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Urgent questionnaire on the future of woodcock and snipe shooting in Great Britain

28/4/2026

Urgent questionnaire on the future of woodcock and snipe shooting in Great Britain

Government is currently consulting on its proposals to amend the list of birds that can be legally shot outside of a closed season. The proposals include extending the closed season for woodcock and snipe in England and Scotland and removing snipe from the quarry list in Wales.

Active habitat management by game managers and shooters can be a very important driver for privately funded conservation of red-listed species, so any changes in regulation should be based on scientific evidence and a good knowledge of the practical land management activities being undertaken, or they risk being counterproductive and causing further declines.

We are also interested in hearing views on voluntary restraint and how practices within the community have changed or adapted in recent years to help ensure harvest rates are sustainable.

Please respond to this urgent GWCT questionnaire by 7th May 2026 to help ensure Government takes an informed and evidence led approach to future regulation.

Have your say: Schedule 2: Your views on the future of woodcock and snipe shooting in the UK

Comments

Future of Woodcock and Snipe Shooting in the UK

at 11:26 on 28/04/2026 by Helen Wren

I volunteer for the National Breeding Woodcock Survey in Northamptonshire and have two sites; one where I don't think I shall see them in the near future but the other, at Fineshade appears to be the only wood within our county supporting breeding birds. However, on my 2025 survey there, I sadly failed to record any. I would therefore assume that continued existing shooting practice will even affect the dwindling Woodcock population at this last Northamptonshire breeding wood.

Woodcock and Snipe

at 11:24 on 28/04/2026 by Michael hughes

A moratorium on the shooting of these birds and review when and if numbers recover would be a good compromise.

Snipe and woodcock

at 11:22 on 28/04/2026 by John marshall

Leave the management and conservation, to the people who have an interest in the preservation of both these birds

Woodcock and snipe shooting

at 11:22 on 28/04/2026 by Dr Peter Gough OBE

Most people have never knowingly seen these species. I encourage UK Government to think very carefully about any shooting at all!

Snipe and woodcock

at 11:21 on 28/04/2026 by Mike Medcalf

I work on two shoots, both shot only twice a year and the quarry is snipe and woodcock. Most of our effort goes into habitat management for the benefit of these birds and many others. We maintain copices and wet lands, reduce grazing and fence off sensitive areas. This work would cease if the shooting was curtailed

Snipe and woodcock

at 11:20 on 28/04/2026 by Mike Medcalf

I work on two shoots, both shot only twice a year and the quarry is snipe and woodcock. Most of our effort goes into habitat management for the benefit of these birds and many others. We maintain copices and wet lands, reduce grazing and fence off sensitive areas. This work would cease if the shooting was curtailed

Future of Woodcock and Snipe shooting uk.

at 11:18 on 28/04/2026 by Kenneth Horseman

Extend both closed seasons and remove the Snipe from the quarry list would be my preference.

Future of woodcock and snipe shooting in UK

at 11:17 on 28/04/2026 by Michael Gough

The shooting community are the ones that generally provide habitat, and predator control that allow these birds to survive. The numbers of these birds that are shot has little baring on their decline. The home bred population is declining due to habitat loss and predation away from managed estates and reducing the shooting season will have no effect on stopping their decline.

Woodcock and sniper shooting

at 11:16 on 28/04/2026 by Sid Phillips

Must not be allowed

Woodcock

at 11:16 on 28/04/2026 by Mark Brackstone

I think that we should be permitted to shoot a woodcock or snipe providing the shooter is taking it for the table. On our shoot we tell guns that we do not generally shoot woodcock but if someone would like to take one for the table then it is perfectly fine . Maybe a compromise may be to limit commercial sale . Ie woodcock and snipe may not be sold to a dealer .

The future of Woodcock & Snipe Shooting in the UK

at 11:15 on 28/04/2026 by Mike Taylor

Even as a shooter my opinion is that there in no need to shoot either of these birds within the or outside of the the shooting season.

woodcock

at 11:14 on 28/04/2026 by Alistair Montgomery

We are already over- legislated/regulated. Where voluntary discipline and discresion is being practised and is working, Government has no business to interfer..

Woodcock & Snipe

at 11:13 on 28/04/2026 by John A Mead

I strongly believe that we, the shooting community should consider putting a stop to the shooting of both of these species. I find it totally unacceptable when one hands out game to be met with the response " I do not eat those but can I have the pin feathers " The same point of view might be applied to all game ?

Woodcock and Snipe Shooting

at 11:12 on 28/04/2026 by Hugo Kirby

I completely support the GCWT's view that any changes in regulation should be based on scientific evidence and a good knowledge of the practical land management activities being undertaken, or they risk being counterproductive and causing further declines. Like all responsible shooters I and my colleagues adopt voluntary restraint to ensure thriving populations.

Woodcock & Snipe

at 11:09 on 28/04/2026 by Dale

I don't shoot them myself and most places I do shoot are of the same mind unless one is prepared to take and eat them.

Woodcock & Snipe

at 11:09 on 28/04/2026 by Dale

I don't shoot them myself and most places I do shoot are of the same mind unless one is prepared to take and eat them.

Woodcock and Snipe shooting in the UK

at 11:08 on 28/04/2026 by Jonathan Fenton

I completely agree with the proposals!

Wood cock

at 11:08 on 28/04/2026 by Tony

We are a choirs to shoot or not shoot them all people on my shoot leave them

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