Whether you're preparing for your first driven pheasant shoot or simply refreshing your knowledge ahead of the new season, a little preparation goes a long way. From shooting etiquette and safety to what to wear, what to expect on the day and the role shooting plays in countryside conservation, our guide covers the essentials for an enjoyable and memorable day in the field.
Shooting Etiquette & Safety
Shooting is steeped in etiquette, much of it related to safety in one way or another. Remember when shooting that you want to be asked back again. Modesty and humility in the field, particularly if you are a newcomer, will serve you well. If you have not shot on a driven day before then it is essential that someone, an experienced shot or an instructor, should stand with you on the day. This is the best way to learn and will ensure that you don’t commit any etiquette or safety faux pas and maximise your chances of a repeat invite. If you are familiar with the practices and etiquette involved you will undoubtedly enjoy your day more - you can also read our full article on shooting etiquette.
If in doubt with safety, always err on the side of caution – remember:
"You may kill or you may miss, but at all times think this: All the pheasants ever bred won’t repay for one man dead.”
What to Expect on a Driven Pheasant Shoot
Below is a basic outline of a typical day’s driven shooting.
- Arrival: be on time, shoot days rely on timing.
- Briefing: all shoot days will start with a briefing outlining how the day will run – how many drives, how guns are numbered etc. There will also be a safety talk.
- The draw: guns draw for their peg numbers. These will normally change each drive i.e. moving up two or four.
- Depart: by foot or vehicle to the first Drive.
- Drive 1: after which move by foot or vehicle to Drive 2
- Drive 2: followed often by a mid-morning refreshment break
- Drive 3: followed by lunch
- Lunch: on more formal days this will be catered or you may be required to bring your own sandwiches, it's always worth asking in advance!
- Drive 4, Drive 5 and possibly 6 after lunch
- Day’s end.
(Some shoots operate differently and may have a different amount of drives or will break in different places. Some shoot ‘straight through’ which means they do not break for lunch but rather have a late lunch at about 4 – 5pm after all of the drives).
What to Wear and Take Pheasant Shooting
Much of shooting relies on preparation. Forgotten waterproofs or even a gun left at home in the cabinet can ruin a day in the field. It is therefore important to be prepared well in advance, construct a check list that you can refer to each time you leave to go shooting. If in doubt start at the bottom of your body and think your way through to your head. Assuming you are already wearing socks and garters, breeks and a shirt / tie, you will then need:
Footwear - Shoes for meeting in the host’s house before the day and to save the pub carpet at lunch. Shooting boots or walking boots depending on how wet the ground is. These should be clean before the day.
Leg Wear - Waterproof shooting trousers are essential and should be taken even if the forecast is fine. Also, thermal leggings can be worn as a base layer under plus twos and socks when it's cold.
Upper Body Wear - There are several options of what to wear on your upper body largely depending on the weather conditions and personal preferences. A v-neck jumper, gilet fleece or a shooting vest over a shirt and tie should be sufficient on a warm, dry day at the beginning of the season or as a base layer under a jacket later in the season. A thermal vest can also be worn under your shirt when it's very cold. The shooting jacket is possibly the most important piece of equipment that you will own. A good one will last you for years and you will undoubtedly become attached to it. It really is an item worth spending some money on and is something that we at Farlows can expertly advise you on.
Accessories - There are many different shooting accessories but the basics you will need for a day’s shooting in addition to those already listed are: ear defenders, gloves, cartridge bag or belt, cartridges, gun and gun slip.
VIDEO GUIDE: What to Wear Pheasant Shooting
Watch Jack from Farlows take you through what to wear for a day’s pheasant shooting, building the outfit from socks and garters through to outerwear, hats and caps.
Tipping on a Pheasant Shoot
Tipping the gamekeeper at the end of a driven day is customary, with the appropriate amount depending on the day, the shoot and the sport enjoyed. If you're unsure, discreetly ask your host or Shoot Captain for guidance before the end of the day.
The tip is usually folded in the palm and delivered during the hand shake.
Shotgun Certificates & Shooting Insurance
Before attending a pheasant shoot in the UK, make sure you have the appropriate certification and insurance in place and check any specific requirements with your host or shoot in advance.
Gun Permits
In Great Britain, anyone wishing to possess, buy or acquire a shotgun will normally need a valid shotgun certificate issued by their local police department. Requirements differ for overseas visitors bringing or using a shotgun in the UK, so advice and arrangements should always be made well in advance of the shoot.
For the latest information on shotgun certificates, applications and legal requirements, visit the GOV.UK guidance on shotgun and firearm certificates.
Insurance
Appropriate shooting insurance is strongly recommended and may be required by individual shoots. Membership organisations such as the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Countryside Alliance offer insurance cover as part of certain memberships, but you should always check that the level and type of cover is appropriate for your circumstances and the shoot you are attending.
We would advise speaking to your host or Shoot Captain before the day to confirm what certification and insurance they require.
Pheasant Shooting's Role in Conservation
To my mind the single most important contribution that shooting makes to Britain is in the form of conservation. This is something I think every sportsman should have a knowledge of in order to promote, defend and be proud of the sport they participate in. It was David Bellamy who remarked that flying over the British Isles you could easily spot the areas where field sports flourished - it was where there was still a patchwork of woods, hedges and small fields. The landscape which we cherish is manmade and it can only be maintained through man’s efforts.
Game management and conservation shape and enhance our landscape. Wildlife thrives where land is managed for shooting. Over a million people are involved in shooting; many more enjoy the end product as consumers of pheasants, partridges and other game. Moreover, shooting makes a substantial contribution to the rural economy often at times and in places where other income is scarce.
This is something from which we can all benefit. Whether you go to the country for recreation or simply view it from the window of a car or train, the landscape which you enjoy owes much to the care of the shooting community.
The Value of Shooting to Conservation and the Rural Economy
In the UK today (source valueofshooting.co.uk - updated in 2024):
- Shooters spend £4.4 billion each year on goods and services.
- Shooting is worth £3.3 billion to the UK economy (GVA).
- Shooting supports the equivalent of 67,000 full-time jobs.
- Shooters spend £4.4bn on their UK-based supply chain each year.
- Shooting providers and volunteers carry out conservation work to the value of £500m, equivalent to 26,000 full-time jobs and 14m workdays each year.
- 293,000 people are involved in game shooting.
- 620,000 individuals are actively involved in shooting-related activities.
- Habitat management and conservation are carried out on 7.6m hectares as a result of shooting.
- Half of shooting providers create or maintain cover for game and wildlife and/or feed songbirds over the winter gap.
- Three out of four people who take part in shooting say that it is important to them and their personal wellbeing.
- We must never be complacent about the future of shooting. Shooting and shoot management practices will be judged by the way participants and providers behave. Our sport is under constant and detailed scrutiny and we must demonstrate that we conduct it to high standards.
An important part of responsible game shooting is ensuring that what is shot is valued as food. Pheasant is a wonderfully versatile, lean and flavoursome meat, and taking it from field to table is very much part of the tradition. If you're looking for inspiration, explore our pheasant recipes and enjoy this excellent British game at its best.
To help preserve our game and countryside, you should consider joining the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, one of Farlows longstanding charity partners: Meet GWCT
