I hope by now that blog readers are aware of Defra’s Call for Evidence on gamebird rearing, releasing and shooting.
The Call for Evidence was launched in September 2026, and closes on 1st November 2026. Its purpose is to collect evidence (rather than opinions) on the impacts of the gamebird shooting industry, to help inform future Government policy.
It covers the rearing, release and shooting of ~60 million Pheasants, Red-legged Partridges and Mallards, as well as the ‘management’ associated with Red Grouse shooting, and anyone can respond.
Lots of conservation organisations will be making formal submissions, based on scientific evidence, but it’s equally important that individuals respond with their personal experiences too.
Wild Justice has published a blog that explains what the Call for Evidence is about, what sort of evidence might be useful, and why it’s important to respond.
The Pheasant-shooting season opened yesterday, a month after the Red-legged Partridge shooting season opened on 1st September and seven weeks after the Red Grouse shooting season opened on 12 August.
So this weekend, whilst the shooters are out casually and mindlessly killing and wounding thousands of sentient birds for no reason other than their own entertainment, it’d be great if you could find some time to sit down and write to Defra about your own experience, evidence or information (see the Wild Justice blog for ideas of the types of experience that will be useful).
Thank you.
it will be another waste of time more birds of prey culled how does DEFRA going to get a truly picture hmm
Apathy isn’t going to help change things, jeff3.
It’s not a waste of time to submit your evidence, your experience, your views. It’s an opportunity. Will it be an overnight miracle cure for all of the ills of the shooting industry – of course not. But it is the beginning of something – or rather the first fruiting – of a tree that had a hard time growing and a lot of money and power trying (still) to kill it off.
Just read back in a few archives on this blog and remember the context – and surely you can motivate yourself to spend a mere hour or so submitting a contribution on some wet night in October.
A ‘staying away’ stance has zero effect but doing something might just have a little effect, and lots of little effects might just add up to a big effect. At least it – i.e. taking action, rather than in-action – is purposeful and good for morale. Sit it out and you have doing nothing but actually help the situation stay exactly as it is = the gamefarms & shooting organisations, etc will love you and the well connected shithouse land & sporting agents won’t even break step – and will carry on making their money and further deepening their ecological legacy over millions of acres of the UK.
i hope you are right but me IV seen to many times the birds reported dead tag birds just shot or poisoned those responsible just get away with it sorry in my life time I’m never going to see an end to it
I agree, situation won’t be in the right place when I pop my clogs either. The causes are deeply and historically embedded. But is and it will be better and getting better, and you will have the satisfaction at least of knowing you spoke up with the truth and pushed the right way while you were alive. đź‘Ť
I’ve started to respond to this call for evidence – but with 35 very detailed questions I really need some more info, evidence, links and guidance (like we had for the ‘trail hunting’ consultation). Vastly more animals are negatively impacted / killed by commercial shooting than by fox or stag hunting, so it’s important that DEFRA receive responses from as many people as possible, Please, RPUK, can you help?
Hi Susanna,
Thanks for your message. I think it’s important to reiterate that this is NOT a consultation where opinions are sought; it is a Call for Evidence, which is quite different. Defra is looking for your personal experience/evidence (the scientific evidence will be submitted by the main organisations). It’s your personal experience/evidence that’s needed. Depending on the evidence received, it’s expected that Defra will suggest proposals for reforming the gamebird shooting industry and those proposals will be subject to a public consultation in due course.
My horse was badly injured today up Harrington Airfield a dozen game birds came out the grass by the runway Bridleway and made him jump and slipped on the gravel He went down on his knees taking all the skin off and a stone has dug in his knee had to call vet ..
A few years ago a load of pheasants flew up from the Bridleway and hit horses tummy, I ended up in the ditch, injured back, hospital and physio for a year
Also pheasant smashed our headlight on the car
There are hundreds on our Bridleway up Harrington Airfield and also surrounding Kelmarsh and Draughton Northamptonshire..
Habitat displacement brings problems indeed.