CALLING THE SHOTS

“If you think it is clever to be shooting a high ratio of cartridges to pheasants killed you should have a proper think about what you are doing.”

Tim Bonner, chief executive, Countryside Alliance

“A high pheasant, for me, is around 60 yards. Any more than that then you run the risk of the Guns not hitting anything.”

Steve Ridge, Hampshire headkeeper

“Guns shooting at birds that are outside their capabilities should be metaphorically tarred and feathered, especially if they try to claim any glory from ‘clipping it’, which is the worst crime in game shooting.”

Liam Stokes, head of shooting, Countryside Alliance

“Your lowest point on any game day should be when you wound a bird. You know what your own limit is, but we all have off days when these limits may change.”

Chris Horne, managing director, Gunsonpegs

“Overly high pheasants are ones that are shot at and rarely cleanly killed. Guns should know what they can and can’t kill and shoot accordingly’’ Liam Bell, chairman, NGO

“A pheasant is too high when it is beyond the capacity of your gun, ammunition or personal skill.”

Christopher Graffius, director of communications, BASC

“If I have a good day shooting 40-yard pheasants, I’m pretty thrilled. Surely a good Shot should delight in a high cartridge-to-kill ratio rather than being able to clip a meteoric bird?” Patrick Galbraith, Editor, “Too high for me would be whenever they start to lose their sweet, fresh flavour. So around five days in the fridge.”

Tim Maddams, chef and Shot

“I believe that a pheasant at 50-plus yards can be a challenge for any shooter, no matter how many years they’ve been shooting for.”

Ed Wills, deputy editor,