Read old gundog training books and you will find no chapters advising pickers-up on picking up because, traditionally, birds were collected by the keeper, estate staff or individuals training for early field trials in the late 1800s. The development of the breechloading shotgun at about the same time led to the advent of driven shooting and a huge increase in the amount of game to be collected. However, it is only since the 1970s that picking up has developed into a minor fieldsport of its own enjoyed by amateur enthusiastic gundog owners. Beaters with trained dogs often make the best pickers-up, as they know the lie of the land, where the birds fly and the quirks of individual drives. (Read the etiquette of picking up on a shoot.)

Dogs must be well trained and under control

Golden rules for pickers-up

There are five ‘golden rules’ for picking up, as detailed by BASC, that it is pertinent to adhere to.

The first of these is that adequate provision must be made for retrieving shot game. However, bear in mind that quantity does not mean quality. Pickers-up with one or two dogs can be just as efficient as those with a team of dogs. Stephen Knight, a retired keeper from Essex, always gave instructions where each picker-up should stand. “I asked that vehicles were parked out of sight, and they themselves stood well back to mark and retrieve wounded birds that glided a long way,” he recalls. “My pet hate is seeing a picker-up chatting next to a gun or sitting in their vehicle during a drive. They should be watching the birds.”

Pickers-up should know where to stand on each drive

Gundog trainers agree that the quickest way to ruin a dog is to take it out too young. Caroline Lewis runs monthly classes and works three black labradors. “I never take a dog out under two or until they are used to the sounds and distractions of a shoot day, including ignoring other dogs,” she says. “It is easy to ruin a dog’s steadiness by sending it for everything. I take an older, experienced dog for most of the picking up but allow the youngster easier retrieves.” (Read more on gundog training here.)

All involved in shooting must remember that game is food and must be handled appropriately: the third golden rule. The process of good handling starts as soon as you hold the shot bird. It needs to be handed to the game cart as soon as possible to be stored so air can circulate and birds can be counted. Those in charge of the game cart will not thank you for birds squashed into a gamebag or pulled from a poachers pocket.

Game is food and must be handled correctly from the moment it is brought to hand

Just as important is the rule that wounded game must be retrieved first. Gundogs should be steady to fur, feather, deer and livestock, and not give chase, yet runners need to be retrieved as soon as possible. Black labrador Roydon was my reliable runner dog. He could be sent for a specific bird and return immediately while ignoring falling birds. Experienced dogs can also sense pricked birds. Phil Allen is an A-panel Retriever judge and a regular picker-up. “Last year, the retrieve I got the most pleasure from was watching 12 pheasants drop into a small area of cover, three of which were pricked. I sent in my eldest dog, who has completed seven seasons’ picking up. He hunted the area, collected the three wounded birds and watched the others fly away.”

The last of the tenets, but no less important, is that all game must be retrieved as soon as it is safe and practical to do so. Knight has an easy answer to picking up near a road: “Don’t – it is not worth the risk of losing a dog.” Experienced pickers-up work their dogs on a lead near this danger or inform the keeper of an unpicked bird for later safe retrieval. If new to an estate, always ask whether there are potential dangers such as barbed wire, hidden hazards, back-to-back drives or no-go areas.

Pickers-up with one or two gundogs can be just as efficient the field as those with a team

Preparation is paramount

Picking up for the novice can be nerveracking but preparation is the key. Pack your game carrier, priest, whistles, spare lead and waterproofs the night before. Don’t forget a towel, food and water for yourself and your dogs. Every shoot is different and will have its own rules explained at the morning briefing, so allow sufficient time that there is no danger of you being late. If it is your first time at the estate, ensure you have a map or someone who will act as guide. There is nothing worse than returning to your vehicle after searching for a bird to find everyone has moved off and you have no idea where the next drive is.

Guns can be an unknown quantity but the first drive will give you an indication of their skill. While many are happy to carry their quarry to the game cart, some struggle with a slipped gun, cartridge bag and shooting stick. Others leave their peg with no idea how many birds they have brought down. Have you kept a mental record or made a sketch of fallen birds by prominent markers?

Pickers-up usually join the guns for a mid-morning tipple but it is bad form to arrive before them. Once you have collected your birds, offer to help another picker-up searching for theirs. Show willingness if a gun suggests he has birds down, even if it makes you late in for lunch: a bird you find from a gun’s accurate mark may make their day.

Watching dogs work is a joy

On formal shoots I believe in dressing smartly to show respect to the game and the guns. They have paid for the day and deserve politeness. Some may scoff but I have no problem with addressing guns as ‘sir’ or ‘madam’. Early on, I admit I had to double-check the correct way to address a duchess. Field readers will, of course, know it is ‘Your Grace’.

Job satisfaction

For all the rules and potential faux pax, the benefit of outdoor exercise and satisfaction of a job well done are widely recognised. Dave Madden, who has worked Weimaraners on the South Downs since the 1980s, agrees. “The enjoyment of watching my dogs work keeps me going. It also keeps me and the girls fit, though at my age there are a few hills where conversation stops halfway up it,” he admits. “They have worked as peg dogs, in the beating line and, for the past 10 years, picking up. I enjoy having dogs that can mark the fall of several birds, track them if necessary and deliver to hand. They are also capable of working solo when I am shooting or as a team when picking up.”

I asked Lester Thirtle, a keeper friend from Hampshire, what he expected from his picking-up team. “Standing way back from the gun line to gather up lightly shot birds, they are a crucial part of the day. Not only for humane reasons but also for the bag. Also valued are pickers-up that allow guns space to work their own dogs and are happy to blank-in stubble for the keeper to keep the day running smoothly. They are an invaluable part of each day.”