It is an offence (except in certain circumstances) to possess a shotgun without a current shotgun certificate or temporary police permit.

It is an offence to give or sell a shotgun to someone who is not authorised to possess it – usually by virtue of a shotgun certificate.

When acquiring a shotgun, you must inform the police force who issued your certificate by recorded delivery within seven days of the transfer. If you give or sell a shotgun to anyone, (or lend a gun for more than 72 hours) you must enter it on the other person’s certificate and also notify the police force who issued your own certificate by recorded delivery within seven days.

It is an offence to sell or offer for sale a shotgun which is out of proof.

One certificate holder may borrow a shotgun from another
for 72 hours or less without notifying the police, or entering the details onto the borrower’s certificate.

In most cases it is an offence to sell cartridges to someone without seeing their shotgun certificate.

You are responsible for the security of any shotguns in your possession at all times.

When not in use, shotguns must be stored securely, in order to prevent – so far as is reasonably practicable – access by unauthorised persons.

When in use, reasonable precautions must be taken for their security.

It is an offence to sell or hire a shotgun to someone under 17 years of age.

It is an offence for a person under the age of 15 to have with him, or her, an assembled shotgun except while under the supervision of a person of 21 or more, or while the shotgun is so covered with a securely fastened gun cover that it cannot be fired.

It is an offence to be in possession of a loaded shotgun in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

It is an offence to shoot game without a game licence. It is also an offence to shoot game on Sundays and Christmas Day. In certain counties it is an offence to shoot wildfowl on Sundays. This applies to England and Wales; legislation is somewhat different in Scotland. Always check if you are unsure – never guess at what the law requires.

All birds and many animals are protected. There is an ‘open’ season for quarry species and it is an offence to kill or attempt to kill them at other times. Certain pest birds may be shot by authorised persons at any time under an Open General Licence issued annually by DEFRA. This is, as it says, ‘open’ and ‘general’; individuals do not need to carry or even hold a copy of the licence.

In Britain we are rightly proud of our shooting sports. Game management and conservation shapes and enhances our landscape. Wildlife thrives where land is managed for shooting. Over a million people are involved in shooting; many more enjoy the end product as consumers of pheasants, partridges and other game. Moreover, shooting makes a substantial contribution to the rural economy - often at times and in places where other income is scarce.

We must never be complacent about the future of shooting. Our sport is under constant and detailed scrutiny and we must demonstrate that we develop and promote it appropriately and conduct it to high standards. The Code of Good Shooting Practice brings together those standards and makes them easily available to all who participate. It embodies fundamental respect for the quarry species, and care for the environment.

The Code requires that shoot managers, Guns, gamekeepers and their employees deliver sustainable shooting, paying attention to management of habitat and avoiding nuisance to others. All who shoot or are involved in shooting in any way have a duty to abide by and remind others of the provisions of the Code. The Code is covered in 10 sections in the following pages.

The sponsoring organisations expect all shooting in the UK to be provided and conducted according to the letter and spirit of the Code. Observance of the Code will be a major contribution to the enjoyment of the sport and to the future of shooting. Breaches of the Code may lead to expulsion of those responsible from participating organisations.

The following Five Golden Rules apply: -

• The safe conduct of shooting must show respect for the countryside and consideration for others.
• Shoot managers must endeavour to deliver enhancement of wildlife conservation, habitat and the countryside.
• Reared gamebirds should be released before the start of their shooting seasons.
• Respect for quarry is paramount. It is fundamental to mark and retrieve all birds. Shot game is food and must be treated as such.
• Game management and shooting must at all times be conducted within the law and the principles of this Code of Practice.

1. Shooting Behaviour

Shooting and shoot management practices will be judged by the way participants and providers behave. All those who are involved in shooting must act as good ambassadors for the sport. You can help to protect the future of shooting by complying with this Code and encourage those who shoot to do the same. Always seek to help and support the relevant associations that promote your sport.

The way in which those involved in shooting conduct themselves is enshrined in the following:

• Safety, observance of the law and good manners
• Respect for quarry
• Seeking to help and support the relevant associations that represent and promote your sport

2. Responsible shooting

Shooting must take account of the wider concerns of the public, and maintain the highest standards.

• Shoot managers and Guns should take account of wider concerns about the size of bags and frequency of shooting. Proper attention to the advice in this Code will ensure that the required delivery of environmental benefits and consideration for others will limit excessive shooting.
• The shoot manager should, before a shoot, inform Guns of the intended quarry species and relevant lead shot regulations and make a note of the same.
• Shoot managers must encourage Guns to shoot within their ability to kill cleanly and consistently and must aim to ensure that birds are presented within the capability of those Guns.
• Guns must ensure they are capable of and practice shooting in ways and at ranges that take account of the need to minimise unretrieved birds.
• Inexperienced Guns must be accompanied and supervised by a suitably experienced person.
• Guns must be competent at estimating ranges and be aware of the limitations of their equipment and themselves. Guidance on appropriate gun/cartridge/choke combinations is available from the organisations supporting the Code.
• Guns must be able to recognise legitimate quarry and be fully conversant with protective legislation.
• In order to avoid lead shot contamination of wetlands important for feeding waterfowl, non-toxic shot should be used for game and pest shooting over such wetlands.
• Improving personal shooting skills should be achieved through practice on clay targets.

Retrieval and Handling of Game

• Shoot managers should ensure that adequate provision is made to retrieve all game shot as quickly as possible. Dogs are essential and all shoots must have adequate coverage.
• Guns must mark the fall of shot game and assist in retrieval.
• Guns and pickers-up should ensure that they know how and are suitably equipped to despatch wounded quarry.

Cessation of Shooting

• A day's game shooting should finish early enough to allow time for pickers-up to complete their task before birds start to go to roost.
• Shooting should be cancelled if adverse weather conditions mean that birds cannot be presented in a safe and appropriate sporting manner, or shot and retrieved safely.

3. Consideration for others

Shooting takes place in a countryside shared by many others. Shoot managers and Guns must ensure that their activities take account of others' interests, and due care and courtesy is a guiding principle. In particular:

• All involved in shooting must have regard for others and their safety at all times.
• The frequency of shooting must not give rise to unreasonable nuisance to others.
• Shoot managers must have obtained permission before entering neighbouring property especially during a shoot.
• Bird numbers should be controlled to avoid damage to neighbouring crops and gardens.
• Avoid birds falling on to public places or neighbouring property.
• Spent shot must not be allowed to fall on to public places or property[j1].
• Cartridges with degradable wads should be used wherever possible and all cartridge cases and other litter must be removed after each shoot.
• Cover crops should enhance the habitat and be sympathetically sited.

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.
• In particular, care should be taken when siting Guns near public highways. 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 having vehicular rights without lawful authority or excuse, if as a result a user of the highway is injured, interrupted or endangered.
• The Highways Act does not apply in Scotland but Procurators Fiscal may use common law offences of 'culpable and reckless conduct' and 'reckless endangerment' in situations in which the 1980 Act would be contravened in England and Wales.
• To shoot across a footpath or bridleway may constitute a public nuisance or wilful obstruction. There may also be a liability in negligence if it is known that people are on, or likely to be on, the path.
• Information signs, if appropriate, should be erected on shoot days on footpaths or bridleways.
• The siting of release pens near highways should be avoided. Game managers should collect and dispose of road casualties where possible.
• Shoot managers must not position Guns in such a way that spent shot or birds might fall onto the road.

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 the sound of falling shot can all cause a horse to bolt.
• Where possible shoot organisers should liase with local riders or yards, informing them when shoots are taking place.
• It may be appropriate for shooting or beating to pause to allow horses or other rights of way users to pass.
• All Guns should be made aware of bridleways and other rights of way as well as any fields in which horses are kept. Drives should be organised with this in mind.

4. Game is Food

Game shooting produces a free range, low fat and tasty meat, which all those involved should take steps to promote. Advice on game marketing is available from the Code supporting organisations. Shoot managers must ensure they have in place appropriate marketing arrangements for the anticipated bag in advance of shoot days.

• Shoot managers should aim to produce fully mature healthy and marketable game. Red leg partridges should be at least 15-16 weeks old before shooting to ensure this.
• Game must be regarded as food and should be treated as such from the moment it is shot until it reaches the table.
• Suitable arrangements should be made for the collection, transport and storage of game.
• All freshly killed game must be handled in a way that avoids bruising and allows body heat to disperse as quickly as possible.
• All game must be transported to a suitable game larder at the earliest convenience and within the limits set by the Regulation in force. The larder should be capable of storing game at no more than +7C for deer carcasses and no more than + 4C for small wild game.
• Shoot managers should always offer Guns a brace of birds which Guns should accept. The practice of making oven ready birds available is to be encouraged where practicable.
• All remaining game should be distributed as soon as possible, unless arrangements have been made for storage in accordance with the regulations.