Game on! Are you ready for the pheasant season?

The 2025/26 pheasant season is finally here. BASC’s Julia Newman highlights a few things to think about if you are preparing for your first shoot day of the season.

With partridge shoots and wildfowling already underway, a lot of Guns are already in full swing. As we head toward 1 October, many others are gearing up for their first day in the field.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to game shooting, a little preparation can make all the difference. It will ensure your days in the field are enjoyable, safe and productive.

Prepare your kit - and your dogs

To prepare for the pheasant season, check you have all the equipment you need. That’s waterproof clothing, sturdy footwear and a game bag with no holes in it! Ensure that your gun is clean and in working order and that you have enough cartridges. Check ahead of the time whether you might need to use lead-free cartridges with biodegradable wads.

If you get a chance before your first day, some last-minute practice at the clay ground is advised. It is a useful way to ease back into mounting and swinging your gun. If you are new to shooting, or would like a refresher on safety and etiquette, consider taking our Game Shooter Certificate (GSC1) online. The Code of Good Shooting Practice is a useful read too.

Don’t forget your four-legged companions. If your dogs are joining you, check you have everything they need and refresh any last-minute training. Longer walks in the weeks preceding can help build their fitness for shoot days.

Beyond the usual preparations for the start of the season, which I went into more detail in last year’s blog – Are you pheasant season ready? – there are two key things to consider this season.

The importance of biosecurity

Biosecurity is always important and good practice in the field should include several different steps.

Key points to remember

Regularly check and clean your footwear, clothing, equipment and vehicles.
Use foot dips provided on arrival and before leaving the shoot and follow any instructions provided by the gamekeepers.
Maintain good hand hygiene throughout the day.
If you can, consider using different footwear or clothing at different shoots if foot dips or kit washing facilities are not available.

Never forget that game is food

As we all know, a highlight of any shoot day is taking a brace or two home to cook.

One of the Code of Good Shooting Practice’s golden rules is that game is food; it must always be treated as such. Good game handling ensures that your quarry turns into delicious dishes on the table. Treat it as food as soon as it’s in hand, and everyone on a shoot should help maintain this process.

The key to correct game handling on a shoot day is to keep it clean, protect it from contamination and ensure rapid cooling. Birds should be brought back in game carriers and laid on their backs while waiting to go onto the game cart. This is to allow air flow around each bird to assist cooling. If a bird is obviously damaged and unfit for consumption, keep it separate from the others to avoid contamination.

Further information on game handling can be found in our guide here.

Fresh air, friendship and laughter

I’m looking forward to another pheasant season of fresh air in the field, laughter among friends and tasty meals to follow.

Whether you participate as a beater, picker-up or Gun, I hope the season brings you great sport, companionship and delicious game on the table.

Julia Newman

Julia is BASC’s game and wildlife advisor. She enjoys game shooting, beating, clay shooting and being outdoors exploring the countryside with her dog.