What is a big bag?

This can be one of the thorniest debates within the shooting world but does it need to be? Some would say: “Absolutely, knowing the answer and getting it right is the very essence of shooting and consistently getting it wrong on a large scale could be catastrophic for the future.” 

On the flip side the argument goes that those who oppose shooting care little about the size of the bag; whether 100 birds or 1,000 birds are shot on one day on one estate is irrelevant to them. One bird would be one too many. It’s not the amount that gets them hot under the collar, it’s the entire concept. 

Is it the right question?

So, is it even a relevant question? Well, yes we rather think it is, but perhaps not necessarily with reference to the two views outlined above. As we all accept each and every team of guns is perfectly entitled to shoot whatever bag size they wish, but whatever they do, they must do so responsibly. 

The largest issue facing shooting at the moment relates to its growth and success and linked with that is of course ensuring there is a sustainable market for all shot game. So we do have a responsibility to ensure the bag shot on the day is appropriate for all the circumstances.

What do you consider to be a big bag?

In the 2018 Game Shooting Census conducted in association with Strutt & Parker we asked this very question. Please note we didn’t ask for judgement on right or wrong, just what is considered to be a ‘big bag’.

We provided five figures from 100 to 500 (in stages of 100) and asked respondents to tick which one, when exceeded, would constitute a ‘big bag’ for them. We could have broken it down further into stages of 50 but the results made very interesting reading and we can always do that next time.

A big response

There were 8,646 respondents, of which 27.2 per cent deemed anything more than 100 to be a big bag. Some readers may be surprised more than one quarter of respondents think 110 would be a big bag, but it stands to reason. 

For many farm and DIY shoots across the nation 150 is not only dreamland but it’s not really something which is even aspired to. A bag of 50 is a good day, and for a walk and stand type shoot a bag of 30 can equate to a tremendous day in the field for all involved. Meanwhile 215 might be every bird on the place, which would be a clear example of over indulgence.

Moral compass does work

The biggest threshold determined by responses to the survey transpired when a further 40.84 per cent of respondents deemed anything more than 200 to be a big bag. With a lot of commercial shoots aiming to sell 200 bird days, this figure probably won’t send shockwaves through the readership. 

But if you add the two together you discover that actually 68.04 per cent of respondents consider anything more than 200 to be a big bag. That’s more than two thirds of the respondents and suggests the moral compass (Ed. Not that we are suggesting anything here) of our sport is not in such dire need or re-calibration as some doom-mongers may suggest.

The 300 plus club

Of the remaining 31.96 per cent of respondents a further 24.16 per cent saw 300 as the next significant staging post in determining a big bag. This was one area where a further sub category of ‘over 250’ may have been interesting, but suffice to say more than 90 per cent of all respondents deem anything more than 300 to be a ‘big bag’.

You might wonder who are the 2.28 per cent (see table below) who think 470 for example is not a big bag. But remember shooting is a broad church and driven days operate on many different levels according to resources.

How 8,646 people responded to ‘What is a big bag?’

Over 100 – 27.2%
Over 200 - 40.84%
Over 300 - 24.16%
Over 400 - 5.52%
Over 500 - 2.28%

The average bag

The Census told us that the average bag shot on days which the respondents had taken part in was 116, which largely correlates with the responses to the ‘big bag’ question. Assuming most of these days feature eight guns, that’s 14 birds per gun which doesn’t sound like a bad day does it? And the old saying ‘A bad day in the field beats a good day in the office every time’ springs to mind here…

Is the big bag debate a red herring?

Can we draw any conclusions from this? Clearly there are far too many variables involved to dictate advisory bag sizes. After all 100 birds on a 200-acre piece of land is considerably different from 100 birds on a 2,000 acre estate.  

But there are recommended stocking and releasing densities issued by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. For instance this august scientific body recommends a density of no more than 300 pheasants per acre in a release pen. 

Destined for dinner?

Beyond that the pressing need to ensure our shot game ends up on the dinner table is at the beating heart of the modern shooting conversation. The British Game Alliance was created last year to address this very issue and we think it’s safe to say at the very least that any one who shoots game should have the final destination of that bird as a primary concern. 

So maybe the actual number of birds shot on the day is not the real barometer here. More important is the way the estate is run and the assurance that all the birds shot are destined for the dinner table?

Do you feel strongly about this issue? Do you think it’s the wrong question or do you believe there is something wrong with ‘big bags’? Let us know by leaving a comment below.