What time do shoots start?

[Scotty1980]

As above,

I want to do some beating but before I start offering my services and letting people down, I want to know what sort of times do shoots start.

Me and the wife have one car that we share and we have to take the children to school.

All advice welcome.

Thanks.

 

[Biathlonjimmy]

She can drop you off first then take the kids in.

 

[Scotty1980]

As long as the shoot is local!

We keep talking about getting another car, probably the way to go.

 

[enfieldspares]

It depends. I've known 9.00am and I've also known 9.30am. The Shoot Captain will advise. You could also beat for just the drives after lunch perhaps?

 

[VSS]

Seems to be 9.15 for 9.30 start around here.

 

[Paddy_SP]

In mid-Devon it varies between 9:00 and 10:00.

 

[ashray]

beaters on site by 0845,loaded on to beaters truck/trailer by 0900

 

[Apthorpe]

Upshot - ask the shoot. Other beater(s) living near you may well be only too happy to offer you a lift. Quite a few shoots struggle to get good, enthusiastic beaters. Asking them, even tentatively, ought to be very welcome. You're offering to do them a favour....

 

[Puds]

Normally get there for 8.30-9, but don't tend to set off until 9.30-10ish, depending on how gluttonous the guns are feeling at breakfast time.

 

[Kalahari]

+1 with ask the shoot. They might well be able to arrange a lift and stuff.

David.

 

[ashray]

not all shoots want a bumbling rambler in the woods ,beaters are there to work and do a good job and must be trust worthy.bear these things in mind or your first day maybe your last with that shoot.

 

[Tim.243]

not all shoots want a bumbling rambler in the woods ,beaters are there to work and do a good job and must be trust worthy.bear these things in mind or your first day maybe your last with that shoot.

Yes, however good directions from the start make a huge difference. no different from working with people who have been at the job for years on your first day with them waiting for you to ###k up

good radios help out which are charged and all set on the same channel!!


Tim.243

 

[norma 308]

If you want a hot drink and a bacon butty 9am please

 

[SimpleSimon]

Arrive 9-9:15, meet keeper, other beaters, pickers-up.
Discuss weather until 9:35.
Wait for owner/organiser to advise keeper that guns have arrived.
9:55, owner/organiser informs keeper that guns are ready. 10:15 guns are actually ready.
10:30 first drive
11:00 guns begin the 2 minute car journey to next drive
11:15 guns arrive at next drive
Noon: lunch
1pm third drive
2pm second lunch
3pm fourth drive if guns can be bothered any more

 

[countrryboy]

Almost every shoot will be different most will be some where between 8-10am, with most being around 9ish.

Really only way is ask the shoot ur going too.
Once u get started might be able to get lifts esp if u don't have a dog. I know of a few shoots that actually run motors (in some cases buses) to towns to pickup the local numpties/beaters

 

[ashray]

simplesimon,that sounds like a few guns out for sport not a properly run/managed shoot and only four drives? ours run five drives on partridge and six drives on mixed /pheasant days. 47 days a season plus two keepers days and four/five let days.

 

[SimpleSimon]

simplesimon,that sounds like a few guns out for sport not a properly run/managed shoot and only four drives? ours run five drives on partridge and six drives on mixed /pheasant days. 47 days a season plus two keepers days and four/five let days.

Comments were tongue-in-cheek, but the shoot in question is on the "posher" end of the scale and the guns are interested in Port and nibbles as much as the excellent high birds they've paid top dollar to shoot. They do only shoot 4 drives, though. But if that's what they're happy with...

The syndicate partridge shoot I beat at will do 7 or even 8 drives in a day and we (the beaters) have a lot more ground to cover.

 

[Vulpesvulpes]

Simple.... your shoot sounds a bit of a jolly and i would walk before lunch. Taking the life of beautiful animals is a gift we must respect and take setiously. If the job in hand takes a second place to drink i reckon your guns should leave their guns in their slips.

 

[countrryboy]

It's strange how such a simple question can throw up such random bizzare opinions.

Does it really matter how many drives u do? If that's wot the guns want.
I've seen and heard of big bag's being shot of only 4 drives it all depends on the size of the drives,and to be honest not even relevant to the thread really.

 

[Vulpesvulpes]

OK... in the wagon for 9.15am.