Oct 08

Lady’s Wood Guide to the Game Shooting Season

8th October 2020
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When is the shooting season?

The British shooting season starts on the 12^th August with the grouse season and runs between various dates, depending on quarry and location.

Species	England, Wales and Scotland	Northern Ireland
Pheasant	1^st October – 1^st February	1^st October – 21^st January
Partridge	1^st September – 1^st February	1^st September – 31^st January
Red Grouse	12^th August – 10^th December	12^th August – 30^th November
Black Grouse	20^th August – 10^th December	–
Duck and Goose (inland)	1^st September – 31^st January	1^st September – 31^st January
Duck and Goose (below HWM)	1^st September – 20^th February	1^st September – 31^st January

Why is there a shooting ‘season’?

The time when quarry is protected from shooting is known as the ‘close season’. During this time it is illegal to shoot game or deer. These dates are in place to ensure practical management, as well as for conservation purposes and the wider interests of the countryside at large. The close season generally coincides with breeding season in order to maintain a healthy, sustainable population of species.

Grouse shooting season

Each year, the shooting season gets under way with the start of grouse season from 12^th August, commonly known as the ‘Glorious Twelfth’. Shooting takes place on grouse moors, areas of moorland located in northern England, Scotland and Wales. Whilst the grouse is often thought of as a Scottish bird, its natural range extends also into other parts of the UK. The grouse can be a challenging bird to shoot, largely for how fast they fly. It is seen by many as the ‘pinnacle’ of sporting game birds.

Pheasant shooting season

The pheasant shooting season starts on 1^st October and runs until 1^st February in Great Britain (31^st January in Northern Ireland). The UK is often seen as the traditional home of pheasant shooting, with the pheasant synonymous with British game shooting.

Pheasant shoots can be found across the UK.

Partridge shooting season

The partridge shooting season starts on 1^st September and runs until 1^st February (31^st January in Northern Ireland). Driven partridge shoots can be found across the UK

Duck and goose shooting season

The duck shooting season runs from 1^st September to 31^st January inland, and until the 20^th February below the high-water mark.

Things to remember

Species such as Rabbit and pigeon can be shot all year round. This is known as an ‘open season’, however they are protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and shooters must adhere to its constraints.
Game birds such as pheasant, grouse and partridge cannot be shot on Sunday or Christmas Day.
It is also against the law to shoot game at night (one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise).

The Lady’s Wood Sporting Agency is skilled at arranging a variety of game shooting at a range of locations throughout the UK. Get in touch today to arrange your day in the field.

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