Shooting Seasons - UK

Wild game can only be shot during certain times of the year and for many species there is a close season during which time it is illegal to shoot them. This is to ensure that the species continue to flourish and are not hunted to extinction. Below is a chart showing the shooting seasons.


Coot UK 1st Sept-31st Jan
Curlew Northern Ireland 1st Sept-31st Jan
Duck & Goose Inland England, Scotland, Wales1st Sep-31st Jan
Duck & Goose Foreshore England, Scotland, Wales 1st Sep-20th Feb
Duck & Goose Inland/Foreshore Northern Ireland 1st Sep-31st Jan
Golden Plover UK 1st Sep-31st Jan
Grouse England, Scotland, Wales 12th Aug-10th Dec
Grouse Northern Ireland 12th Aug-30th Nov
Jack Snipe Northern Ireland only 1st Sep-31st Jan
Moorhen UK 1st Sep-31st Jan
PARTRIDGE UK 1st Sep-1st Feb
PHEASANT England, Scotland and Wales 1st Oct-1st Feb
Pheasant Northern Ireland, cocks only 1st Oct-31st Jan
Ptarmigan (only found in Scotland) 12th Aug-10th Dec
Quail UK All year
Rabbit UK All year
Snipe - common England, Scotland, Wales 12th Aug-31st Jan
Snipe - common Northern Ireland 1st Sep-31st Jan
Woodcock England, Wales, Northern Ireland 1st Oct-31st Jan
Woodcock Scotland 1st Sep-31st Jan

Fallow, Red and Roe are species of deer

Fallow bucks UK 1st Aug-30th Apr
Fallow does England, Wales, Northern Ireland 1st Nov-28th Feb
Fallow does Scotland 21st Oct-15th Feb
Red deer hinds England, Wales, Northern Ireland 1st Nov-28th Feb
Red deer hinds Scotland 21st Oct-15th Feb
Red deer stags England, Wales, Northern Ireland 1st Aug-30th Apr
Red deer stags Scotland 1st Jul-20th Oct
Roe bucks England, Wales 1st Apr-31st Oct
Roe bucks Scotland 1st Apr-20th Oct
Roe does England, Wales 1st Nov-28th Feb
Roe does Scotland 21st Oct-31st Mar