The statutory open seasons for game birds, wildfowl and deer in England, from the Game Act 1831, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Deer Act 1991. Every row links to the legislation it was read from, last checked 2026-10-17.
An open season is not permission: shooting always needs the landowner's permission.
Open in England today: Pheasant – All, Partridge – Grey and red-legged, Red grouse – All, Black grouse – All, Woodcock – All, Duck and geese – Inland, Duck and geese – Below high-water mark, Common snipe – All, Golden plover – All, Coot and moorhen – All, Red deer – Stags, Sika deer – Stags, Fallow deer – Bucks, Roe deer – Bucks, Muntjac – All. Opening soon: Red deer – Hinds, Sika deer – Hinds, Fallow deer – Does, Roe deer – Does, Chinese water deer – Bucks and does.
Status is worked out from the statutory dates each day. Always confirm on the official agency page before you go out.
| Species | Area | Dates | Bag | Status | Hours | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pheasant – All Game may not be killed or taken on a Sunday or on Christmas Day (Game Act 1831, s. 3). | Nationwide | 1 Oct 2026 – 1 Feb 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Game Act 1831, s. 3 (close seasons; Sundays and Christmas Day) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Partridge – Grey and red-legged Game may not be killed or taken on a Sunday or on Christmas Day (Game Act 1831, s. 3). | Nationwide | 1 Sep 2026 – 1 Feb 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Game Act 1831, s. 3 (close seasons; Sundays and Christmas Day) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Red grouse – All Game may not be killed or taken on a Sunday or on Christmas Day (Game Act 1831, s. 3). | Nationwide | 12 Aug – 10 Dec 2026 | — | Open now | — | Source: Game Act 1831, s. 3 (close seasons; Sundays and Christmas Day) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Black grouse – All Game may not be killed or taken on a Sunday or on Christmas Day (Game Act 1831, s. 3). In Somerset, Devon and the New Forest the season opens on 1 September. | Nationwide | 20 Aug – 10 Dec 2026 | — | Open now | — | Source: Game Act 1831, s. 3 (close seasons; Sundays and Christmas Day) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Black grouse – All Game may not be killed or taken on a Sunday or on Christmas Day (Game Act 1831, s. 3). | Somerset, Devon and the New Forest | 1 Sep – 10 Dec 2026 | — | Open now | — | Source: Game Act 1831, s. 3 (close seasons; Sundays and Christmas Day) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Woodcock – All | Nationwide | 1 Oct 2026 – 31 Jan 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, s. 2 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Duck and geese – Inland Quarry species: Mallard, teal, wigeon, gadwall, pintail, pochard, shoveler, tufted duck, goldeneye; Canada, greylag and pink-footed geese; white-fronted goose except the Greenland race (Sch. 2 Part I). Sunday shooting of these birds can be banned by order in specified areas of England and Wales (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, s. 2(3)). Check locally. | Nationwide | 1 Sep 2026 – 31 Jan 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, s. 2 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Duck and geese – Below high-water mark In or over any area below high-water mark of ordinary spring tides. Same quarry species as inland. Sunday shooting of these birds can be banned by order in specified areas of England and Wales (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, s. 2(3)). Check locally. | Nationwide | 1 Sep 2026 – 20 Feb 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, s. 2 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Common snipe – All Common snipe only; jack snipe is not on Sch. 2 Part I. | Nationwide | 12 Aug 2026 – 31 Jan 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, s. 2 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Golden plover – All | Nationwide | 1 Sep 2026 – 31 Jan 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, s. 2 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Coot and moorhen – All | Nationwide | 1 Sep 2026 – 31 Jan 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, s. 2 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Red deer – Stags | Nationwide | 1 Aug 2026 – 30 Apr 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Red deer – Hinds | Nationwide | 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | — | Opens soon | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Sika deer – Stags Red/sika hybrids have the same seasons. | Nationwide | 1 Aug 2026 – 30 Apr 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Sika deer – Hinds Red/sika hybrids have the same seasons. | Nationwide | 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | — | Opens soon | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Fallow deer – Bucks | Nationwide | 1 Aug 2026 – 30 Apr 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Fallow deer – Does | Nationwide | 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | — | Opens soon | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Roe deer – Bucks | Nationwide | 1 Apr – 31 Oct 2026 | — | Open now | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Roe deer – Does | Nationwide | 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | — | Opens soon | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Chinese water deer – Bucks and does | Nationwide | 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | — | Opens soon | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Muntjac – All Muntjac are not listed in the Deer Act 1991 close seasons, so there is no statutory close season in England. | Nationwide | No close season | — | Open now | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
Black grouse in Somerset, Devon and the New Forest open on 1 September, not 20 August.
Source: Game Act 1831, s. 3
England's lead shot ban covers golden plover and common snipe as well as ducks, geese, swans, coot and moorhen, anywhere they are shot.
Source: Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999
Releasing pheasants or red-legged partridges on a Special Area of Conservation, or within 500 m of one, falls under general licence GL43; Special Protection Areas are not covered by GL43.
Source: GOV.UK, general licence GL43
Natural England can license taking deer in the close season or at night, for public health or safety, the natural heritage, or (at night) to prevent serious damage to property.
Source: Deer Act 1991, s. 8
Each species page compares England with the rest of the UK and adds the rules that go with it.
Nature agency
Always confirm dates and rules with Natural England before you go out.
See registered land boundaries, protected sites, open access land and season dates on an offline map in the HuntScout app. A boundary on the map is never permission to shoot.
Seasons by country: Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland · all UK shooting seasons
By species: pheasant season, partridge season, grouse season, woodcock and snipe season, duck and goose season, deer season, roe deer season · lead ammunition ban