| Ben_Croft |
| (member) |
| 29/12/2007 17:20 |
Beaters Pay
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It was with interest that I read Beaters thoughts from the Beating Hut (ST 27/12/07) regarding children in the beating line. Well, of course, under a certain age, experience is no help and they are worth only half of the adult but must be encouraged and therefore should receive three parts! It is no big deal for a youngster to be given fifteen pounds, nobody can buy much with that these days. I remember getting a ten shilling note and a half-pint bottle of pale ale forty-odd years ago, so tot up the inflation, Beater, and see that nothing much has changed for the better. It is those dedicated mature beaters who, with an eye over their shoulder for the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Customs, Excise and Inland Revenue lot, demand only what is really nothing more than token payment in acceptance of the deal. Just recently I was present when a Gun turned up sporting his new Audi R8, that car could easily represent just six months of a bonus earned in the City I don’t know but I’m sure Beater would like to hear his view too.
| CptCarling |
| (member) |
| 29/12/2007 18:37 |
Re: Beaters Pay
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On my shoot, I pay all the Beaters / Picking Up Teams the same - £15 - regardless of age. In addition, they are all get lunch / drinks and access to whatever fieldsport they like, be it fishing on the carp lake, ferreting, air guns or just land to train their dogs.
At a recent work party, ALL the beaters and NONE of the guns turned in. My youngest beater is 13 and is happy to get stuck in with the rest of the team, even in the pouring rain and wind, we never hear a single complaint from him. I encourage them all to be an active part of the shoot, we have no 'them-and-us' between guns and beaters and I wont allow it to start.
It is my intention to involve as many of the team in as many aspects of how and why the shoot works as it has been proven that if they all feel involved, not only do they remain keen, but they also have a better understanding of the countryside. One of my lot is already looking into going to collage to study game management. And that, for me, is better than shooting every bird that comes over my head.
| sandersj89 |
| (stranger) |
| 29/12/2007 22:49 |
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Re: Beaters Pay
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We have to encourage the young uns, they are the next generation of shooters and supporters of country sports.
ON my syndicate we dont pay beaters but they do get access to 1700 acres of vermin control and a driven day each season. We are inundated with beaters on occasion.
In the beater line there normally a number of kids, my 6 years and 10 year old are nearly always there though my six year old prefers to stay on the peg with me as I shoot, a full days beating is too much for her just yet.
There are also between 4 and 6 other kids below 15 out there, they work hard and make great flaggers.
And they love the day coming home caked in mud but with smiles on their faces.
And dont get me started on guns who dont turn out on work parties. We have 8 guns in the syndicate, only 2 other than myself turn out to help plus I currently do most of the fox control.
Jerry
| James_the_cripple |
| (member) |
| 05/01/2008 12:13 |
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Re: Beaters Pay
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Sounds like we're lucky down here. The beaters are paid £25 a day and get a day at the end of the season, there is meant to be beer at lunch if we dont eat at the end of a drive, but this doesn't often materialise.
There isn't any option for vermin control whixh would be equal if not better than pay, although I can get acess to a nice pit to zero a rifle if needed. It's all swings and roundabouts really, the guns will shirk their role on beaters day, or are not worthy of calling themselves beaters. As for the young, we do have two kids out, both who have bought themselves radios and are a pest. Their dad does not control them and they complain when I deliver a rollocking, everyone including the keeper has had a rollocking off of me at some point, I cant stand bent lines with beaters out of place. Now that I have a vantage point of a quad (the game cart)I can see more of what goes on. I believe that kids should be supervised by parents/beaters for 2 years without much pay until they can get to grips with it. My son will be starting next season hopefully. He is now 8 but I dont consider him mature enough yet to do a good job without becoming disheartened by people telling him he has got it wrong.