Shooting Seasons

The majority of game can only be shot during specific times of the years to allow them to breed and/or allow them to successfully migrate.

A comprehensive guide to the shooting seasons is given below.

Game birds

Additional restrictions:

England and Wales

• No game may be killed on Sundays or Christmas Day.
• Game may not be shot between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.

Scotland

• Game may not be shot between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.

Northern Ireland

• All wild birds are protected on Sundays and Christmas Day.
• Wild birds may not be shot between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.

Wildfowl, Geese and Waders

Additional restrictions:

England and Wales

• Sunday shooting of wildfowl is not permitted in the following counties or county boroughs: Anglesey, Brecknock, Caernarvon, Carmarthen, Cardigan, Cornwall, Denbigh, Devon, Doncaster, Glamorgan, Great Yarmouth County Borough, Isle of Ely, Leeds County Borough, Merioneth, Norfolk, Pembroke, Somerset, North and West Ridings of Yorkshire.

Scotland

• Wildfowl may not be shot on Sunday or Christmas Day.

Northern Ireland

• All wild birds are protected on Sundays and Christmas Day.
• Wild birds may not be shot between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.

Ground Game

Additional restrictions:

England and Wales

• Ground game can only be killed with firearms on moorland or unenclosed land between 11 December and 31 March.

Northern Ireland

• Ground game may not be shot between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.

Deer 

Additional restrictions:

England, Wales and Scotland

• Deer may not be shot between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.

Northern Ireland

• Deer may not be shot between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.

Wild Boar

• No statutory close season, but culling should not include sows with dependant offspring.