Which 'shooting type' are you? The results are in...

The Young Gun is mid 30s, works in a higher management role, and lives outside London. Young Guns shoot around 9 days a year, a bit below the average, and buy around 4 days, again a bit below the average. The average spend for this group is around £2,644, down slightly from last year. 94% of this group are users of social media, with YouTube and Facebook the most popular platforms.

 

Young Guns are the least likely to belong to a syndicate, but they are the group for whom shooting is the least replaceable as a pastime.

 

Nearly 80% use of Young Guns use an over and under, most likely a Beretta or a Browning. Young Guns are pretty opposed to the use of plastic wads, and prefer Gamebore Black Gold cartridges above any other, with Dark Storm and Clear Pigeon in second and third place respectively - the youngsters clearly enjoy a bit of pigeon shooting.

 

They are also among the most optimistic about the consumption of game, are the second most willing to pay a levy to ensure the ethical use of shot game, and on average, members of this group eat game 38 times a year, more than the average of all those that shoot. They also eat the most game in relation to the number of days shot: 4.2 game meals per day shooting.

However they are also the most likely to say that more needs to be done to market game and improve the image of game. They are the group that places the least value on bag sizes, with only 14% saying that a restriction on bag sizes would reduce the amount that they shoot or their enjoyment of a day.

 

Young Guns are also among the most likely group to be engaged in conservation work and are the among the strongest supporters of assurance schemes like the BGA, with 80% voicing their support. 78% of them say that their decision to purchase shooting would be influenced by a shoot having a clear conservation policy.

The City Boy is in his 50s, lives in London and works in a higher management role. He shoots around 10 days each year and buys around six, and will spend around £7000 this season on shooting. He most likely uses an over and under, with Miroku being the most popular brand. Those who do use a side by side prefer an AYA. City Boys tend to use Hull or Gamebore, cartridges, and are overwhelmingly opposed to the use of plastic wads when game shooting.

Compared to the Young Guns, City Boys are far less likely to use social media, but are more likely to belong to a syndicate. However, for this group, shooting is a somewhat replaceable pastime, with only 61% saying it is irreplaceable for them, the lowest across the whole study.

 

The City Boy likes to swap skyscapers for skyscrapers

 

The City Boy is most likely to want a shoot to belong to an assurance scheme, and among the most likely to be influenced by a shoot having a conservation policy, despite being the least likely to be actively engaged in conservation himself. They are also the most likely to be willing to pay a 50p levy to support the distribution of game. However, City Boys only eat game an average of 26 times a year, and among the lowest per day shot: 2.8.

 

In his 70s, The Veteran lives in a village and works in higher management. He shoots 12 days a year, buying 8 of them. The average spend for this group is in the region of £6,000. Only 50% of this group are users of social media. Among this group there’s a more even split between over and under and side by side guns, 62% to 37%. The most popular brands are Beretta, Browning and AYA. More Veterans use traditional side-by-sides than any other group - are side-by-sides becoming an anachronism? Veterans are also opposed to the use of plastic wads, and are less loyal to cartridge brands, though Hull do come out on top.

 

Like the City Boy, shooting is relatively replaceable for The Veterans, despite shooting more than the list average and more than most other groups.

 

 

Less than half the Veterans are actively involved in conservation, but nonetheless 73% of them say that they would like to see a shoot’s conservation policy, and 77% would like to see shoots belong to an assurance scheme. However, they are least keen on paying a levy to help with game distribution, with only 62% supporting such a measure.

 

70% of Veterans feel that there is an oversupply of game, and are most likely to blame this on big bag sizes. This group eat the least game per day shot of the whole list - 2.2 meals per day shot.

The Big Spenders are on average in their 60s, and live outside London. They shoot 30 or more times a year, and buy most of their shooting, spending north of £30,000 a year. Only 55% of them are on social media, but 84% belong to a syndicate, the highest proportion of any group. This group also reports one of the highest wellbeing ratings of any group - and average of 4.47 out of 5. Does this mean that shooting more makes you happy?

 

70% of Big Spenders use an over and under, and Beretta is the most popular, with 27% choosing to use one. Gamebore is the cartridge of choice among this group, with Black Gold the runaway favourite product, chosen by 71% of big spenders.

 

 

Of all groups, the Big Spenders are least likely to be influenced in the purchasing decisions by a shoot’s membership of an assurance scheme or its having a conservation policy. However, an above-average proportion would be happy to pay a 50p levy to ensure that shot game makes it into the food chain. They are also the most likely to say that a reduction in bag sizes would negatively impact their enjoyment of shooting, or that they would shoot less. Only 50% are actively involved in conservation.

 

 

They also eat the second most game meals per year of all groups, but with the lowest game meals-to-days shot ratio of any group: 1.7.

In their 40s and living outside London, Carnivores shoot about half as much as Big Spenders - 17 times a year. However they spend 1/6th as much, around £5,000, buying around 6 days a year. For this group, shooting is a way of life, with 90% describing it as irreplaceable. They have the highest well-being rating - 4.58 out of 5. Again, the probability is that they use an over and under, most likely a Beretta. Gamebore’s Black Gold and Dark Storm are popular, but Pigeon Extreme and Clear Pigeon put in a good showing as well. What proportion of those game meals are pigeon?

 

 

Carnivores are the most optimistic about the consumption of game, perhaps not surprising given that they eat game an average of 156 times a year, or 3 times a week. This works out at an average of 9.2 game meals per day shot.

 

This group are the most engaged in conservation, with 77% taking part in conservation activities, and 81% saying that a shoot’s conservation policy would be a factor in their decision to purchase shooting there.