Just how long the pheasant has been found in Britain is open to question but it is likely that, as with so many of our non-native species, the Romans had a major hand in bringing them to our shores. It is also likely that they were bred as table birds…
Pheasant Shooting
Everything you need to know about pheasant shooting
The pheasant shooting season runs from 1 October through to 1 February in England, Scotland and Wales and pheasant is the quarry most game shooters are likely to come across.
Our experts have written articles to help you achieve success when you’re out in the field. From how to get ready for the new season to how to mark those high birds. You’ll also need to know what the best guns are for shooting pheasants, what load to use and what the distance limit is to shoot.
And then when you’ve got your bag, you can finish off by browsing through our pheasant recipes.
Beginners and improvers
If you want to start pheasant shooting, this is the perfect place to read up on the know-how and make sure your shooting etiquette passes muster.
If you’re looking improve your shooting technique when you’re after pheasant, then you’ll find a host of articles here on how to be a better shot – with plenty of advice on gun mount, stance and eye dominance.
We’ve also investigated many game shooting grounds and you can read our reports here and see how they match up to your expectations for shooting pheasant.
High pheasant shooting – how to master it
High driven pheasant shooting lesson: It’s getting to that time of the year when the birds are really beginning to fly well.
An invitation to a driven day – a female Gun reports back
I have been fortunate enough to be involved in the wonderful world of fieldsports for most of my life. From rough shooting with my father to great times on the beating lines, I can still claim that one of my greatest achievements was to be head beater by the age…
Is the pheasant the perfect gamebird?
Good looking, fast flying, delicious as well as easy to rear, tough and adaptable. The pheasant comes in a perfectly designed package. Like anything that’s relatively trouble-free, we don’t think about it much. So are we in danger of taking the pheasant for granted? An exotic alien We expect it to thrive…
Which type of pheasant shooting is superior?
High pheasant in open fields By Giles Catchpole Snap shooting is all very well and good. Couched on a ride in the midst of the shelter belt or in a clearing in the heart of a block of forestry can be exciting, for sure. Who doesn’t enjoy a bit of…
Popular shotguns for the pheasant season
What you need to consider when picking out a game gun Weight Gauge Style Action Budget Patrick Galbraith, Editor of the Shooting Times, comments when discussing shotguns for pheasant shooting: “I would say that there has been a move towards affordable guns, with pairs of Mirokus becoming a frequent sight…
Tips to make you better at walked-up pheasant shooting
Shooting coach Mark Russell treks to the outback of his shooting ground at Grimsthorpe - in the pursuit of perfecting his driven pheasant technique.
How to improve your pheasant shooting technique
Here are some pheasant shooting techniques to help you in the field Footwork and balance In all forms of driven shooting, good footwork is the building block for any shot, and with good footwork comes good, controlled balance. Without these two factors at the start, shooting consistently is not possible.…
Which is the faster bird – partridge or pheasant?
Game shooting: Which bird flies faster and needs more lead - a partridge or a pheasant? I’m reasonably okay at game shooting, but I do struggle on partridge shown on the same drive at the same height. Can you shed any light on my problem?
TOP 10: Pheasant shoots in the UK
Pheasant shoots: Looking for top pheasant shoots? From Warter Priory and Angmering to Towie and Wrackleford, we list the top 10 pheasant shoots in the UK.
What is the best shotgun cartridge and choke combination for pheasant shooting?
New techniques in powder and wads have improved all the shotgun cartridges on the market these days – they’re faster AND maintain a good pattern. Cartridge tips for this pheasant season Find a shotgun cartridge brand you like and stick with it. Side-by-sides and over-unders are both catered for by…
20 of the best UK pheasant shoots
TREGOYD, POWYS This stunning shoot just to the south of Hay-on-Wye is run by the ambitious team of Ben Brown and headkeeper Clive Hussell, and recent years have seen significant investment in the infrastructure of the shoot. But what has not changed is the quality of the shooting. The terrain takes care of itself but Ben’s attention…
Better pheasant shooting tips
The season is well under way and many of you will have no doubt already enjoyed your first outings. I’ve spoken with many gamekeepers and they are all singing from the same hymn sheet: pheasants have done well this year and in many cases have feathered up nicely too. There has been a lot of dogging-in on many…
Eagle Hall Shoot, pheasant and partridge shooting in Lincolnshire
Eagle Hall was featured in the July 2016 issue of Shooting Gazette It is an interesting time to be involved with Eagle Hall, a pheasant and partridge shoot set across 3,700 acres around 10 miles from the A1, A46 and A17 junction at Newark-on-Trent. Shooting Gazette first visited in December…
How to manage release pens correctly
Time and again as I wander into the depths of a wood in my role as a Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) game adviser, I come across an embarrassment. The combination of tatty fencing, battered feed drums, broken drinkers, bags hanging from branches, and other mess is a dreadful advert for shooting. Add a bit of over-stocking to…
Golden rules for rearing gamebirds
With more than 200 gamefarms and business members, and a history going back to 1908, the Game Farmers’ Association (GFA) is in a unique position to share its wisdom with anyone thinking of going into game rearing. It won’t provide detailed “how to do it” advice; there are almost as many ways to rear…
Researchers show how to breed a fitter, stronger pheasant
Researchers from the University of Exeter have discovered some useful tips for improving the ability of pheasants to flourish out in the wild. Firstly, if poults are given access to raised perches in pens they tend to grow bigger and stronger leg bones, are able to fly higher and can…
Cocking Shoot, West Sussex
Technology is a wonderful thing. I have an app on my iPhone that marries OS maps with GPS, so I can say with absolute certainty that the guns shooting Triangle at Cocking Shoot in West Sussex stand in a ride cut in the woods at a height of 150m above…
How to look after birds left at the season’s end
Regardless of the number of birds you shot on your last day, it is probable that you saw or flushed three or four times as many. What happens to the birds that survive the shooting season, and how they are looked after when it has finished, is important. It would be morally wrong for us…