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What is 'Game Bird' Shooting?

Game bird shooting appears to many as a classic British countryside sport, where wild birds are skilfully shot by marksmen and eaten as part of a delicious home cooked meal.

The reality, however, is that investigations, undercover filming, scientific research and economic analysis have all revealed that the perceptions of commercial ‘game’ bird shooting in the UK are deceptive. The financial benefit to the economy is exaggerated, whilst animal welfare is compromised, and our environment and landscape are put at risk.

In terms of the numbers of animals persecuted and killed, no other cruel ‘sport’ in the UK has such a devastating impact on animals as commercial 'game' bird shooting.

Despite the increasing scale of the shooting industry as represented by greater economic inputs and the increasing density of birds reared and released for shoots, the proportion of birds that are shot is decreasing each year.

What is wrong with game bird shooting?

Farmed pheasants and partridges are fed and ‘protected’ from predators before being released onto shooting estates, where they are driven towards paying shooters by employees called beaters.

Wounding in game shooting is common, mainly due to an inability to judge distances, which results in up to 40 percent of birds being wounded, rather than killed outright, according to a former training officer at the British Association for Shooting and Conservation. Many are left to die slowly when they are not retrieved by people or dogs.

Which birds are considered game species in the UK?

Pheasants, partridges (red-legged and grey), and grouse (red and black).

When is the game bird shooting season in the UK?

Pheasant: October 1 – February 1

Partridge: September 1 – February 1

Red grouse: August 12 – December 10

Black grouse: August 20 – December 10

Is game bird shooting legal in the UK?

It is legal to shoot these gamebirds during their respective shooting seasons.

Do people eat the birds shot during game shooting?

Less than half of the birds shot during the season will be eaten.

How many game birds are released for shooting each year in the UK?

Over 61 million game birds are released into the British countryside each year.

Are all game birds in the UK wild or are they farmed and released?

The majority of pheasants and partridges are bred on farms, then released for shooting.

What are the main animal welfare concerns with game bird shooting?

Pheasants and partridges released for shooting often come from breeding birds confined to metal cages. This raises several animal welfare concerns as the birds are exposed to the elements, are unable to escape attack from those they’re caged with, suffer from injuries whilst trying to escape, and suffer from stress. Additionally, ‘sub-standard’ chicks and eggs are ground to death in a macerator as they are not considered useful.

Only around one third of released pheasants and partridges are actually shot, and many of these are not killed outright, leaving them struggling to survive with their injuries. As these birds have been farmed, those that are not shot are at risk of being hit by cars, killed by predators, or dying of starvation or disease.

SIGN THE PETITION TO END THE USE OF CRUEL CAGES FOR THESE BIRDS

How does game bird shooting affect native wildlife and ecosystems?

The industrial scale breeding of pheasants and partridges produces a lot of waste, odour and noise. This waste attracts flies and rats, as well as contaminating local water sources and the soil in the areas that they are released.

The total biomass of these released captive-reared birds is greater than all of the wild UK birds combined. The large number of these birds released into the UK countryside has shown to influence native wildlife. Pheasants will prey on invertebrates, adders, and other reptiles, which has been shown to decrease their numbers.

In order to reduce predation on these non-native game birds, British wildlife such as birds of prey, crows, and foxes are persecuted to manage game bird numbers. Gamekeepers will also use rat poisons to target rats, but this will also affect the local populations of wood mice, shrews, and voles. Snares are also used to target predators of game birds.

Are lead shot and other toxic materials still used in game shooting?

Lead ammunition is still used to shoot game birds which many wild birds will accidentally ingest, often leading to their death by poisoning. This can then lead to the suffering of birds of prey or scavengers through secondary poisoning when they eat animals that have been poisoned directly.

What laws regulate game bird shooting in the UK?

It is illegal to shoot game birds during the close season under the Game Act 1831 and the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. It is also illegal to shoot game on Sundays and on Christmas Day.

The Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006 state that those keeping 50 birds or more must provide various details including the species, the husbandry and, the number with access to open air.

According to the Animal By-Products Regulations 2005, the disposal of animal by-products and hatchery waste must be recorded.

Who owns the land used for game shooting?

It is illegal to shoot game birds on land without written permission from the landowner. Many people will attend an organised shoot in order to participate.

Are public footpaths ever closed or restricted during a shoot?

Public rights of way remain open during a shoot, so both the public and the shooters may use the land at the same time. Members of the public have the right to pass and re-pass without hindrance when using a public right of way.

What role do gamekeepers play in game bird shooting?

The main role of the gamekeeper is to rear and release game birds ready for the shooting season. They will also prepare for each shoot day by exercising the dogs and organising the staff for example.

What happens to birds that aren’t shot or escape into the wild?

Around 61 million game birds are released into the UK countryside every year, of this around 60 percent are not shot and must face life in the wild that they are not well equipped for. They are at risk of disease, starvation, predation, and being hit by vehicles. It has also been reported that up to 40 percent of birds are not killed outright, facing a slow death if the fall does not kill them.

Can local communities object to nearby game shooting activity?

Unfortunately, the shooting of game birds in their respective open seasons is legal, so it is difficult to object to any legal activity. If you have concerns, it would be wise to keep a log and photographs of the conduct of nearby shoots to support any objections, particularly if they relate to public safety and animal cruelty. Please get in touch to report an animal crime.

Are there alternatives to shooting for countryside or population management?

The majority of the game birds that are shot are non-native and are bred specifically for the shooting industry. Therefore, population management would not be necessary if the birds were not bred and released on an industrial scale.

Take action against game bird shooting

• Sign the petition calling on the government to ban cages for game birds
• Write to your MP and ask them to back our campaign to ban snares in England
• Find out more on the timeline of shooting.