on that drive" as soon as the drives over. If a gun has had a bad drive he will be embarrassed to say non, and if a modest gun has had a good drive he will be embarrassed to say the true number - it's a loose loose question to ask someone you don't know very well. Guns being greedy.

That being said, other than the unsafe shooting, its a small price to pay to meet new people who are friendly, interesting and likeminded. I count myself lucky to have been taught how to properly behave on a driven day and can appreciate not everyone has had that opportunity.

[coldweld]

I can live with guns that can't hit birds, or blow up low birds and shoot low its their money that pays for my beating !

I can cope with the Picking up team that arrive at the shoot lodge with the Guns. But tell the beaters where there is a pricked bird

I laugh at the unruly dogs in the Beating line !! We have all been there

 

BUT what I dislike is the excuses that guns are busy or can't provide Cash or a stand in to beat for the people who work hard for them all season

[Alycidon]

 

BUT what I dislike is the excuses that guns are busy or can't provide Cash or a stand in to beat for the people who work hard for them all season

 

 

Agreed.

 

A

[Grandalf]

I run my brushers day a bit different. I have nine syndicate guns and seven regular beaters who shoot. So I have all sixteen shooting on brushers day. I number them 1 to 16 by draw from the hat.

I take as many guns as I need on each particular drive and the rest beat. However, the keeper then decides who will be the back guns and the walking guns on each drive. It is always my regular brushers.

We then have, and pay, my other beaters who don't shoot to do the real work of the day. The syndicate pays for these.

On our first drive - the best of the day - I put all 16 shooters right round the wood and maize block and the rest of us did the beating. 86 shots for about 25 high birds. They all got a bang - some don't shoot as well as others. Some hardly shoot at all.

Ended the day with 74 pheasants, one partridge and 24 pigeons from the roost shoot that always ends the day.

Scrumptious tiffin mid morning washed down with sloe gin.

A good day was had by all.

We always take a communal packed lunch in the shoot room.

[Mentalmac]

I run my brushers day a bit different. I have nine syndicate guns and seven regular beaters who shoot. So I have all sixteen shooting on brushers day. I number them 1 to 16 by draw from the hat.

I take as many guns as I need on each particular drive and the rest beat. However, the keeper then decides who will be the back guns and the walking guns on each drive. It is always my regular brushers.

We then have, and pay, my other beaters who don't shoot to do the real work of the day. The syndicate pays for these.

On our first drive - the best of the day - I put all 16 shooters right round the wood and maize block and the rest of us did the beating. 86 shots for about 25 high birds. They all got a bang - some don't shoot as well as others. Some hardly shoot at all.

Ended the day with 74 pheasants, one partridge and 24 pigeons from the roost shoot that always ends the day.

Scrumptious tiffin mid morning washed down with sloe gin.

A good day was had by all.

We always take a communal packed lunch in the shoot room.

That sounds like a nice and fair day, I have been watching this thread with interest as I've never shot a game day before, and it's been an interesting read thus far, quite insightful.

 

Some places sound much better to shoot or beat than others... :-)

Edited January 28, 2015 by Mentalmac

[Grandalf]

That sounds like a nice and fair day, I have been watching this thread with interest as I've never shot a game day before, and it's been an interesting read thus far, quite insightful.

 

Some places sound much better to shoot or beat than others... :-)

Not always but in general - Be careful of the commercial shoots.

[moose man]

Things that annoy me on a driven day ...today

 

Cocker spaniel , black , bitch ...whined as loudly as possible from the first shot on the first drive , till the last shot on the last drive ...when it was released to pick up it not only retrieved the bird but started to process it .....

[Gillaroo]

Only two things really grind my gears. Dangerous (not necessarily a low bird) shooting and the chaos that ensues when every dog in the beating line all of a sudden becomes a top notch picker up and a full-on field trial competition with no rules ensues at the end of a drive. Guns take note - I'll happily send you home however much you've spent and however far you've travelled and beaters, there are plenty who'd love to have your job so stick to it unless asked otherwise. I would point out that both these are very rare - maybe once a season.

[Guest cookoff013]

i had a young gun to my right, turned out to be the gamekeepers son. on one of the drives, before the birds flush he decided to try his luck at a 90yard pigeon.

 

he let off 2 shells, then the rest of the line opened up at this poor pigeon. who must have been in excess of 150 yards. lucky that we moved 2-3 pegs down and i ended up at the end and he on the opposite sides, but he joined me again after a while.