THE PRETEND KEEPER

[BenBhoy]

Family day yesterday!
Had 22 guns taking turns over 5 drives.
Gaffer had also put on 4 instructors to support with the novices and keep everything nice and safe.
Weather was very still and cold, birds tucked right in and sitting tight and catching on quick to a “shoot day” and breaking back so every days still a school day”.
Highlights for me was both the wife and daughter took their first driven birds . And the daughter was using the little 28 bore and took a high bird passed up by others. She’s still excitedly talking about it today so a definite memory made there!!
With a lot of novices, bag was 21 pheasants and a solitary partridge for 150 shots.
Put many more over them but nice to see people shooting to their abilities and not just having a poke at the really high offerings.

This post is the perfect antidote to the dismal reading of the "why would you" thread. Spot on @snoozlecracker that's what a day should be about

 

[BenBhoy]

Now that's cold!

 

[Mike1979]

View attachment 454173

Now that's cold!

Saves you having your monthly bathe brrrrr

 

[old 30-06]

Blimey, makes my trigger finger itch !

 

[stavross]

Beating today in Richmond, I hope they appreciate it, it’s very rare that I go beating for anyone

 

[BenBhoy]

Beating today in Richmond, I hope they appreciate it, it’s very rare that I go beating for anyone View attachment 454341

Ohh new coat for Christmas????

 

[stavross]

Ohh new coat for Christmas????

No, I’ve had it a while, it’s to cold for anything else, it’s too cold for putting the dogs in the river

 

[Nickb]

No, I’ve had it a while, it’s to cold for anything else, it’s too cold for putting the dogs in the river View attachment 454349View attachment 454350

I bet some high birds came off them cliffs.

 

[stavross]

I bet some high birds came off them cliffs.

It’s a family shooting syndicate on another level mate, it’s all one cliff face but on 3 levels, some of the birds are unshootable, when they send them off the top you have to hope they follow the tree line, if they go straight out by the time they reach the bottom they must be 100 yards high, getting to one of the drives you have to abseil down the cliff

 

[snoozlecracker]

Had our last of four formal days Saturday just gone.
Was in abit of a panic Friday due to all the lovely snow!
However day was perfect all drives performed well couple more guns getting their first ever driven birds!
A picture perfect seen with snow on the ground, weather was decent but could have done with abit more wind!
Heavy mist over the shoot so re ordered the drives and someone was watching over me as each one cleared just as we started putting birds up on each of the drives.
Managed somewhere near 500 over them and a ratio off 5.5 to 1 for a total bag of 61 birds.

Just the beaters day to organise now! Immensely looking forward to that and grateful the house will let us have it and I can give back to all those that make a shoot function.

Gaffers rented me a ickle toy to play with this week to get through the old orchard we haven’t been able to push properly due to the 9ft brambles and bracken!

Cheers
T.

 

[stavross]

I went back beating today at my mates syndicate, I enjoyed it a lot the last time so thought I’d have another go, a bit of light mountaineering this time so we could send them off the top

 

[Quadman]

Thas nice when it all comes together on shoot days, It can be a bit stressful sometimes, Ive helped with shoots in my time and really enjoyed it, The trouble with one I done , The guns just didn’t appreciate it

 

[Nickb]

I went back beating today at my mates syndicate, I enjoyed it a lot the last time so thought I’d have another go, a bit of light mountaineering this time so we could send them off the topView attachment 455877View attachment 455878View attachment 455879View attachment 455880

Canny climb that mate .

 

[stavross]

It was a filthy day today but it definitely played to our advantage, first drive was Gordon’s pen, and I’d told my young mate who been helping me out that he should stand the best peg on the drive, which he did and took 11 of the 12 birds over him. We put birds out of every drive today and if you’ve ever been to my shoot in mid January you’ll know this is quite an achievement, I’m still shooting drives that two seasons ago I would of stopped shooting in December, we now only have one day left and although I’m kind of glad about that, it has been a cracking season and with a bit of luck we can finish it off with a few more at the end of the month

 

[Quadman]

Nice to see the Birds hung and some great pictures

 

[jall55]

We also had a BRILLIANT day yesterday
It was beaters day and my guns did themselves - the shoot and the beaters proud !
Despite the rather dire weather forecast the day dawned lovely and only got more pleasant and warm throughout - i was just in shirt sleeves !

The lads and ladies had some great shooting - proper January screamers and managed a wonderful bag of 50 odd

It was also great to see so many come back to the pub afterwards - im not sure how many but the first round was 98 quid ! hahaah

 

[stavross]

More extreme beating for me yesterday, I don’t think I’ve ever been as wet as I was yesterday, by mid afternoon 800 quids worth of clothing had pretty much given up, for years you could never get me to go beating but I absolutely love this place, I’ve never been anywhere you have to climb up cliffs and trees to get to a drive, I’ve said I’ll do the last day next week if they want me to

 

[snoozlecracker]

A glorious but sad day!

Today was our beaters day and it’s sadly also our last of this season. Firstly I’m very grateful to the house and the gaffer for giving us the run of the estate today!
As some of you will know if you’ve kept up to date with this post I’m very new to this craft. I have given it my all this season and had some gushing feedback from the guns that attended our previous days and direct from the house.
I’ve mentioned it before that I’m not fussed about bag size and with this being a friends and family shoot with a supportive gaffer it’s more about quality than quantity.

Well today was the day I was most nervous about, not because of some novice guns nor down to the strong and strengthening easterly wind that was cutting through modern clothing. But hoping that above all others, the team that has turned out in all weathers to support me that I could return the favour and give them some shooting.
Like myself and most of my beat team booking a driven day is a financial leap too far in the current climate. So on the back of the offer from the house it was swiftly accepted.

I got to see the whole of our shoot from the gun line today, which was a needed but until today unrealised perspective! ( I can see where changes are needed).
Being cap and ball for everyone’s safety today we made great progress without the usual gun line’s frequent stops for alcoholic refreshments ( if they were shooting today then alcohol was for the pub afters)

Elevenses were a hit as myself and my daughter knocked out a load of chicken/bacon and leek pies and also a batch of sausage beans and cheese. We also had a literal vat of honey and mustard Chipolatas.

It was very pleasing for me today to secure two of our young beaters their very first driven birds and also at the other end of the age scale a gent that been there week in and week out through all weathers his first bird too.

Due to novice guns requiring supervision for safety I chose to run a reduced 5 gun line so we had plenty of space between pegs and so we still had enough beaters to beat.

Everyone has had a fantastic day and it was ace I could give back to those that have supported me before and during the season.
Massive thanks aswell to the contributors to this thread that have provided me direct and indirect help and advice. And my beautiful supportive family,for basically letting me disappear for the last 12 months occasionally seeing me muttering about hog rings, feed dates, and ibc leaks…..

Bag was 29 pheasant and 2 partridges for a 152 shots.

 

[stavross]

A glorious but sad day!

Today was our beaters day and it’s sadly also our last of this season. Firstly I’m very grateful to the house and the gaffer for giving us the run of the estate today!
As some of you will know if you’ve kept up to date with this post I’m very new to this craft. I have given it my all this season and had some gushing feedback from the guns that attended our previous days and direct from the house.
I’ve mentioned it before that I’m not fussed about bag size and with this being a friends and family shoot with a supportive gaffer it’s more about quality than quantity.

Well today was the day I was most nervous about, not because of some novice guns nor down to the strong and strengthening easterly wind that was cutting through modern clothing. But hoping that above all others, the team that has turned out in all weathers to support me that I could return the favour and give them some shooting.
Like myself and most of my beat team booking a driven day is a financial leap too far in the current climate. So on the back of the offer from the house it was swiftly accepted.

I got to see the whole of our shoot from the gun line today, which was a needed but until today unrealised perspective! ( I can see where changes are needed).
Being cap and ball for everyone’s safety today we made great progress without the usual gun line’s frequent stops for alcoholic refreshments ( if they were shooting today then alcohol was for the pub afters)

Elevenses were a hit as myself and my daughter knocked out a load of chicken/bacon and leek pies and also a batch of sausage beans and cheese. We also had a literal vat of honey and mustard Chipolatas.

It was very pleasing for me today to secure two of our young beaters their very first driven birds and also at the other end of the age scale a gent that been there week in and week out through all weathers his first bird too.

Due to novice guns requiring supervision for safety I chose to run a reduced 5 gun line so we had plenty of space between pegs and so we still had enough beaters to beat.

Everyone has had a fantastic day and it was ace I could give back to those that have supported me before and during the season.
Massive thanks aswell to the contributors to this thread that have provided me direct and indirect help and advice. And my beautiful supportive family,for basically letting me disappear for the last 12 months occasionally seeing me muttering about hog rings, feed dates, and ibc leaks…..

Bag was 29 pheasant and 2 partridges for a 152 shots.

Lovely stuff, it’s great to see all your hard work paying off

 

[BenBhoy]

A glorious but sad day!

Today was our beaters day and it’s sadly also our last of this season. Firstly I’m very grateful to the house and the gaffer for giving us the run of the estate today!
As some of you will know if you’ve kept up to date with this post I’m very new to this craft. I have given it my all this season and had some gushing feedback from the guns that attended our previous days and direct from the house.
I’ve mentioned it before that I’m not fussed about bag size and with this being a friends and family shoot with a supportive gaffer it’s more about quality than quantity.

Well today was the day I was most nervous about, not because of some novice guns nor down to the strong and strengthening easterly wind that was cutting through modern clothing. But hoping that above all others, the team that has turned out in all weathers to support me that I could return the favour and give them some shooting.
Like myself and most of my beat team booking a driven day is a financial leap too far in the current climate. So on the back of the offer from the house it was swiftly accepted.

I got to see the whole of our shoot from the gun line today, which was a needed but until today unrealised perspective! ( I can see where changes are needed).
Being cap and ball for everyone’s safety today we made great progress without the usual gun line’s frequent stops for alcoholic refreshments ( if they were shooting today then alcohol was for the pub afters)

Elevenses were a hit as myself and my daughter knocked out a load of chicken/bacon and leek pies and also a batch of sausage beans and cheese. We also had a literal vat of honey and mustard Chipolatas.

It was very pleasing for me today to secure two of our young beaters their very first driven birds and also at the other end of the age scale a gent that been there week in and week out through all weathers his first bird too.

Due to novice guns requiring supervision for safety I chose to run a reduced 5 gun line so we had plenty of space between pegs and so we still had enough beaters to beat.

Everyone has had a fantastic day and it was ace I could give back to those that have supported me before and during the season.
Massive thanks aswell to the contributors to this thread that have provided me direct and indirect help and advice. And my beautiful supportive family,for basically letting me disappear for the last 12 months occasionally seeing me muttering about hog rings, feed dates, and ibc leaks…..

Bag was 29 pheasant and 2 partridges for a 152 shots.

You deserve it mate after all the hard work. Soak up the plaudits. Trouble is, they'll expect even better next season!!