What truly defines driven shooting from other types of game bird shooting is the finest quality and presentation of pheasants and partridge, while maintaining the highest standards of sportsmanship and etiquette. This includes quality of environment for the birds as well as their flying qualities on the day.
Birds are released many weeks before the beginning of the shooting season. This enables them to acclimatize and more importantly to orientate them in their surroundings. A professional gamekeeper's job is to ensure the health and welfare of the birds and to encourage them to remain in the shooting area. This is not accomplished by pens or fences but by good animal husbandry, habitat and environmental enhancement on the ranch or estate.
Birds are traditionally "driven" over a waiting gun line. Tradition has always been 8 guns/team. These guns wait patiently in a predetermined place, usually spaced between 20 to 50 yds apart depending on the particular drive.
The Gamekeeper and his team of beaters drive the
birds by tapping sticks and using flags to encourage the now "wild" birds towards a flushing
point
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someway short of the guns. This space enables the birds to gain height and speed before they fly over the facing gun
line. The shooters/guns now have the birds flying over their heads in front of them. This presents a very different target than the traditional
"American Walk Up".
With numerous birds in the air at once, a member is expected to shoot only the best birds suited to their personal ability. With this combination of beating and shooting, a client gets a unparalleled sporting experience.
Etiquette is a critical part of the driven shooting tradition. This includes the use of traditional break barrel guns in this classic style of shooting, traditional English dress and the highest level of sportsmans like conduct, towards the game and fellow shooters.
Tradtional driven pheasant and partridge shooting is an unique experience for every
sportman!
