Beating

[Dunkield]

As there sounds like there are quite few beaters on here, I though I would start a fresh thread about it.

 

I had a day out yesterday on the shoot where mrs stuartp beats on a regular basis.

As they never need weekend beaters I can only a couple of days a year, so the round of banter was linked to me 'picking my days' as the weather yesterday round our way was absolutely perfect.

I don't know what it is about the beaters wagon that does it, but I always come with stomach ache having laughed so much, in a way I am glad I a not a regular, as I am sure I would be on receiving end more often

Anyways, we did 5 or 6 drives, can't remember, all in brilliant sunshine and the ground was luckily pretty hard so it made trudging uphill accross ploughed fields more easy.

Saw some great shots and some truely apalling shots, they wanted 125, I am not sure they got that, but they were trying to pick out the partridges, without much success

I have a couple of pictures at home I will stick them up later, I didn't want to get shouted at for being out of line so didn't take many unfortunately.

 

A day out with great company, in the fresh air, perfect weather and you get £20 + soup and roll - no wonder it is so popular.

 

I have a days holiday to 'use or loose' next week so I will be out again on Tuesday, lets hope the sun shines again

 

Anyone else have any tales to share?

[Stealth Stalker]

I've been beating for 3 seasons now on my local shoot not missing a day, as you mention the banter & leg pulling is non stop & is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much.

 

One story last year was of a muntjac that was seen every shoot day disturbing the drives & generally causing a nuisance of himself, the owner of the estate loved seeing them about the place & the gamekeeper was given strict instructions not to shoot him. On beaters day I was fortunate to be lined out in front of one of the main pens where all season there had been the majority of the shooting. Next to me was another beater Ray & then the boss.

 

During the drive we saw a massive flush of birds in the opposite direction of the guns & the gamekeeper was heard to be cursing the ******* muntjac. Then from the cover crop infront of the guns burst the monkey, heading straight towards Ray, the boss yelled not to shoot him & the monkey bowled him clean off his feet

 

I nearly wet meself laughing, the funniest thing being his dog who is normally a menace in the beating line was sat by his side the whole time & didn't move a muscle

 

The owner of the estate went up to Ray & remarked what beautiful creatures Muntjac were

 

 

SS

[Dunkield]

THAT is a cracker SS

 

Yesterday I saw 2 munties, 1 roe, about a dozen red kites, easily 4-500 pheasant/partridges (mainly still alive ) and a FOX!

The latter being the only thing I was amazed to see.

[Guest The Outlaw]

As a shooter I prefer the company of the beaters, we are all like minded and have a laugh taking themickey out of the other

 

shooters and ourselves.

 

Great bunch of lads and lasses that make my day even if I dont get a shot off its worth it for the company.

 

The keeper cops a lot of flack as well but it is all in good spirit and very relaxed until we are off on another drive.

 

Tony

[al4x]

I've been beating scarily 22 years now must be the banter etc as its still a great way to spend a day. Hence so many people give up a days work for it. Gets you onto some cracking estates and brings lots of shooting opportunities

[sandersj89]

Whilst out beating over the years I have had to help rescue numerous dogs that have got caught up in brambles and heavy cover, a number of beaters and even a gun who have got into the same situation.

 

Also rescued a beater who had slipped of a bridge into a rather stinky and muddy pond, that was mid morning but he stuck it out for the rest of the day, no one would sit near him in the beaters cart though….phew!

 

I have stepped on a roe deer hunkered down light in brambles, scared the living daylights out of me at the time!

 

Laughed until I cried watching the keeper of a shoot run around after a fox he surprised by a release pen, the fox was running around a corner in the wall of the pen and the keeper was determined to catch it, lots of shouting and scuffling and the keeper trying to belt it over the head with his stick and missing each time until the fox legged it over the keeper when he fell flat on his face. He was not a happy bunny for the rest of the day and the stick in the pub later………

 

It is a great way to spend a nice day in the countryside though it helps to be a little fit in some places I have shot/beaten, actually could help in some places if you are more like a mountain goat!

 

I have done a few silly things out beating to, the most stupid was trying to catch a downed hen pheasant as it drop near me, did a nice dive and managed to catch it but then also sprained my wrist and put a very nice gash in my hand, my defence was I was very young and daft then.

 

Best retrieve I ever did though was a cock bird one of the guns dropped on the roof of a barn, up a ladder with crawler board and out to pick it up off the roof, some one suggested we carry a dog up there but I did not want to carry one up a 20ft ladder.

 

Jerry

[cole890]

some good tales there

[Mrs Sweepy]

i just love beating

i got into it by accident . ever since i have known sweepy he has always wanted hes own shoot .last year hes wish can true .

through a very close and kind hearted farming friend .

it used to make me laugh at how serious these two shooting buddies took it .all the planning that went into it .the sleepless nights when they got their first poults

watching the weather and planning when to put the cover crops in

the panic when a fox was spotted hanging around the release pens

even when we met up socially .they would always end up talking about the *****y shoot .

anyway it was sweepys little hobby so i just let him get on with it .

well that was untill he came home the thursday before hes very first shoot .with that sad little boy look on hes face (i can never resist that look )

it turn out one of the beaters could not make it .so he was a beater short .well what was a girl to do . so i offered my services .but i told him what my terms in helping where

1, this would be the one and only time that i did it

2,if it was raining, windy or cold that morning ,i would not be leaving my warm cosy bed ,

3 if a bird flew up in my face,(beleve it or not am scared of birds )then he would not see me for dust .and i would spend the rast of the morning at the farm .

4,i was not there to carry anything other then a stick .no birds and no guns

they were my terms

anyway that dreaded morning arrived . it was a beautifuly sunny morning not even a ground frost . so off we went .

i dont know at what point of the morning it was that i change my mind .it might have been when the first bird went up or watching the dogs work. or the fun off beating your way though the thick cover crop . but it did .

 

and now. well am now on my second season of beating .and still loving every min of it .i dont mind what the weather like after a while you can forget it is raining .

many a time i have had a bird go up in front of me .and it still scares the **** out of me .but i can live with that .

and the carrying bit well am thinking of changing my name to suzy packhorse.

and so far this season i have had to detangle my hair from a unforgiven bush .slide down a riverbank on my bum .and ended up with a wellie boot full of water .

but

I HAVE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT

xxxxx suzy

 

 

o yes and i have gain a gundog called sammy

[Spaniel]

This is my 2nd season out Beating and I really enjoy it.

I Beat on a small very friendly shoot, and i have an excellent day with all the guys.

 

Even my 15 yr old Son decided to come along with me today...and he really enjoyed it, he saw 3 Deers, 1 Fox..

Plus he also got £15 and a Brace Pheasies which made his day

[young airgunner]

went out beating today at the estate where my friends grandad is the keeper. the boss had his son and friends shooting. was a very enjoyable day. loads of light hearted banter in the beaters wagon haha. when i was driving the tractor pulling the wagon, they kept asking for the heating to be turned up lol, i told them i had but somehow it must have broke lol. well good day had by all. plenty of birds shown and PLENTY missed haha. ended the day with a smile on my face and £25 going my way

[antuk99]

This is my first season beating & we had our beat shoot on fri must say Rabbits are easier to hunt

[mattyb]

I was out beating friday and one of the guns had a pritty bad drive couldnt hit sod all, lucky for him he had to hitch a lift with us in beaters cart after, as he got in you hear from the back "if you pass me them cartridges down i fill um wid some shot for ya" old one i no but tickled me at the time.

[catroofel]

i'v been beating since i was able and i'm 28 now- so a fair while really.

this year the keepers son came of age to come out and he is 11 i think, but has the trap of a sea gull telling every one how to do it, shouting

orders " coz ee's the underkeeper" anyway one drive beginning of the season is in a very high maize cover crop so it's a struggle to see your next man.

once at the end of said cover crop we realised that said keepers son was missing and assumed he had got lost in there

on going back to look for him we found him stubbling about all delerious. said son had been hit head on by a full grown

doe fallow at flat out running pace. needless to say he was very quiet for rest of the day.

[dustyfox]

I remember beating in a place near northampton, anyway it was a cold rainy day and it was a saturday so the kids were out beating with us. It was the first drive and I and the other beaters were in line going throw this old vegetable garden, and we were coming up to the end of the drive when suddenly one of the kids went from 5 ft tall to 1ft tall, he ended up in some smelly hole. The keeper sent him home with a full days pay.