In the beating line....

[danw 1,748]

.. its hard .... ur told to flag then dont flag .. tap dont tap .. . walk dont walk .... hold the bloody line .. of course i do it all right everytime. with no bollocking

Its not hard..... Flag when a bird gets up and looks like its heading away from the guns, dont flag like a mad man non stop.......stop tapping if theres a flush......and stop walking when everybody else does..... Simples...

 

 

People and their bloody flags drive me mad you get the beater who can crack a flag like a whip and goes on and on with it you get others that can't seem to unfurl it and the rest flag till there arm drops off IMHO flags have no place on a pheasant drive partridge yes you can turn them with a well timed flag but pheasant if they want to go over your head then all the flagging in the world won't change them

[Ideation 8,216]

.. its hard .... ur told to flag then dont flag .. tap dont tap .. . walk dont walk .... hold the bloody line .. of course i do it all right everytime. with no bollocking

Its not hard..... Flag when a bird gets up and looks like its heading away from the guns, dont flag like a mad man non stop.......stop tapping if theres a flush......and stop walking when everybody else does..... Simples...

 

 

People and their bloody flags drive me mad you get the beater who can crack a flag like a whip and goes on and on with it you get others that can't seem to unfurl it and the rest flag till there arm drops off IMHO flags have no place on a pheasant drive partridge yes you can turn them with a well timed flag but pheasant if they want to go over your head then all the flagging in the world won't change them

 

I don't know dan, we use flags a bit on ours, and have found they have a two fold use, firstly, we do turn some birds over the guns with flags, although i am talking about a slight turn to one side, not a complete about turn. The other use, and the main one, has been at the end of some crops etc, to get those birds really climbing! The higher the better!

[Lab 10,979]

.. its hard .... ur told to flag then dont flag .. tap dont tap .. . walk dont walk .... hold the bloody line .. of course i do it all right everytime. with no bollocking

Its not hard..... Flag when a bird gets up and looks like its heading away from the guns, dont flag like a mad man non stop.......stop tapping if theres a flush......and stop walking when everybody else does..... Simples...

 

 

People and their bloody flags drive me mad you get the beater who can crack a flag like a whip and goes on and on with it you get others that can't seem to unfurl it and the rest flag till there arm drops off IMHO flags have no place on a pheasant drive partridge yes you can turn them with a well timed flag but pheasant if they want to go over your head then all the flagging in the world won't change them

 

I don't know dan, we use flags a bit on ours, and have found they have a two fold use, firstly, we do turn some birds over the guns with flags, although i am talking about a slight turn to one side, not a complete about turn. The other use, and the main one, has been at the end of some crops etc, to get those birds really climbing! The higher the better!

I can sort of see Dan and yourselfs points here mate. I dont think when a pheasant has made its mind up it can be turned, i'd say it was more down to wind or the sun on which way they decide to go. But a well placed flagman or 2 in the correct position just showing themselves can really get birds into a flushing point pretty much where you want them. As the season goes on and your hitting January you be as well sticking the flags on the fire in the bothy

[samearl14 11]

good topic this. Like hearing how other people do things. We have a bit of noise, bit too much imo and im going to try sort that out. But i make them all carry flags in case i need them to try round up the partridges in the right direction.

 

Trouble is on our smallish shoot, my best mate is the boss and once he likes doing something one way its hard to get him to change something. But i keep at him till he does

[Born Hunter 17,775]

good topic this. Like hearing how other people do things. We have a bit of noise, bit too much imo and im going to try sort that out. But i make them all carry flags in case i need them to try round up the partridges in the right direction.

 

Trouble is on our smallish shoot, my best mate is the boss and once he likes doing something one way its hard to get him to change something. But i keep at him till he does

 

That was my motive for it, nice to get a bit of discussion going.

 

I think the bigger shoots (consistently 100+ bird days) will have the ability to do things 'more traditionally' compared to the smaller DIY shoots where trying different things and adapting to the less than perfect shoot layout is often the order of the day.

[samearl14 11]

The trouble is, some people on small shoots that have been doing the same things every year for donkeys years can sometimes not want to change things for fear of making it worse. But i say its worth for the chance it makes things better.

[DIDO.1 22,840]

Personaly I dont like to hear noise from the beaters unless its REALLY needed. There is nothing worse that standing on a peg waiting for a drive to start, maybe quietly watching a deer slip out of the drive or looking at the view thinking how lucky we are... THEN.... all hell is let loose with shouting and screeching from the beaters like they are at a football match.

As for shouting over, I think if a gun needs a warning then he dosnt deserve to be stood on a peg, though I think its fair enough warning a walking or back gun, at the end of the day they might be about to cross a ditch or some rough ground and a call back may help them prepare. Also on small/rough/end of season days where every bird counts then it may be fair enough.

On our small shoot my pet hate is noise from the guns and beaters when lining out, no matter how many times you tell them that they loose birds because of it they just cant help themselves. I dont know how many times I will have to listen to guns having a loud discussion about what their peg number is before I finally loose the plot but I reckon it isnt many more!

[Lab 10,979]

The trouble is, some people on small shoots that have been doing the same things every year for donkeys years can sometimes not want to change things for fear of making it worse. But i say its worth for the chance it makes things better.

Is this small shoot commercial mate? If so why not try something different when the birds are in the bag for the day. Your mate will have to realise that pushing birds the same way doesn't always work and driven pheasants rely on correct winds and there not to keen too be flying into the sun. Many good drives have been made by trying things out on shoot day......does he not even give them a go on the beaters day?..

[Rhodey 96]

We have two drives of miscanthus which require noise to firstly get the birds moving foward and also so the beaters can use the sound to stay in line. Generally the other drives a pretty quiet with some tapping and the odd hi-hi-hi. One problem I have is sometimes a syndicate member will beat if he has two guests shooting for the day and no matter hat I say about noise or loosing an unruly dog near the end of a drive they do regardless but I suppose they are the boss.

[Weedy 7]

I don't often reply I'm more of a reader, but this thread is absolutley brilliant! Brings back a memory or two. Six years ago I got a job that ment I couldn't beat full time by full time I realy do mean six days a week. Would of done severn had the law of this land let me. Ha Ha Ha!!!!! and because of that I decided not to beat at all and have not looked at my beating kit since. However the job is coming to an end and I'm going to be working for I hope a more resonable employer, and will be looking out for some beating next season. However I've digressed from the subject of this thread. Sorry!! As for noise in the beating line. It does differ from shoot to shoot! Small shoots like to hear and know when birds are coming forward or they don't have budget for every beater to carry a radio. Larger shoots prefer there to be as little noise as possible. I don't think you can get away from there being a natural ambiance of shooting day and excitment ad noises that come with it. Being a head beater on many shoots through my lifetime underkeeper on one or two I always find that know your team and there indivdual capablities, makes for a good day and an acceptable noise level.

 

Cheers Weedy.