Shooting

The Yattendon shoot has 5 beats with 34 drives spread across 9,000 acres and shoot 52 days per season.

Our unique topography on the Berkshire Downs produces some of the best top-class partridge in southern England zipping high off the steep banks to test the guns.

To the south of the partridge beat, pheasant will climb high and fast out from the woods and over the valleys across the central part of the Estate.

Our drives produce birds of all heights and levels of difficulty, so all guns can enjoy their sport, irrespective of their ability.

We stand 9 guns but can accommodate teams of 8 or 10.

A Typical Day

The day starts at 09:00 at the Shoot Lodge with coffee and a shoot briefing before moving off in our custom built 16-seat Gun Bus.

Our primary aim is that you and your guests have a memorable and sporting day so we beat each drive very steadily allowing each gun sufficient time to shoot, re-load, then select their next bird.

Estate stuffers / loaders are provided to ensure that you have the very best of sporting days.

After shooting the first two drives, Guns enjoy a break with soup and sausages in the field. Suitably refreshed, Guns move on to the third drive which is followed by Champagne, sloe gin and chocolate tiffin, before moving off to shoot the fourth and last drive.

Lunch

With a substantial mid-morning pitstop in the field, on all days, we shoot through followed by a late lunch. At the end of shooting (typically between 14:30 and 15:30) we provide pre-lunch drinks followed by a delicious two course seasonal lunch with wine, plus cheese platter in our purpose-built Shoot Lodge.

Special menu’s can be prepared if ordered in advance.

Useful Information

- Quarry- Partridges are the focus from mid-September until mid-November, before transitioning on to the pheasants. However, we continue to shoot partridges on mixed days, right through to the end of the season. All shot birds are processed for eating at Vicars Game, part of Yattendon Estate
- Loaders and Stuffers- Guns are encouraged to use either estate loaders/stuffers or their own loaders/stuffers whether they are single or double gunning so they can best enjoy their day
- Non Shooting Guests- Guests are most welcome either on the shoot to watch or to join the Guns for lunch. The Shoot Lodge can accommodate 20 additional guests
- Bag Size- Typically, we shoot 350 bird days and can easily accommodate 700+ bird days should guns wish to push on. From mid to late-September and then late-December to early January, bag sizes are 300 birds, before settling at minimum 250 bird days for the remainder of January
- Dogs- Well behaved dogs are welcome and there is plenty of time if they wish to pick up
- Departure- On departure, when seeing the Keeper, all Guns are offered a brace of oven ready birds in a bespoke insulated Yattendon bag to take home with them together with a bottle of beer from the Estate brewery.