Sinistercr0c

Yep, thats about the sum of it. The cost of buying poults (young pheasants), rearing them, feeding, watering etc. etc. is all factored into the cost to you, the 'gun'. you can expect to pay between £25 - 30 per bird on a driven shoot. Big estate shoots are more expensive, but only because you get to shoot a bigger bag. The most expensive pheasant shoot I've seen up in North Yorkshire is £1600 per gun for a 400 bird day. Thats £32 per bird.....

You need written permission from the landowner (usually the farmer but not always, as some can be tenants). I use the 'pest control' form on this page and get the farmer to sign it: http://www.basc.org.uk/en/departments/game...-agreements.cfm With reference to your earlier query about 'bags'....The bag is the total number of birds shot. If say, the limit is a 100 bird bag, and your party of eight guns shoots 105 in total, you would pay an 'overage' of £30 per bird, i.e 5 x 30 = £150. Divide that by eight guns and you'd each pay an additional £18.75 for the extra five birds shot. You are normally given a brace (two) birds by the shoot captain or head keeper, everything else is theirs to sell onto the game dealer. You pay to shoot the birds, not keep 'em. You will also be expected to pay the head keeper for the work done by the beaters on the day. This is in the region of £50.......all adds up don't it.... As stated by others on this thread, shoot some more clays, try and find a willing farmer, and get yer eye in on the pigeons. You'll probably find that if you do, you won't want to spend money on driven shooting. Hope this helps. NB. No farmer will allow you to game on their land (least not any I've ever spoken to...) Rabbits, pigeons, corvids (and foxes if you get a firearms certificate, but don't go there just yet)

Blackbart, no offence meant on the pheasant comment, its just my opinion based on having seen thousands of 'em bred for the shoot. Not really my thing to be honest. Now Grouse is a different matter....

Thats a bit like asking - 'I'm interested in Astronomy, can you please tell me all about the Universe' - Its a big question! If your interested in shooting game, then my best advice would be to look at either joining a syndicate or try scouring the Guns on Pegs (www.gunsonpegs.com) for a days driven shooting. Either way its expensive, you can reckon on anywhere from £500 and up to join a syndicate and get maybe eight days shooting (bags around 30-50 birds per day between eight guns) or £1000+ for a full gun on a single days driven shoot at one of the estate in your area You need to be insured (BASC, or any other reputable organisation) and you might want to look into the 'etiquette' of game shooting. People like to dress up you know! Other than that, its a case of spend time on't tinterweb looking up everything to do with game shooting! I've been on driven shoots, and to be honest Pigeon Shooting is 1000% better. Low cost, good sport on truly wild 'n wily birds, not like yer 'grown to order pheasant slaughter' estate shoots. Good luck!

Righto, will try said skewer technique next time I'm out. Thanks everyone for their replies.....

Let me get this right....you have to skewer the bird from the **** end up to the head yes....so the carbon/plastic rod is inserted inside the bird?? Sounds like animal porn to me....

Got ya!....yes they do have crocodile clips for the wings, but the head was flopping about. The rod aint exactly got a sharp point on it, but a pencil sharpener will sort that out. Cheers Stubby!

Dumb question I know, but having been out and bought two floaters, I cannot seem to get a pigeon to stay on the damned things....... How the heck do you put a freshly shot woody onto a floater. They have the wing spreaders and the extendable rod by the way. You can all stop laughing now....

No, no, no....its Darling Fascist bully boy....remember? B)

I went out for the first time on my new permission today. Blooming well hot it was an all. The six in the picture are the first I've ever decoyed on my own, so to say I'm happy is an understatement. They were brought in over static decoys on stubble (I haven't got the money for a magnet....yet!). Pics were taken in the back garden cos I forgot the camera (Doh!)

Thanks for the replies. Just to be clear, I already hold an SGC, and shoot woodpigeon. This is a new permission for me where the landowner has specifically asked if I can shoot rabbits as he's over run with 'em. (he knows I came to him asking to shoot woodies and is fine with this). My original question was about how best to take rabbits with the shottie; i.e stalking or static at the warren etc. my own view (having never shot rabbits) being, would the noise of a shottie not just send 'em scarpering, therefore would I be better applying for a FAC and doing the job with a sound moderated .17HMR or .22LR rifle? The point about air rifles is an interesting one. Having looked at what is achievable with modern air rifles (Air Arms, Weihrauch, Theoben, Daystate) I assume getting an air rifle and shooting for a period of time would then allow me to say that I have experience, given the the difference between and air rifle and FAC rifle is round velocity and range. The question of being 'experienced' with FAC rifles is surely a mute point? I don't believe for a moment that everyone who has a FAC, went out prior to their application with someone else who already had one and shot 'x' number of times and then got them to write a letter stating they were now a competent and safe shot?? (And please, I'm not trying to stir an argument with anyone about this). For those whose posted offering their time, thank you. I'll get my feet under table with the farmer and see what I can do in terms of getting someone with me who has a FAC. I've met up with the farmer and got his moniker on my permission slip and mentioned the FAC thing and the requirement for the police to assess the land for suitability. He didn't seem overly concerned so fingers crossed..

Myself and a mate have just been out with James Today. Everything was provided for in the price (£40 pp), and we had a fantastic six hours on the stubble (we could have shot dawn til dusk if we'd wanted). The wind was a real mare and the squally conditions meant we didn't get many over the decoys, but all the same it was great just to be out. Unclemicky had it right about that winter Barley two fields across from us. At one point in the afternoon it must have had 500+ birds on it. They all went up at once after the bird scarer (I asume) went off, and provided a few for us. Get lucky with the weather and I reckon you could have a real field day!! Thanks James.

Right, so they're not talking ******** then? Right, so would joining a club (or at least going along and asking if they would help me) be a reasonable way forward in your view? I just don't really want to ask the famer if I can bring people onto his land yet if you get what I mean.

@markbivvy - In terms of anything that actually requires FAC to shoot then yes your right, I don't have experience. But I understand the principles involved in safe shooting, backstops, bullet weight/trajectories etc. and what calibre is sufficient for which quarry type. My point was really why would I need to be 'mentored' by someone just so they can confirm to the police 'yep he can shoot a target a 75yds' and understnds about subsonic as opposed to supersonic rounds?? I'm not trying to get a FAC to target shoot, I will be trying to get one for live quarry. It makes no sense to me to be honest, but I'd rather try and do the right thing, rather than just say well ******* thy're wrong (as others have so eloquently expressed it.... )

@magman - Just repeating what I was told (maybe someone in the West Yorkshire area can confirm or deny what was told to me by the firearms Dept. in Wakefield??)

I have signed up for a day. Its £40 and everything is laid on, i.e deeks, hide etc. You can shoot all day should you wish. The place is over in Leigh and having spoken to the chap (who is extremely polite) is obviously primarily a working farm that has some driven pheasant shooting (they also advertise on G*** on P***. I suspect they've cottoned onto the fact that people are willing to pay for a days pigeon shooting, and fair play to 'em I say....

Thanks for the replies all, tis appreciated. The permission is a new one and I've not yet been out to survey the lie of the land so to speak. Having not shot rabbits before, I'd not really thought about the best way to pick 'em off. It seems like the best approach is going to be to have a crack with the shottie, then go walk about and see what else is out there before coming back to the main spot(s) later on. I've not got a FAC so will have to wait to build up the relationship with the farmer I suspect, before asking whether he's OK with me putting forward the permission as a reason to get a rimmie. Having read up a bit (and also called the local police firearms dept.) its appears I would not get anything other than a closed license for either a .17 HMR (my preference) or a .22LR. The woman I spoke to said they would not even entertain me get the above unless I had been mentored and signed off as having enough experience to qualify for anything like the above!!! What bugs me is that I'm gonna have to spend a shed load on getting memebership of a shooting club just to borrow a rifle to get the experience they police require before applying for the licence......

Evenin all, I've been reading the forums and got a few ideas, but wanted to know what peoples view was on the best way to peg a few rabbits with a shotgun? I have just been fortunate enough to secure permission to shoot over some famers land, and he has asked if I can deal with the rabbits (as well as the woodies which is my main pastime). Having not shot for rabbits previously, I'm unsure of the best way to go about it. Any advice would be most appreciated. One other question - As I now have a good reason to try for my firearms license, can anyone give me a view of what they consider to be the best setup rifle wise? Rimfire/centre fire caliber scope rifle Any/all opinions would again be appreciated. Cheers folks.