Mountain Bike Guidance if Encountering a Shooting Party on a Bridleway

What should you do if you encounter a pheasant shoot when out for a ride on a bridleway or byway?

IMBA recommends that you wait for the "drive" to be completed. This may take up to 15 minutes. You may also find that the "beaters" are positioning themselves for the next "drive" - if so, we again recommend waiting for the drive to be complete so avoid disturbing the birds prematurely.

While you may feel that shooting pheasants or other game is rather an odd way to spend the day - remember that the shooters and beaters will quite probably have similar views about mountain biking!

The following guidance is provided to the shooters:

British Association of Shooting and Conservation: Code of Good Shooting Practice (extract)

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.

The full Code is available on: www.basc.org.uk/content/codeofgoodshootingpractice .

More information / comments?
Last update: 12 Jan 2009
International Mountain Biking Association (UK) is a volunteer-led company, limited by guarantee, working solely on behalf of mountain bikers. Registered in England number 06556488. Registered office 35, The Gowans, Sutton on the Forest, N Yorks., YO61 1DL.