Shooting community urged to complete 2026 Game Shooting Census

Shooting’s biggest annual survey closes tomorrow (Tuesday 30th June), with organisers urging guns and shoot owners to take part before the 2026 Game Shooting Census deadline of 12pm. Run by GunsOnPegs and the rural insurer Lycetts with the support of BASC, the Countryside Alliance and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), the census gathers the sector’s most detailed picture of who shoots, how much and what they spend.

What is the Game Shooting Census?

The census has run every year since 2013 and is described by its organisers as the longest-running and most comprehensive survey of the shooting community. It is made up of two linked surveys.

The Game Shooting Census is completed by individual guns, while the Shoot Owner Census is completed by those who run shoots of every size, from large commercial operations to small private and syndicate days. The Shoot Owner Census also asks how shoots are managed and how owners and operators feel about the issues facing the sport. Responses are confidential.

Why does the census matter for shooting?

The organisations behind the survey say the returns give them hard evidence to take to policymakers at a time when shooting is under pressure on several fronts, from firearms licensing to gamebird release and upland management.

The Countryside Alliance said the data helps it and its partners campaign effectively for the future of shooting, adding that the confidential responses provide the most current, accurate picture of the shooting community and the key issues impacting shooting.

Previous censuses have been used to estimate the scale and value of game shooting, to gauge how each season is shaping up, and to inform industry analysis and media coverage. Supporters argue that the more guns and shoots that take part, the harder the resulting evidence is to dismiss.

The Game Shooting Census asks guns how many days they shot, what they bagged, how much they spent and how they view the season ahead, while the Shoot Owner Census gathers the same picture from the supply side. Together they track long-term trends across driven, walked-up and rough shooting.

What happens next

Both surveys are open now and can be reached through gunsonpegs.com and the websites of the supporting organisations. GunsOnPegs told shots on 25 June that only days remained to complete the census, so it is in its final stretch for this season.

Everyone who takes part is entered into a draw to win two pegs on a 150-bird day at Cambrian Birds in Wales this season. Analysis from previous years, including estimates of how much shooting takes place and who game shots are, can be read on the GunsOnPegs website.