Pigeon shooting days
For 35 Years, Chiltern Sporting has provided days shooting wood pigeons over vulnerable arable crops
Our days
We provide days shooting wood pigeons over arable crops. The spring days are usually a straight run from 9 a.m in the hide through to 3 p.m to 5 p.m generally, depending on the weather. Summer days may be different. It is possible to incorporate other outings during your day/trip with us depending on seasons and daylight hours for example…
*If you want to book a day by yourself that’s ok, but we might prefer to put you on the same date as other people. This often helps maintain a steady airborne flow throughout the day.
See day rates and add on’s below
or on the F.A.Q page.
A typical day :
Don’t hesitate to look over our woodpigeon page.
We can sometimes get a morning / evening deer stalk in before setting up on the pigeons depending on seasonality and daylight hours if requested.
A pigeon shooting day will start with a RDV either at the accommodation or directly on the property, where a guide will explain safety protocols and any specific points about the chosen farm.
We aim to get our clients into their hides and ready for around 9 a.m. this means the RDV may well be ahead of this. If you are experienced and like DIY days that’s absolutely fine and we understand the art of setting up your own decoys and the hide can be just as much fun as the shooting itself. In that case we will point out a preferable spot and leave you to it. If you are a novice however and need coaching, we have all the necessary equipment, poles, camouflage nets, decoys, flappers, magnets, shotguns and even cartridges.
Usually we'll shoot through until 3 to 5 p.m.
Not everyone has access to land on which to shoot. Others just like a change in company and scenery and farmers can’t always find reliable helpers to pop at the pigeons either. This is where your sporting guide can help both parties. We talk to the farmers about what pigeons are doing and where they are doing it and we are able to get clients out with a good chance of shooting some. The farmers are happy, their crops get some relief, our clients are happy to get some shooting and we are happy to help.
Currently in England, wood pigeon can be shot to protect and prevent agricultural damage all year round via decoying as well as other means but there are periods which are more favorable to farmers and pigeon shooters alike.
after the shoot
The shot pigeons that are safe to enter the food chain do so, locally, with a preference to the small independent businesses like us. But if the shooters want to enjoy the delicious fruits of their labour, then they may keep some free of charge.
Wild pigeons have incredible eyesight when it comes to detecting our movement. We recommend that once you are out in the hide, you limit the frequency of picking up the shot birds and pay attention to your movements when eating your picnic!
The shot pigeons should be picked up periodically but we recommend every 30 to 45 minutes is adequate. Too much walking out to pick up birds puts other off when they see you.
At the end of what we hope is an enjoyable day, we will begin to pack up between 3 to 5 p.m depending on the weather and ether you have a deer stalk booked. If you don’t then you are free. If you have had a long drive to get here then why not check out our recommendations on what to see in the area and make the most of the journey.
Booking
If you’d like to enquire about a booking or more information then please :
Send us an e-mail to contact@chilternsporting.com
Or fill out our contact form.
Someone will be there to answer any questions (unless we're out counting deer or with a client. But we will get back to you).
Once your trip/ day has been organised a deposit is required, the amount will vary based on what has been requested. If you must cancel your trip once booked know that we cannot refund it. If we must cancel it due to unforeseen circumstance we will offer a refund and/or other dates.
We strongly recommend you take out a travel insurance once your booking is confirmed, that way you are covered if you can’t make it at last minute!
Your arrival and stay
As soon as you arrive, the beauty of our region and carefully selected accommodations become apparent.
(Read our article about Thame)
The outings can be spaced out in the days, so we’ve put together a few recommendations on where to visit. If you’re thinking of arriving by plane or train, we can help you find a rental vehicle, or organise a taxi.
Accomadation and food.
We have traditional local establishments we work with who care for our guests, from the cosy country pub, beautiful village BnB or a higher-end hotel. They usually offer the classic “English breakfast”. We can also arrange your picnic with them if you require. If you bring your own remember to pack enough food and water to hold you over all day..
Don’t hesitate to ask us for the best pubs and restaurants to eat in the evenings.
Costs outside of the day rates :
Accommodation : We have favorable rates with local establishments, enquirer for details.
Shotgun hire/estate rifles available. Novices can be catered for without holding their own UK firearms licences.
Cartridges can be supplied, lead free cartridges are also available, enquirer for details
We accept happily for you to use your own cartridges on the condition they are fibre wads. (We want to avoid throwing plastic wads all over our beautiful countryside).Tips : are certainly traditional, but they remain a gesture based on the experience, we do not like to fix a predetermined sum like other outfits do.
Other costs to bare in mind
Transport (we can organise taxis for short stays and airport runs)
Rental vehicle(s)
Meals and drinks* (we can organize a picnic basket in collaboration with your pub/hotel if required)
Shooting insurance** mandatory. A travel insurance is also advised.
Trophy preparation : available on demand.
** the shooting insurance must be provided as soon as possible before you trip, no outings will be authorized without it.
*For safety reasons we reserve the right to refuse an outing (without a refund) on the bases of clients being intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, it is for everyone’s safety. Drink driving is taken very seriously in the UK, we therefore recommend you ask for or arrange a taxi, or nominate a sober driver if you intend on consuming alcohol in the evenings in our traditional pubs. We will not be held responsible for any alcohol or drug related incidents. Any medical conditions that may be of concern when far from a hospital/medical practitioner must be made absolutely clear when requesting a booking.
