Wayford and Calthorpe shoot

I have shot with Graham many times over the last 10 years & always had a great day.[more]

Great experience and would highly recommend for deer stalking. Location is beautiful.[more]

Have shot here for a few years and enjoy a few days here every year and my last visit of the season to Wayford was a great day. Always a mix of guns and always a few familiar faces. The pre start bacon roll and coffee in the local pub/hotel is the perfect kick off for everyone to say hello and get into the team spirit. Whether you are a single gun or part of a group, it all about 10 guns doing their thing. The keeper is out and about pretty much 24/7 and certainly around the drives on shoot days way before most of us have got up. The beaters and pickers are always ready to go (as can be seen while you’re pulling your wellies on in the car park!). Late January can be tough on most shoots so all braced for a challenging day. However, off we went and all set on the peg for the first drive. The only struggle I had was getting the cobwebs off my gun and wishing I hadn’t gone for a second bacon roll! The birds came, shots rang out and we were away. A similar story for me on the second drive so longing for 11’s to get some relaxing therapy in to up my game. No disappointment there as the Prosecco, Sloe Gin, Port and food was plentiful. All served up by Graham and his team, ensuring no glass was empty and the non glass holding hand was always holding a snack. Mission accomplished and back on the peg for the next drive. Again, plenty of birds including Woodcock. I don’t shoot them but those that do did it admirably. Some challenging birds met with some cracking shots. Always nice to see and reassurance that whatever the bag is going to be at the end of the day, the shot count is going to be respectable. The lunch stop was great way to recognise and compliment some of the good shots witnessed and of course discuss in as much detail as possible all the bad shots. Banter amongst the guns, beaters and pickers was second to none. This is all part of what makes the shoot days great. More drives done we ended the day with a bag of 122 and I think most of the guns would agree that i[more]

We had a good day's shooting but I would highlight: 1) There was a reliance on wild birds to make up the bag. If we had not been shooting woodcock, pigeon and a crow) The bag would have been closer to 70. I don't really mind that personally, but I know some people don't like shooting woodcock, so just bear that in mind. This was over 8 drives so the beaters did have to work hard to get the numbers (which was greatly appreciated). 2) We were told it would be a 125 (+/- 10%) bird day. While I appreciate it is towards the end of the end of the season, it was a little annoying that we were at 86 birds and charged the full amount (including being chased for the balance of payment the Sunday morning the day after the shoot), bearing in mind we had been told that earlier in the season a team had shot the whole bag on one drive and so were allowed to have a 185 bird day. I feel like it might be better for the later days to be advertised as close to 80-100 birds and advertised as such as other reviews seem to suggest later season days fall around that mark. 3) I do appreciate that the shot ratio across the team was just under 5-1 but (at least in my case) that was because I was having a lot of pot shots at difficult pigeons and far away woodcock to get more shooting in, rather than because we were all missing a normal run of pheasants and partridge flying over. By the end of the 4th drive, the bag was only sitting at around 25 and we were lucky we had a much better afternoon. 3) The hosting is excellent. The elevenses were lovely, the bap on arrival with coffee is prompt and hits the spot, lunch in the field is rather pleasing (simple fare but we knew that in advance and it did the job perfectly) and the dinner at the hotel with a pint is great. 4) There are some beautiful drives and it is great to be on a shoot with a nice mix of duck, pheasant and partridge. I do think it offers great shooting but, it might be one for earlier in the season.[more]

Coffee and bacon rolls on arrival in the local pub are nice. Plenty of birds were on offer in front of the guns on all but one drive. I’ve never seen so many woodcocks which presented a fun challenge. Considering we’re at the end of the season, we shot 122 birds, with the expected bag of 125. We all missed a few easy ones. Could have easily done 140 I would suggest. Graham and his team were a pleasure to talk to during elevenses and lunch. Food and drink was plentiful. Throughly enjoyed the hot chicken soup, along with the homemade sausage rolls. Dinner in the pub at the end of the day with a couple pint was just the job. Will definitely be back next season[more]