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Shooting seasons

Game and wildfowl

Species	England and Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland	Isle of Man
Pheasant	Oct 1 – Feb 1	Oct 1 – Feb 1	Oct 1 – Jan 31	Oct 1 – Jan 31
Grey partridge	Sep 1 – Feb 1	Sep 1 – Feb 1	Sep 1- Jan 31	Protected (ban in force)
Red-legged partridge	Sep 1 – Feb 1	Sep 1 – Feb 1	Sep 1- Jan 31	Sep 13 – Jan 31
Red grouse	Aug 12 – Dec 10	Aug 12 – Dec 10	Aug 12 – Nov 30	Aug 25 – Oct 31 *
Black grouse	Aug 20 – Dec 10 (Somerset, Devon and New Forest: Sep 1 – Dec 10)	Aug 20 – Dec 10	—	—
Ptarmigan	—	Aug 12 – Dec 10	—	—
Duck and goose inland	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31 – Duck July 1 – Mar 31 – Goose**
Duck and goose below HOST (see below)	Sep 1 – Feb 20	Sep 1 – Feb 20	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31- Duck Jul 1 – Mar 31 – Goose **
Common snipe	Aug 12 – Jan 31	Aug 12 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31
Jack snipe	Protected	Protected	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Protected
Woodcock	Oct 1 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Oct 1 – Jan 31	Oct 1 – Jan 31
Golden plover	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Protected
Coot/moorhen	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Sep 1 – Jan 31	Protected	Protected

HOST – high water mark of ordinary spring tides England, Wales and Scotland: Any area below high-water mark of ordinary spring tides Isle of Man: *Currently a voluntary ban on shooting red grouse is in place. **Geese can only be shot under general licence under the Wildlife Act 1990. See the Department of Food and Agriculture (Defa) website for terms and conditions of general licences here.

Species	England & Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland	Isle of Man
Brown hare	No close season however certain restrictions can apply, see below.	Open season Oct 1 – Jan 31	Aug 12 – Jan 31	Brown or common hare Oct 1 – Jan 31.
Mountain hare		Protected
Rabbit	No close season however certain restrictions can apply, see below.	No close season however certain restrictions can apply, see below.	Rabbit is classed as a pest and therefore not subject to a close season.	No close season.

Country-specific information

In England and Wales under the Ground Game Act 1880 occupiers of land have an inalienable right to kill and take ground game concurrent with any other person holding such a right. Occupiers or a person authorised by them, acting under the authority of this act may only kill or take ground game on moorland between 1 September and 31 March inclusive. Further under Section 1 (3) and Ground Game Amendment Act 1906 Section 2) Firearms may only be used for such purposes between 11 December and 31 March.

In Scotland, the occupier of the land or persons authorised by them may kill rabbit throughout the year on moorland and unenclosed land (not being arable) by all legal means but only by means of firearms during the period from 1 July to 31 March inclusive (Section 1 (3) of the Ground Game Act 1880 as modified by the Agriculture (Scotland) Act 1948). Hares are subject to a close season (Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011) (see above).

Moorland and unenclosed land does not include arable land or detached portions of land less than 25 acres which adjoins arable land.

Deer

From 21 October 2023, the closed season for the males of all deer species in Scotland was removed. This means that all male deer in Scotland can be taken all year round

Species and Sex	England & Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland
Red
Stags	Aug 1 – April 30	Year-round	Aug 1 – April 30
Hinds	Nov 1 – Mar 31	Oct 21 – Feb 15	Nov 1 – Mar
Sika
Stags	Aug 1 – April 30	Year-round	Aug 1 – April 30
Hinds	Nov 1 – Mar 31	Oct 21 – Feb 15	Nov 1 – Mar 31
Red/sika hybrids
Stags	Aug 1 – April 30	Year-round	Aug 1 – April 30
Hinds	Nov 1 – Mar 31	Oct 21 – Feb 15	Nov 1 – Mar 31
Fallow
Bucks	Aug 1 – April 30	Year-round	Aug 1 – April 30
Does	Nov 1 – Mar 31	Oct 21 – Feb 15	Nov 1 – Mar 31
Roe
Bucks	April 1 – Oct 31	Year-round	—
Does	Nov 1 – Mar 31	Oct 21 – March 31	—
Chinese water deer
Bucks	Nov 1 – Mar 31	—	—
Does	Nov 1 – Mar 31	—	—
Muntjac
There is no statutory closed season for this species. It is recommended that when culling female muntjac, immature or heavily pregnant does are selected to avoid leaving dependent young.