Defra has rejected BASC’s request for more time to respond to its call for evidence on gamebird rearing, release and shooting in England, leaving participants fewer than three weeks to make their voices heard.

In September, lawyers acting for BASC wrote to the Secretary of State for Defra to request a six-week extension. BASC argued that the breadth of the review – and its potential impact on rural communities and livelihoods – demanded more time to gather evidence from shoots, gamekeepers and members across the country. The review covers pheasant, red-legged partridge, mallard and red grouse, from rearing and release to shooting and land management.

In its reply, Defra said it had considered those points but believed the current two-month window was “reasonable and proportionate”. The call for evidence will close as planned at midnight on 1 November. Defra added that no decisions had been taken on future policy and that all submissions within the review’s scope received before the deadline would be considered.

BASC’s deputy director of conservation, Dr Marnie Lovejoy, said: “We’re disappointed that Defra has refused to listen. Our ask was for a modest extension for a review that could shape the future of shooting in England. But the deadline stands, and the people who want shooting shut down are organising their responses right now. Defra needs to hear from those who know shooting first-hand to share their own experiences. It is vital that we pull together as a sector with less than three weeks to go.”