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Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
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17 August 2005
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I am plucking up courage to go picking up on other shoots next year. There is a biggish one near us (200 bird days) and the keeper also has his own little shoot. I know they were short of picker ups this season (picker uppers? Pickers up?) so there may be a vacancy.
Do I approach keeper or landowner? Do I need references? I hate doing things like this, selling my skills (or my dogs) I don't even mind if they don't pay me I just love working the dog, and could take OH's lab as well if I got a slot on the bigger shoot.
 
Our local was short of pickers sometimes this year, they are begging me to get the spaniel ready for next season. I could put you in touch with the gamekeeper and we could make a team.

ps what day are you off this week?
 
Clodagh said:
I am plucking up courage to go picking up on other shoots next year. There is a biggish one near us (200 bird days) and the keeper also has his own little shoot. I know they were short of picker ups this season (picker uppers? Pickers up?) so there may be a vacancy.
Do I approach keeper or landowner? Do I need references? I hate doing things like this, selling my skills (or my dogs) I don't even mind if they don't pay me I just love working the dog, and could take OH's lab as well if I got a slot on the bigger shoot.
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Gamekeeper.

Be prepared to give phone numbers of people who know you and know your dog but he'll probably get that from the bush telegraph anyway!

Good luck and have fun.
 
Well I don't work Fridays at the moment, I have to prioritise our shoot on Saturdays but we only do 6 days, and if I get plenty of notice as to the other dates I can book them off too. We have got our dates for next year already, I will message them to you later, if you did want to bring Beans. We don't pay I'm afraid, but I will cook you a good lunch.... or my Mum will, only 50 bird days so small and fun. :-)
 
Thanks, our neighbours aren't quite that organised, I usually get the dates a few weeks before they start. This year they kindly added extras, luckily the keeper realised that I didn't know and agreed not to shoot the drive behind us on one of the days as I wasn't here to move horses. In the past with the old keeper, they used to just change days without telling me, bit of a nightmare as we are right in the middle!
 
Clodagh said:
Well I don't work Fridays at the moment, I have to prioritise our shoot on Saturdays but we only do 6 days, and if I get plenty of notice as to the other dates I can book them off too. We have got our dates for next year already, I will message them to you later, if you did want to bring Beans. We don't pay I'm afraid, but I will cook you a good lunch.... or my Mum will, only 50 bird days so small and fun. :-)
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Hopefully Beans will be able to do some bits and pieces next season. I think he will work better away from home, thanks. Will hopefully have a pup as well!
 
Clodagh said:
…….. short of picker ups this season (picker uppers? Pickers up?) …….. .
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'Pickers-up', I suspect! Not sure though! :)

'Phone the 'keeper and ask. Having worked in that role, I was always grateful for those who would volunteer, and they were always paid, one way or another! Picking-up is more about where we place ourselves than dog work, strangely, and a knowledge of the route that birds are likely to take, the ability to spot a bird that's been 'pricked' and remembering that we aren't there to stand amongst the guns, or even just behind, and gather what lays there dead, but our role is to seek and find the long travelling and wounded birds, all of which I'm sure that you're aware.

A word of warning; Picking up large bags of game whilst positioned too close to the guns, promotes boredom and a careless attitude from our dogs. Oh, and being the wife of a farmer, you want paying!

Alec.
 
Alec Swan said:
'Pickers-up', I suspect! Not sure though! :)

'Phone the 'keeper and ask. Having worked in that role, I was always grateful for those who would volunteer, and they were always paid, one way or another! Picking-up is more about where we place ourselves than dog work, strangely, and a knowledge of the route that birds are likely to take, the ability to spot a bird that's been 'pricked' and remembering that we aren't there to stand amongst the guns, or even just behind, and gather what lays there dead, but our role is to seek and find the long travelling and wounded birds, all of which I'm sure that you're aware.

A word of warning; Picking up large bags of game whilst positioned too close to the guns, promotes boredom and a careless attitude from our dogs. Oh, and being the wife of a farmer, you want paying!

Alec.
Click to expand...

I have decided it is an odd and solitary occupation, we have champagne at 11am and I don't always get any as am often 3 fields away looking for a pricked bird. Ditto lunch, I get back when everyone else is eating. Such is life, and that doesn't worry me, it is always satisfying to turn up with a bird when everyone else has given up! Equally annoying to have to leave one out there. My fellow picker up says there is no glory to be had in picking up a dead bird from a grass field, she has a point.
 
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