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Proof of insurance and Shotgun certificates
This will need to be shown before any shooting starts. Failure to produce either will result in cancellation -no insurance and Shotgun Certificate= no shooting, so don't turn up without it! BASC or CPSA membership both include 3rd party liability cover and are perfect.
Communication
It is essential that you bring a mobile phone so that you are contactable in event of any emergency or to check how your position is faring.
Dogs
Please don’t bring any dogs, I do not allow them. We use our own to pick up when necessary.
Visitors shotgun permits
Hunters from outside the U.K. will need a Visitors Shotgun Permit. This is a temporary gun license supplied by our local Police authority, which allows you to bring your gun from your country into the UK legally. The charge for arranging this is £45.
Season
Pigeon can be shot all year in the UK. There is no close season. In general the best time to shoot them is when the farmers plant spring crops from late February and through March and April. May can sometimes prove difficult because the birds are usually nesting so we usually close in May but the shooting gets very good again between June until the start of October. Winter shooting over Oilseed Rape can also be good from November to the end of January.
Format
You will be shooting on your own in the hide. We do not allow two people to shoot together as it is highly dangerous. You may double up with a non-shooting observer if you like but only one gun will be allowed in the hide at any one time. Depending on the size of the field there may be just one hide, however, on larger fields we sometimes have to put two or more hides so that it prevents the birds from settling and feeding on other parts of the field that are not covered by a gun.
Clothing
Camouflage or green clothing is ESSENTIAL. The pigeon has excellent eyesight. If possible use a camouflage facemask or at the very least a good green hat. Don't expect to shoot much if you come dressed in bright coloured clothing. Also if it looks wet bring some decent wellington boots. So many people turn up in the middle of winter wearing a pair of white trainers and end up taking them home soggy and covered in mud. Remember....help us to help you by dressing accordingly!
Ammunition
The pigeon is VERY tough. It is essential that you use cartridges with at the very least a 30 gram load of 5 or 6 shot. A plastic wadded cartridge is also best as it produces faster velocities and therefore has better killing power. We suggest “Gamebore Clear Pigeon” 32 gram 6 shot. Please note that I DO NOT supply any ammunition for ENGLISH clients, only foreign shooters where it is impractical/impossible to bring cartridges over. You must bring your own.
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