Where To Shoot Pigeons

South East

Sussex offers up the Morghew Shoot, where Tom Lewis offers DIY days on the pigeon: “With us it is truly DIY – we don’t provide any decoys or hides, and Guns are very much left to their own devices.” For many, this is exactly what a pigeon day is all about: doing a bit of reconnaissance, picking your spot, building your hide and laying your decoy pattern. As Tom says, “We have Guns who take it very seriously, don’t answer their mobiles and, given the right circumstances, can get three figures, but we also have people who just want to be out on their own and are delighted with a few dozen birds.” 

Tom greets Guns in the morning, gives them a cup of tea or coffee, checks insurance and then offers them maps and a tour of the estate, and then, he says, “It really is up to them, though of course if we know there are good numbers somewhere we’ll point them in the right direction.” Decoying or roost shooting or a combination of the two will set you back £60 plus VAT, and you get to keep all the birds you shoot, unless you’d rather not, in which case Tom will deal with them. Pigeon shooting is available between the end of January and the beginning of October at Morghew, as there is a driven shoot on the estate. 

Visit The Morghew Shoot for more information.

East Anglia

Nick Elsdon’s of Anglia Sporting busiest months are February, March and April, and he says, “We’re also incredibly busy at harvest time, in July, August and September. There’s a huge variety of crops grown in East Anglia, so we could be shooting over oil seed rape, barley, peas, beans or wheat, or the stubbles of those crops. It’s a fantastic area for pigeon shooting, with good flight lines and we can and do get some red letter days.” Nick and his team will set up the Guns in hides, and move birds from other fields, so while there are no guarantees, this does make it more likely that you’ll get a decent bag. There are myriad options in terms of pricing: a completely DIY day, where the Gun brings his own hide, decoys, rotaries and so on costs £105, while a day that is fully equipped by Nick costs £165 per Gun, on the basis of four or more people shooting. For a single Gun, such a day costs £185. Also available is one on one tuition in the hide, which will cost an additional £75 and must be arranged well in advance. 

Visit Anglia Sporting for more information.

Home Counties and around London

If you’re based in London, the most convenient will certainly be going for a day with Phil Beasley. “This year should be interesting,” says Phil, who has so much ground it would take two weeks of driving to cover the entire area, “As there’s been so much black grass, we’ll have a lot of spring drillings. We should see some great bags.” Phil’s shooting stretches over Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Wiltshire, all of which have spring rape, beans, barley, wheat and oil seed rape to name but a few, so there is rarely a time of the year when he can’t provide a day on the pigeon. Whether it is a DIY day that you’re after, or a fully kitted-out day, both are possible. Phil’s prices vary according to the time of year and the expected bag. 

For more information, visit Hunting UK.

Midlands – a flightpath for pigeon    

Being in the middle of the country is a huge bonus as a pigeon shooter, says Matt Cole, who has 200,000 acres of shooting in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Warwickshire, “The pigeon pass over us whether they are heading north, south, east or west, so we’re rarely without a good number. Lincolnshire and Leicestershire are famous for their rich soil, ensuring a high number of crops at any time of year, and, in Lincolnshire’s case, a vast number of vegetables are grown. Anyone who has tried to grow their own cabbage or broccoli will know how much pigeon are tempted by these, so imagine what it is like with thousands of acres of brassicas. Matt has three options: DIY, which costs £50 a day, roll-up and shoot, for which he will provide all the kit, at £80 a day and Guided, which will include all the kit and instruction in the hide at £150 a day – for all options, Matt will have done the reconnaissance. 

For more information click here.