The best shooting ties to wear when you’re out in the field

So why are we compiling a list of the best shooting ties? Do you have to wear a tie when you go shooting or can you just sport an open necked shirt? (See our advice here on what to wear shooting.)

Julian Boddy of Sportselect, a game shooter for the past 35 years, commented: “A tie makes you look smart on a shoot and you owe it to both your host and the quarry to look your best. I’d always wear a tie on a driven shoot, on a walked-up shoot it’s less of an issue. However wearing a tie is never the wrong thing to do.”

What’s the best colour?

Julian Boddy advises: “Don’t wear bright colours on the grouse moor, wear a dark green, otherwise the grouse will fly towards your neighbour not you. In fact, it’s good to remember that all your shooting clothing, including ties, should really reflect the colours of your surroundings so that you blend in.” (Read our advice on what to wear grouse shooting.)

Gary Salmon, a former gamekeeper of the year, said: “You get the odd gun wearing a bright yellow tie when shooting and matching shooting socks, and that sort of thing. They tend to be the characters. I like it; every shoot needs a bit of colour.” (If you’re on the hunt for a traditional shooting shirt, you’ll find our list of the best Tattersall check shooting shirts here.)

Our list of the best shooting ties

Frederick Thomas grey and orange checked tweed wool £14.99

Best for all-round country wear

• Size: One
• Colour: As shown
• Fabric: Microfibre
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Price

+ Robust

– Not very decorative

This is the tie to have in your wardrobe that you’ll wear time and time again. It would look the part whether you’re walked-up or driven shooting and at the shoot lunch. It doesn’t shout out, just blends into the background. Best of all because of its fabric it’s fairly robust and if it lives in the pocket of your shooting jacket for when it’s needed, it probably won’t complain too much.

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Bisley Silk Tie – Shooting hunting country scenes £21.09

Best for design options

• Size: One
• Colour: Blue, brown, burgundy, green, red, yellow
• Fabric: Silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Bisley name

+ Different scenes to choose from

– The red version is a bit too bright for the field

Bisley. Now there’s a name that has a strong shooting heritage. We like this option because of the different designs in different colours available. To be honest, at this price you could almost buy one of each.

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Elegant Extras Mixed Tweed Wool Ties – 6 Colours £22

Best for timeless style

• Size: One
• Colour: Slate, charcoal, dark green (shown above), rustic brown
• Fabric: 100% pure new wool
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Classic

+ Would look wonderful with tweeds

– Doesn’t say much

When you’re out in the field you need to proceed steadily and quietly. This is exactly what this tie does. It has solid credentials in terms of style, fabric and colours and will see you right on the shooting field, without any loud statements being made.

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JACK PYKE Partridge Silk Tie £22.50

Best for value

• Size: One
• Colour: Green (shown above), burgundy, mustard
• Fabric: 65% silk, 35% wool
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Colours

+ Matt finish

– Only for partridge shooting?

We like the subtle pattern and the muted colours of this country tie. Partridges make a change from the ever-present pheasant and this would be an excellent option to have in your fieldsports collection.

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Soprano Green Chocolate Labradors Country Woven Silk Tie £23.95

Best for labrador fans

• Size: One
• Colour: Green
• Fabric: Silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Soft colours

+For chocolate lab owners

-Labrador ties are everywhere

We couldn’t have a list of the best shooting ties without including one with a labrador design. Labradors are stalwarts out on a shoot day and you can recognise the invaluable contribution they make by wearing a tie like this, created in a soft green shade.

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Soprano Wine Grouse and Partridge Country Woven Silk Tie £23.95

Best for August and September shooting

• Size: One
• Colour: Wine
• Fabric: Silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+Beautifully presented

+Grouse and partridge shooting

-Maybe not for pheasant shooting

This elegant tie comes in a presentation box and so it would be a useful gift to have to present to your shoot host or shoot captain. Those classic gamebirds, grouse and partridge, have their place in the design and the colours will echo those of the countryside around.

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Soprano Green Woodcocks Country Woven Silk Tie £23.95

Best for woodcock fans

• Size: One
• Colour: Green
• Fabric: Silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+Conversation starter

+Woodcock design more unusual

-Some people won’t shoot woodcock

The woodcock is an enigmatic bird and a worthy quarry. It has a distinctive appearance and charm. If you’ve never shot a right-and-left (more on the Shooting Times’ Woodcock Club here) then you could at least wear this charming tie.

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Sax Flying ducks country green neck tie £24.95

Best for all-round fieldsports types

• Size: One
• Colour: Green
• Fabric: Silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+Ducks are a classic

+Colour

-Ties aren’t a thing on the foreshore

Whilst wildfowlers don’t generally wear ties, we like the muted colours of this one and the way it proclaims that you are a lover of fieldsports, but in an understated way. The colours are perfect for wearing in the field too.

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Embroidered Shotgun Cartridge Tie Made From English Silk £38

Best out in the field

• Size: One
• Colour: Green, blue
• Fabric: 100% silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Made in UK

+ Shooting classic

– Not very versatile pattern

If you want to proclaim your shooting credentials then this is the tie to do it. It’s a classic design for Guns that will never really date. However, you’ll probably only really feel comfortable wearing it in the field, in the pub with your shooting mates or at a game fair. Still, we couldn’t miss it out of our list of best shooting ties.

Silk tie & Oval standing Pheasant Country Cufflinks, (the cufflinks are are in a lovely gift box) – ideal for game day shotgun shooting £32.99

Best for pattern

• Size: One
• Colour: Blue, green, tweed, yellow
• Fabric: Silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Tie and cuff-links

+ Excellent gift

If you’re looking for a gift for your host, then this would be perfect. Cufflinks with a pheasant design and a gamebirds tie in a silk weave. Just make sure your host wears shirts needing cufflinks first!

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David Van Hagen Mens Foxes Country Silk Tie – Green/Orange £34.95

Best for a splash of colour

• Size: One
• Colour: Green
• Fabric: 100% silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Classic motif

+ Goes with just about any shooting outfit

– Country wear only

This really is a classic design for fieldsports fans. We particularly like the colouring, the dark green enlivened by Charlie, in his always recognisable orange coat complete with white tipped brush.

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David Van Hagen Flying Pheasants Woven Country Silk Tie £34.95

Best for colour choices

• Size: One
• Colour: Green, dark green, red
• Fabric: 100% silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Classic design

+ Goes with just about any shooting outfit

– Not appropriate for grouse or partridge shooting

When will a tie featuring pheasants ever look dated on the shooting field? This intricately woven design features the classic quarry and the different colours allow you to match out the colours of any tweed you’re wearing.

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Schöffel Waltham Silk Tie £39.95

• Size: One
• Colour: Navy, olive, red, burnt orange, purple
• Fabric: 100% silk
• Care: Dry clean only

+ Matches Ptarmigan kit

+Colour choices

– Don’t spill your shoot lunch down it

And finally …

What Guns say about shooting ties

Trevor Pickett of Pickett London says: “Shooting is definitely one of the occasions where men can have a bit of fun and be a bit peacocky with all the accessories and trimmings. I have a silk loden tie with a Paisley pattern that I’ve worn for hunting and shooting for the past 35 years.”

Marcus Janssen, Country Brands Director of Schöffel & Le Chameau, comments: “I personally tend to arrive wearing a tie on most driven days, but I will happily remove it if it is hot, if my host isn’t wearing one, or if it is a walked-up day and I know I will be working up a sweat. Wear what makes you happy, I say. Just as long as you shoot straight, of course.”

Jack Gregorie, Field Buyer at Farlows, says: “Ties add a smart and formal look to any outfit and give the wearer the option to add a unique and personal flair to their chosen outfit. Typically, you would wear a more understated and subtle tie when grouse shooting or stalking to ensure you are blending in with your surroundings to be invisible to your chosen quarry.”

More shooting tie tips

• Rough textured fabrics are preferable for shooting, rather than a fine shiny silk which might catch the light and spook the birds.
• The top of a tie should sit at your belt line. Not too high, not too low, which will look scruffy.
• Some shoots charge a fine (which goes to charity) for any Gun turning up without a tie on.
• Wear a tie for shooting and you’ll always look well put together, even at the end of the day when your breeks and jacket are covered in muddy splashes. (Here is advice on the best shooting breeks and best boots for shooting.)
• Always ask your shoot captain what the dress code is for the day when you accept an invitation.
• Tie pins can be useful for stopping your tie flapping in the wind or falling into your food. Again, nothing too shiny though.
• Wool ties look wonderful with tweeds

Silk, wool, cotton or linen?

Are the best shooting ties made from silk, cotton or linen? What should you choose?  Silk is a classic fabric, feels glorious and lends itself to beautiful colours. The downside is that you can’t wash them, even by hand, so if you spill your lunch down your front it might be the end of it – although you could always give the tie a quick wipe with a damp cloth.

If you opt for wool, then your tie will benefit from a natural water resistance (handy if you spill a drink on it) and of course it will keep your neck a little bit warmer. Tweeds or plaid designs and paisley look best woven into a wool tie, in our opinion. Wool also bounces back well, so if you crumple your tie into your pocket, it won’t crease as much as a silk or cotton tie would.

Cotton or linen is a good choice for early or late season shooting. It’s light, classic and takes patterns well. Cotton ties are also usually less expensive than silk or wool.