The smallest shoot?

[Teal]

I've recently finished reading Will's Shoot by Will Garfit- it's an absolutely super book on how to run a shoot and I can't recommend it enough.

 

He runs the entire shoot on slightly less than 100 acres. He puts down 700 pheasants and 150 mallards which results in 7 driven days with an average of 120 per day (admitedly this does include 253 pigeons, 41 various and 9 geese), he also does 2 walkabout days which average about 50 birds. He marks his birds so he knows when they are his birds and of these he manages a return of 65%. I think you'll agree that's a pretty remarkable achievement. A lot of people think that having more land would be the answer, but I suppose he has shown that you don't need a big area of land, you just do need to do a lot of work on the habitat to make it five stars for them and hit the vermin hard.

 

This got me thinking, what sort of acreages are you guys shooting over. I'm also curious as to the returns you are getting, he's tailor made his shoot over a lifetime and whilst of course this should not take away from the exceptional achievement- it is just that exceptional, I would imagine most shoots would be happy with a 30% return rate given they usually have to play second fiddle to the agriculture.

[Millomite]

500 acres of lowland, 6000 acres of fell. 31% return this year, 34% last year

[Highlander]

In the past I have been invited to shoot on a 19 acre shoot near Newark run by a (very) old keeper who knows a good trick or two. I'd venture this is the smallest pheasant shoot in the UK, a small 'L' shaped wood that he gets 5 drives out of and shoots about 6 times a season with 8 guns. Total bags for the season are around 120 birds but they don't do it for the numbers, it's a very freindly group of guns and a lot of fun.

 

He releases ex layers only and goes very heavy on any vermin. Feeds heavy and has a number of little tricks to attract his neighbours birds

 

I have seen WGs shoot and it's very impressive, not just from a shooting point of view but conservation wise and landscaping etc. A lifetimes labour of love!

[henry d]

850 birds on 100 acres, sounds like far too many birds to me. I had 150 Pheasant on 250 acres and also had 50-100 wild and semi tame Mallard on the Loch too, we managed over 100% due to the estate next door releasing too many and also due to it being high up and the pheasant had to either stay or come down hill.

 

Don`t think we just fed them in as we only used 3 ton of wheat and 1/2 ton of barley tailings also their nearest drive was 3/4 mile away over moorland which we had no access to.

 

I now just walk up 2-3 farms totaling 750+ acres with no woodland to speak of just rough areas and bags of 3-10 head of mixed game/Gun are the norm, and we walk it with 2 guns once or twice a season and to be honest I prefer this to driven birds.......... well except for the high curling and gliding cock bird in a high wind but a good Woodpigeon can beat that too!

[Ferretboy111]

I agree teal, that is very good going, it must be the time he puts in and the fact that his shoot is on an island- lol A poor joke.

 

My shoot is on 750 acres, dont shoot hardly any of it, we put 160 birds down this year and shot 140 pheasants, + hares, pigeons, ducks and woodcock. But then i do spend alot of time on the shoot, as in everyday part time.

 

I know some very small shoots, 100 acres or so which do well. I believe its all to do with the keeper and the land surrounding the area.

 

Alex

[Sundowner]

So , what about Archie Coats with his 10 acre shoot ??