Beaters

[Rhodesianjess]

Over the years I've noticed that there appears to be two schools of beating. Commercial shoots pay more but you're there to do a job so not always that much of the craich, always a hurry on, dogs quite often banned for beater's in case they run amuck.
Then there's private/farm type shoots, rarely more than 15/20 days. Generally same faces each day, well behaved dogs welcome but misdemeanors always remembered and often mentioned by others guns know beater's names and will stop for a chat, day proceeds at more leisurely pace. Plus roost shooting, ferreting, vermin days,sit for a deer/fox if you have a rifle, firewood for the asking. On top of beater's day and a duck/goose flight or two.
Personally, prefer the latter, you can't beat having the craich with mates whilst laughing at someone's spaniel giving the keeper heart palpitations guns that even know your dogs name and thank you for your efforts.
Commercial may pay more but you can't put a price on camaraderie.

 

[wabbit warren]

i beat on two shoots 1 pays £20 and food and drink provide plus beaters day shoot.
the other shoot is a mates shoot and we dont get paid on that one but again food and drink provided and a days shooting in the season as a guest gun
lets face it we dont do it for the money ! no one would work for £20 a day lol
you do it for the love of it

 

[Jelen]

We get £40 and lunch I think pickers up get more but I never understood why? Maybe if they have 4-5 dogs but if they have a couple it should be the same surely?

Pickers up use their own vehicle and fuel, hence get paid £10 more than beaters, that's on the 3 shoots I beat on. Also these days it seems a pack of dogs is mandatory (not unusual to see 5 or more) so the feed bill is pretty substantial. Also Beaters bring their dogs voluntarily, some only the once .

 

[Stimo444]

Over the years I've noticed that there appears to be two schools of beating. Commercial shoots pay more but you're there to do a job so not always that much of the craich, always a hurry on, dogs quite often banned for beater's in case they run amuck.
Then there's private/farm type shoots, rarely more than 15/20 days. Generally same faces each day, well behaved dogs welcome but misdemeanors always remembered and often mentioned by others guns know beater's names and will stop for a chat, day proceeds at more leisurely pace. Plus roost shooting, ferreting, vermin days,sit for a deer/fox if you have a rifle, firewood for the asking. On top of beater's day and a duck/goose flight or two.
Personally, prefer the latter, you can't beat having the craich with mates whilst laughing at someone's spaniel giving the keeper heart palpitations guns that even know your dogs name and thank you for your efforts.
Commercial may pay more but you can't put a price on camaraderie.

And a few sticks

 

[Utectok]

Over the years I've noticed that there appears to be two schools of beating. Commercial shoots pay more but you're there to do a job so not always that much of the craich, always a hurry on, dogs quite often banned for beater's in case they run amuck.
Then there's private/farm type shoots, rarely more than 15/20 days. Generally same faces each day, well behaved dogs welcome but misdemeanors always remembered and often mentioned by others guns know beater's names and will stop for a chat, day proceeds at more leisurely pace. Plus roost shooting, ferreting, vermin days,sit for a deer/fox if you have a rifle, firewood for the asking. On top of beater's day and a duck/goose flight or two.
Personally, prefer the latter, you can't beat having the craich with mates whilst laughing at someone's spaniel giving the keeper heart palpitations guns that even know your dogs name and thank you for your efforts.
Commercial may pay more but you can't put a price on camaraderie.

I agree I don't do commercial beating these days too much stress as they push to get numbers over guns not worth the extra cash. I like to beat on "Family" shoots where it doesn't matter if the guns shoot 20 or 100 so long as they had a good day and i don't have to stress about my dog all day!

 

[Rhodesianjess]

And a few sticks

You're welcome to them bud

 

[LarryLightFoot]

£30 for us plus loads of food at morning break and lunch .

 

[Stimo444]

Absolutely no expense spared this year

 

[Evolve82]

£20 each plus food on the day. Also get to take as many birds home as we want.

 

[Dillon]

Beaters £40, and leave your dog at home. Pickers up £60 , beer, occasionally sausage rolls, mince pies, slow gin etc. A brace or two to take home . Two beaters days and pigeon shooting from Feb 1st to August. Ground to train your dogs on also Feb-Aug.

Without them a driven shoot is a rough shoot, look after them.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Absolutely no expense spared this year

Don't expect such luxury stuff from our place
On a previous estate that I keepered on prizes were awarded at season end.
Extra strength dog lead for best behaved dog.
Ten clay lessons for best shot on beater's day.
Excellent fun, always well received by the lads. Fun whilst working, can't beat it.

 

[alan123shooting]

I get £35-40 depending which shoot, but beating has given me all my stalking, priceless

 

[Soap]

We get £53, if we’re self employed, I presume that’s minimum wage?

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

Been beating for a local estate when the keeper run shorts and asks me.

£40 a day but food layed on and have a beaters shack that's got a heater and sofas in to look after us all.

 

[Bo Diddley]

beaters shack that's got a heater and sofas in

That sounds great . The nicest place that I go beating pays 30 quid a day, but you get looked after with hot sausage rolls and sloe gin/prosecco and tea or coffee and nibbles at the day's end, the shoot captain also thanks the beating team several times through the day, which costs nothing but goes a long way , ( and I get to work the dog which is the main reason for going) also a cock day with grub laid on...

 

[Roebuck]

r

beaters £53 ,tax paid by shoot pickers two dogs £75 plus £8 per dog they pay the tax but get food for dogs. no human meals supplied .<bring your own or starve !> 43 days a year and if you complete at least 35 day and dont shoot on the cock bird days its £100 bonus

Can I come please ,two good dogs and one in training!

 

[Doodles]

We pay £50 for a beater and £65 for a picker up. The estate pays the tax so that’s take home. Argument being why pickers up get paid more is you don’t need a dog to be able to beat but you do need dogs to be able to pick game, therefore the cost to a picker up is more. We have two lads days at the end of the season, whose you don’t shoot but come beating gets a days pay. Meal and drinks after the last day paid for by the keepers then a bbq I’m the summer to get everyone together before the start of the new season.

 

[Jammy-landy]

‘Going rate’ varies depending on where I go:

No pay but full compliment of snacks/drinks throughout plus two courses, pint and fairly unlimited port at the pub.

Or

£40 take your own lunch.

Both level with beaters days and birds on every shoot day. I like both for different reasons!