Things we hate to hear on shoots

[trekmoor]

One of my funniest experiences was when the laird chose to move back to where I was to watch the shoot . My two dogs were getting a few birds and one of my dogs came in with a dead bird which I placed inside my bag on the ground . A few minutes later both of my dogs were away for birds when the one in the bag suddenly came back to life and buggered off at top speed. I whistled and shouted too in order to get a dog back to send for it......

That laird found this really funny for some reason and commented ..... " Well at least I know that dog (the one who had originally brought back the bird) is soft mouthed."

Wullie

[pontbeck]

A similar experience when picking up,I was told the local Lord was just over the fence with his dog and I should ask him what he wanted to retrieve. After the drive I approached and asked would he like to retrieve some birds, he declined asking me to go ahead. I sent my dog for the first bird and The Lord turned to his dog and whispered ' watch and learn ' !!!!

[Sgurr]

Brilliant though it is trekmoor and pontbeck, you are now off thread and relating things you want to hear on shoots,
But keep them coming, please

[Dan Newcombe]

I agree with you Wullie and it looks terrible when guns dogs are running amok during the drive.

I always just treat it like you don't know where there are birds when sweeping through purely because you don't know what has been picked. Just gently make your way along until you get where you are going. What the dogs find they find and what they don't find then you have to assume wasn't there to find.

You get a lot of guns who have well behaved dogs quite legitimately complaining about picking up dogs that run in behind the guns. Their dog that is steady will often ultimately run in and because it gets frustrated waiting to get nothing at the end of the drive!

On balance more picking up dogs will be loose and running in during a drive than guns dogs IME. Runner should be left until they reach cover where possible and then picked.

Dan

[colin]

I know I hit it, I'm sure i hit it hard. It dropped in that copse... about a mile away.
After four barbed wire fences and a two mile trek the bird isn't found. They hardly ever are.. there's no shame in admitting you missed,is there?

[Rascal]

Its character building…………. You get to know the guns who know what they’ve hit and sometimes those solitary walks are worthwhile and they are the ones that make my day. Anyone can pick birds round pegs……..

Rascal

[claire6630]

Not being given enough time to do what needs done.

More a pet hate than a hate to hear.

Doesn't that go with "Where TF are the Pickers up? The guns are already lined out!" coming over the radio?

Wow it's not just our shoot that has this problem
I hate when we are told move on to the next drive when there is still bird or two to find , really gets my goat . Even worse when it's the 'theres a bird over there somewhere, didn't see if it was dead or just pricked " go to find it then get called away
hate leaving birds behind .

[WGD]

"We'll see you at the next drive".... only to realise nobody in the PU team knows what the next drive is...

[trekmoor]

That happened on the first drive of the day last Saturday, the keeper and the guns went off with only some of the beaters, the pickers up and the remaining beaters had to phone to ask where we should be.

Wullie

[Callthatagundog]

"Has anyone seen gun number 7?" Yes, really! We did manage to leave a gun behind and didn't realise until the end of the next drive. Keeper thought he was with the beaters and vice versa.

He was fine about it and still comes back year on year but we do take extra care to make sure he doesn't miss a drive!


Sarah