Is the host the most important aspect of a shoot day?

According to the Game Shooting Census in conjunction with Strutt & Parker, 8 out of 9 guns go shooting to have fun with their friends, with the quality / volume of birds and the hospitality taking a supporting role. What most guns look for in a day’s shooting then is a shoot that enables and encourages fun!

It may not be the first thing that springs to mind but, we believe the host, as in the shoot owner or manager, is the single most important factor affecting this. The host is responsible for managing the day to maximise your time spent with friends in the field. Everything from the initial welcome to the amount of time spent between drives is important and whilst each aspect alone can’t make a day, if done wrong, it can certainly put a sour taste in your mouth which in turn impacts the overall enjoyment.

I spend a few days a month visiting shoots across the country to get a feel for the estates we advertise; whilst shoot owners are keen to show me their signature drives and shoot rooms, I am much more interested in getting to know them as I feel it tells me a lot more about a shoot than the topography alone.

I visited Grimsthorpe Castle the other day to have a look round the shoot. Al, the new shoot tenant, very kindly suggested I come along earlier that morning to have a stalk – a great way to see an estate. He’s someone who really understands his role on the shoot as being to create a fun day with lasting memories. The estate itself is beautiful, with Capability Brown views and vast blocks of ancient semi-natural woodland producing some great looking drives, but the real draw, I expect, for future teams returning, will be the enjoyment of the whole day, created by Al himself.

Having shot a lovely muntjac buck early on crossing a woodland ride, we started to walk less cautiously, chatting as we went, enjoying the beautiful May morning and occasionally stalking into out of season fallow to see how close we could get. Being a father of two, he spoke passionately about spending time with family, and how running this new shoot has been a great way to get out in the field with his 7-year-old son. It is this which has led him to want to try something new at Grimsthorpe; a family syndicate.

The syndicate will shoot a handful of days through the season with the pure aim being to create a completely relaxed environment to have fun with your children and introduce them to shooting. Al has been a member of several syndicates in his life, shooting all over the country, and without doubt the most enjoyable days shooting have been with his whole family, with the host making extra efforts to make the children feel welcome. For Al with his new family syndicate this will range from child friendly elevenses, to instructors on hand for any old enough to have a shot or two on their parents’ peg.

Another brilliant example is Frank Boddy at Ripley Sporting. Understanding that not everyone wants shoot lunches in the smartest looking lodges, he offers 'no frills' days where a lighter picnic lunch is taken outside. Personally, this is more to my liking - particuarly for a September or October day, but I understand that many others value 5 star dining as well. Again, it's all about communication with your host, who's job it is to set the tone for the day.

Probably the most obvious example comes from one of the highest sought after shoots in the country; Stockton Estate in Wiltshire. Barney Stratton, the owner and great friend of GunsOnPegs is the first to play down the height of the birds at Stockton (they're plenty good enough for most!). Why then is the shoot sold out year after year? The answer: Barney. Some people have the knack of entertaining and Barney has certainly got that. He says he always has a handful of ideas up his sleeve to turn a day around should a team not look like they're having a good time.

It’s exciting to see hosts trying different things to help build a fun environment. There are all too many shoots out there though, with hosts who have (to put it bluntly) lost their passion. The shooting might be high quality, and the food tasty, but without that spark from the host, days will never be as fun.

On the other side of things, almost every single one of the negative shoot reviews on GunsOnPegs are something to do with the host themselves. Reviews are nearly always personal. Even when things go wrong - which they will at some point, a good host can leave you with a smile on your face and some understanding rather than a sense of regret and of being ripped off.

So, when booking shooting for this season, might I suggest placing more importance on the host themselves? Have a chat over the phone – do you share similar views on what makes a shoot day enjoyable? Does he or she have time for you, or does it feel like you’re keeping them from something more important? It’s self-explanatory really, but the very best hosts will be completely flexible, happy to accommodate you and your team’s nuanced requirements and most importantly, passionate about the countryside.

I hope these tips helps you find some new shoots this year and make great memories in the field with friends, after all our objective is to help you ‘plan the best days of your life’!