Kneesall Shoot

very relaxed day and good banter all day plenty of birds[more]

A laid back but well managed shoot. Not highly polished but very welcoming and providing an excellent stamp of game bird. In challenging conditions, (bright and still at the start of the day), the guns enjoyed some exceptional pheasants and very good partridge and reared duck. All drives were fairly consistent in terms of numbers, meaning that we did not have to endure any 'bag filler' or 'starvation' drives which are in my opinion often a problem with the paid day. We will be returning. Excellent.[more]

I have shot at Kneesall a number of times and have always found it to be a great day however that perception has now been ruined forever. The 1st drive was a mixed duck and pheasant drive with all guns standing. This accounted for 15 / 16 birds with some very good, high duck and some decent pheasant. The 2nd drive was again all guns standing with the Keeper, 3 beaters (plus the young nephew of one of the guns) tapping two rows of copses down to a cover strip which was driven over the guns. The drive started well with some nice pheasants coming over the guns. I shot 3 of the better birds, my neighbouring gun shot 2 over him. The other guns also accounted for a couple of birds. Towards the latter stages of the drive there were a number of pheasants flying over us that were low, un sporting birds and were left. Suddenly the keeper exploded into a full blown rant, telling us all to "pack our guns, get into our cars and **** off". When I enquired as to the problem he ranted at full, expletive strewn length how we were leaving perfectly presented birds and treating the day like a £500 driven day. The facts were - we were on a 40+ bird day. We had already shot half the bag in less than two drives before 10.30am. There were more than enough decent birds to shoot at. I personally had already shot 8 birds so had to have some consideration for the other guns. Most importantly, I and the other guns, wouldn't shoot a low, driven pheasant if it were a £500, a £1000 or any other day and cannot believe that the Keeper would prefer to shoot low birds that have cost a lot of money to raise rather than leave them for a future day. To be sworn at, repeatedly, in front of the beaters, fellow guns and a young lad for not shooting at birds that I do not believe are sporting birds is an utter disgrace. It is no surprise that we have cancelled the other two days booked at Kneesall and we shall not be returning.[more]

A good well run shoot. Plenty of birds and good flyers, especially the pheasants. Not too much walking to reach ones peg. Lovely countryside and woodlands.[more]

Well never have I been on a shoot quite like it. Near the end of the second drive the man running it Brian let loose with foul and abusive language at first we thought it was at the beaters! No, it was directed at us. The reason was we weren't shooing at the birds. The whole line had some shooting and there were some good ones but we were leaving the low ones and this he did not seem to like. I informed him that I was not there to shoot low sh*t birds to which I was greeted with more abuse. He told us to get in our cars and f-off and that we were taking the piss expecting a driven day for the price of walked up. The whole team of us came prepared and expected to walk. We do not select the drives, that's his job and if he can't get his own pricing right to his own satisfaction then that's not our problem. I've been shooting for 30 years on small farm shoots right up to big bird days and I have to say this was new to me being spoken to like he did and the foul language. If the birds in question were his idea of good presentable birds then he's delusional. That combined with his attitude and foul mouth the man has no place in the shooting world. Disgraceful. It did not bode well anyway when the shoot rang our chap that organised the day in the morning asking if we wanted to go ahead. It was LIGHT rain for god sake! I've shot in far worse conditions and got on fine. When we arrived Brian was talking the whole day down for a kick off. We were on a 50 bird day but again all were happy to shoot less and be selective. Quality not quantity. It's disgusting.[more]