Water may be relatively cheap, but it can cost you dearly if you fail to get it right with pheasants.
Hat covers prevent the water in bell drinkers from becoming "fouled"
It’s that time of year again. The release pens are looking immaculate, drinkers are sparkling clean and feeders brimming. The rides have been swiped and the electric fences checked and re-checked. This season’s poults will soon be delivered.
With seven week-old pheasants nudging £4-a-piece, stock losses need to be minimised and every step has to be taken to ensure your newly arrived youngsters mature into strong high flyers. Practical hints and tips, including some exciting new research into alternatives for traditional medications, were recently presented to a meeting of around 100 Sussex gamekeepers and shoot managers by specialist gamebird vets Dr Mark Elliott and Dr Kenny Nutting.
Water can be costly
Mark dealt with water; one of the cheapest “ingredients” in the release pen, but one that can cost dearly if you fail to get it right. Like all animals, pheasants need fresh, clean water every day. Without a safe place to drink, an otherwise perfect habitat will hold far fewer birds.
Now most keepers know that pheasants don’t like drinking warm water, but Mark was a little more forthright: “Water is the ‘essential nutrient’ we tend to forget about. Growing birds consume twice as much water as food. Pheasants would rather die than drink water a degree or two above their body temperature,” he said.
At the other end of the temperature scale, gamebirds are less fussy and will drink water near freezing point, but get your supply too warm and you are in trouble. He also pointed out that some keepers exacerbate this problem by using black plastic IBC tanks as headers for the pen supply.
Painting head tanks white can keep your water cool on hot days
Paint header tanks white to keep water cool
Black is often chosen in the belief that stopping light entering the tank will reduce growth of green algae. However, on a sunny day the black surface absorbs heat and your water can warm up rapidly. His advice: “Paint black header tanks white to reflect sunlight and keep your water cooler.” He knows of one keeper who freezes huge five-litre blocks of ice and drops these into his header tank on hot days – with good results. “Birds will not eat without access to water and they will not drink without access to food. If there is not enough water in the pen, their growth will slow and they will be more susceptible to disease.”
Mark is a great believer in “hat” covers on bell drinkers to prevent the water being fouled and in keeping drinking lines clean. A problem he sometimes sees when visiting shoots is failure to completely flush cleaning chemicals out of the lines. Pheasants have a strong sense of taste and will ignore a tainted drinker and not go back to it.
They also prefer an acidic water supply, a problem for shoots using borehole water because this tends to be alkaline. Overall he says that too many drinkers are better than too few; birds should not be jostling or queuing for a drink. Sometimes just putting out a few more drinkers can make a world of difference to poult survival rates.
Mark’s final tip was a reminder to avoid another killer of gamebirds – aspergillosis. This fungal infection of the respiratory tract is caused by the aspergillus family of fungi – moulds which grow rapidly in piles of damp straw or wood chips. Leave these lying around the release pen and you are at serious risk of dying poults.
Gamebird vet Dr Mark Elliot examines a poult
Antibiotic alternatives
Dr Kenny Nutting – like Mark, a keen shot – grew up around rearing, shooting, beating and picking-up gamebirds. As a vet, he has been involved in many trials of new feed and drink additives for use in the poultry industry. Results from these trials are now starting to filter through to gamebird rearing.
He is a firm advocate of preventative up-to-date medicine rather than firefighting diseases with drugs such as antibiotics. “Antibiotics knock out ‘bad’ bacteria, but the problem is that they also knock out ‘good’ bacteria which are essential to gut health,” he said.
A novel product trialled last season was a drinking water additive called Coccilin. This is made up of plant extracts and B vitamins, both of which help to lower the bacterial load in the gastrointestinal tract around coccidial challenges. Shoots that have used this product have noticed a dramatic eduction in reliance on traditional coccidial treatment chemicals. The only disadvantage noticed so far is that it seems to mask signs of hexamita infection, he said.
Another promising water additive is called Ultimate Acid. Dosed in drinking water at 1ml per litre this reduces the gut pH (more acidic) in birds, helping deter growth of potentially harmful bacteria and encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria. This aids digestion and reduces enteritis.
The only drawback of this product is that if administered continuously, a hydrogen peroxide based sanitiser should be used to prevent build up of algae in drinker lines. One large shoot that has been using Ultimate Acid over the last four seasons has seen a dramatic reduction in medication bills.
Probiotic feed additives like Biacton, which has been used for years in the poultry industry, has now shown promising results in gamebird rearing. This probiotic contains live microorganisms to seed the guts of poults with “good” bacteria. The product is stable in food for up to 12 months and can be added to food or water.
“It is part of what we call a seed, feed, weed, approach. We seed the gut with good bacteria, feed them to make them grow and weed out the bad bacteria. A bird with a healthy gut can fight most diseases. This approach is starting to show great success in game bird rearing when combined with all the other elements of good husbandry. Stronger birds fly better and there can be massive cost benefits [to using probiotics],” said Dr Nutting.
Release pens on your shoot can have a positive impact on both biodiversity and conservation, so long as they are managed correctly, says Mike Swan
The poults need a comfortable environment, with sunny spots, low cover and plenty of roosting
Time and again as I wander into the depths of a wood in my role as a Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) game adviser, I come across an embarrassment. The combination of tatty fencing, battered feed drums, broken drinkers, bags hanging from branches, and other mess is a dreadful advert for shooting. Add a bit of over-stocking to release pens, and consequent mud and dirt in place of woodland flowers, and you have most of what is bad about game management in one place.
At the GWCT, we keep pointing out the many good things that shoots and gamekeepers do for conservation and our countryside, and I still believe wholeheartedly in the truth of that. But I do sometimes wish that more shoot managers would take their blinkers off and have a long, hard look at everything. Public scrutiny of what we do has never been stronger than it is now, and we do not need ramshackle camps in the woods to give the wrong impression. Over the years, the GWCT’s scientists have compared many aspects of woods with and without release pens, and there is a lot of good news. The motivation that leads to management work in the release wood results in an improvement in many measures of biodiversity, from the numbers and diversity of butterflies, to supporting more breeding songbirds such as warblers. All this tends to follow on from a more varied woodland structure with more open sunny areas, and more shrubs and bushes.
Public scrutiny is strong and ramshackle camps in woods give the wrong impression of gameshooting
Release pen habitat
The pheasant pen is a kind of kindergarten for your young birds — a relatively safe place where they can grow up and learn about the big world outside. To function well it needs to offer a comfortable environment, with plenty of sunny spots, lots of low cover to hide in, and abundant shrubby roosting that is easy for poults to flutter up into. GWCT guidelines say that you need about one-third of the total area in each of these habitats. All three need to be scattered across the pen in a sort of mosaic, so that your birds use the whole area equally, with minimal tendency to huddle at high density in hotspots such as the only sunny area available.
You also want a similar habitat mosaic in a more extensive area around and about, so that the birds can spread comfortably as they leave the pen, and treat the whole block as a base to come home to for the rest of the autumn and winter. As a general principle, come shoot days, you will then be able to draw or blank birds out to your drives, confident that they will want to fly for “home” and face the Guns on the way.
A good site for release pens
Aside from the right environment, the best pen sites will also work with the geography and topography of your shoot to give the best quality birds. If habitat is not up to scratch in what are otherwise good places, it pays to set about improvement rather than go for a different site. In the long run habitat changes with succession anyway, and in the 15-year lifetime of a pen, you will surely need to do some improvement work. Perfection will not last for ever.
Respect for sensitive habitats
Most of the UK’s woods have been cut down and replanted at some stage, and many others have been put in on farmland. What is known as ancient semi-natural woodland is scarce and therefore highly valued by the conservation community. Most of the more extensive areas have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Ancient semi-natural woods, which are defined as having been under continuous woodland cover without replanting since 1600, are something to take seriously if they occur on the shoot, and in an ideal world we should not put pens in them. Of course, if all your woodland is ancient, that is not possible, but there may be options to choose sites with the least sensitivity, so do be prepared to take advice.
Wood edges and stream sides often carry greater biodiversity, and are best not included in the pen. Streams are sometimes included as any easy way to provide water, but they can also harbour resting stages of parasites and disease organisms, as well as making it very hard to medicate with water-soluble drugs if needed.
Similarly, edges are included as a way of getting some sun in, but if you need to do so, you are admitting that your woodland management is poor. You are also increasing the risk of predation by birds of prey, which can find it very easy to swoop down the side of the wood and carry off one of your poults.
Well-managed pheasant release pens in woodland have proved to benefit biodiversity and conservation as well as ensuring good shooting when the season starts, and encouraging the pheasants to fly “home”
Stocking density
The GWCT has carried out extensive research into the impacts of pheasant releasing on conservation, and it is important to recognise that it is not all positive. High densities of pheasant poults can cause significant damage to conservation interest, through a combination of grazing and nutrient enrichment from their excrement.
Careful analysis of vegetation and soils both in and outside of pens shows that this can be kept to a minimum when birds are stocked at no more than 1,000 per hectare of pen. For ancient woodland this is reduced to 700 per hectare. Densities in this range are likely to bring minimal risk of poor health and other welfare issues.
Woodland biodiversity
Despite the negatives I have mentioned, there is an important plus point to add, and that is that almost everyone who releases some pheasants does positive management work that is good for woodland biodiversity. This can even apply within the pen, where thinning of the canopy through practices such as coppicing and skylighting can lead to an overall biodiversity gain by outweighing any modest damage caused by the pheasants, provided they are not overstocked. If you then throw in extra work in the wider woodland environment, the planting of covercrops and wild bird seed mixes, provision of food that is taken by songbirds and gamebirds alike, and a bit of control over common predators, you end up with a balance very much in favour of biodiversity. We must celebrate that, and promote it to the wider public.
Can we please tidy up the mess too, and make the whole thing look as good as it actually is?
Eagle Hall is a mixed-game shoot with traditional Lincolnshire topography, whose new owners are aiming to make an impression next season.
The Lincolnshire topography is flat but that doesn't mean bad birds.
Eagle Hall was featured in the July 2016 issue of Shooting Gazette
It is an interesting time to be involved with Eagle Hall, a pheasant and partridge shoot set across 3,700 acres around 10 miles from the A1, A46 and A17 junction at Newark-on-Trent. Shooting Gazette first visited in December last year when it was under the stewardship of Jonathan Airey.
Following a change of ownership in the spring, I returned to the shoot lodge in late May to meet the new team, headed by Martin Snell and Trevor Hawkins, to discover their plans for taking this traditional Lincolnshire shoot forward into the new season and beyond.
In many ways, it’s all change and no change at Eagle. An infrastructure including 30 established drives, brand new pens and an ambitious woodland management programme has been bolstered by a recent six-figure investment in new birds, with everything being overseen by headkeeper Wayne Pryer, now in his sixth season at Eagle Hall.
The shoot hopes teams of all shapes and sizes will pay them a visit.
Wayne joined the shoot after stints at Longleat amongst others, and with the help of wife Cheryl in the shoot lodge kitchen, there is evidence to suggest this newly formed team is starting its new journey firmly on the front foot.
From what we saw back in December, the shoot also has the potential to show the kind of sport that will thrill those who like to be kept on their toes. Guns experienced a variety of good sport in woodland and over tall hedgerows on open fields stretching almost as far as the eye can see.
While that is certainly something Trevor wants to exploit in his endeavour to show testing French partridge, both he and Martin are under no illusions about the enormity of the task that has been in front of them since they arrived in March. Their wish is to offer comfortable and relaxed shoot days, but they take the management of the shoot extremely seriously.
Wayne Pryer has been a constant presence at the shoot in recent years.
“We strive to fulfil the guns’ expectations,” Martin told me while the three of us settled in at the shoot lodge. With the pair starting afresh there is clearly pressure on both their finances and reputations, but that’s not to say they lack the experience for the battle.
“We are in a strong position because of our standing in the farming community, and that’s why we’ve been able to take the shoot on. We welcome the challenges ahead as we know the excellent sport we can provide,” Martin added.
A strong contact book is everything to a fledgling shoot. Away from Martin’s pig farming operation, Trevor, who grew up close to the shoot and now lives near Caistor in north Lincs, has, through his pest-control business, a strong relationship with local farmers and the area’s shooting community.
The woodland drives offer something for all abilities.
Martin and Trevor agreed Wayne’s knowledge and experience has been vital in them finding their feet, and the three are realistic in what they can achieve during their first season.
“We sat down and discussed what was feasible,” said Trevor. “We have a target we’d like to achieve this season, and hopefully with repeat bookings, build on that for the season beyond.”
The shape of things to come at Eagle Hall
Owing to the volume of birds the shoot currently has, there will be around 30 shoot days at Eagle Hall next season, with bags starting at 200 head across a four-drive day. Days will be back-to-back, meaning that no drive is shot over twice in one week and the birds have seven days’ rest, keeping them away from gunshot and gundogs altogether.
The new Eagle Hall team is looking to make the most of French partridge on the shoot.
If the first season is a success, Trevor and Martin will look to build on that momentum with a range of simulated game days on the farm. There are also plans to significantly increase the amount of game cover on the land. This would be followed by the shoot rearing its own birds from day-olds, which will of course mean Wayne needing a hand – something Trevor and Martin are keen to encourage, especially if their plan to form a syndicate or two on the shoot comes to fruition.
“The end of the season will determine exactly how we go forward,” explained Trevor. “It’s going to be very hard for a single keeper to cope with what we want to put in place. When I was at Riseholme College, the other students there were really keen to do the courses, but while they enjoyed it, the positions just weren’t available to put their skills into practice when they came out. It would be nice to encourage the next generation into our industry. At the end of the day we would like to promote it and give someone a leg up, the opportunity for an apprentice would be fantastic.”
Snap-shooting addicts will love being pegged in the thick of things.
There will no room for complacency though, and Martin has high expectations for the shoot.
“I’m very successful at what I do, and I don’t accept failure. To be successful everyone involved needs to be dedicated and passionate about playing their part,” said Martin. “Our aim is to create a shoot for everyone. We want everyone to be stretched and challenged.”
While Trevor and Martin know they are working against the clock, they are not putting too much pressure on themselves. Here are two successful businessmen who have approached their task with sensible heads. A number of external issues (like the effects of Brexit) are out of their hands, but they won’t have hung around between the time of our meeting and you reading this article to get things in place before the first trigger is pulled in mid-September.
The shoot has its own website (a tool Trevor is keen to promote through the shoot’s new Facebook page) with a welcoming layout that puts names to faces and thoughtfully includes small but important details such as the format of the day alongside the dates available.
“We’d be daft not to use social media to our advantage,” said Trevor. “I feel like we get a lot done by just pressing a button, getting the message out there, it’s very powerful. For example, showing the shoot in action with updates during the close season is a fantastic way to keep our followers in the conversation.”
The 43-year-old is an energetic and enthusiastic person, and wants guns to be comfortable and relaxed from the moment they arrive, agreeing with my analogy that a concierge rather than a police escort will take them through their day (it just came out like that). Trevor is looking forward to being the face of each shoot day from the first handshake to the last, his constant presence matched by attention to detail.
The shoot lodge provides a welcome base at the day’s end.
“It doesn’t take a moment for me to remind guns to let pickers-up know they’ve brought their own dogs and would like to work them prior to the picker-up taking over. A thumbs up from the gun is all you need – you don’t need to say ‘you may do it now!’ or anything like that. For me it’s very important to encourage mutual respect. That’s the way it has got to be.
“I’ve shot on days when you just feel a bit cautious because you don’t want to do anything wrong and feel like you can’t just mention something to the shoot captain or headkeeper for fear of looking daft in front of the other guns. I think the day flows so much better when you are relaxed.
“I’m sure I will be a little nervous on our first day, but not about our capabilities to show good sport because of what we have put in place beforehand. Everyone from the local area has been very supportive to the shoot, and that’s worth its weight in gold to me.”
The coming season is unlikely to be a record breaker at Eagle Hall, but every day, which will be taken as it comes, will be meticulously planned and executed with passion.
Eagle Hall is offering around 30 let days for the coming season with bags of around 200 twice a week from September until January. For further details, visit eaglehallshoot.co.uk; email: eaglehallshoot@outlook.co.uk; or call Trevor Hawkins on 07733 227082.
The area guide
Travel
Eagle Hall Shoot is located within Long Farm just outside the village of Eagle in north west Lincolnshire. Access is via the A57 from the north or the A46 from the south and then the A1133 out into the open countryside for a few picturesque miles. Long Farm is a busy working farm, so drivers are advised to take it easy when heading the 500 yards down the farm track towards the shoot lodge. Anyone thinking of travelling by train on the East Coast Mainline should alight at Newark Northgate (the shoot can arrange for their collection if necessary).
Stay
The beauty of Eagle Hall’s proximity to Newark means that you can be at the shoot relatively quickly from anywhere in the Midlands. If you’re coming from a little farther afield then there is the 80-bedroom Bentley Hotel in South Hykeham near Lincoln to the north of the shoot (bentleyhotellincoln.co.uk), or the Manners Arms at Knipton, near Grantham (mannersarms.com) to the south. The Bentley is closer to the shoot and has the added advantage of leisure and spa facilities. The Manners was originally built as a hunting lodge for the 6th Duke of Rutland, and with 10 bedrooms has a much more intimate feel.
Catering
Cheryl Pryer, headkeeper Wayne’s wife, heads up the kitchen at Eagle Hall’s shoot lodge and if her team hasn’t managed to fill you up after a generous elevenses and shoot dinner at the day’s end then you’ve got a stronger appetite than most. Should you prefer to head to a local hostelry, you’ll have to take it steady between the shoot and the A46 to make sure you can count all the pubs along the route: the Lord Nelson Inn at Besthorpe and the Grey Horse Inn, Royal Oak and King’s Head (all Collingham) are all worthy of your patronage.
To mark the new season, we've rounded up some of our most-read pieces on shooting pheasants. Whether you're looking for somewhere to shoot, want to read a review of a shotgun or need an update on cartridges - you'll enjoy reading all the below.
Tom Payne offers tips on how to improve your shooting and bag more birds
The season is well under way and many of you will have no doubt already enjoyed your first outings. I’ve spoken with many gamekeepers and they are all singing from the same hymn sheet: pheasants have done well this year and in many cases have feathered up nicely too.
There has been a lot of dogging-in on many estates because of a late harvest and a heavy hedgerow harvest, encouraging birds to wander from home. I don’t think this is a bad thing — yes, it creates a lot of work for keepers, but those I’ve spoken to think it encourages good, strong birds, as they are flying home every day, so you have strong-flying birds from the start. These days it is rare to shoot an early pheasant day in October — most shoots prefer to give their birds a bit more time before shooting begins, so first pheasant days tend to kick off in either late October or early November. Here are some techniques to help you in the field.
Technique for pheasant shooting
Footwork and balance
In all forms of driven shooting, good footwork is the building block to any shot, and with good footwork comes good balance and control. Without these factors, shooting consistently is impossible. I always describe footwork as moving depending on what the bird is doing. You don’t move because the rulebook says you move — you move because you have watched the bird in flight correctly and moved your feet before mounting your gun, preparing yourself for the shot.
Place your feet correctly before mounting your gun
If you start moving and mounting you will end up in a whole world of trouble, pulling the muzzles away from the line of the bird and generally tying yourself in knots. Remember, the bird dictates where you move your feet if you watch it correctly.
Gun mount
In order to shoot consistently, you must also be able to mount your gun smoothly and accurately on to your moving bird. This will enable you to read the speed, distance and direction of the bird accurately and in one smooth movement, allowing you to make the shot at the right time. If you can’t get your gun-mount right, you will misread the bird and consequently miss the shot.
Choose your bird carefully and address it correctly
Try to reduce any factors that could affect consistent gun-mounting. Address your chosen bird correctly by, for example, holding your muzzles just below the line of your bird for a straight-driven one, and make sure your eyes are in line with the muzzles. Keep your eye on the bird and your head still as you bring the gun to your cheek. Keep watching the bird as you pull the trigger and stay watching as it folds in the air, making sure you fi nish your shot smoothly and correctly.
A smooth, clean gun-mount is key to good shooting
Keep your eye firmly on your bird as it folds in the air
Know your distances
So many people beat themselves up because they are missing or, worse, pricking birds that they think they should be able to hit but which aren’t an easy, clean kill unless you get that lucky golden pellet straight on the chin.
Part of consistent shooting is knowing what you can kill cleanly and safely. It is important to understand your distances and a good way to develop this is to practise with different heights of towers. I can’t stress this point enough — it really does make a difference.
Know your distances
Fieldcraft
Different pheasants
People often talk about the difference in speeds of varying gamebirds and the strength of birds in flight, but within the pheasant family different strains have different qualities and taking this into consideration can help. Here are a couple of examples:
The go-to bird for many shoots, the ringneck is a large and powerful pheasant that deserves Guns’ respect
Common ringneck For many shoots this has always been the go-to breed. The common ringneck is a very large and powerful pheasant that is capable of taking on strong wind conditions. As the breeds go, I have always felt that this particular breed of pheasant demands a bit more respect when shooting because its size and power can be deceptive.
A brilliantly strong flyer, the Polish Bazanty excels on windy days, making for challenging sport on shoots
Polish Bazanty This bird has become popular on many shoots in the UK. A medium-sized pheasant, the Polish Bazanty is a strong and hardy bird. Many shoots find them straightforward to flush, so the surprises to the Guns are limited, and they are brilliantly strong fliers. On windy days, especially when there are crosswinds, there is no pheasant in the UK that can move and slide like the Polish Bazanty, making the breed a real challenge.
If you are aware of the behaviour of different strains of bird, and indeed the different sizes of bird, your ability to read the bird in flight will be increased, helping to improve your consistency on the day.
Understanding conditions on a day and how the birds will behave in flight — for example, how they will move and slide in different winds, how a drive works and the topography of a drive, and understanding whether a bird is gaining or losing height — all comes under good fieldcraft, and paying attention to this will improve your shooting no end. This is something I will be dealing with in future articles.
Practice
Getting in some good-quality practice under towers that simulate pheasants’ height, angle and speeds is so important. When you are practising don’t be one-dimensional — practise under a variety of towers. A lot of people shun the lower tower because they feel that in order to shoot well they should only stand under 40-yard birds. However, a good 25-yard tower can really hone your skills and help with confidence, timing and tempo. Once this has been mastered, you can start to stretch the distance. This type of practice will also help you to become a good judge of range. Mix it up when you practise: start on lower birds, move on to higher birds and then back down to lower birds. To be an all-rounder in the shooting field you have got to be able to cope with all types of challenges, heights, speeds and weather conditions.
Practising under a variety of towers will help you to become a good judge of range as you master each one
Build on your technique within your comfort zone to start with and then, as your confidence builds, gradually move out of it. If you start to struggle, come back to practising a bird that you can kill well.
Mind as well as matter
The psychological side of shooting is always important and confidence plays a big part. The hardest days to shoot on are the days when opportunities are few. If you get off to a bad start, you have little chance to “get the wheels back on”. But if this happens, simply try to enjoy the day and be realistic about the challenge of the birds. Always be the first to laugh if it goes wrong. Be positive!
Do your homework on the breed of pheasant you will be shooting – they are all different
Tom’s top tips for pheasant shooting
Pay attention to the breed of pheasant you are shooting on the day. They are all different and can all behave slightly differently in flight. Their size and speed vary, as does their manoeuvrability in different conditions.
Remember, your footwork is the building block to any shot. If you get your feet wrong, the shot will go wrong. Your feet should move because of what the bird is doing in flight — not because the rulebook says you have to move. Move your feet correctly before you mount the gun and make the shot.
Good, consistent gun mount is so important. Reduce the factors that could go wrong in mounting the gun consistently on to your pheasants. Address the bird properly and set yourself up for the shot. Do not rush or panic. Finish your shot properly by watching the bird fold in the air.
Fieldcraft is so important. The more you understand what is going on, by being able to read a drive and take into account the conditions, for example, the more you will understand the birds in flight.
Keep smiling, even when the going gets tough.
That’s fieldcraft: the ability to read a drive, taking conditions into account, is a vital skill
We are graced with hundreds of superb UK pheasant shoots - here's a selection
Tregoyd offers tricky birds on a wide variety of different looking terrain
Tregoyd offers tricky birds on a wide variety of different looking terrain
TREGOYD, POWYS
This stunning shoot just to the south of Hay-on-Wye is run by the ambitious team of Ben Brown and headkeeper Clive Hussell, and recent years have seen significant investment in the infrastructure of the shoot. But what has not changed is the quality of the shooting. The terrain takes care of itself but Ben’s attention to detail with the quality of the birds means that visiting guns are tested in every possible way in a mixture of woodland and open drives. And if you fancy shooting back-to-back days then you can take another day at Llwyn Madoc, which is Ben’s other shoot to the west of Builth Wells.
Contact: Ben Brown Tel. 07711677726 or email: ben@hardwickfarms.co.uk
ANGMERING PARK, WEST SUSSEX
With its location in the South Downs National Park there’s a bit of a clue about the likely nature of the birds here. Yes, you guessed it; they are high! Following years of careful conservation and planting, the home shoot in this rather stunning little corner of the south coast is very well regarded among those in the know. Shooting takes place over 6,000 acres of that unspoilt, spectacular downland countryside which produces the highest of pheasants during the when November comes around. Last season the average bag on all pheasant days through was 328 birds, with average shot to kill ratio of 6.4 to 1, which probably tells you everything you need to know about the quality of the birds. Close proximity to London, Heathrow and Gatwick also makes this the most internationally accessible shoot on our list.
Email: nigelclutton@btinternet.com
BERELEIGH, HAMPSHIRE
Six hundred feet above sea level in the Meon Valley, the 2,500-acre Bereleigh estate has a well deserved reputation for showing fine pheasant over grassland, arable and mature wooded valleys. The Georgian house is home to Bill and Philippa Tyrwhitt-Drake, and can accommodate a full team of guns with followers. The estate is also well known for its charity fundraising lobster clay shoot and simulated clay days. Mascombe Bottom is a natural depression in the chalk downland and shows arguably the best birds on the ground.
Contact: Bill Tyrwhitt-Drake. Tel. 01730 823468 or email: info@bereleigh.com
BOWHILL, THE BORDERS
The name Black Andrew strikes fear into the hearts of shooters worldwide, but this notorious high bird drive is just one of many on offer at this stunning Borders shoot, less than an hour’s drive from Edinburgh. The shoot is run by manager Stuart Riddell and his son Robert, who is the headkeeper. Bowhill offers 200-250 bird days for parties of eight to 10 guns, normally incorporating five drives taken from the choice of 19 in total. It’s safe to say the Riddells know their trade, as Robert is now the sixth generation keeper in the family and has previously worked at headline shoots such as Gunnerside and Raby.
Downton in Shropshire offers challenging shooting and a family atmosphere
DOWNTON, SHROPSHIRE
Shooting Gazette only visited this 5,000-acre Shropshire shoot last season, but a certain staffer was adamant it should be on a list of this kind the moment he got back into the office. Our trip started at Old Downton Lodge, one of many estate buildings enjoying a new life under sporting agent Christopher Lyons, a 26-year veteran of the shoot, and it was a relaxed introduction to an unforgettable 24 hours. Drives such as Tennis Courts, set on the banks of the River Teme, are as stunning as they are challenging, and are up there with the other, more renowned names across these pages. Expect a family feel here and the urge to book a return before lunch.
Shooting over the Brixton and Sutton Veny beats, Kim Beddall’s ground carries a fearsome reputation for early season partridge that hurtle off the high banks and are visibly un-phased by wind speed or direction, powering over the line. However, when the pheasant come on-stream, they equal the best shoots found further west. Many guns would suggest that Abyssinia is the signature drive, but Beeches and McSharries shoot as well as any and Horseback on its day is unbeatable. Great shoot lodge and lunches are a given.
Contact: Jeremy Lee Tel. 01747 834488 or email: admin.omh@btconnect.com
CASTLE HILL, DEVON
This shoot is consistently rated the best by those in the know. Famous headkeeper Brian Mitchell was at Miltons and Chargot before he arrived at Castle Hill some 25 years ago, and he has also written a fascinating book about his experiences, Think Like a Pheasant. He said: “The quality of the birds is looking better than ever this season and I think that’s a result of hard work from everybody involved and excellent advice from St. David’s vets. The French common cross/bazanty strain really cross the valleys well and I’m looking forward to beating the guns again this season!” Because it’s so good days here are hard to come by, but if you know the right people you might get lucky one day…
COMBE SYDENHAM, SOMERSET
Once the home of Sir Francis Drake, Combe Sydenham offers traditional pheasant shooting of the highest order and is part of the stable of Exmoor shoots managed by Angus Barnes at Loyton. Often windy, around 20 drives in steep valleys and narrow gulches bring birds slip-sliding across or soaring above guns, making for testing but not impossible shooting. Regulars suggest that Eisengard and The Chair drives are better than most. Efficiently keepered and professionally managed, it still retains a family feel and victuals equal the sport.
Contact: Valerie von Stockhausen Tel. 01398 331174 or email: valerie@loyton.com
Whitfield has long been known as the northern powerhouse of high bird shooting
WHITFIELD, NORTHUMBERLAND
This shining light in the northern shooting stable has long been regarded as something of a Mecca for the high bird brigade. With a famous category system, the ‘extreme’ days have become the stuff of shooting legend, and if you have enjoyed this unique challenge you really do have a feather in your cap. In the foothills of the Pennines, the 15,000-acre estate generally offers days in the 250-300 bird range, but bigger days are available on request. Headkeeper Stuart Maughan is renowned for his ability to show a steady stream of very testing birds during a small number of long drives on the day. They have also had a superb grouse season with 2,500-brace accounted for by early October.
Contact: Stuart Maughan on Tel. 07501460017 or email: parkheadfarm@btconnect.com
GLANUSK, POWYS
Run by Mark Coleman, an ambitious sporting agent whose stable also includes Stoke Edith, Glanusk has a history of driven game shooting stretching back to the 1880s. The estate, owned by the Legge-Bourke family, sits in the shadow of the Brecon Beacons, and the shoot makes excellent use of the wooded hillsides and rolling fields below. Powys has long been home to some iconic names in Welsh game shooting, and Mark hasn’t stood on ceremony in his endeavours to make the most of his land: less challenging drives are out, high birds are in.
Keen eyed readers will spot that Gurston featured in our top partridge shoot feature in the September issue of Shooting Gazette but after our recent visit in early October it’s obvious the pheasants here are equally deserving of mention. The chalk valleys to the west of Salisbury look like good shooting ground and under the nurturing eye of Rob Hitchings so they prove. Rob’s uncle David Hitchings started the shooting here way back in 1966 and this shoot still retains the air of a family day, and that is perhaps the cleverest trick of all. The hospitality is spot on and the whole team clearly love what they do. Happy days indeed.
Email: rjhitch@gurston.fsbusiness.co.uk
MULGRAVE, NORTH YORKSHIRE
This visually stunning 5,500-acre shoot has been a favourite for game shooters in the know for many seasons, not least as a result of the awe-inspiring drives at the foot of the imposing cliffs on the edge of the North Sea as it crashes into the spectacular coastline. Here guns line out on the rocks and struggle to hone their senses, with the noise of the sea creating an unusual distraction, while the birds are pushed from one clifftop to the next high above. As they soar overhead guns get the chance to test themselves in some of the most dramatic scenery in the world of driven shooting. With hospitality in the grand Mulgrave Castle this is the sort of shoot where fairytale dreams come true.
While Exmoor steals the West Country sporting headlines those who are prepared to stay on the A30 for a little longer and cross the Tamar into the proud county of Cornwall will be well rewarded. Tony Kennedy runs the world-renowned Pentillie shoot near Plymouth and here the pheasants can match some of the best you will find anywhere. But it would be a shame to travel all the way to this rocky and romantic outpost at the toe of the UK and not make a few days out of it, so why not try Boconnoc as well? Sounds like a good trip doesn’t it?
Email: kennedygunmakers@icloud.com
RIPLEY CASTLE, NORTH YORKSHIRE
This shoot is one of the most famous in the country for the quality of the day and the sheer enthusiasm of Frank Boddy, the beating heart of the operation. Days often start and finish at the Boar’s Head in the centre of Ripley, and guns will be treated to an astonishing array of drives in woodland and rolling countryside. Topographically, the Ripley Castle shoot includes the following ground: Ripley Castle, Mountgarret, Eagle Hall and Ashfold Side and Hardcastle and Heathfield Moors.
Email: info@ripleycastleshoot.co.uk
The scenery says it all at Llechweddygarth; expect to stretch your neck
LLECHWEDDYGARTH, POWYS
Robert Jones runs three shoots in this Welsh high bird heartland, and in recent years Lechweddygarth has been gaining rave reviews, but that doesn’t mean the other two (Long Mountain and Three Valleys) are diminished in any way. Long Mountain Shoot was the first to be established some 30 years ago and the three shoots now cover approximately 9,000 acres. The overwhelming scenery with its harsh, rugged, untamed mountains and breathtaking waterfalls provides a truly picturesque setting for you to enjoy while you test yourself on the sky-scraping pheasants. A purposely-converted Scout hut provides a warm and homely atmosphere for hospitality, where shooting guests can indulge in fine local food and quality wines.
Here at Shooting Gazette we have been singing Warter Priory’s praises for a number of years now. And headkeeper Frank Croft and his team continue to deliver the highest level of shooting amid a friendly atmosphere which belies the sheer scale of this giant operation. There is a genuine local feel to this shoot and everyone knows their roles well. Everything from the Wolds topography to elevenses from a custom-made shooting wagon makes a day at this 12,000-acre gem well worth the wait. Many a reader has told us that Warter Priory is on their bucket list and it is one of two on this list which also featured in our top partridge shoot feature in the September issue.
Email: julie@warterpriory.com
North Yorkshire is a hotbed of high bird shooting and Duncombe Park is one of many shining lights in this stunning part of the UK
DUNCOMBE PARK, NORTH YORKSHIRE
Helmsley is the market town at the epicentre of this northern shooting powerhouse, and there are many excellent shoots in the area. People travel from far and wide to enjoy a few days of neck craning and wallet-busting sport every season and it’s really not hard to see why. But the closest shoot to Helmsley is the magnificent and historic Duncombe Park. The shoot featured in the October edition of Shooting Gazette, and it is run by Mount St. John Sporting, a rapidly expanding agency in this part of the world. Headkeeper John Masterman is the maestro and you are guaranteed a good day’s sport here.
When winter comes Urra offers even more of a challenge …
URRA, NORTH YORKSHIRE
On the exposed northern edge of the North York Moors National Park lies the rugged and beautiful Urra estate. Here the harsh landscape makes for some breathtaking pheasant shooting, with steep sided valleys, wild moorland fringe, and strong winds bringing wild weather in straight from the North Sea. The shoot is run by the Reeve family and headkeeper Sean Mason is looking forward to some 60 days this season. It’s a family run shoot with a clear emphasis on offering visiting teams the best day’s sport in an informal and friendly environment.
Contact: Dominic or Patrick Reeve Tel. 01642 778000/778117 or email: urraestate@gmail.com
Brigands is a name which strikes fear and awe into the hearts of game shooters all over the globe
BRIGANDS, SNOWDONIA
In the last decade this name has become synonymous with the fashion for stratospheric birds, which is hardly surprising as the flagship of the Bettws Hall empire truly does offer the sort of birds that can give you nightmares and some occasional moments of sheer delight. The shoot lies in the valleys of the Cambrian Mountains and at the foot of Snowdonia national park and the 12,000-acre estate provides endless drives to appeal to all manner of guns and ability. And if Brigands is booked or a bit too scary then don’t forget the other Bettws shoots in the area: Gregynog, Maesmawr, Vaynor and Kempton and the new arrival this season, Plas Dinam.
Oliver Pope is the sixth generation of his family to run this marvellous 1,700-acre Dorset estate and its famous shoot with equally famous shoot lodge (see pages 70-71 of this issue). Drives like Wrackleford Plantation and Great War provide superb sport and quite remarkably Oliver told us in early October: “Our oldest gun shot with us last week, aged 96, and he still shoots better than many of our other guests.” Headkeeper Mark Valder has been here for more than 30 years, having started on a YTS scheme, and underkeeper Tom Rushton is gaining experience all the time.
The right cartridge and choke combination could transform your pheasant shooting, says Edward Watson
Getting your choices right is key to improving your shooting
New techniques in powder and wads have improved all the shotgun cartridges on the market these days – they’re faster AND maintain a good pattern.
Cartridge tips for this pheasant season
Find a shotgun cartridge brand you like and stick with it.
Side-by-sides and over-unders are both catered for by top brands .
Start your pheasant season on No.6s.
Move to No.5s and even No.4s as the season continues and the pheasants get older and tougher.
Many people say their gun can’t take bigger shot size but it is the weight of the shot and the length of the cartridge, not the actual shot size, that will affect your gun.
Clean out last season’s mishmash of cartridges from your bag and stick to what works for you. This will give you consistent shooting and confidence.
You need to be thinking in terms of weight, gauge, style and action. Budget is probably a consideration too of…
The best choke combination for pheasant shooting
Half choke is good for all-round shooting.
If you have a multi-choke gun and want to shoot high pheasants later in the season, put in the full choke to keep your shot pattern at these extreme ranges.
If you have a fixed choke gun and you are lucky to shoot a full range of pheasants this season then get your gun multi-choked.
Teague Chokes are my preferred brand and they can be fitted into all types of shotgun.
Confidence is one of the major factors in making you a great shot.
So take time to find the best shotgun/cartridge/choke combination for this season’s pheasants and stick with it.
Some thoughts on pheasant shooting
Pheasants form the bulk of gameshooting in the UK, accounting for 80 per cent of all gamebirds shot.
Equally cherished by roughshooters and driven shooters alike, there is nothing quite like the first cackling and crowing cock bird of the season breaking cover and hurtling into the sky.
In some conservation circles, pheasants are much maligned as being non-natives, but they have actually been around for a long time, probably at least since the Normans and maybe even since Roman times.
They are very much part of the landscape of our rural heritage.
Here's a definitive list of some of the best places you can go pheasant shooting in the UK. If you have any to add to our list, please leave a comment below.
Are these the best pheasant shoots in the UK?
Warter Priory
Warter Priory, East Yorkshire
A grand shoot with a pedigree to match its current position as one of the country’s best-known driven pheasant shooting destinations. This shoot is steeped in history and in 1909 the then UK record one-day pheasant bag was shot on December 5: 3,824 pheasants, 15 partridge, 526 hares, 92 rabbits and three various.
The bag numbers are not quite like that these days and the 20th century saw many ups and downs at Warter Priory, but the shoot is definitely on the A-list again now. Lying in the pretty Wolds near the market town of Pocklington the landscape lends itself to good shooting (pictured above).
This 6,000-acre estate contains seven miles of the South Downs ridge, so it’s immediately obvious that high birds might be on the agenda. And so they are on the 40 plus let days here every season. With spectacular drives to choose from it’s not unheard of to shoot just four drives in the day here. After all, why rush around fitting six drives in if you just don’t have to?
Several drives regularly see a cartridge to kill ratio of more than 10:1 and that is probably why over the last 10 years it has built a reputation for showing high-flying birds which tax the best.
Oliver Pope is the sixth generation of his family to run this marvellous 1,700-acre Dorset estate and its famous shoot. Drives like Wrackleford Plantation and Great War provide superb sport and in a recent shoot report Shooting Gazette’s John Walker said: “Fast arriving tall pheasants, gliding on set wings before rising rapidly to clear the tree line behind them, give the line a good test of mental reflex and physical ability. Classic English game shooting.”
There are a number of famous Exmoor shoots, including North Molton and Chargot for example, but the shoot at Castle Hill is consistently rated the best by those in the know. That said you are unlikely to be disappointed at any of these famous names when down in this part of the UK.
Headkeeper Brian Mitchell was at Miltons and Chargot before he arrived at Castle Hill some 25 years ago. There are few keepers who know more about presenting high pheasants and this certainly shows on shoot day here. But perhaps you should think about spending a few days down on Exmoor. That way you can really get your eye in at the UK’s undisputed regional home of high bird shooting.
Andrew Witham is the jovial host behind this Lancashire gem. With birds coming off moorland fringe at terrific heights and the likelihood of strong winds, shooting here can be extremely tough. In fact it’s not uncommon for good teams to walk away from some drives scratching their heads and wondering what just happened. Despite the fact that Andrew has recently had to relinquish some of the land back to the owners for some grouse moor development, it is still a fantastic shoot and the hospitality is second to none.
Raehills, Dumfries & Galloway
Raehills, Dumfries & Galloway
The 7,000-acre home of the Earl of Annandale offers excellent pheasant shooting, as well as a suitably grand mansion in 500 acres of parkland. The sandstone house was built by James, the 3rd Earl of Hopetoun, towards the end of the 18th century and it lies between Dumfries and Moffat in south west Scotland and is part of Annandale Estates. There are 22 different drives and 400-bird days are possible for pheasants and partridges, dropping to 250 to 300 mid season and 150 to 200 later on. Robert Rattray of CKD Galbraith said: “Many drives take place in deep valley bottoms which lend themselves to exciting shooting. The variety of drives on the estate allows for guns of various abilities, and the entertaining here is among the best available.”
This is one of Scotland’s finest pheasant shoots and is on the 15,000-acre Tillypronie estate, owned by the Hon. Philip Astor. Superbly presented high pheasants and a comfortably relaxed management style. The shoot certainly warrants its impeccable international reputation.
Contact Robin Geldard: Tel. 07796 814656
Apley Park, Shropshire
This is a traditional pheasant shoot in beautiful surroundings. It is primarily run as a family shoot but there are let days available. The Apley Park and Apley Terrace beats in the River Severn valley are ideal terrain for game shooting. Apley Terrace is an escarpment which follows the River Severn and is completely wooded. This makes for some truly testing pheasant shooting, with snap shots, diving and curling birds and good high birds. Meanwhile, the park drives allow the guns to enjoy the experience of shooting on the grassland in front of the main house. Here the pheasants come towering from the hilltop spinneys, which were created for that very purpose by our forward-thinking shooting forefathers.
The ultimate name in high bird shooting. The landscape is ideally suited for pheasant shooting as the estate straddles both sides of a deep and narrow valley, ending at its northern most end in the Allen Valley gorge. This is where some of the highest and most renowned drives are situated. Elsewhere, hanging woods on steep hillsides provide challenging sport in dramatic surroundings. An intermediate day will probably have a couple of high drives with a couple that are a bit easier, a high day will all be high and an extreme day is for high bird experts with big cartridges.
This now famous shoot lies in the suburbs of Snowdonia National Park and, as you might expect, is able to present some stratospheric birds in equally impressive scenery. It is one of eight stunning shoots owned and run by the Bettws Hall shooting group of Gwyn and Ann Evans. Other well-known names in the stable include Vaynor Park, and Molland.
Pheasant shoots: Looking for top pheasant shoots? From Warter Priory and Angmering to Towie and Wrackleford, we list the top…
To do the partridge justice and avoid missing in front, I suggest you cut back the lead by 1/3 or even a 1/2 of what you’re serving up for the pheasant and see what happens.
Half the fun of game shooting a ‘mixed drive’ is in being able to make instant (and correct) adjustments when you’re faced with a partridge and pheasant in the air at the same time, and heading in your direction.
To pull off a clean right and left in these circumstances is very satisfying indeed.
Red legged partridge
How can you hit a curling pheasant?
Nobody I’ve ever met can equate (or properly explain) how far the muzzles need to be ahead of – and inside – the bird’s line of flight to bring about a successful shot.
The biggest imponderable is the strength of the wind 30 or more yards up there, and which direction it’s coming from. In a light side breeze a good Shot might say he’s a foot or 18 inches inside the curl of the bird and eight feet in front of the beak. Yet in a really strong wind he might be as far inside the line of the bird as he is ahead of it!
Move to another drive on the same shoot and that wind might now be quartering into the pheasant, or coming from behind. If it is, the ‘picture’ that worked so well for you only half an hour earlier might now be miles off the mark.
Time to practise
The more often you shoot driven birds the easier it should become to adjust to the conditions. However an element of trial and error will still take place.
When you do kill a bird cleanly the secret is to retain the pheasant/muzzle image at the time you squeezed the trigger, and repeat it for subsequent shots.
Now for the bird crossing between you and a neighbour. If the wind is taking it away from your position you need to remember that as well shooting in front of the beak you also need to be underneath the bird. Even if your forward lead is right, if you simply swing ahead in a straight line without taking the wind into account your shot will miss over the top of the bird. Equally, you will need to shoot above a crossing pheasant that’s being pushed towards you in a strong wind.
Some timely tips on everything from footwork through to the way different pheasant breeds fly ...
Kansas
Here are some pheasant shooting techniques to help you in the field
Footwork and balance
In all forms of driven shooting, good footwork is the building block for any shot, and with good footwork comes good, controlled balance. Without these two factors at the start, shooting consistently is not possible.
Footwork is moving with what the bird is doing
Move while watching the bird in flight
Move your feet without mounting your gun, preparing yourself for the shot
Don’t start moving and mounting because you will pull the muzzles away from the line of the bird
The bird dictates where you move your feet if you watch it correctly
Without mounting, move your feet as you watch the bird in flight, preparing yourself for the shot
Gun mount
To shoot consistently, you must be able to mount your gun smoothly and accurately on to your moving bird
This enables you to read speed, distance and direction in one smooth movement
You will then be able to make the shot at the correct time
Address your chosen bird correctly by holding your muzzles just below the line of your bird for a straight-driven bird
Make sure your eyes are in line with the muzzles.
Keep looking at the bird and keep your head still as you bring the gun to your cheek.
Watch the bird as you pull the trigger, and watch it fold in the air.
Watch the bird as you pull the trigger and continue to watch it as it folds in the air
Know your distances
Knowing the distance of birds is very important. Part of consistent shooting and shooting to the best of your ability is knowing what you can kill cleanly and safely.
New techniques in powder and wads have improved all the shotgun cartridges on the market these days – they’re faster…
Different breeds of pheasant have different flight patterns
Knowing which breed you’re confronted with and how it is likely to react will have a beneficial effect on your success out in the field. Here’s a handy guide.
Old English blackneck
Old English blackneck
You’re most likely to come across these on woodland shoots. This is a big pheasant and a deceptive flyer, giving the impression of being a bit slow and cumbersome. But it isn’t. Be warned.
Polish bazanty
Polish bazanty
The Polish bazanty has become the popular bird on many shoots in the UK.
It’s a medium-sized pheasant, They are strong, hardy and generally straightforward to flush. On windy days, no pheasant in the UK can move and slide like this breed. They’re a real challenge then.
Common ringneck pheasant
Common ringneck
The go-to breed for many shoots. A large and powerful pheasant that is capable of taking on very windy conditions.
Kansas
Kansas
A small breed tat can give the impression that it is moving a lot faster than it really is.
They are known for flying a bit higher than some breeds, and low-ground shoots have started using them a bit more. When standing under them don’t be fooled by their speed, which can catch you out. They are flighty birds and can become line-shy quickly if shot too hard.
Tom’s top tips for successful pheasant shooting
Pay more attention to the breed of pheasant you are shooting on the day. They are all different and can all behave slightly differently in flight. Their speed, apparent size and manoeuvrability can change in different conditions, so gen up!
Remember your footwork is the basis for any shot: if you get your feet wrong, the shot is sure to go wrong. Your feet move because of what the bird is doing in flight, not because the rule books say you have to move. Move your feet correctly before you mount the gun and make the shot.
A good, consistent gun mount is very important. Reduce the factors that could go wrong in mounting the gun consistently on to your pheasants. Address the bird properly and set yourself up for the shot. Don’t rush and don’t panic. Finish your shot properly by watching the bird fold in the air.
Fieldcraft is very important. The more you understand what is going on, by reading a drive and the conditions, the more you will understand the birds in flight.
Keep smiling, have a really great season and simply enjoy your pheasant shooting!
Now we're into pheasant season, here's how to make the best of any walked-up days you might have
A walked-up day will present a variety of situations, and Guns need to maintain a heightened awareness of where each member of the team is at all times
Walked-up pheasant shooting can be a daunting prospect for the novice. Probably because you don’t have total control of the birds and how they’re presented.
It’s different with clays
When you’re clayshooting you can get everything sorted; your stance, ready position and intended kill points. And then you call for the bird.
You also know how the bird is going to be presented, where it’s coming from and how fast. There’s no element of surprise.
But walked-up birds are different
In this discipline everything has to be coordinated and acted upon in a fraction of a second.
So get the basics right on conventional going-away clays
By practising on clays we can utilise and adapt our technique to cater for live quarry.
Top tips for walked-up shooting
Don’t cover the line of the bird with your muzzles.
Don’t aim, rush or snatch at the trigger.
Don’t forget to compensate for any curve of the bird’s flight.
Do keep your wits about you.
Do get your stance and weight correct.
Do have a positive mental attitude – ‘controlled attacking.’
Away clays
Let’s look at a typical going away bird on an English sporting layout.
The first thing to consider is your ready position, the gun mount and stance.
The stance should be comfortable, leaning slightly forward, with the weight on the front foot. That foot should be pointing along the line that the clay is going to travel.
The muzzle of your gun should also be pointing in the same direction.
If your gun is pointing too far to the left or right, you’ll have to swing onto, as well as through the target to hit it.
On a clay ground I’d opt for a ‘halfway house’ type of gun ready position, where the stock is just out of the pocket of the shoulder, rather than shooting either gun up or gun down.
This means the amount of travel to mount the gun is kept to a minimum.
When you raise the gun to your shoulder you’re looking for a single smooth action, using both your hands – don’t let the trigger hand do all the work – keeping the gun parallel all the time.
If the muzzles of the gun are initially too high they can obscure your view of the clay as it leaves the trap.
Alternatively, if they are held too low, you’ll probably end up playing catch-up with the clay resulting in a rushed shot.
In summary, your stance, ready position and gun mount should never compromise your view of the target as it leaves the trap and flies along its line of travel.
Why shooters miss going away birds
The most common reason that shooters miss going away birds is because they aim! Maybe because the bird looks easy it draws you into aiming – just to make sure of a kill!
Another mistake is to try and cover the target and then fire. This invariably results in missing over the top.
The best approach is to choose your kill point, bring the gun up smoothly and when the bead on the muzzle is just about to touch the bird, pull the trigger.
However don’t forget you might have to take natural conditions into account.
If there’s a crosswind you’ll need to compensate slightly for any deviation in flight that the clay might take – it’s unusual a clay will ever fly dead straight along the entire course of its travel.
If you think you’re going to miss you probably will.
If you know you’re going to dust the target, invariably you do!
Try and develop a ‘controlled attack’ approach. This doesn’t mean snatching at the trigger pull, though, as this can often result in muzzle flip and another missed target.
Don’t be intimidated by the impression of speed of the bird or the quick release. The clay will never get away from the speed of your shot.
There is no substitute for regular mounting practice to achieve a smooth, fluent and efficient mount — bringing the comb…
So how do you bring these tips into play when you’re walked-up pheasant shooting?
Smooth gun mount
Bring the bead up to the bird,
Pull the trigger
Keep the gun moving
Be alert and ready to respond to a rising bird. The moment you see, or even hear, a bird flush, the gun must come into your shoulder and be locked onto the target in an instant.
Hesitate, and the pheasant will no longer be in a shootable position.
Walk with a closed, loaded gun- but obviously with the safety on – and with the muzzles pointing upwards.
The attitude and positioning of the muzzles does present a problem, however.
To get on to a flushed, rising bird you must get the bead onto or slightly below the target as you mount the gun from its vertical position, simply so you can then swing the muzzles up onto the bird.
Try using a ‘vertical gun’ stance on a going-away target at your local clay ground for practice.
We thought it was a good time to pick out some top-performing game guns, rated by our readers and experts. Each would hold its own on the grandest drive or the most challenging walked-up day.
Shooting cape from Purdey
What you need to consider when picking out a game gun
Want a good-all round gun for game? You found it. The Browning name is synonymous with game shooting but the 725 is also a good option for shooting club clays.
This was mentioned by readers and reviewers time and again so it’s obviously very popular. It comes in at a higher cost that the 686, as the stock features more attractive wood. It works very well as a combination and will hold great appeal for the sportsman who wants to adapt quickly from one gun to another.
“If you’re going to do it, do it in style,” says Huw Clarke of Game On Game Services when we asked him about his favourite guns for pheasant shooting. He picked out the Purdey which comes in at £37,200. For that you get a superb gun that is a delight to own and use, beautifully finished in Turkish walnut.
Snap shooting or going after high ones in open fields? Giles Catchpole and Ben Samuelson debate the issue ...
Which guns for high pheasants?
High pheasant in open fields
By Giles Catchpole
Snap shooting is all very well and good. Couched on a ride in the midst of the shelter belt or in a clearing in the heart of a block of forestry can be exciting, for sure. Who doesn’t enjoy a bit of close combat stuff, eh? Birds coming from all directions, a glimpse through the canopy; bish-bosh, thump-thump. Heart racing and nerves jangling. What’s not to like?
But when all is said and done, snap shooting pheasants as they dash across that brief patch of open sky that you have been allotted is a bit of an ambush, isn’t it? And is an ambush really the act of a sportsman?
Compare and contrast, then, the noble pheasant that rockets from a strategically sited strip of cover on the sunny side of the hill. Up and up it goes, higher and higher still, until it seems to pause for a moment and survey the valley below. And then it spots the guns lined out there, sniffs the wind, determines its escape route, pulls down its goggles, tightens its scarf, sets its wings and sets out for glory.
Bum-belly-beak-bang
Sidling across the wind, twisting in the mist and gathering speed as the altitude drops away you can almost hear the sound of engines beginning to whine as it hurtles towards the line. There may be a bunch of birds in the air at any time on such a drive but only a few will qualify as true stormers. Hard to define, of course, but easy to recognise, aren’t they? There is only ever one choice.
And then it is just you and the bird. Follow through the curling wing; bum-belly-beak-bang!; maintained lead; five bar gates and London buses all course briefly through the synapses before being replaced by the necessary cold, hard resolution. This bird is yours. This is not close combat; this is single combat and that’s what sportsmen do.
“Good luck with that one!” echoes a voice down the line. Fine walnut strokes skin for just a brief moment and you feel a sudden jolt in the shoulder. There is a pause. Everything stops for an instant. And then what?
Head back, plate glass window and a long arc into the arms of cheering pickers-up? Or nothing? At all? Whatever? Hero or zero? It doesn’t matter. You could have shot all the rest but that is not the same at all. There is only one and hit or miss you gave it your best shot. But when they do come down…that’s really a moment.
John Bidwell says: This one has cropped up in this column before so, at the risk of repeating myself, I will cover the…
Snap shooting
By Ben Samuelson
I’ve never been shooting with Giles Catchpole. In the interests of complete disclosure, he has never seen fit to invite me. I suppose I could have invited him but I’d rather he opened the account.
However, should we find ourselves shooting together, perhaps on neutral ground somewhere in the Midlands, I have a horrible feeling that he’d be a much better shot than me. You know exactly the sort of shot he’d be too. He’d bring the gun up late in one economic but fluid motion, dropping all the highest birds in a neat heap just in front of him and his impeccably behaved dogs.
This is why he’s a fan of shooting out in the open. Because he can. And because he likes other people to see that he can.
A split second
And that’s why I’m a fan of snap shooting in the woods. Give me enough time and I will wave my gun around like a sapling in a thunderstorm. If I can see the bird long before it’s in range, I’ll be thinking about line and lead, where I’m putting my feet as well as what the rest of the line is thinking and doing.
If you’re snap shooting in the woods, none of this is a problem. You only have a split second to work out if it’s your bird or your neighbour’s, whether it’s quarry or prohibited, whether it’s safe and indeed sporting. And then what line it’s flying along, how fast, how high, where to swing your gun and when to pull the trigger. Occasionally, without the time to think about it, I might even hit the blasted thing.
Unfortunately, as we’d be in the woods, Giles wouldn’t have seen a thing.
Good looking, fast flying, delicious as well as easy to rear, tough and adaptable. The pheasant comes in a perfectly designed package. Like anything that’s relatively trouble-free, we don’t think about it much. So are we in danger of taking the pheasant for granted?
An exotic alien
We expect it to thrive and provide good sport wherever we release it. But we forget that it’s really an exotic alien that has never occurred in a natural state closer than 1,000 miles to our shores.
The go-to bird for many shoots, the ringneck is a large and powerful pheasant that deserves Guns’ respect
The pheasant’s scientific name is Phasianus colchicus
It’s thought that the Romans brought the pheasant to Britain and the Roman villa at Woodchester in Gloucestershire shows a recognisable ringneck pheasant. However, the earliest documentary evidence dates back to about 1177, suggesting that the first birds were introduced during the early part of the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042-1066).
Polish bazanty
The different varieties of pheasant
There are around 30 recognised subspecies of pheasant, with names such as the Prince of Wales’s pheasant and the Sungpan pheasant. Though each of these races is isolated geographically in the wild, they will readily interbreed if given the chance. The birds we know today are a virile hybrid mixture, with the grey rump and distinctive white neck ring coming from Chinese birds, while the so-called old-English birds are black-necked with a purple-red rump.
Semi-domestication of the pheasant has led to the development of a number of distinctive breeds. The Michigan blueback, for example, isn’t a native of the US, but a bird that has been selectively bred there for its flying ability. Similarly, the so-called jumbo ringneck pheasant is another American domestic bird. As its name suggests it’s very large (up to 6lb), and has been bred for the table rather than shooting.
As birds mature, they start to wander. Not necessarily because there is something badly wrong with where they are, nor…
Heavyweight and lightweight pheasants
The jumbo is the heavyweight of the pheasants, whereas the Japanese green is a light, agile and fast-flying bird. Many authorities grant it full specific status as Phasianus versicolor, while others regard it as no more than a race of the common pheasant. Full species or not, it will readily hybridise with its mainland cousins, and produce fertile offspring. In Japan it is widespread and the national bird.
100 years in the making
The pheasant became our most important gamebird over a century ago.Its rise was quite sudden, mirroring the development and refinement of the breechloading shotgun.
Old English blackneck
In his 50-year shooting career, spanning the period 1802- 1853, the redoubtable sportsman Colonel Peter Hawker bagged 7,035 partridges (all of which would have been greys), but a mere 575 pheasants.
It wasn’t until the early years of the 20th century that big battues became not only accepted, but popular largely because of the enthusiasm of King Edward VII. It is rumoured that he took up shooting because he was too fat to go hunting.
There are various claims for the record UK bag of pheasants shot, with the 3,824 birds shot at Warter Priory, East Yorkshire on 5 December 1909 rivalling the 3,937 shot at Hall Barn, Buckinghamshire, on 13 December 1913, achieved with a team of six Guns.
Fortunately such enormous bags are no longer fashionable, but are a reminder of the huge numbers of birds that must have been reared and released before World War I.
Hand-rearing pheasants in such great numbers required a considerable amount of labour, for the birds were all reared under broody hens.
The big pheasant shoots were the preserve of the great sporting estates that could afford to employ the numerous keepers needed to work in the rearing fields.
Changes in pheasant rearing
Things changed in the second half of the 20th century. The then Game Conservancy helped to perfect the art of hatching eggs in incubators and rearing the chicks under brooders. Work was also done on releasing poults successfully into the wild.
An adaptable bird
The pheasant can be found throughout the British Isles, and is only absent from the northwest of Scotland, the Outer Hebrides and Shetland.
It’s as happy on the humid shores of the Black Sea as it is on the arid central Asian steppes.
In China it can be found at higher than 10,000ft.
Some populations survive in areas where winter temperatures remain well below zero for weeks.
So how big would the British population be without annual releases? If releasing stopped, the pheasant would quickly disappear from the uplands and places such as Exmoor. There would probably also be a sharp reduction in the population density in all but the most favourable parts of the country. However, the pheasant is a survivor, and it would be unlikely to disappear from our countryside.
Do your homework on the breed of pheasant you will be shooting – they are all different
Pheasant Facts and Figures
Dominant cock pheasants have harems of anything from two to six or more hens. But sub-dominant cocks rarely get the chance to mate.
The crowing calls of individual pheasants differ from each other in pitch and tempo.
Cock pheasants have nothing to do with either incubation or rearing the chicks.
Wild hen pheasants lay a clutch of between eight to 14 eggs, though clutches of up to 17 are not exceptional. The incubation period is around 23-24 days, with the chicks all hatching at once (synchronous hatching).
Pheasants fly at 60mph. Partridges can reach speeds of about 40mph
There are around 50 species of pheasants in the world. These include the junglefowl, the ancestor of the domesticated chicken.
A pheasant’s short and rounded wings allow rapid acceleration, but are not suited to sustained flight, so pheasants are non-migratory.
A characteristic of all the pheasants is that the males have specialised ornamental plumage (unlike partridges, quails and francolins).
When Helen Nakielny picks up her gun nowadays, it's normally around the family farm. So how did she get on when she was invited on a driven pheasant day?
I have been fortunate enough to be involved in the wonderful world of fieldsports for most of my life. From rough shooting with my father to great times on the beating lines, I can still claim that one of my greatest achievements was to be head beater by the age of 18. Such was my devotion to the line, I even managed to beat on beaters’ day. And one of the best experiences of my life was to spend my gap year working as a gamekeeper.
As the years have passed and other responsibilities have taken hold, when I pick up a gun it is for duck-flighting and the occasional tamp around the family farm.
After receiving her invitation to a driven day, Helen experienced excitement, gratitude and nerves
Nervously anticipating the driven day
So an invitation to take a gun on a driven day, and 100 birds at that, was met with mixed feelings. First was gratitude – it isn’t every day that such a generous invitation lands on the doormat. Next came excitement, it may have been some years since I was regularly involved in the world of driven shooting, but the memories were all good. Then came nerves. There was a world of difference between the rough shooting that had taken up my winters and the pressures of standing in line with a picker-up at your back. I could imagine the deep sighs, and the stifled giggles of the beaters as another bird flew over. It was then I gave thanks that it wasn’t a local shoot.
Last week, I received an email from one of the subscribers to my YouTube channel. He had been watching one of the…
Pickers-up v Guns
Of course there was always a healthy rivalry with the pickers-up; often a somewhat strained relationship with the Guns who would variously be too bad, too low, too demanding. Guns existed in a different world where wellies were worn to be admired rather than wade through mud, and wax jackets were for style rather than warmth and protection against brambles or wrapped around barbed wire fences. But, although the clothes needed for standing at a peg are not required to withstand the rough and tumble of the beating line, they nevertheless have a function to fulfil. Standing on a peg, as I discovered, is cold. But being able to shoot accurately depends on retaining at least some sensation. In our wonderful British winters, this can take some doing. In the UK you are also almost certain to get wet, cold, and ever so slightly windswept. Staying stylish is the last of your concerns.
Helen is much more comfortable when rough shooting
The day arrived, a damp misty drizzle that left us imagining the steep hills rather than being able to actually see them. We gathered in a farm yard, where I experienced the joy of manoeuvring my battle tank of an ancient Defender around some rather smart Range Rovers. The usual bunch of Labradors jostled around the legs of picker-ups, spaniels peeping excitedly from the backs of pick-ups while the beaters guffawed and banter poured out of a lean to by the house. I distinctly recall thinking I would be far more comfortable with a stick in hand, than my 20-bore.
We were a mixed gang of Guns, all friends of the host, gathered from all around the UK. I was very clearly the inexperienced one. But a kind host and an experienced shoot captain soon put pay to the nerves, as did a stiff shot of sloe gin. Peg numbers were drawn, “move up two on each drive” and the rules of the day were carefully explained. One blast of the horn to start the drive, one to finish, strictly no ground game, and with the stern reminder that safety was absolutely paramount, we were finally on our way.
Good advice
Each peg was clearly marked. For the first drive I was half way up a steep bank, facing an oak wood fringed by ramble clumps that suggested late surges of, by-now, wily birds. I was also joined by a picker-up. “You nervous? Just tell yourself it’s excitement. Wait and see, you’ll be fine. And keep your eyes to the right, that’s where they’ve been coming all season.” And so the advice kept coming in little snippets. “They’ll be moving faster than you think, get on them, and swing through.” Again, he was right, and I did manage some creditable shots. I was almost starting to enjoy this. And, as the Guns got to know each other, the banter that had seemed so unique to the beating line, started to flow. This really was starting to be fun.
Variety was the watchword of the day, as it should be of any memorable day in the field. And after a drive of high birds, we moved down the valley to tackle snipe. Here I thought I would be in my element. This was the kind of game Iand form of shooting that I felt most comfortable with. But pride, as they always say, goes before a fall. Not a single bird fell to my gun – and there were an awful lot that really should have done. Of course, a jinking snipe is never an easy target but the Guns to my left and right didn’t seem to be having any trouble at all. I give full credit to my picker-up for his restraint on this one. A hand on the shoulder and a whispered “I fancied a break anyway” brought a smile to both our faces. As did a delicious lunch of game pie.
The drizzle had kept up all morning and everyone welcomed a chance to take cover, take stock and to a large extent, make fun of our many and varied mistakes. If this was what driven shooting was like, I could get used to it. There was also a chance to hear about the experiences of other Guns. Some shot every week, others had tales to tell of days on the moors shooting grouse over pointers. Conversation flowed and it was a slightly impatient shoot captain who hurried us back out and into the elements. Fortified by good food and even better conversation we were off once again.
Won over
The beaters had apparently set off earlier, which after a long and winding drive down narrow country lanes, made perfect sense. Here the landscape closed in and took on a slightly magical quality. Finally we emerged from a track through a tangled wood to find ourselves taking pegs in the ruined remains of what must have once been an extremely grand house. Huge drops of rain fell from the leaves and if it hadn’t been for the near freezing temperatures we could have been in a tropical rainforest on the other side of the world. But there wasn’t much time to consider our surroundings, within minutes of the horn being blown a steady stream of birds were making their way over. These were proper January birds, wise, wily and high. With a limited clearing, the birds were there-and-gone in seconds. Despite helpful cries of “over”, birds were gone within seconds, often leaving nothing behind except exhilaration.
It was testament to the beaters and keeper, and their dogs, that each drive had been carried out quietly – the tapping of sticks on trees and the peeping of whistles were the only sounds to be heard. The jokes on this shoot were clearly kept within the confines of the beaters’ wagon. Pickers-up had been efficient, encouraging and a joy to be with. If this was driven shooting, then I was being won over. It is easy to be put off by the air of mystique, and of course cost, but while it might not be a cheap day out, when it’s done well it is a memorable one.
And as a form of sport, it combines all that is best in fieldsports: camaraderie, fieldcraft, skill and good luck, all set in some of the most beautiful countryside that Britain has to offer. Really, who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
At this time of year the birds are going to have been there, seen it, done it.
Time for some high pheasant shooting tips
By now there’s a good chance that many of the pheasants on the shoot will have been shot at already, and their natural defence mechanism tells them to get up as high as possible, and as quickly as possible.
Unlike clay targets, where it doesn’t really matter if you miss, live quarry has to be respected so if you don’t think you can kill it cleanly, don’t pull the trigger.
Here’s what it takes to master hitting high driven birds and how to practice on a sporting layout at the clay ground.
Chris Bird at Hollands offers some high pheasant shooting tips
So what exactly is a high bird?
I’d say about 20 yards. That’s about the length of a cricket pitch, or roughly the distance between streetlights.
Judging that distance in the air can be difficult as there are no reference points to draw on in an empty sky.
There’s no easy way of learning other than through practice.
Sight pictures memorised over the years will help – and a dollop of common sense.
If the bird is comfortably clearing the tops of the trees you can make a pretty good guess that it’s going to be roughly between 15 and 25 yards up in the air.
Think how much forward allowance you’d give to a straight crosser if it was flying at this distance – and give it the same amount of lead when you pull the trigger.
Take time to study the target closely before firing and you’ll miss less and have fewer pricked birds.
Being steady on your feet is important for hitting high birds consistently
Transfer the weight from your front to back foot during the swing to keep things smooth
If you’re right handed, the distribution of your weight needs to be taken from the toe of the left foot, through a neutral flat-footed stance and onto the heel of the right foot. (The other way around if you’re left-handed).
Try and achieve a nice, smooth rocking action.
Don’t keep your weight on the front foot and rock from the waist. You may injure your back and you will restrict the swing of the gun.
Don’t mount your gun too soon. If you do, you’ll end up aiming at the bird rather than getting in front of it with a moving muzzle.
Holding the gun in the shoulder for a long time will also make your arms ache – the gun will start to wobble, you’ll probably lift your face from the stock and, almost inevitably, you’ll miss the bird.
Always aim for a parallel gun mount.
This way the gun will come into the face as it should. If the gun isn’t mounted properly it will not point where you’re looking, resulting in a miss.
The biggest mistake shooters make when presented with a high bird is to aim at the target – and even shooting novices know that this is a recipe for disaster.
You must swing the gun – and keep it moving after the trigger has been pulled.
Because of the distance, high birds often appear to be travelling slower than they really are, which tempts the shooter to aim directly at the bird. Don’t – you must swing the gun.
How do you get ahead of the bird. There are pros and cons for all the shooting styles, be it swing through, pull away or maintained lead.
I’d generally opt for the pull away (CPSA) method.
Swinging through the target or using maintained lead could be counter productive, as the muzzles can often obscure the bird.
This makes the shooter raise his head off the stock to get sight of the bird, the shooter is then not looking where the gun is pointing and you’ve got another miss or pricked bird to contend with.
Take away tips from this article
Keep the muzzles up as the bird comes into view, but not so high that they obscure the target.
Don’t mount the gun too early, and try to pull away rather than swing through.
Be ready to transfer your weight onto the back foot if necessary.
If the bird is really high, move your hand down the fore end towards the breech as this allows more movement at the muzzles and will not restrict your swing.
The right cartridge and choke combination could transform your pheasant shooting, says Edward Watson
Getting your choices right is key to improving your shooting
New techniques in powder and wads have improved all the shotgun cartridges on the market these days – they’re faster AND maintain a good pattern.
Cartridge tips for this pheasant season
Find a shotgun cartridge brand you like and stick with it.
Side-by-sides and over-unders are both catered for by top brands .
Start your pheasant season on No.6s.
Move to No.5s and even No.4s as the season continues and the pheasants get older and tougher.
Many people say their gun can’t take bigger shot size but it is the weight of the shot and the length of the cartridge, not the actual shot size, that will affect your gun.
Clean out last season’s mishmash of cartridges from your bag and stick to what works for you. This will give you consistent shooting and confidence.
What you need to consider when picking out a game gun Weight Gauge Style Action Budget Patrick Galbraith, Editor of…
The best choke combination for pheasant shooting
Half choke is good for all-round shooting.
If you have a multi-choke gun and want to shoot high pheasants later in the season, put in the full choke to keep your shot pattern at these extreme ranges.
If you have a fixed choke gun and you are lucky to shoot a full range of pheasants this season then get your gun multi-choked.
Teague Chokes are my preferred brand and they can be fitted into all types of shotgun.
Confidence is one of the major factors in making you a great shot.
So take time to find the best shotgun/cartridge/choke combination for this season’s pheasants and stick with it.
Some thoughts on pheasant shooting
Pheasants form the bulk of gameshooting in the UK, accounting for 80 per cent of all gamebirds shot.
Equally cherished by roughshooters and driven shooters alike, there is nothing quite like the first cackling and crowing cock bird of the season breaking cover and hurtling into the sky.
In some conservation circles, pheasants are much maligned as being non-natives, but they have actually been around for a long time, probably at least since the Normans and maybe even since Roman times.
They are very much part of the landscape of our rural heritage.
Here's a definitive list of some of the best places you can go pheasant shooting in the UK. If you have any to add to our list, please leave a comment below.
Are these the best pheasant shoots in the UK?
Warter Priory
Warter Priory, East Yorkshire
A grand shoot with a pedigree to match its current position as one of the country’s best-known driven pheasant shooting destinations. This shoot is steeped in history and in 1909 the then UK record one-day pheasant bag was shot on December 5: 3,824 pheasants, 15 partridge, 526 hares, 92 rabbits and three various.
The bag numbers are not quite like that these days and the 20th century saw many ups and downs at Warter Priory, but the shoot is definitely on the A-list again now. Lying in the pretty Wolds near the market town of Pocklington the landscape lends itself to good shooting (pictured above).
This 6,000-acre estate contains seven miles of the South Downs ridge, so it’s immediately obvious that high birds might be on the agenda. And so they are on the 40 plus let days here every season. With spectacular drives to choose from it’s not unheard of to shoot just four drives in the day here. After all, why rush around fitting six drives in if you just don’t have to?
Several drives regularly see a cartridge to kill ratio of more than 10:1 and that is probably why over the last 10 years it has built a reputation for showing high-flying birds which tax the best.
Oliver Pope is the sixth generation of his family to run this marvellous 1,700-acre Dorset estate and its famous shoot. Drives like Wrackleford Plantation and Great War provide superb sport and in a recent shoot report Shooting Gazette’s John Walker said: “Fast arriving tall pheasants, gliding on set wings before rising rapidly to clear the tree line behind them, give the line a good test of mental reflex and physical ability. Classic English game shooting.”
There are a number of famous Exmoor shoots, including North Molton and Chargot for example, but the shoot at Castle Hill is consistently rated the best by those in the know. That said you are unlikely to be disappointed at any of these famous names when down in this part of the UK.
Headkeeper Brian Mitchell was at Miltons and Chargot before he arrived at Castle Hill some 25 years ago. There are few keepers who know more about presenting high pheasants and this certainly shows on shoot day here. But perhaps you should think about spending a few days down on Exmoor. That way you can really get your eye in at the UK’s undisputed regional home of high bird shooting.
Andrew Witham is the jovial host behind this Lancashire gem. With birds coming off moorland fringe at terrific heights and the likelihood of strong winds, shooting here can be extremely tough. In fact it’s not uncommon for good teams to walk away from some drives scratching their heads and wondering what just happened. Despite the fact that Andrew has recently had to relinquish some of the land back to the owners for some grouse moor development, it is still a fantastic shoot and the hospitality is second to none.
Raehills, Dumfries & Galloway
Raehills, Dumfries & Galloway
The 7,000-acre home of the Earl of Annandale offers excellent pheasant shooting, as well as a suitably grand mansion in 500 acres of parkland. The sandstone house was built by James, the 3rd Earl of Hopetoun, towards the end of the 18th century and it lies between Dumfries and Moffat in south west Scotland and is part of Annandale Estates. There are 22 different drives and 400-bird days are possible for pheasants and partridges, dropping to 250 to 300 mid season and 150 to 200 later on. Robert Rattray of CKD Galbraith said: “Many drives take place in deep valley bottoms which lend themselves to exciting shooting. The variety of drives on the estate allows for guns of various abilities, and the entertaining here is among the best available.”
This is one of Scotland’s finest pheasant shoots and is on the 15,000-acre Tillypronie estate, owned by the Hon. Philip Astor. Superbly presented high pheasants and a comfortably relaxed management style. The shoot certainly warrants its impeccable international reputation.
Contact Robin Geldard: Tel. 07796 814656
Apley Park, Shropshire
This is a traditional pheasant shoot in beautiful surroundings. It is primarily run as a family shoot but there are let days available. The Apley Park and Apley Terrace beats in the River Severn valley are ideal terrain for game shooting. Apley Terrace is an escarpment which follows the River Severn and is completely wooded. This makes for some truly testing pheasant shooting, with snap shots, diving and curling birds and good high birds. Meanwhile, the park drives allow the guns to enjoy the experience of shooting on the grassland in front of the main house. Here the pheasants come towering from the hilltop spinneys, which were created for that very purpose by our forward-thinking shooting forefathers.
The ultimate name in high bird shooting. The landscape is ideally suited for pheasant shooting as the estate straddles both sides of a deep and narrow valley, ending at its northern most end in the Allen Valley gorge. This is where some of the highest and most renowned drives are situated. Elsewhere, hanging woods on steep hillsides provide challenging sport in dramatic surroundings. An intermediate day will probably have a couple of high drives with a couple that are a bit easier, a high day will all be high and an extreme day is for high bird experts with big cartridges.
This now famous shoot lies in the suburbs of Snowdonia National Park and, as you might expect, is able to present some stratospheric birds in equally impressive scenery. It is one of eight stunning shoots owned and run by the Bettws Hall shooting group of Gwyn and Ann Evans. Other well-known names in the stable include Vaynor Park, and Molland.
Pheasant shoots: Looking for top pheasant shoots? From Warter Priory and Angmering to Towie and Wrackleford, we list the top…
To do the partridge justice and avoid missing in front, I suggest you cut back the lead by 1/3 or even a 1/2 of what you’re serving up for the pheasant and see what happens.
Half the fun of game shooting a ‘mixed drive’ is in being able to make instant (and correct) adjustments when you’re faced with a partridge and pheasant in the air at the same time, and heading in your direction.
To pull off a clean right and left in these circumstances is very satisfying indeed.
Red legged partridge
How can you hit a curling pheasant?
Nobody I’ve ever met can equate (or properly explain) how far the muzzles need to be ahead of – and inside – the bird’s line of flight to bring about a successful shot.
The biggest imponderable is the strength of the wind 30 or more yards up there, and which direction it’s coming from. In a light side breeze a good Shot might say he’s a foot or 18 inches inside the curl of the bird and eight feet in front of the beak. Yet in a really strong wind he might be as far inside the line of the bird as he is ahead of it!
Move to another drive on the same shoot and that wind might now be quartering into the pheasant, or coming from behind. If it is, the ‘picture’ that worked so well for you only half an hour earlier might now be miles off the mark.
Time to practise
The more often you shoot driven birds the easier it should become to adjust to the conditions. However an element of trial and error will still take place.
When you do kill a bird cleanly the secret is to retain the pheasant/muzzle image at the time you squeezed the trigger, and repeat it for subsequent shots.
Now for the bird crossing between you and a neighbour. If the wind is taking it away from your position you need to remember that as well shooting in front of the beak you also need to be underneath the bird. Even if your forward lead is right, if you simply swing ahead in a straight line without taking the wind into account your shot will miss over the top of the bird. Equally, you will need to shoot above a crossing pheasant that’s being pushed towards you in a strong wind.
Some timely tips on everything from footwork through to the way different pheasant breeds fly ...
Kansas
Here are some pheasant shooting techniques to help you in the field
Footwork and balance
In all forms of driven shooting, good footwork is the building block for any shot, and with good footwork comes good, controlled balance. Without these two factors at the start, shooting consistently is not possible.
Footwork is moving with what the bird is doing
Move while watching the bird in flight
Move your feet without mounting your gun, preparing yourself for the shot
Don’t start moving and mounting because you will pull the muzzles away from the line of the bird
The bird dictates where you move your feet if you watch it correctly
Without mounting, move your feet as you watch the bird in flight, preparing yourself for the shot
Gun mount
To shoot consistently, you must be able to mount your gun smoothly and accurately on to your moving bird
This enables you to read speed, distance and direction in one smooth movement
You will then be able to make the shot at the correct time
Address your chosen bird correctly by holding your muzzles just below the line of your bird for a straight-driven bird
Make sure your eyes are in line with the muzzles.
Keep looking at the bird and keep your head still as you bring the gun to your cheek.
Watch the bird as you pull the trigger, and watch it fold in the air.
Watch the bird as you pull the trigger and continue to watch it as it folds in the air
Know your distances
Knowing the distance of birds is very important. Part of consistent shooting and shooting to the best of your ability is knowing what you can kill cleanly and safely.
New techniques in powder and wads have improved all the shotgun cartridges on the market these days – they’re faster…
Different breeds of pheasant have different flight patterns
Knowing which breed you’re confronted with and how it is likely to react will have a beneficial effect on your success out in the field. Here’s a handy guide.
Old English blackneck
Old English blackneck
You’re most likely to come across these on woodland shoots. This is a big pheasant and a deceptive flyer, giving the impression of being a bit slow and cumbersome. But it isn’t. Be warned.
Polish bazanty
Polish bazanty
The Polish bazanty has become the popular bird on many shoots in the UK.
It’s a medium-sized pheasant, They are strong, hardy and generally straightforward to flush. On windy days, no pheasant in the UK can move and slide like this breed. They’re a real challenge then.
Common ringneck pheasant
Common ringneck
The go-to breed for many shoots. A large and powerful pheasant that is capable of taking on very windy conditions.
Kansas
Kansas
A small breed tat can give the impression that it is moving a lot faster than it really is.
They are known for flying a bit higher than some breeds, and low-ground shoots have started using them a bit more. When standing under them don’t be fooled by their speed, which can catch you out. They are flighty birds and can become line-shy quickly if shot too hard.
Tom’s top tips for successful pheasant shooting
Pay more attention to the breed of pheasant you are shooting on the day. They are all different and can all behave slightly differently in flight. Their speed, apparent size and manoeuvrability can change in different conditions, so gen up!
Remember your footwork is the basis for any shot: if you get your feet wrong, the shot is sure to go wrong. Your feet move because of what the bird is doing in flight, not because the rule books say you have to move. Move your feet correctly before you mount the gun and make the shot.
A good, consistent gun mount is very important. Reduce the factors that could go wrong in mounting the gun consistently on to your pheasants. Address the bird properly and set yourself up for the shot. Don’t rush and don’t panic. Finish your shot properly by watching the bird fold in the air.
Fieldcraft is very important. The more you understand what is going on, by reading a drive and the conditions, the more you will understand the birds in flight.
Keep smiling, have a really great season and simply enjoy your pheasant shooting!
