wattsowatts Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 We had our beaters day on one of the shoots that I beat on today, the conversation got round to when shoots began to have beaters days. Would anyone have any idea where and when the first beaters day was organised and why??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Thay are not beaters days - they are keepers days and beaters are invited guests Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 (edited) Thay are not beaters days - they are keepers days and beaters are invited guests Is that why all the keepers sell their 'Keepers days' around here then as a normal paid day instead of letting the beaters have a day in thanks? And then to top it all charge the beaters/picker ups for four days roost shooting in Febuary at 25 quid a go? I have to be honest I don't beat these days like I use to, I am nowadays one of the paying guns in the shooting line. But it really disgusts me how some keepers and shoot owners treat the people who make their/our day happen with this sort of contempt. I appreciate what beaters do, I've been there. If I was not getting anything out of it who in their right mind would want to go beating -taking time off work, to get paid less than a casual worker? I don't know what goes on elsewhere but it certainly goes on around here. Edited January 19, 2008 by starlight32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Most Keepers do tend to give the beaters a day - but in reality it is thier day to do with what they want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Most Keepers do tend to give the beaters a day - but in reality it is thier day to do with what they want. Which normally entails lining their own pockets!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Most Keepers do tend to give the beaters a day - but in reality it is thier day to do with what they want. Totally disagree, the keeper gets paid and gets tips from the guns all year round and so it is beaters day, not keepers day. It is supposed to be a day to say thankyou for all the hard work and effort that the beaters, picker-ups and other people who have helped the shoot, not the Keepers day to invite who he wants!!!! I have had an arguement with our "Keeper" over this very subject and when he told me that he was going to change the day because two of his mates, who have never helped on the shoot couldn't make it, I lost it with him. The whole day is going to be a role reversal and the guns will beat whilst the beaters stand. The guns have paid for the lease, feed, birds etc. and it is up to us who we uinvite not some jumped up part time person who openly denies knowing anything about keepering, and in fact does **** all apart from check hoppers for feed. He gets paid £3500 for doing that as well, tax free, cash in hand. He doesn't even control the foxes unless you take having a pot shot with a .22 rimfire as fox control. He is a lazy moaning, freeloading *** who we will get rid of for next season. The **** even went and allowed some people to come on the estate and shoot pigeons the same day as one of our driven days, not to mention the fact that we brought a brand new quad for him to use, and he went and broke it not once, not twice, but three times through ignorance as to how the gears worked even though he was shown three times by the rep that came out and cost us money in getting it repaired. Don't think he has earned a "Keepers day" at all to be honest. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Agree that thats rather harsh, my Beaters is day, is for the beaters who beat on my shoot, i feel that anyone else that helps out on a shoot but doesnt beat will get other benefits such as pigeon shooting, rabbits and the like but not shooting on the beaters day. I and Farmerguy.22 both went on a shoot yesterday where a few of the people there i had never met before and certainly didnt beat on the previous shoot days- but then its up to the shoot owner i suppose. And on another shoot i beat on they have a "keepers day" for the keepers and shoot captains friends and a cock day for the beaters. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Sorry boys, but it is a good will gesture from the land owner to the keeper - its comes from the time of landed gentry where they employed a headkeeper and some times under/beat keepers, the ' beaters' used to mainly estate workers. The land owner used to give the headkeeper a day at the end of the year as a thankyou present and he used to invite his freinds and guests It still stands today as keepers day and the beaters are still just invited guests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Which normally entails lining their own pockets!!!!!! Absolute rubbish !! In the old days it was always known as keepers day, for him to do with what he will. On the shoots I used to beat on the keepers invited the people that had done most of the work, (regular beaters) and maybe some non-beaters that had helped him through the year (farm hands etc). Nowadays I do the same on the shoot that I keeper, those that do the work get the shooting, but it is by invitation, and not a god given right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 I think they just get called 'beaters days' Anyway I don't care what they are called, all I know is I get to go on the walk and stand next week, as mrs stuartp has been beating her *** off all season long and doesn't shoot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poacher Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 mrs stuartp has been beating her *** off all season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjw Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 hi guys we know them as cock days. the keeper on our shoot is a great guy he gives us 2 cock days and he also supplies our dinner now thats what i call appreciation dont you cjw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 I think any keeper worth his pay would know who to invite...those who've worked hardest, worked the most days and are an asset to his shooting days. If not he'll forever be looking for new beaters each season. It's a labour of love NOT one of money to most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 SS is this the same shoot you reported having so much trouble with last season? If so all I can say is keep at it...one day you'll get it right! Keeper sounds a right a******* and will no doubt get his just deserts only don't be surprised if you get hit by poachers and the like next season. You have been warned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunk Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 I did a lot of beating when i was young, and often found that on beaters day individuals turned up that i had never seen beating and took the lions share of the standing while we did the lions share of the beating. Keepers often collected up in earnest or sold a lot of boundary days towards the end and there was very little left to shoot for those who had grafted in the cold and rain. There were always those that wanted to work their dogs, those that wanted long walks in the countryside and those that were looking for a beaters shoot and maybe a bit of pest control in the spring. In my experience it was a lot of work for little shooting, and i found i could get decent shooting just by asking for it with perhaps a bit of help given on farms. Keepers in my experience dont like folk on their land at other times including those who have helped out through the season. However, for those looking for picking up or whatever who are not interested in the shooting then its ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I beat for free offering my services for pigeon shooting through the year till game season starts again. I also had a keepers day free AND was offered a second free again and then the 3rd was a rough walked up day offered at £65 The way I see it is now I have somewhere to shoot pigeons and rabbits through the year and if you work out SOME places charge £100 a day PLUS for pigeon shooting I got the better half of the deal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldspot Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 We were given a beaters day, food back at the house and then whilst we were sat in front of the fire the keeper remarked" If anyone wants to flight ducks on the ponds tonight theres some boxes of steel shot in the barn" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 on our estate (newton rigg) we have to beat almost every day to get beaters day and we dont even get a brace of birds to take home but we do get as much game stew as we can eat and on beaters day its stand one walk one and we can flight ducks only if we have fed the ponds for 2 weeks with our own feed we also have a keepers day and this is where we invite all the keepers from around us we do this beacusthey may be possible jobs fr us when we leav collage ahh well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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