Beating in the snow

[B725]

I've been out beating today and around 9.30 the snow started and never stopped, everyone was very cold and wet and most of the dogs had had enough. The bag limit was hit for around 1 pm and even the guns had enough,back home and drying everything off ready to do it all over again tomorrow,must be nuts.

[old'un]

Did you get any thunder-snow?

[Centrepin]

My sons out beating tomorrow and all being well we're shooting Sunday. 

As they say, better him than me.

[B725]

No just snow and some rain but I did win the cartridge count 😊 despite being cold and wet everything looked very festive as it was white all over.

[old'un]

1 minute ago, B725 said:

No just snow and some rain but I did win the cartridge count 😊 despite being cold and wet everything looked very festive as it was white all over.

So did the snow stick and how deep is it? With a bit of luck it might push some pigeon further south.

[Balotelli]

4 minutes ago, B725 said:

I've been out beating today and around 9.30 the snow started and never stopped, everyone was very cold and wet and most of the dogs had had enough. The bag limit was hit for around 1 pm and even the guns had enough,back home and drying everything off ready to do it all over again tomorrow,must be nuts.

I don't envy you. Are there ever any conditions, apart from thunderstorms, when the drive would be cancelled? As it so happens I watched a shoot yesterday for half an hour or so. There was some pretty impressive shooting. Hot toddies all round in those conditions.

[old'un]

7 minutes ago, Balotelli said:

I don't envy you. Are there ever any conditions, apart from thunderstorms, when the drive would be cancelled? As it so happens I watched a shoot yesterday for half an hour or so. There was some pretty impressive shooting. Hot toddies all round in those conditions.

The only time I have ever known a shoot to be stopped/cancelled is through heavy rain, warm/cold/snow the shoot goes on.

[B725]

There was only an inch or more but it did stick to you and covered everything.

[Blackpowder]

A reasonable amount of snow on the ground is a great help for  small diy shoots helps to keep the the birds where you want them.   The last syndicate shoot Iwas at in heavy snowfall was abandoned after 2 drives when we retired to the bothy to consume our pies and the pies of those who had not made it for the day.

 

Blackpowder

 

[B725]

No shelter because of kung flu, I have been shooting in Yorkshire and during the day we had everything from sun,wind,rain,snow and a hail storm that hit you almost at 90 degrees and stinging your face but the shoot carried on regardless.

[London Best]

Fog. That causes shoot cancellations/stoppages.

[Morkin]

Bring back memory's of a few years ago ,we had photo crew at shoot and just after dinner it started to snow and turned cold as well the sort of snow that stuck to you ,the dogs tried to get behind owners we had all had enough by mid afternoon ,Happy days .

[marsh man]

2 hours ago, London Best said:

Fog. That causes shoot cancellations/stoppages.

Weather wise , Fog is the number one reason for calling the day or part of the day off , we have never , well not that I can remember in calling a day off through snow , had the odd day in only having one drive after dinner so that everyone on the shoot can get home in daylight and the odd day where the guns had decided that the wind and heavy rain was a good reason to call it a day so they could  get down to the pub to dry out and a early lunch , apart from the safety aspect ,the decision to carry on or call it a day is left to the guns , the beaters and picker ups are normally dressed for foul weather and are on the move to keep warm a lot more than the guns who are put on the pegs and have to stand there until the whistle go to let them know the drive is over , a lot of money and time go in organising a day and it would need something out the ordinary to call it off 

[JDog]

When I lived in Cumbria I took a single gun on a shoot in the Eden Valley. I invited a friend from Angus and he stayed with us the night before.

The day dawned breezy then windy and when we arrived at the shoot the day had already been called off due to 'adverse weather conditions'.

This was pretty feeble in my opinion. Those pheasants could have been spectacular. 

[Grandalf]

Never ever cancelled a day on the shoot that I ran/keepered for more than twenty five years.   Delayed the start a couple of times due fog - Safety reasons.   With all the modern day clothing you have to stand still for quite a while before you get really cold.   Trouble is that most of the guns turn up dressed for a fashion show rather than a day out in the field.   Nothing to say that you can't enjoy a days driven shooting dressed in your fowling gear.   Don't do it on 'normal' days but perfectly acceptable when the weather is against you.

[London Best]

Most larger commercial shoots have insurance against having to cancel due to adverse conditions. It usually includes a clause such as if no shot is fired by 11 am then the day may be called off. Myself, I have only known it happen twice, both on the same estate in a very fog-prone spot. Loaders, beaters and pickers-up all had to wait around until 11 am, when they were paid and sent home.

[Walker570]

Yes, it was pretty dismal weather at Belvoir yesterday and the keeper did ask if we wished to continue. We all nodded and we finished on 147 for a 150 day with the safety on my 120yr old Army & Navy Sixteen, impossible to push off due to the wet hands fingers and gun, just as a flush of about 100 pheasants burst over the line. I certainly would have pushed the total above 150 otherwise and we where on no overage.  Spent most of today stripping the old gun down and drying it out before a coating of thin oil in all the nooks and crannies to dispel the water.   In 50yrs of running and taking part in shoots, I have only once called day off but the syndicate members all agreed. The rain was torrential and the wind around 40mph.  It would have been most unfair to the birds to continue.   A day on a bright frosty snow covered landscape takes some beating. Pun not intended honest.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Walker570

[Mice!]

One of my most memorable days beating was in the snow up in Glen Clova, my old dog worked brilliantly all day and tracked and retrieved a wounded bird through the snow, over a deer fence thanks to a gap, I was able to see his forot prints with the odd spot of blood between them. 

It was probably very cold and wet, I still have a very faded picture in the garage,  but I just remember the retrieve.

 

[Scully]

[Scully]

For some reason I couldn’t post text alongside. 
It started off grand as you can see, but then started to rain and just grew miserable for beaters guns and dogs. 
It became so cold one gun couldn’t operate his gun so stood down, and all the birds were flying wet so we called it a day around 2pm with a bag of about 140 or so. 

[B725]

Everywhere seems more peaceful with a covering of snow but it looks very cold there.

[Scully]

11 hours ago, B725 said:

Everywhere seems more peaceful with a covering of snow but it looks very cold there.

Yes, glorious first thing, but when the rain started and the wind took up it wasn’t pleasant at all. 

[figgy]

I've been on a shoot when it was called off during torrential rain as the birds just wouldn't fly, they were sodden through as we're we. No sport so day ended early.

Wind and rain does not make for a pleasant day.

[Jim Neal]

The wind can be fun if it's in your favour.  Either presenting nigh-on impossible to hit exocet missiles which would test even the most competent shot, or making things interesting with birds curling away and suddenly accelerating like the Star Ship Enterprise going into warp speed!

Agree the rain is not fun if too heavy, but I've had a few memorable days' shooting when I've got home soaked to the skin.  Also agree it gets past the point of being sporting to the birds if it's just too much for them, you can tell fairly early if it's just not going to be fair on them.

I've shot in such a variety of conditions from snow settling on my barrels, to having only a cotton shirt on my top half with three buttons undone, to horizontal icy rain being driven down my collar by a cruel wind... and I know which I prefer least!

We've never abandoned a day on the shoots I've been in but did delay the start once because you couldn't see past the muzzle of your gun until about 10am it was that foggy!