Shooting
Commercial shooting in the National Park is available on privately owned land and consists of seasonal grouse and pheasant shooting, with small volumes of partridge and duck shooting also available. Shooting of any kind may not take place without permission of the landowner.
In England it is illegal to shoot all other species of bird except those officially licensed or classed as vermin, and then only with the agreement of the landowner.
The Code of Good Shooting Practice offers the following guidance regarding public rights of way and highways in England and Wales:
The public highway
- Shoot managers and Guns must ensure that shooting does not obstruct, cause danger or alarm to users of the public highway, including roads, bridleways, footpaths and other rights of way.
- Guns should note that to shoot across any form of public right of way, e.g. a footpath or bridleway that is in use by walkers or riders may constitute a public nuisance (a criminal offence) or wilful obstruction. There may also be a liability in negligence if it is known that people are on, or likely to be on, such a right of way.
- In particular, care should be taken when siting Guns near carriageways including roads. Section 161 of the Highways Act 1980 (England & Wales) makes it an offence to discharge a firearm within 50 ft of the centre of a highway with vehicular rights without lawful authority or excuse, if as a result a user of the highway is injured, interrupted or endangered.
- Information signs, if appropriate, should be erected on shoot days on footpaths or bridleways.
- The siting of release pens and feeding of game near highways should be avoided. Game managers should collect and dispose of road casualties where possible.
Horses and walkers
- Shoot managers and Guns must have special regard to the safety of riders and their horses. Noise from gunfire, beaters working in cover adjacent to bridleways or falling shot can alarm horses and endanger riders.
- Shoot organisers should liaise with local riders or yards, informing them when shoots are taking place.
- Shooting or beating should be paused to allow horses or other rights of way users to pass.
- All Guns should be made aware of bridleways and other rights of way and of any land to which the public have access by right or by permission, as well as any fields in which horses are kept. Drives should be organised with this in mind
Shooting season
Dates are as follows:
Grouse: 12 August - 10 December
Partridge: 1 September - 1 February
Pheasant: 1 October - 1 February
Duck: 1 September - 31 January (20 February on the coast)
Enquiries
Please direct any enquiries to the Senior Ranger for your area of the National Park:
Naomi Green (North Area): n.green@northyorkmoors.org.uk
Ben Jackson (South Area): b.jackson@northyorkmoors.org
