Driven woodcock shootingOutside Days

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Overview

Driven woodcock shooting is challenging before you raise the gun: migratory birds at the mercy of the season and weather, woodcock are unpredictable and elusive creatures. Marry the lifestyle choices of the bird with it’s jinking, haphazard flight pattern and petite scale and the challenge is on.

Woodcock arrive in the UK every year from their breeding grounds in Scandinavia, Finland and Russia. We ensure that each estate we work with applies a strict limit on the number of days of driven woodcock shooting they offer, a self-imposed conservation regulation. As a result, exceptional driven woodcock shooting is available on a very limited basis for complete teams of six to nine guns between November and January.

Although numbers can’t be guaranteed, driven woodcock represents the best chance of joining the exclusive Woodcock Club. Membership is achieved by having two people witnessing you taking a left and a right at these small (miniscule in the moment) sporting birds. We’ve seen as many as five birds in the air over a single gun at the same time, creating the opportunity to create sporting greatness if nerve can be held.
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Fact File

Outside Days offers driven woodcock shooting in the Outer Hebrides

SEASONS

1st October – 31st January

KIT & CLOTHING

Traditional clothing is tweed suit including breeches, dress code is more relaxed these days but this is still a formal event. Driven woodcock shooting is undertaken in wild locations and in cold conditions, suitable weather resistant clothing should be worn.
Footwear dependant on time of year and location, but should be good strong boots or wellingtons.

Gun

Double barrelled shotgun, normally 12- 20 bore
Semi-autos and pump actions are not allowed

Cartridges

As for most shooting, the choice of cartridges for woodcock shooting is fiercely debated. The majority, however, believe a shot size in the range of 6- 7.5 works best.

GROUP SIZE

A full team for a day’s shooting is normally 8-10 guns.

VISAS & LICENCES

Travelling to the UK from within the EU needs no visa
Travel from outside the EU may require a visa at the port of entry

You will need a licence to bring a gun into the UK and Outside Days can arrange this for you or can provide gun rental on your arrival.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

None

INSURANCE

We require all our guests to have third party insurance, this can be obtained by membership to any of the British sporting organisations, for third party and shoot cancellation insurance we recommend the policy offered Hiscocks.

TIPS

It is standard practice to tip the gamekeeper at the end of a day’s shooting. Without an expected bag, and in a sport where due to their migratory nature bird numbers are out of the keeper’s control, this can be difficult. We believe the tip should reflect how well you believe you have been looked after and how hard the shoot team have worked for you. As a recommendation for driven woodcock days, we would suggest the tip should start at £40 per gun.

CURRENCY

GBP Sterling

TIME ZONE

GMT

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Driven Woodcock