Be selective but do continue to shoot any sporting birds. Speak to your host at the end of the drive, I would offer to pay for the excess or drop to back gun for the remaining drives. It is better to be prepared to pay for the excess than embarrass the keeper by his day coming up short, or deflate the beaters seeing all their hard work to flush birds wasted.
Driven etiquette….
- Thread starter gixer1
- Start date
Nimrod1960
Well-Known Member
As a guest , shoot what challenges and pleases you.
On a commercial day (rather than home or syndicate shoot) the keeper and host usually sus the team on first drive and adjust drives or flushes accordingly to get near the bag. Unless they want to stitch you for overages.
Driven game should be enjoyed as a social sport not killing for self gratification/entertainment ( God I sound like a curmudgeon )
On a commercial day (rather than home or syndicate shoot) the keeper and host usually sus the team on first drive and adjust drives or flushes accordingly to get near the bag. Unless they want to stitch you for overages.
Driven game should be enjoyed as a social sport not killing for self gratification/entertainment ( God I sound like a curmudgeon )
Lloyd90
Well-Known Member
My mate who’s a keeper would go absolutely mental if the team were pushing really good sporting birds over the guns and they just stood there or slipped their gums.
As said, the next drive might be a flop, or anything.
If you’ve slipped your guns whilst the drive isn’t even half way through then at the end of the day don’t hit the bag you’d have a real cheek to complain also.
As said, the next drive might be a flop, or anything.
If you’ve slipped your guns whilst the drive isn’t even half way through then at the end of the day don’t hit the bag you’d have a real cheek to complain also.
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
Spot on, it can be very frustrating for keepers and shoot captains to have to put on an extra duck drive just as a bag filler!
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
In the hotseat for once in your life. Don’t be greedy and shoot the low easy birds, but pick your shots and take the good ones.
As a guest I think you owe it to your host, beaters etc to enjoy yourself. The keeper, beaters etc have worked hard to achieve this.
Plenty of times you will draw blank pegs whilst others are in the hotseat. Just enjoy their shooting for them. Over the course of a day, season or a lifetime it tends to even out.
Where it gets difficult is when lots of easy low birds come your way. Do you shoot and kill? Standing back with an open gun strikes me as dismissing the quality as beneath you which is not a good look either. I have been in such situations a couple of times. I developed poor shooting.
As a guest I think you owe it to your host, beaters etc to enjoy yourself. The keeper, beaters etc have worked hard to achieve this.
Plenty of times you will draw blank pegs whilst others are in the hotseat. Just enjoy their shooting for them. Over the course of a day, season or a lifetime it tends to even out.
Where it gets difficult is when lots of easy low birds come your way. Do you shoot and kill? Standing back with an open gun strikes me as dismissing the quality as beneath you which is not a good look either. I have been in such situations a couple of times. I developed poor shooting.
johnnytheboy
Well-Known Member
Personally I would stop shooting but I would stay on peg and if there was an absolute stonker, shot of a lifetime I’d give it a go!
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
1) Carry on shooting as it’s likely one of the other pegs won’t have as hot a drive.
YES. AS IT IS AN INSULT TO YOU HOST, THE KEEPER AND BEATERS TO LET GOOD BIRDS PASS BY THAT THEY HAVE MADE EFFORT TO HAVE TO SEND OVER THE LINE - NOT JUST ON THE DAY BUT FROM THE THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SEASON.
YES. AS OTHERS SAY THE SHOOT MAY BE RELYING ON THOSE BIRDS AS GRACE BIRDS FOR THE BEATERS OR ANY THAT LIVE ON THE FARM SUCH AS FARM WORKERS, RETIRED FARM WORKERS OR ANY CURRENT FARMING TENANTS.
YES. IF YOU THEN CHOOSE TO "MISS" OR FORGET TO TAKE THE SAFETY CATCH OFF OR NOT NOTICE THE BIRD UNTIL IT IS "TOO LATE" THEN THAT IS UP TO YOU - BUT IT IS BETTER FOR SAKE OF APPEARANCE OF GOOD MANNERS THAN IS 2), 3) OR 5). EVEN SO IT IS POOR ETIQUETTE - FOR THE TWO REASONS NOTED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE.
2) Stop shooting, open your gun and stand not firing any more shots and allow birds to pass over.
NO. AS IT IS AN INSULT TO YOUR HOST, THE KEEPER AND BEATERS TO LET GOOD BIRDS PASS BY THAT THEY HAVE MADE EFFORT TO HAVE TO SEND OVER THE LINE - NOT JUST ON THE DAY BUT FROM THE THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SEASON.
IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE SHOOT CAPTAIN TO FEAR YOU HAVE TAKEN ILL OR BEEN SHOT AND SO HAVE TO COME AND MAKE SURE "ALL IS WELL" AND SO DISRUPT THEIR ONGOING MARSHALLING THE DRIVE.
3) Slip your gun and stand and watch the other pegs shooting allowing birds to pass over.
NO. AS IT IS AN INSULT TO YOUR HOST, THE KEEPER AND BEATERS TO LET GOOD BIRDS PASS BY THAT THEY HAVE MADE EFFORT TO HAVE TO SEND OVER THE LINE - NOT JUST ON THE DAY BUT FROM THE THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SEASON.
IT MAY ALSO CAUSE YOUR HOST OR THE SHOOT CAPTAIN TO FEAR YOU HAVE TAKEN ILL OR BEEN SHOT AND SO HAVE TO COME AND MAKE SURE "ALL IS WELL" AND SO DISRUPT THEIR ONGOING MARSHALLING THE DRIVE.
4) Offer a gun on the next peg to stand in your “hot peg” position.
NO. THAT IS NOT IN YOUR "GIFT" IT IS IN THE "GIFT" OF YOUR HOST OR THE SHOOT CAPTAIN. REMEMBER THAT. YOU ARE NOT ALLOCATING THE PEG NUMBERS THEY ARE. YOU ARE A GUEST. SO IF YOU WANT TO OFFER THAT IT IS FOR THEM ALONE, NOT YOU, TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
5) Walk back to help pick up birds that may be downed.
NO. IT IS A BREACH OF SAFETY AS AS YOU WALK BACK YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH THE ARC OF FIRE FOR GUNS FIRING AT BIRDS THAT HAVE PASSED THE LINE.
AND AS AT 2) AND 3) IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE SHOOT CAPTAIN TO FEAR YOU HAVE TAKEN ILL OR BEEN SHOT AND SO HAVE TO COME AND MAKE SURE "ALL IS WELL" AND SO DISRUPT THEIR ONGOING MARSHALLING THE DRIVE.
YES. AS IT IS AN INSULT TO YOU HOST, THE KEEPER AND BEATERS TO LET GOOD BIRDS PASS BY THAT THEY HAVE MADE EFFORT TO HAVE TO SEND OVER THE LINE - NOT JUST ON THE DAY BUT FROM THE THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SEASON.
YES. AS OTHERS SAY THE SHOOT MAY BE RELYING ON THOSE BIRDS AS GRACE BIRDS FOR THE BEATERS OR ANY THAT LIVE ON THE FARM SUCH AS FARM WORKERS, RETIRED FARM WORKERS OR ANY CURRENT FARMING TENANTS.
YES. IF YOU THEN CHOOSE TO "MISS" OR FORGET TO TAKE THE SAFETY CATCH OFF OR NOT NOTICE THE BIRD UNTIL IT IS "TOO LATE" THEN THAT IS UP TO YOU - BUT IT IS BETTER FOR SAKE OF APPEARANCE OF GOOD MANNERS THAN IS 2), 3) OR 5). EVEN SO IT IS POOR ETIQUETTE - FOR THE TWO REASONS NOTED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE.
2) Stop shooting, open your gun and stand not firing any more shots and allow birds to pass over.
NO. AS IT IS AN INSULT TO YOUR HOST, THE KEEPER AND BEATERS TO LET GOOD BIRDS PASS BY THAT THEY HAVE MADE EFFORT TO HAVE TO SEND OVER THE LINE - NOT JUST ON THE DAY BUT FROM THE THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SEASON.
IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE SHOOT CAPTAIN TO FEAR YOU HAVE TAKEN ILL OR BEEN SHOT AND SO HAVE TO COME AND MAKE SURE "ALL IS WELL" AND SO DISRUPT THEIR ONGOING MARSHALLING THE DRIVE.
3) Slip your gun and stand and watch the other pegs shooting allowing birds to pass over.
NO. AS IT IS AN INSULT TO YOUR HOST, THE KEEPER AND BEATERS TO LET GOOD BIRDS PASS BY THAT THEY HAVE MADE EFFORT TO HAVE TO SEND OVER THE LINE - NOT JUST ON THE DAY BUT FROM THE THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SEASON.
IT MAY ALSO CAUSE YOUR HOST OR THE SHOOT CAPTAIN TO FEAR YOU HAVE TAKEN ILL OR BEEN SHOT AND SO HAVE TO COME AND MAKE SURE "ALL IS WELL" AND SO DISRUPT THEIR ONGOING MARSHALLING THE DRIVE.
4) Offer a gun on the next peg to stand in your “hot peg” position.
NO. THAT IS NOT IN YOUR "GIFT" IT IS IN THE "GIFT" OF YOUR HOST OR THE SHOOT CAPTAIN. REMEMBER THAT. YOU ARE NOT ALLOCATING THE PEG NUMBERS THEY ARE. YOU ARE A GUEST. SO IF YOU WANT TO OFFER THAT IT IS FOR THEM ALONE, NOT YOU, TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
5) Walk back to help pick up birds that may be downed.
NO. IT IS A BREACH OF SAFETY AS AS YOU WALK BACK YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH THE ARC OF FIRE FOR GUNS FIRING AT BIRDS THAT HAVE PASSED THE LINE.
AND AS AT 2) AND 3) IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE SHOOT CAPTAIN TO FEAR YOU HAVE TAKEN ILL OR BEEN SHOT AND SO HAVE TO COME AND MAKE SURE "ALL IS WELL" AND SO DISRUPT THEIR ONGOING MARSHALLING THE DRIVE.
Last edited:
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
I'd also add that as a gun you've no idea about if the keeper who has been there much earlier than you has seen a fox emerge from the shoot's scheduled second drive as he arrived that morning and realises that he needs to "make up" the numbers he's now not going to get from that second drive on this first drive.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
A shoot where my son used to beat (and I was beating at that time) one of the more elderly guns turned up, opened his gun slip, and out came not his AYA No2 as he thought he'd brought but a black plastic fantastic Webley & Scott Model 810.
They let him carry on, and anyway, for what it's worth the shoot is non-toxic shot only (as on steel) so no harm done IMHO. I think that more and more likely if steel shot rules then you'll see more of it becoming accepted as being the normal.
They let him carry on, and anyway, for what it's worth the shoot is non-toxic shot only (as on steel) so no harm done IMHO. I think that more and more likely if steel shot rules then you'll see more of it becoming accepted as being the normal.
Rake Aboot
Well-Known Member
I can tell you now what the keeper would say
Keep shooting, shoot good birds , be selective but shooting 4 on the first drive on a hundred bird day is not the end of the world
There is as much chance that the other guns can’t hit hee haw
Don’t put too much thought into etiquette, if you do you’ll be the only one e at the shoot doing so.
Keep shooting, shoot good birds , be selective but shooting 4 on the first drive on a hundred bird day is not the end of the world
There is as much chance that the other guns can’t hit hee haw
Don’t put too much thought into etiquette, if you do you’ll be the only one e at the shoot doing so.
The reasons for not using a pump action or semi automatic shotgun generally are that it's not easy for everyone to know when they are safe (unlike a SXS or O/U where it can be broken) so can cause consternation. Also, if you have more than two cartridges in your gun, then you are at an advantage to others just shooting double barrelled guns. So, generally shoot organisers will specify they aren't to be used. I have known circumstances where a semi auto was used by one gun, who had a hand injury at the time. However he owned the land so I think that was a factor!
As enfieldspares says, they might well become more frequent, although I suspect the majority of shoots will stick with the double barrelled mantra, for right or wrong. I'm not convinced the type of cartridges will make any great difference to this.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
Or maybe two, yes two, semi-automatics and a loader?
Ah…another good question - if you’ll do it don’t see what you deem as “an acceptable bird”….do you not shoot at all….could be seen as an insult by the keeper and beaters….
Broke a firing pin on my sxs during the last week of January many many years ago - cock week on my keeper friends shoot, so with his approval pitched up the next day with my semi auto… the looks I got had to be seen to be believed
Back then a 5 shot semi was still s2 but I only ever had 2 in it, the old duffers & hangers on who weren’t even regular beaters said I should stop shooting & put it away even when I was back gunning to shoot cock birds they’d already missed!Similar threads
