Beating

Victoria · Beating

Well, Saturday just gone saw our first beating appointment. The day started overcast and gradually deteriotated to heavy showers. How good the horn sounded on the last drive!!! My Le Chameau apparrel saving me from pneumonia, I am sure.
4000 birds had been released on the preserve. One of the guns from England (he was there with his two chocolate Labradors and two ESS; one of his Labradors broke a leg picking up after the last drive) told me how the ratios for shots per birds differ between here and the UK 1 to 3 or 4 in the UK, 1 to 7 here!! I did not get an opportunity to ask him his theories on this!!
There were four drives...mostly through very thick brambles...Gaston and the ESS's handled that part very well...we were instructed by the gamekeeper (also from England...he and his wife are both veterinarians and own possibly the biggest pheasant rearing facility in New Zealand)...to have our dogs on the lead unless picking up/finding due to the number of birds. There was a white rooster...just did not look right, some how!! It occurred to me, early on in the day just how different the disciplines of roughshooting and beating are...the difference of allowing your dog to go, scent, search, find, point in roughshooting to the contrived nature of the drive...we do it all again in a fortnights time...can't wait... Very Happy

Mugi

It sounds just like UK beating Victoria, drowning and incipient hypothermia Laughing

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Mugi adores it and will be back at the start of the next season if he is fit enough.

I love the days when we are short of beaters and I can set Mugi hunting into the wind on partridge so he can do his job well while not messing up a driven shoot.

Victoria

Well, the season ended as is the usual thing, with the beaters shoot...what a great day!!! Rain, freezing sou-westerly winds; high, fast faisan, fabulous food and the port very warming! Came home with three brace (shared my gun with the stuffer...she is converted to the Beretta); birds pretty scarce but that certainly did not dampen our spirits. Great, great....hope to get the call again next year.

Victoria

Had to turn down the invite to beat again this season...due to wretched work...so I am thinking of you all over there either beating, picking up and/or shooting...lucky devils!!

Waldo

It's interesting reading of what people get up to in other parts of the world, quite hard to imagine how it all happens from here but would love to experience it one day.
Cheers,
Waldo

guy

Waldo

Thanks Guy, what an offer. I wish I was in a position to take advantage of it. It does seem facinating what some of you guy's get up to over there, beating, falconers, etc. it's just un-heard of over here (I better jump on youtube sometime and see what I can find).
I'm not complaining we have some real good hunting opportunities here, they are just different and don't seem to have the history and tradition attached that is over in your part of the world.
Cheers,
Waldo

Victoria

I agree, Waldo! In the North Island at least we have a number of shooting preserves...three are located within a 90km radius of where I live...the Pointer and Setter Club is so fortunate in being able to 'use' one located near Rotorua...the club gets to run live game trials as a mop up on birds from the shoots...the owners are so wonderful allowing the club this privilege!! We also hold our Christmas function there where we get to use the rather vexing claybird set-up...it makes me feel alot better when the best shots in the club have a hard time with some them...!!!
The best day of course is the Beaters Shoot...by then what birds are left are fast and furious...makes for very exciting shooting...!

Victoria

[quote="guy]

Looking forward to the coming season. I have a good day planned early on - a Brittany only day on partridge (with a bit of luck) and pheasant (well maybe a token GWP and a Flatcoat as well :-) ) Really looking forward to that one as it will involve German, French and UK dogs and German, French, English and Spanish handlers - so quite international.

Waldo or Victoria - or indeed any other Bretoniers don't forget if you are in this part of the world we could find you a gun to borrow and a field to walk in and a dog to do the business.[/quote]

Thank you from me too, Guy...that would be so wonderful. Your day sounds fantastic...

Mugi

Thanks Victoria .............. what a shame you have to miss out but I can say today has been good.

I should have been beating with my English Springer today (much more acceptable on a driven shoot for a variety of reasons) but he skinned a pad Crying or Very sad

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Upshot was though I took the 'little one' with a view to being on lead and doing basic obedience type stuff as it was a 400 bird day shoot. We started on Geese and Ducks and were nowhere near the action - Chase was as good as I could hope sitting and being patient.

Then we went onto partridge and all I wanted was to be able to test his obedience with distraction. He walked to heel either on or off lead all day (at least half a mile of off lead heel through the day so thrilled) and was freezing or sitting to each and every bird (or covey) that was flushed without me reminding him whether he was on or off lead. He did get a touch excited by hare although the one he actually stood on before we realised it was there (backwind all day) he did leap in the air then sit - mind you the sit was straining to run if you know what I mean Laughing

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He won't be beating again this season as it is not really suitable but today was a great way of measuring his obedience.

Victoria

Go Chase go!! I often think about our beloved Breton and how we get a bit anxious when they are working but when you consider their noses it is a wonder (and a testament to them and our training) that they can control themselves at all...mine are very serious when hunting pheasants...when on quail, they have to be on the proverbial very tight rope...there is something about those little birds...