Picking up Money

[Butler 396]

I don't do it for the money because to be honest i could make more doing other things. I see a days beating as a day away from it all having good craic with a bunch of mates and building up a few brownie points for when the season is over and the dogs are needed But as i've said on the big spots i want my dollar because i've earned it. What i don't really like is the lads that seem to take beaters for granted because without them you would not have a days shooting.

[WILF 46,646]

In the flatlands round here 25 sovs is about the going rate but you get lunch on the better places, now I would not want to walk the grouse moore for 25 quid alone unless there were some added perks.......I couldn't f*****g walk the grouse anyway, I'd need a life support machine ! Lol lol

 

I don't think anyone beats for the money anyway mate, except the old boys to pad out the pension and get them out.........there's always a benefit somewhere if you use your head as you know.

For these gun dog lads, if they don't pick up what else they gonna do with their dog?.......swings and round a bouts mate I reckon.

 

Bottom line is, no ones making them go are they?

 

By the way, I hear your black dog has shaped up nice.

[Lab 10,979]

Large Commercial shoots not making a profit isn't exactly true. I'd say most of them turnover a profit, maybe not much but still a profit. If it doesn't then the keeper can look for another job i'd say. The guys that own these large shooting estates dont need money ffs, there usually millionaires and have a shoot on the land to enjoy there own shooting, invite friends and in return get invited to shoot on other estates. Swings and roundabouts!

A shoot is just like any other business and all costs including beaters/picker ups wages should come into that as well..........

[danw 1,748]

I know what you mean lab but imagine if I gave all my beaters and pickers a rise of a £10 making them £35 and £40 respectively on 60 days we had 20 beaters 1 game cart man and 8 picker ups that would mean an increase in my budget of £290 per day or £17400 per season or put it another way I could have another underkeeper and keep the beaters costs as they are.

[Lab 10,979]

I know what you mean lab but imagine if I gave all my beaters and pickers a rise of a £10 making them £35 and £40 respectively on 60 days we had 20 beaters 1 game cart man and 8 picker ups that would mean an increase in my budget of £290 per day or £17400 per season or put it another way I could have another underkeeper and keep the beaters costs as they are.

Well that all goes on the price of the days shoot mate.....just like when price of poults increase or feeding goes up. For some reason all these costs increase but wages dont....as long as people are happy to do it for peanuts it will always stay that way.

20 beaters, 8 pickers up...thats a big shoot. How many birds you shooting per season? Would a couple of pound a bird cover that?

[danw 1,748]

we averaged 10000 brace shot but on commercial it is all about the price per bird to be competitive you have to keep it close to the bone or folks buy else where as you know there are fixed costs that must be returned first like the birds, feed, fuel,keepers,machinery/vehicles,PLI,contractor costs for cover, rental (even though the estate is owned not tenanted the land has to be rented from the estate since I take agri land out of production) the list goes on and on try telling the boss you want to increase the bird cost when days are tough enough to sell at the moment especially after many shoots have had a tough year and on commercial most days are not sold to the landed or wealthy but to normal lads who just perhaps are feeling the pinch the now.

[Lab 10,979]

we averaged 10000 brace shot but on commercial it is all about the price per bird to be competitive you have to keep it close to the bone or folks buy else where as you know there are fixed costs that must be returned first like the birds, feed, fuel,keepers,machinery/vehicles,PLI,contractor costs for cover, rental (even though the estate is owned not tenanted the land has to be rented from the estate since I take agri land out of production) the list goes on and on try telling the boss you want to increase the bird cost when days are tough enough to sell at the moment especially after many shoots have had a tough year and on commercial most days are not sold to the landed or wealthy but to normal lads who just perhaps are feeling the pinch the now.

I know all that mate as i get it in the neck when the poults have to go up, i'm in the same boat with the big guys pumping out cheap shit and theres no way of competeing. But as you say everything has to go up but for some reason its the people who put the graft in for you that feel the pinch. I dont want to harp on a the youngsters but it seems nowadays you struggle to get them out there bed to do a hard days graft for decent money never mind out in the pissing rain all day for £25 quid. Facts are you've just got to love it for the joy of working your dog and look at the money as a bonus....i do....but i can see why some folk might think that some shoots are a bit tight with there money.....

P.s Maybe you should stop drinking so many bottles of port each shoot day and you'll be able to get another 6 underkeepers.............

[danw 1,748]

we averaged 10000 brace shot but on commercial it is all about the price per bird to be competitive you have to keep it close to the bone or folks buy else where as you know there are fixed costs that must be returned first like the birds, feed, fuel,keepers,machinery/vehicles,PLI,contractor costs for cover, rental (even though the estate is owned not tenanted the land has to be rented from the estate since I take agri land out of production) the list goes on and on try telling the boss you want to increase the bird cost when days are tough enough to sell at the moment especially after many shoots have had a tough year and on commercial most days are not sold to the landed or wealthy but to normal lads who just perhaps are feeling the pinch the now.

I know all that mate as i get it in the neck when the poults have to go up, i'm in the same boat with the big guys pumping out cheap shit and theres no way of competeing. But as you say everything has to go up but for some reason its the people who put the graft in for you that feel the pinch. I dont want to harp on a the youngsters but it seems nowadays you struggle to get them out there bed to do a hard days graft for decent money never mind out in the pissing rain all day for £25 quid. Facts are you've just got to love it for the joy of working your dog and look at the money as a bonus....i do....but i can see why some folk might think that some shoots are a bit tight with there money.....

P.s Maybe you should stop drinking so many bottles of port each shoot day and you'll be able to get another 6 underkeepers.............

 

 

Only drink the port mate to drown out the sound of all these beaters/picker ups moaning about how hard done by they are funny thing though some of them piss and moan but when you ask them if they would stand down for a day cause I have too many people coming you would think the world had ended :laugh: :laugh:

[Butler 396]

WILF I know lads that earn there crust picking up from august through to feb and quiet a few lads that beat use it to supplement there wage when work is slow over winter. But most are real country folk that just love being out in good company and nice scenery doing something they enjoy yes they would probably do the odd day for free but when the weather is bad it is the ££££££££££ that get them out of bed on a morning.

We are lucky in the fact that the estates round here need to keep there wages competitive or beaters will go were the grass is greener. If our keepers had the attitude of some on here they would be out of a job as they wouldn't be able to show sport on a shoot day through lack of staff.

 

The pup is doing ok very early doors in his career but it's looking promising up to now

[ftm 3,357]

thats about as good a reply as you could post ,well said butler

[Lampalurcher 47]

I beat on three shoots one I stop from first light till nine I get paid 20 quid for that but beaters don't get paid neither do pickets up bit they get bacon butties at lunch then a meal at the end off the day and as much as they can drink and a beaters day and a beaters night all paid for including drinks other two its 20 quid a day plus a beaters day at the end off the year 25 if u have a dog pickers up get 25 and to be honest don't know why you moan you have the easiest job no gettin piss wet through or crawling through brambles just stood in a field sending your dog for the birds an they usually get a tip from the guns if they do a particuly good retrieve and there moaning about the pay haha think they might aswell give up the dogs if your moaning about money you should be grateful for the chance to work your dogs

[Lampalurcher 47]

And it's not like there's not plenty other people that will take your place my mate won't pay people who just turn up unless he is short and there's usually an extra 5 or 6 lads on each shoot day that come any way without pay first come get paid if your late or not invited you don't but still there've always people willing to do it for nowt

[Lab 10,979]

I beat on three shoots one I stop from first light till nine I get paid 20 quid for that but beaters don't get paid neither do pickets up bit they get bacon butties at lunch then a meal at the end off the day and as much as they can drink and a beaters day and a beaters night all paid for including drinks other two its 20 quid a day plus a beaters day at the end off the year 25 if u have a dog pickers up get 25 and to be honest don't know why you moan you have the easiest job no gettin piss wet through or crawling through brambles just stood in a field sending your dog for the birds an they usually get a tip from the guns if they do a particuly good retrieve and there moaning about the pay haha think they might aswell give up the dogs if your moaning about money you should be grateful for the chance to work your dogs

Difference is any c**t could beat....not everybody can pick up.........

[alimac 882]

Let's face it they only pick up because there either

A/ to fat, lazy & past there best. Or

B/ there dogs just ain't steady enough to be trusted anywhere near a flushing point

 

;-)

[Lab 10,979]

Let's face it they only pick up because there either

A/ to fat, lazy & past there best. Or

B/ there dogs just ain't steady enough to be trusted anywhere near a flushing point

 

;-)

.....Or they have the quality dogs and make the shoot pay with the hard work they do.........