UK Hunting Seasons Calendar: Open & Close Dates
Planning your shooting year? Below are the legal open seasons for game birds, wildfowl, waders, hares and deer across the UK. All dates are inclusive. Seasons differ between England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so always check the rules for the country where you shoot.
The shooting year at a glance
The game shooting season runs from 12 August to 20 February. The "Glorious Twelfth" (12 August) opens red grouse and snipe. Partridge and duck follow on 1 September, pheasant on 1 October. Most game bird seasons close on 1 February; only wildfowl below the high-water mark stay open until 20 February.
Deer stalking runs all year round, because the seasons for different species and sexes overlap.
Game birds
| Species | Open season | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red grouse | 12 Aug – 10 Dec | |
| Black grouse | 20 Aug – 10 Dec | Most estates voluntarily do not shoot black grouse |
| Ptarmigan | 12 Aug – 10 Dec | Scotland only |
| Grey & red-legged partridge | 1 Sep – 1 Feb | |
| Pheasant | 1 Oct – 1 Feb |
In England and Wales, game birds may not be shot on Sundays or Christmas Day (Game Act 1831). Scotland has no such statutory ban, but Sunday game shooting is traditionally avoided.
Wildfowl and waders
| Species | Open season | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Duck & geese (inland) | 1 Sep – 31 Jan | |
| Duck & geese (below high-water mark) | 1 Sep – 20 Feb | Foreshore only |
| Common snipe | 12 Aug – 31 Jan | |
| Woodcock (England & Wales) | 1 Oct – 31 Jan | |
| Woodcock (Scotland) | 1 Sep – 31 Jan | |
| Golden plover | 1 Sep – 31 Jan |
In Scotland, wildfowl may not be shot on Sundays or Christmas Day. In England and Wales, some counties also prohibit Sunday wildfowling.
Hares
| Species | Open season |
|---|---|
| Brown hare (England & Wales) | No statutory close season (sale restricted March–July) |
| Brown hare (Scotland) | 1 Oct – 31 Jan |
| Mountain hare (Scotland) | Protected since March 2021, licence only |
Deer: England & Wales
| Species | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Red deer | 1 Aug – 30 Apr | 1 Nov – 31 Mar |
| Sika deer | 1 Aug – 30 Apr | 1 Nov – 31 Mar |
| Fallow deer | 1 Aug – 30 Apr | 1 Nov – 31 Mar |
| Roe deer | 1 Apr – 31 Oct | 1 Nov – 31 Mar |
| Chinese water deer | 1 Nov – 31 Mar | 1 Nov – 31 Mar |
| Muntjac | No close season | No close season |
Because muntjac breed all year round, best practice is to shoot immature or obviously non-pregnant does to avoid orphaning dependent young.
Deer: Scotland
Since 21 October 2023, Scotland has no close season for male deer of any species. Female seasons are unchanged:
| Species | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Red deer | All year | 21 Oct – 15 Feb |
| Sika deer | All year | 21 Oct – 15 Feb |
| Fallow deer | All year | 21 Oct – 15 Feb |
| Roe deer | All year | 21 Oct – 31 Mar |
Shooting females outside these dates requires an authorisation from NatureScot.
Deer: Northern Ireland
Red, sika and fallow stags/bucks: 1 Aug – 30 Apr. Hinds/does: 1 Nov – 31 Mar. Northern Ireland has no wild roe deer population.
Month-by-month calendar
| Month | What is open |
|---|---|
| January | Pheasant, partridge, grouse closed; wildfowl, woodcock, snipe until 31 Jan; female deer |
| February | Pheasant & partridge until 1 Feb; foreshore wildfowl until 20 Feb; female deer |
| March | Female deer until 31 Mar; male red, sika & fallow |
| April | Roe bucks open 1 Apr; male red, sika & fallow until 30 Apr |
| May – July | Roe bucks, muntjac (and all male deer in Scotland) |
| August | Grouse & snipe from 12 Aug; black grouse from 20 Aug; red, sika & fallow stags/bucks from 1 Aug |
| September | Partridge, duck & geese; woodcock in Scotland |
| October | Pheasant; woodcock in England & Wales; female deer in Scotland from 21 Oct |
| November | Female deer in England, Wales & NI from 1 Nov |
| December | Grouse closes 10 Dec; everything else open |
Why seasons matter
Close seasons protect animals during breeding and while dependent young are still with their mothers. Shooting game or deer out of season is an offence under the Game Act 1831, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Deer Act 1991 and the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.
Legislation changes, so check current rules with BASC, the British Deer Society or NatureScot before you go out. Looking for a place to shoot? Browse hunting trips in the UK or read which animals you can hunt in the UK.
Photo: Phasianus colchicus, Didier Descouens, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
