Our standards,
our commitment,
our responsibility.
Why this Code exists
In Britain, we’re rightly proud of our shooting sports. Good game management enhances our landscape, and wildlife thrives where land is managed for shooting.
Over a million people take part, and many more enjoy the end product as consumers of pheasants, partridges and other game. Shooting currently contributes £3.3 billion to the UK annually, often in places where other income is scarce.
Over a million
people take part
3.3 billion
contributed to the UK annually
Sustainable shooting’s good name, and the ability of our organisations to defend it, depends on everyone involved following The Code of Good Shooting Practice.
It brings our standards together in one place and covers all game shooting – walked up, driven, wild bird or reared.
Although it’s focused on traditional gamebirds, most of the principles apply equally to other quarry, including ducks, geese, waders and hares, and to pest species such as pigeons, crows, rabbits and grey squirrels.
We simply can’t afford to be complacent about the future of shooting. Shooting and its management practices will be judged by how we behave, not by what’s written here, and our sport is under detailed and growing scrutiny. We must demonstrate that we conduct it to high standards.
How to read the Code
MUST
Where the code says must, it’s outlining what is essential for delivering sustainable shooting. It’s not automatically a point of law, though many “musts” overlap with legal duties covered separately.
SHOULD
Where it says should, it’s outlining best practice, and any departure from it needs a good reason.
- Required by the code
- Best practice
Three Golden Rules
- Must
- Should
1
Be an ambassador for the future of shooting
Help protect and build that credit by being an ambassador for the future of shooting and encouraging others to do the same. That means:
- being safe, observing the law and upholding good manners
- respecting the quarry, habitat and wider countryside
- helping and supporting the organisations that protect our sport
Shoot responsibly
- You must ensure you know and recognise the intended quarry species and comply with relevant legal requirements.
- You must be competent at estimating range and shoot within the limitations of your equipment to kill cleanly and consistently.
- You must satisfy yourself adequate provision is made for retrieval of the game you shoot.
- If you're inexperienced, you should improve your shooting skills through practice on clay targets and must be accompanied and supervised by a suitably experienced person.
- You should take account of the size of bags and frequency of shooting.
- You should aim to take shooting to match your skills and capabilities.
- You must aim to ensure that birds are presented within the capability of the Guns.
- You must ensure suitable public liability insurance is in place.
Retrieve what you shoot
- You should not shoot where it will not be possible to retrieve shot game.
- You should mark the fall of your own shot game and, where appropriate, inform pickers-up, while also helping in the retrieval of other shot game if required.
- You must ensure that adequate provision is made to retrieve all shot game and dogs are an essential part of this process.
- You must ensure that you despatch any wounded quarry in a swift and humane manner.
- On driven days, you should retrieve any wounded game during drives whenever it is safe and practicable to do so.
Further information on the correct procedure for handling and storing game can be found in The Guide to Good Game Handling produced by The Code of Good Shooting Practice.
Know when to stop shooting
- You should finish a day's game shooting early enough to allow time for pickers-up to complete their task before birds start to go to roost.
- You should cancel or stop shooting if adverse weather conditions mean that birds cannot be presented in a safe and appropriate sporting manner or shot and retrieved safely.
- In prolonged severe weather representative organisations will ask for voluntary restraint in wildfowl and wader shooting and you should adhere to this. In extreme conditions statutory restrictions will apply, and you must adhere to these. Further details can be found on the BASC website.
Have consideration for others
Neighbours
- You must always have regard for others and their safety.
- You must not let the frequency of shooting give rise to unreasonable nuisance (particularly noise) to neighbours.
- You must have obtained permission before entering neighbouring property, especially during a shoot.
- You should locate, provide and manage adequate habitat and feed supplies to avoid boundary problems with neighbours.
- You should manage released birds to avoid damage to neighbouring crops and gardens.
- You should ensure cover crops enhance the habitat and are sympathetically sited.
- You should, where possible, site release pens out of public view.
- Avoid birds and spent shot falling on to public places, roads and neighbouring property.
- You should always use cartridges with biodegradable wads, and all cartridge cases and other litter should be removed after each shoot.
Horses and walkers
- You must have special regard to the safety of riders and their horses. Noise from gunfire, beaters working in cover adjacent to bridleways or falling shot can alarm horses and endanger riders.
- You should liaise with local riders or yards, informing them when shoots are taking place.
- You should pause shooting or beating to allow horses or other rights of way users to pass.
- You should make all Guns aware of bridleways and other rights of way and of any land to which the public have access by right or by permission, as well as any fields in which horses are kept. You should organise drives with this in mind.
Mind public highways
- You must ensure that shooting does not obstruct, cause danger or alarm to users of the public highway, including roads, bridleways, footpaths and other rights of way.
- You should note that to shoot across any form of public right of way, e.g. a footpath or bridleway that is in use by walkers or riders, may constitute a public nuisance (a criminal offence) or wilful obstruction. There may also be a liability in negligence if it is known that people are on, or likely to be on, such a right of way.
- You should take care when siting Guns near carriageways including roads.
- You should, if appropriate, erect information signs on footpaths or bridleways on shoot days.
- You should avoid siting release pens and feeding game near highways, and collect and dispose of road casualties where possible.
The law near roads, by nation
Section 161 of the Highways Act 1980 (England & Wales) makes it an offence to discharge a firearm within 50 ft of the centre of a highway with vehicular rights without lawful authority or excuse, if as a result a user of the highway is injured, interrupted or endangered.
The Highways Act does not apply in Scotland, but Procurators Fiscal may use common law offences of 'culpable and reckless conduct' and 'reckless endangerment' in situations in which the 1980 Act would be contravened in England and Wales.
In Northern Ireland, Section 61 of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 makes it an offence for a person to discharge any firearm on any public road, or within 18 metres of the centre of any public road, or in any church, churchyard or burial ground.
Be 'Code-aware'
- You should be prepared to demonstrate you have complied with this Code.
- You should always brief the Guns at the start of the day. This briefing should cover health and safety, quarry which may be shot and the application of this Code. It should also encourage Guns not to shoot at excessively high or out-of-range birds.
- When selling days, you should ensure that the Code forms part of the contract and is complied with.
- When letting land for shooting, you should ensure that the Code forms part of the letting document and is complied with.
Abide by the law
- It is your legal responsibility to ensure that your shoot and its employees comply with the law.
- You must comply with the law in so far as it affects you.
2
Respect your quarry from field to fork
That means:
you must ensure you have appropriate arrangements in place for the sale or consumption of the anticipated bag in advance of all shoot days.
it means marking the bird, retrieving it, despatching it humanely and handling it properly.
Rear fit, healthy birds
- Whatever the species being reared or the methods being used, the overriding principle, which must guide everyone involved, is that game husbandry must be conducted with all due consideration for the health and welfare of the birds concerned.
- You should check the source and health and welfare of stock in advance of delivery.
- You should also support UK game producers as the preferred source of stock for release.
- The aim of game rearing is to provide fit, healthy birds, well adapted for release into the wild. Game rearing is covered by statutory Codes of practice for welfare of gamebirds reared for sporting purposes issued by Government.
Release birds responsibly
- You must not start shooting until the birds are mature and fully adapted to the wild – a minimum of one month from release.
- You must never release birds to replenish or replace any birds already released and shot in that season.
- Under normal circumstances, you should release all birds before the start of their shooting season.
- You should remove partridge release pens before shooting begins.
Releasing pheasants and partridges
- You must register details of all kept birds with the relevant authority in each home country.
- It is illegal in England to release pheasants and red legged partridges on or within 500 metres of a European Protected site without a valid licence.
- You should refer to the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust guidelines for sustainable game bird releasing.
- These provide a rule of thumb, advising that to avoid damage to habitat, in most situations, you should avoid releasing more than 1,000 pheasants per hectare of pen, and more than 700 per hectare of pen in ancient seminatural woodland. Pheasant release pens should not, in total, take up more than about one third of the woodland area on the shoot.
- If you exceed the recommended densities, you should be able to demonstrate that your circumstances and management regime (for example, by limiting the period birds are in release pens) does not significantly damage woodland flora and fauna.
- You should site partridge release pens in cover crops on arable or in improved grassland, rather than on seminatural or unimproved habitats.
Releasing duck
- You must only release duck into suitable wetland habitat, and in numbers which are appropriate to its carrying capacity.
- Wetland areas are particularly sensitive, and you must not allow overstocking with reared birds to deter wild stocks or damage the habitat.
- You must encourage duck to become wild, and must not shoot until they have done so.
- You should ensure that ducks have alternative water to which to fly.
Make welfare your main priority
Biosecurity
- You should practise biosecurity measures and comply with any legal requirements which may be in place. This is particularly important in and around release areas.
- You should use The Code's biosecurity guidance as a foundation, seeking additional advice from relevant experts where necessary.
Veterinary support
- At times, to ensure their welfare, it may be necessary to administer medication to kept game birds via water or feed. You must only use such medication when prescribed by a veterinarian and strictly in accordance with their instructions.
- Where applicable, you should seek guidance from a specialist, such as a game bird veterinarian or your membership organisation, to help plan your release programme. This can help prevent issues arising and reduce the need to use medication.
Feeding of released and wild game
- You must only use medicated feed and grit in accordance with the relevant product authorisation. Where a veterinary prescription is required, you must obtain it before use and follow all prescribing veterinarian instructions in full.
- For non-prescription medications, you must strictly observe all label instructions. In all cases, you must not present birds for shooting until any specified withdrawal period has elapsed since their last access to medicated rations.
- At release time, most poults are still growing rapidly, and wheat alone is not an adequate diet. You should provide sufficient compounded game rations until the birds are fully grown.
- You should provide sufficient feed for released birds remaining after the end of the shooting season until adequate natural food is available, normally to the end of May.
Remember, game is food
- You must regard all shot game as food and treat it in accordance with the Guide to Good Game Handling.
- You must ensure compliance with relevant game meat and food hygiene regulations, in particular: all freshly killed game must be handled and stored in a way that is hygienic and allows body heat to disperse as quickly as possible; and where you sell game and do not have same day collection, you should install a suitable chiller.
- You should aim to produce fully mature, healthy and marketable game.
- You should always offer Guns a brace of birds. The practice of making oven ready birds available is to be encouraged where practicable.
- You should accept a brace of birds when offered.
3
Enhance the environment for wildlife
Good shoot management leaves habitat and wildlife measurably better than it found them, not just undamaged.
Be a steward of the countryside
- You must endeavour to deliver an overall measurable improvement to habitat and wildlife on your shoot and should avoid releasing birds into sensitive habitats or locations.
- You must ensure that Guns are adequately briefed where black grouse (a threatened species) and capercaillie (protected) are present.
- You must ensure Guns comply with the relevant regulations restricting the use of lead shot. You should also encourage them to use non-lead shot in other locations.
- You should prepare an appropriate, whole shoot management plan to ensure positive environmental benefit results from your activities and avoid excessive frequency of shooting over the same drives.
- You should be aware of SSSIs and other sensitive habitats on your ground and should liaise with the landowner and the relevant statutory authorities to ensure you avoid potentially damaging activities and comply with relevant legal requirements.
- You should only allow wild grey partridges to be shot where they are actively conserved, and autumn stocks are above 20 birds per 100 hectares. You should stop shooting to prevent populations falling below this threshold.
Control predators and pests respectfully
- Traps and Humane Cable Restraints, where legally permitted, are widely used in pest and predator control. You must set them in accordance with relevant codes of practice and all legal provisions on their use, including inspection.
- You must remove trapped animals (save those used for attracting others) on inspection, despatch them humanely as quickly as possible, and dispose of them lawfully.
- You must only use approved chemicals for their legal purpose. They must be stored in accordance with the COSHH Regulations and only used by qualified persons in accordance with applicable regulations.
- With certain exceptions, e.g. control under the authority of an individual or general licence, it is an offence to intentionally kill, damage or destroy birds, their active nests or eggs.
- You should carry out your lawful activities with due consideration to local residents and other countryside users.
- You should not display carcasses. It serves no useful purpose and may offend other countryside users.
- You should keep accurate records of pest and predator control carried out.
- When shooting foxes or other predators, you should use suitable rifles, shotguns and ammunition, and only at ranges that ensure rapid despatch.
Come back to the Code from time to time. Standards and best practice move on, and it’s worth checking you’re still current.
Who stands behind this Code
The Code of Good Shooting Practice is overseen by a Steering Committee comprising representatives of the following organisations:
If you have concerns
If you’re on a shoot and feel the Code is not being complied with, either in aspects of game management or the organisation of the day, or by individual guns, raise the matter with those concerned. Every organisation behind this Code, and every responsible shooter, will back you.
If non-compliance is flagrant and nothing changes, please report it to the Secretary of the Code of Good Shooting Practice, whose contact details are below. The Committee will investigate and bring pressure to bear to correct substantiated breaches.
If reform does not occur, the membership organisations that sponsor this Code can expel offenders and have done so in the past.
The Code of Good Shooting Practice has proved successful in raising standards and promoting best practice for years. Please play your part in ensuring all shoots come up to the mark. Thank you for your support.
Marford Mill, Rossett, Wrexham, LL12 0HL
Email: secretary@codeofgoodshootingpractice.org.uk
Not sure what applies to you?
Not sure what applies to you?
A short summary of what the Code asks of you in your role. It repeats points from the Code above, gathered in one place.
I'm a beater: what do I need to know?
I'm a beater: what do I need to know?
The points that apply to beaters will be added here in the final website, written specifically for this role.
I'm a Gun (or a guest): what do I need to know?
I'm a Gun (or a guest): what do I need to know?
The points that apply to Guns (including guests) will be added here in the final website, written specifically for this role.
I'm a picker-up: what do I need to do?
I'm a picker-up: what do I need to do?
The points that apply to pickers-up will be added here in the final website, written specifically for this role.
I'm a shoot manager: what do I need to do?
I'm a shoot manager: what do I need to do?
The points that apply to shoot managers will be added here in the final website, written specifically for this role.
I control predators and pests: what do I need to do?
I control predators and pests: what do I need to do?
The points that apply to people controlling predators and pests will be added here in the final website, written specifically for this role.
I let land for shooting: what do I need to do?
I let land for shooting: what do I need to do?
The points that apply to people letting land for shooting will be added here in the final website, written specifically for this role.
Other available guidance
Other available guidance
See all 22 BASC codes and guidance
- Air Rifles
- Deer Stalking
- Disruption of shoots by demonstrators
- Flight ponds
- Guide to risk assessment
- Guide to writing a health and safety policy
- Gundogs
- Health and safety pro forma
- Horses and shoots
- Loading for other people
- Night shooting
- Picking up (quarry retrieval)
- Shotgun safety
- Sporting agents and guides offering inland goose shooting
- Sustainable shooting code of practice for wildfowl quarry species
- Transport of beaters
- Trapping pest birds
- Trapping pest mammals
- Use of a dog below ground in England and Wales
- Wildfowling
- Woodpigeon
- Brown hares (jointly produced)
Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Guidance
See all 6 GWCT guidance documents
- Conserving black grouse
- Conserving brown hares
- Conserving the grey partridge
- Fox snares; guidance for the user
- Guidance on sustainable gamebird releasing.
- Hints for using Larsen traps