Beaters days just not for beaters?

[enfieldspares]

Just curious, how much does a beater/flag get paid?

On a couple of syndicates where I shot they also got first pick of the bag and, if the guns had not shot enough the guns went home empty handed. As it should be. If the beaters put the birds over the line and the guns didn't hit them then come the end of the day it's the guns go without.

 

[Heym SR20]

Threads such as this shows the best and the worst of phaesant shooting especially when money is involved.

Personally I much rather be part of informal little syndicate where we walk everywhere, tend to have a mix of walking and standing guns with the rolls shared. 6 of us out today aged 16 to 60, all shooting side by sides with three dogs. Covered about 14 km - morning in chest waders as we have 100 acres of marshy bullrushes. We all had shots, abd and all come home with two or three birds. Bag a mix of phaesant and duck - shots were had a snipe, woodcock and partridge as well.

No money changed hands, no real expectations other than fresh air and good exercise followed by a long soak in a bath.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Tax free/ cash in hand?

They are all taxed. Supposedly.
I only found out when my accountant phoned me up asking what the £20 was for. It was a fair few years ago. So, £20 to listen to some shitty under keeper mouthing off, plus the fuel to get there and home, then be taxed. Plus we got sent off to a cold barn to eat our sandwiches whilst the guns went off to the posh cabin for a warm meal and a meal.

Um. A days beating, total made after tax and expenses, about a fiver?
Yeah, not that desperate or interested. Or maybe I am now a grumpy old git.

 

[chriswjx]

Just curious, how much does a beater/flag get paid?

If on the grouse, then I've heard upwards of £100

 

[chriswjx]

They are all taxed. Supposedly.
I only found out when my accountant phoned me up asking what the £20 was for. It was a fair few years ago. So, £20 to listen to some shitty under keeper mouthing off, plus the fuel to get there and home, then be taxed. Plus we got sent off to a cold barn to eat our sandwiches whilst the guns went off to the posh cabin for a warm meal and a meal.

Um. A days beating, total made after tax and expenses, about a fiver?
Yeah, not that desperate or interested. Or maybe I am now a grumpy old git.

My fairly sure the shoot I help out at is taxed, but they cover the NI payments. So cash you get is "post" tax.

Loaders aren't covered under this as we're nominally paid by the gun.

 

[Dunwaters]

They are all taxed. Supposedly.
I only found out when my accountant phoned me up asking what the £20 was for. It was a fair few years ago. So, £20 to listen to some shitty under keeper mouthing off, plus the fuel to get there and home, then be taxed. Plus we got sent off to a cold barn to eat our sandwiches whilst the guns went off to the posh cabin for a warm meal and a meal.

Um. A days beating, total made after tax and expenses, about a fiver?
Yeah, not that desperate or interested. Or maybe I am now a grumpy old git.

Sod that!
If going to spend my day poking around an hour from home, I want cash in hand.
Can’t be arsed setting up a company to claim back the vat on the diesel and the tolls.
Next question, how many days beating would I be expected to put in before I get an invitation?

P.S. you’re not making it sound very attractive.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Beaters £50 - £55
Pickers up £10 more
Loaders £125 ish.

Anyone beating for £20 is having the **** taken .

It’s all very well saying “ oh our little shoot, we all share and no money changes hands “ etc. but that means nothing to bigger shoots .
What some keepers need to learn though is that it’s beaters that pick the shoot , not the other way round

 

[chriswjx]

Beaters £50 - £55
Pickers up £10 more
Loaders £125 ish.

Anyone beating for £20 is having the **** taken .

It’s all very well saying “ oh our little shoot, we all share and no money changes hands “ etc. but that means nothing to bigger shoots .
What some keepers need to learn though is that it’s beaters that pick the shoot , not the other way round

Think we're

£40
£60
£100 - although as a loader it depends if I'm double gunning, if DG, I'd be expected to see more like £150-200 as a minimum (again though, this comes from the gun).

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Anyone beating for £20 is having the **** taken .

It was 10 years ago.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Thank god

 

[jall55]

Thank god

Most round us pay 20 / 30 quid for a bit of expenses (dog food / diesel) - BUT beaters on our get vermin - deer - fox - pigeon shooting
First in line if a gun cant shoot a day - for free
Proper beaters day - indeed when i could not give one during Covid i let them have walked up days - and they shot the second day the year after
We provide breakfast - 11s - and a beer or two for those that want
Free logs - a pie and pea supper

 

[chriswjx]

Most round us pay 20 / 30 quid for a bit of expenses (dog food / diesel) - BUT beaters on our get vermin - deer - fox - pigeon shooting
First in line if a gun cant shoot a day - for free
Proper beaters day - indeed when i could not give one during Covid i let them have walked up days - and they shot the second day the year after
We provide breakfast - 11s - and a beer or two for those that want
Free logs - a pie and pea supper

That's the way it should be Properly looking after the team

 

[glasshalffull]

It's a well known unexplained phenomenon that many beaters dogs come into season just before beaters day..

 

[desperate dan]

I must admit to enjoying a days beating, although it's not too formal on the 3 shoots I go on, guns and beaters all sit down at lunch together and at the end everyone is invited for a quick pint at the local, i don't always shoot at the beaters day as we try to encourage some of the younger members of the beating teams to have a go, but it's still a good day plenty of banter, the way it should be, even the keepers seem relaxed most beaters days

 

[countrryboy]

Beaters £50 - £55
Pickers up £10 more
Loaders £125 ish.

Anyone beating for £20 is having the **** taken .

It’s all very well saying “ oh our little shoot, we all share and no money changes hands “ etc. but that means nothing to bigger shoots .
What some keepers need to learn though is that it’s beaters that pick the shoot , not the other way round

Thats more like the pay u should be getting.
Alrhou the loading money is higher, they say 80 is the basic min for a loader.
Most guns pay a good bit more, althou had a lot of yanks over last few years and they all only pay the bare minimum.
Bloody cheek as their shokting some big days, bare min of a slab per drive if not more.

The beaters and pickers all take home about 70 quid with tax and NI paid.
Quite a few get a 1000-1200 quid bonus about march time for holiday pay if they have done wnough days.

Must admit im winding my dogs down, simply cant afford ( or grudge) the time off work to go picking up for peanuts anymore.
Seen me doing close to 100 days if got a good grouse season in the past.
Esp when shoots are charging and making big money.
Not really fair relying on folk to work for peanuts to subsidise other folks big money days.
A lot of these folk are dropping 5 or 6K+ on a day some are paying way way iver that too.

 

[countrryboy]

As for beaters days i do think its bang out of order for soneone to be advertising to buy a keepers day.
To be honest its not a day id fancy intruding on as a stranger.
I have seen quite a few shoots sell days for charity, which is a different matter

Aye been on a few keepers days when their is a lot of strange faces.
But their is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to run a succesful shoot.
So really dont have a problem if farmers/land owners ( who dont normally shoot), feed merchants, game farmers, vets, mechanics, quad salsemen etc to name a few are there.

Must admit i tend to use keepers day and beaters day as the same thing.
But i have heard some say slightly different and on a 'keepers day' is more for keepers mates and beaters day is more only for beaters.
But the shoits ive mainly been on were more for beaters

 

[Bo Diddley]

I beat on four local shoots, just to work the Cocker in the beating line.

#1. Soup and Tesco's sandwiches provided, chocolate biscuits, a beer if you want one, I've taken a kettle and tea/coffee for everyone to use, 3 hard days only, £50 beaters pay. Then a small cock day, with hot food and drinks laid on..

#2. Coffee in the morning, elevenses, dinner of sausages and rolls, cheese & biscuits, port/sloe gin if we can get our hands on it, cakes and coffee/tea at the close of day, 3 days only, no cockday for the beater's, £40 per day for a beater.

#3. Elenenses with sausage rolls, cakes and sloegasms. Long, hard days . Lunchtime, there is a bottle of something strong and beers in the beater's barn, at days close you are welcome to have a few nibbles and hot drinks or a G&T, 6 days only, and a small beater's day at the end.. £30 per day for a beater..

#4. Teas/coffees in the morning and at the close of play. Easy, well organised short days, a nice amount of game to hunt the dog on over good ground, a few of us bring a bottle or a few goodies to share. Multiple days, every Saturday and a few midweek days. A good beater's day, with a few of the ladies putting on a good spread of food for everyone. £40 per day for a beater.

All of them, apart from #2, you can take what you like game wise.
Pay just about covers getting there, a bag of dog grub, new leggings, etc... but we love it... it will be a sad day if it all ends.

 

[mudman]

Well some beaters days are keepers days, where the gamekeeper is free to invite who he wants , Usually a combination of shoot helpers (beaters etc) and his friends.

 

[Klenchblaize]

All this unnecessary 'pain' soon to be ended by your caring Government, so hang in there.

K

 

[gr cz527]

Theres lots goes on in the background for a shoot day to work. Estate hands. Helpers supplying food, cutting grass and maint jobs. Seen them all on keepers days and have no issue. I have paid for days on keepers says for a charity auction and took my dad who had such a memorable day.

Low ground beaters paid upto £65 near me and £80 grouse.