First pheasant shoot coming up.

[Pedro]

Stalking and vermin control are more solitary pastimes than a pheasant day. With stalking, you can concentrate totally on the matter in hand.

On a pheasant day, there's much more interaction with the other shooters, beaters, pickers up, etc. That's the idea of course, it's a more gregarious thing. But what you must try to do, once on the peg, is concentrate on the matter at hand. Dial out the faffing about the feller on the next peg is doing. Ignore the picker up behind you who is shouting at his errant dog. Just concentrate on where the birds are coming from. Take your first shot and if you miss, diagnose what you think is wrong and correct it for the next shot. After a drive or two, you'll likely find that you start to hit a fair proportion.

Other than that, most has been said above. Oh, try not to poach birds that are nearer the next gun. Although that may be okay if he (or she) has emptied both barrels at it and it's still sailing on. And...if there's a chance of duck, (ah, Scotland, if you are shooting over wetland then) take along a handful of non lead cartridges.

And....and....well there's a pile of things really. Just go along and enjoy!!

 

[Gazza]

Listen carefully to safety briefing and rules of shoot. Stop shooting immediately when requested. Gun in slip between drives, Pick up all empty cases. Keep a count of birds shot to assist the picking up team. I have noticed recently on our shoot that guns shout "over" or "birds in front" to their neighbour on the line. I don't see the point in this as all guns should be watching their kill zone. Apart from that a couple of days ago I saw a large covey of partridges heading towards the guns one of whom started shouting to his neighbour and waving his arm about. Result was that the covey veered off. If you have a dog keep it on the peg till the drive is over. Lastly has anybody mentioned tipping the keeper. Relax and enjoy your shoot.

 

[RED-DOT]

Can anyone explain what "tipping the 'keeper" is please?

 

[geordieh]

Can anyone explain what "tipping the 'keeper" is please?

Telling the keeper not to eat yellow snow is a good tip RED-DOT

 

[Gazza]

Can anyone explain what "tipping the 'keeper" is please?

Aye I heard you were guilty of failing in that respect.

 

[norma 308]

You Herbert RD you know what it means you old bugger get a £20 note fold it as many times as you can place it in the palm of your hand and shake the keepers hand we are adept at taking that tiny piece of paper from you without dropping it I have also developed an extraordinary ability to suss if you've managed to fold a tenner or a fiver you old skinflint !
Norma

 

[Uncle Buck]

Can anyone explain what "tipping the 'keeper" is please?

"Tip-off" for Horse or Greyhound to punt some of his hard earned ....!

 

[RED-DOT]

Tipping was a Saturday night sport on Edinburghs Arthurs Seat and i always thought it was the original meaning of JK Rowling??

 

[Stacey]

If pigeons/crows fly from the wood or gamecrop before the pheasants don't shoot them as the pheasants will go up trees etc.. and won't fly over you.

Stacey

 

[SimpleSimon]

Lots of advice here, the poor bloke will have so much to think about he stands no chance!
Have a great time, as someone who's never been to a driven shoot I'd be really keen to read a write up of the days events.

 

[davidm]

Well thanks for all the advice people

Will try remeber to tip the keeper

Will do a write up after it and let you know how a get on, it's not till the 25th so time to get prepared.

Regards
David

 

[Pine Marten]

You're doing OK on a typical shoot if you have a kill percentage of 40% of shots or better.

I'd be pretty happy with myself if I ever scaled those heights of shotgun marksmanship...

 

[Heym SR20]

Give your shoot captain a call and tell him that you are a novice and a little uncertain of protocol, and ask if on the first couple of drives an experienced shot could stand with you to keep you straight.

Gun: make sure it has two barrels, and is not a slide or semi auto.

Dress: wear camo if you expect to be in the beating line.

Cartridges: personally I like the old 1oz, (28g in new money) load of No 6. A nice dense pattern and they don't kick.

Gun empty at all times, unless on the peg. When loaded and expecting action I keep the barrels up in the air ( butt resting on cartridge belt / hip). This avoids having the barrels swinging up through a line of beaters. Only shoot birds directly in front of you. Phaesant comes out of the wood, look at his beak swing the barrels through him and squeeze when he is blotted out. If well trained the Phaesant should elegantly tumble to the ground. If not then blame the keeper.

 

[merlin]

Lots of very good advice already dispensed; mine would be:
- find out in advance if a tie is expected to be worn. Some shoots want one, some don't. If unsure, turn up with one, you can always take it off.
- talk to the beaters if you get chance, even if it just a good morning/thanks for a great day. They aren't a sub-class to be ignored, they can make or break the day.
- take enough cartridges. You don't want to be running out as birds stream over your head.
- don't shoot anything too low or too close. It can all get very exciting, especially first time out, but nobody will think you are a great shot if you're constantly surrounded by feathers like the aftermath of some kind of St Trinians pillow-fight.
- make sure you know where any stops/flagmen/beaters are and may appear from. Never let your barrels swing in their direction.
- if the safety briefing states no ground game, that is exactly what it means. If foxes can be shot, if one comes streaking out through the guns, do not swing through the line, and don't shoot behind in case of the pickers-up.
- if you're not sure of anything, ask the keeper/another gun. Nobody will want to see you make an ass of yourself. If they do, then they are an ass themselves.
- a sociable nip of damson gin is one thing, but leave any further drinking until the day is done. Lunchtime is no place for slugging wine/spirits/beer in quantity if you will be picking a gun up again later on.
- make sure that the coat you think is waterproof actually is. Standing waiting whilst sopping wet can take some of the enjoyment out of the day.
- thank the keeper at the end of the day and tip him/her what you think they deserve based upon how the day went (again, seek guidance from the other guns if you're really unsure).
- don't stress.....you're there to enjoy the day!
-.......provide us with a write-up and photos in due course.

 

[tackb]

Give your shoot captain a call and tell him that you are a novice and a little uncertain of protocol, and ask if on the first couple of drives an experienced shot could stand with you to keep you straight.

Gun: make sure it has two barrels, and is not a slide or semi auto.

Dress: wear camo if you expect to be in the beating line.

Cartridges: personally I like the old 1oz, (28g in new money) load of No 6. A nice dense pattern and they don't kick.

Gun empty at all times, unless on the peg. When loaded and expecting action I keep the barrels up in the air ( butt resting on cartridge belt / hip). This avoids having the barrels swinging up through a line of beaters. Only shoot birds directly in front of you. Phaesant comes out of the wood, look at his beak swing the barrels through him and squeeze when he is blotted out. If well trained the Phaesant should elegantly tumble to the ground. If not then blame the keeper.

 

[csl]

All the gun safety stuff has been covered

If you think a bird looks a bit low then leave it... No one will mind if you let birds by. They will if you turn one inside out and leave the wad in it! If unsure take your cue from the other guns what an acceptable height is for that shoot.

If a bird puts a leg down or otherwise looks like it's going to fly on after your first shot give it the second barrel! Don't like seeing people single barrel a bird which goes onto being a runner without at least trying to bring it down quickly.

 

[6pointer]

Don't shoot the white ones they normally cost you more money (I did it)

 

[tignme]

Continental shooting supplies have all the game shells you need. North ayrshire shooting ground. Tom or jim will keep you right. If you are going for a practise and in need of company pm me. Im in kilmarnock.

 

[Steve Sykes]

Don't forget to thank the beaters at the end of the day, if it wasn't for them you wouldn't be shooting driven game, it would all be walked up shooting

 

[phitt]

Don't forget to thank the beaters at the end of the day, if it wasn't for them you wouldn't be shooting driven game, it would all be walked up shooting

Excellent point. I still boil when guns don't have the two minutes it takes to thank the beaters. Some guns don't realise that the beaters don't do it for the money, if so it'd be the worst paid job going.