Have you cracked the Code?

Chairman of the Code of Good Shooting Practice Steering Committee, Bill Tyrwhitt-Drake, on why it so important that gamekeepers adhere to these voluntary guidelines:

THE Code of Good Shooting Practice contains important advice and provides essential guidance for everybody involved in shooting.We all share a personal responsibility to promote the safety, integrity and reputation of our sport. Our activities are under public scrutiny as never before. The public and the media are major catalysts for change. The public will judge shooting and shoot management practices by the way we all behave.Drawn up by a huge list of organisations including the NGO, BASC, Countryside Alliance, CLA, Game Farmers' Association, Campaign for Shooting, Scottish Gamekeepers' Association, National Game Dealers' Association, Scottish Landowners' Federation and The Game Conservancy Trust, the Code covers three areas: managing game and game habitat, shoot day management and behaviour in the field.

Conflict of interests

I am very aware that gamekeepers can find themselves in conflict with their employers over the Code.The main concerns of the Code are excess bags and over-intensive release of birds and these two probably go together on a shoot.  The employer may well require the letting of a few days to defray costs.  He may need to let more days than the shoot can comfortably manage added to his own days.  He may well be running a completely commercial shoot where he is paying a high rent with the added expense of large acres of game crops and he will have a large requirement of shot game to recoup his costs and show a profit.Compliance with the Code may make all these requirements difficult to achieve
and the temptations to release too many birds in a limited area, possibly topping up partridges and shooting excessive bags may be difficult to resist.

How we can help

The Steering Committee of the Code represents all the shooting bodies listed above.We have no powers of restraint and have to rely on persuasion, peer pressure, landlord influence as well as enlightened purchasers of shooting days. All these are difficult to achieve, but we believe that the vast majority of shoots comply with the Code, the small numbers who do not are the ones, which will bring game shooting into disrepute.I can only urge keepers who are under pressure to, "produce the goods", against their better judgement, to confide in a senior member of NGO so that we can do our best to remedy the situation.  I assure you we are trying very hard, but vested interests are the enemy and we must all strive together to bring game shooting back to reasonable proportions.#

The Code of Good Shooting Practice

2003 Edition:

CODES of practice for the management of game and game shooting are guidelines. They embody the spirit of sportsmanship, a fundamental respect for the quarry species and a care for the environment.

The following four golden rules apply:

• No more birds shall be released than can be sustained without damaging the environment and surrounding habitat, or being detrimental to the health and welfare of the stock.
• All birds shall be released before the commencement of shooting for that particular species on the area concerned, and shooting should not commence until all the birds are mature and fully adapted to the wild.
• Birds shall not be caught up from the wild for release during the same shooting season.
• Shot game is food and should be treated as such.

The guidelines

1 - Shoot management

• It is the responsibility of all involved to ensure that shoot days comply with this code of practice and all relevant legislation. It is the employers' legal responsibility to ensure their employees comply with the law relating to health and safety, firearms, game management and conservation.

2 - Wild game

• The aim of wild game management is to produce a harvestable surplus of game living naturally in the wild.
• The rearing and release of birds is a valid method of increasing or sustaining a stock of game, especially where wild populations cannot produce a harvestable surplus.

3 - Predator and pest control

• Predator and pest control is an essential part of game management and should be carried out humanely, within the law and with due consideration for other countryside users.
• It is good practice to keep accurate records of pest and predator control.

4 - Bag sizes

• Game numbers that are excessive for the habitat and the circumstances of the shoot will bring shooting into disrepute and should be avoided.
• Observation of this code will ensure that the shoot organiser can decide the bag size and the number of shoot days that the ground and stock can sustain.

5 - Consideration for others

• Those involved in shooting must always have regard for other countryside users and act accordingly.
• The frequency of the shooting must not cause significant nuisance.
• Avoid spent or shot birds falling into public places or neighbouring property.
• Wherever possible, cartridges with biodegradable wads should be used and cartridge litter removed.

6 - Non-toxic shot

• The Government has prohibited the use of lead shot over all salt marsh and foreshore, over SSSIs important for waterfowl and for the shooting of all ducks, geese, swans, coot, moorhen and, possibly, common snipe and golden
  plover.
• In order to avoid lead shot contamination of wetlands important for feeding waterfowl, non-toxic shot should be used for game and pest shooting over such wetlands.

7 - Retrieval and handling of game

• Proper provision should be made to retrieve all shot game.
• Wounded game must be retrieved and despatched as quickly as possible.
• Guns should make every effort to assist in the retrieval of shot game.

8 - Game is food

• Suitable arrangements should be made for the collection, transport and storage of the anticipated bag.
• All freshly-killed game must be handled in a way that avoids bruising and allows body heat to disperse as quickly as possible.
• All game must be transported to a suitable game larder at the earliest convenience to avoid deterioration of food quality.

9 - Cessation of shooting

• A day's game shooting should finish early enough to allow time for pickers-up to complete their task before the birds start to go to roost.
• Shooting should be cancelled if adverse or severe weather conditions mean that the birds cannot be presented in a sporting manner, shot and retrieved safely.

Rearing game

The aim of game rearing is to provide fit, healthy birds, well adapted for release into the wild. Provided it is carried out within the terms of this code, such releasing is an entirely valid method of game conservation; indeed it is fundamental to British game shooting and its attendant conservation benefits. Whatever the species being reared or the methods being used, the over-riding principle, which must guide everyone involved, is: Game husbandry shall be conducted with all due consideration for the health and welfare of the birds concerned. This principle can be met only if the following rules are followed throughout the entire process.

Those responsible for captive birds must be caring, considerate, conscientious, knowledgeable and skilled. They must be well prepared and take professional advice from veterinarians and qualified game consultants whenever necessary. Captive game birds must have ready access to fresh water and an appropriate diet to maintain growth, health and vigour. They must be in an environment appropriate to their species and age, including correct heating, lighting, shelter and areas of comfortable resting. Every precaution must be provided with appropriate space, facilities and company of their own kind to ensure avoidance of stress.

Releasing game The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Section 8 (3) (a) states; Every person who: (a)  promotes, arranges, conducts, assists in, receives money for, or takes part in, any event whatever at or in the course of which captive birds are liberated by hand or by any other means whatever for the purpose of being shot immediately after their liberation; or (b)   being the owner or occupier of any land, permits that land to be used for the purposes of such an event, shall be guilty of an offence.

Pheasant and partridge
Release pen area and habitat should always be appropriate and sufficient for the needs of the birds.
Partridge release pens should be removed before shooting begins in that area.
Partridge release pens should, wherever possible, be sited away from public highways, footpaths and bridleways.
Professional advice is available from the main shooting and conservation organisations on release pen size, design and construction.

Duck
Duck must always be released into suitable wetland habitat, and in numbers that are appropriate.
Wetland areas are particularly sensitive and, overstocking with reared birds will quickly deter wild stocks and damage the habitat.

Medication and veterinary treatment
Medicines used for treating game birds should only be used when prescribed by a veterinary surgeon and all withdrawal periods must be strictly adhered to.
Records of the use of all medicines must be maintained in accordance with the law.

Shooting behaviour
The public will judge shooting and shoot management practices by the way that participants and providers behave. All those who are involved in shooting must act as good ambassadors. Please remember the following points:

 Safety, the law and good manners are paramount.
 Respect your quarry.
 Don't be greedy
 Seek to help and support the relevant associations, which promote your sport.