Hats off - To the hard work put in making a good shoot great.

[OJW]

The below example shows the work and investment it takes to make a good shoot great, to keep it current and to keep it profitable. I hope more start to follow suit across the UK and less are forced out of business.

 

Jdog took me to see a shoot that me and the PW team will be shooting in January. We drove up to a vantage point overlooking the estate and J pointed out some of the drives that myself and the PW team will be shooting. They looked excellent and the estate is beautiful. What was very interesting was that the keeper who took on the shoot relatively recently was given can't blanche to rearrange cover crops and drives. This meant that he was able to re-design the shoot with drives capable of functioning effectively and to a high standard no matter what the prevailing wind. The increased work load on top of all the normal end of season work and preparation must be staggering and it is brilliant that there are keepers willing to take on such a challenge. Not to mention going against the status quo and taking a risk changing an established shoot.

 

In contrast some keepers seem to find it hard to be adaptable in merely moving a gun line let alone a cover crop and will treat pegs as set in stone, running the drive in the same way every time. Once or twice I have been placed in a line, the vast majority of which, even I can tell will see no action on the day in question, with birds spilling out the drive at all the wrong points and at best, the ones the guns do see not being quality birds as they struggle on a bad wind. It's always good to see a keeper who is not scared to be flexible in adapting the line on the day, and impressive to meet one who will take such steps to work with nature to ensure all his guns a good day to this extent.

 

This made me think how sadly more shoots seem to be going bust, online more old syndicates seem to advertise they have places available. The increased competition and wide variety of shooting that is now readily available through sites such as Guns on Pegs may mean that shoots need to re-invest in themselves and syndicates need to re think their old drives to attract and keep members. If clients or syndicate members aren't happy, they don't have to make much of an effort to find alternatives.

 

It was excellent to see a keeper taking a long view and taking the trouble to perfect his patch. I take my hat off to all those putting in the hard work that goes into producing a consistently good shoot and natural environment for the wildlife within.

Edited September 15, 2016 by OJW

[JDog]

And how many guns, particularly those on the corporate merry go round and those who just pay up and turn up really understand that sort of thing? Not many I wager.

 

Your post shows a good understanding of what is required in terms of forward planning for a game shoot. Perhaps you learnt something when you were up here after all.

[Essex Keeper]

It's hardwork I'm part time ever sat and sun a most evening you work so hard all year