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Game Shooting

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General

During the last decade the game bird shooting has turned into a multi million pound industry.

A game shooting enterprise can be developed with the minimum interference to normal farming activities on the vast majority of farms, irrespective of which of the two different lines are developed.

The first line is to "let" the shooting to a syndicate, who will organise and run it totally themselves. The second is to develop the shoot and "sell" days. This option obviously requires a certain amount of knowledge and time.

Please remember that special consideration must be given to the VAT aspects of diversification as the new activity may not be treated the same as the existing farm business from a VAT standpoint.

Market

The market for "large" expensive days is relatively well catered for, but there is still a growing demand for "small friendly" days with bags ranging from 15-150 birds per day.

The market for full corporate hospitality days is somewhat limited and they tend to look for the high quality facilities.

Physical Requirements

The location of the site is not important, but the more undulating the topography, the better. Also, one or more blocks of woodland between ¼ - 2½ hectares are a great asset as you are trying to get the bird to break cover and fly high above the guns to provide a sporting shot.

Alternatively shooters can walk the game up. Pheasant Pheasant densities will be put down to 8-15 birds per hectare. Birds should be healthy to maintain good flight during a shoot.

Hatchlings or eggs are purchased and reared for 6-8 weeks under cover. They are then moved to release pens (600 per hectare is recommended) located near to the shoot area.

The area is normally wooded and water and supplementary feeding will be given to improve survival rates. For management information see: Water and Food Intake Tables - Game Bird requirements in table form. Breeder Management - covers all aspects of managing Pheasants for breeding.

Breeding Standards - minimize potential loss of chicks by controlling hazards threatening the viability of eggs. Healthy Chicks - information to help you ensure chicks survive the critical first few days of life. Release Pens - preventing disease in the Release pen environment.

Costs

The following costing information is general and current prices should be sought for budgeting purposes.

Capital Costs

Most shooters supply their own guns but shotguns can be sourced for £300 - £2,000. Rearing pens, Release pens, feeders, water dispensers,

Running Costs

Partridges (a) day old = £1.80 per bird, (b) poults = £3.50 per bird. Pheasants (a) day old = £0.80 per bird, (b) poults = £2.50 per bird. Feed (a) day old = £3.25 per bird, (b) poults = £2.75 per bird. Beaters £20 per head per day - 10 beaters per day Game cover crop Total cost per bird £18 - £26

Returns

Returns are highly variable depending on location / bird flight etc. Per bird shot £18 - £30 Cost per gun £400 - £1,400 Birds shot per day 200 - 300 for 8-10 guns

Constraints

The acreage of the farm, availability of cover, amounts of game crops, will all affect the size of the enterprise. Ground predators and birds of prey. Chick disease.

Training

SAC run a course which covers game bird management, diseases of adults/young/growing game birds.

British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), Marford Mill, Rossett, Wrexham LL12 08L (0244 570881), Game Conservancy Council, Fordingbridge, Hampshire.

Grants

Through the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2007-2013 funding is now available for rural businesses throughout Scotland for diversification and renewable energy projects. Specifically, support is delivered through Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities which was launched in April 2008. For further information about what support is available see the Section on Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities.

Further Information

Publications

Booklets and books (e.g. Game & Shooting Crops & Pheasant Rearing) are available form - BASC and Game Conservancy Trust (014256 52 381).

Code of Good Shooting Practice 2003 by The Game Conservancy Trust

Game Wise - a bi-annual magazine by the The Game Conservancy Trust

Game Conservancy Trust also publishes a wide range of useful books on game management techniques: Red Grouse and Moorland Management (No.1); Game and Shooting Crops (No.2); Ponds and Lakes for Wildfowl (No.3); Wild Partridge Management (No.4); Egg Production and Incubation (No.5); Diseases of Gamebirds and Wildfowl (No.6); Gamebird Rearing (No.9); Gamebird Releasing (No.10); Game in Winter Feeding and Management (No.14); Woodlands for Pheasants (No.15) Sporting Fisheries in the Making (No.23) Deer Management in Small Woodlands (No.25) BASC Research Department - Results of Recent Surveys in: Deer Access Gamekeepers Raptors Woodpigeons Rabbits Lowland game

Contact

Mr Scott Murray
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC Consulting, Bush Estate, Penicuik,
Edinburgh
EH26 0PH
TelWork 0131 535 3430
Fax 0131 535 3431

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