# Hunting in Scotland

> Hunting and shooting species with Hendry, Ramsay & Waters — driven partridge, grouse, pheasant, woodcock and red, roe, fallow and sika deer stalking.

Canonical page: https://scothunt.co.uk/species/
Provider: Hendry, Ramsay & Waters (https://scothunt.co.uk/) · +44 1337 840600 · info@scothunt.co.uk

In Scotland you can hunt four deer species and four game birds. The deer are red, roe, sika and fallow, stalked on the open hill and in woodland; the birds are grouse, partridge, pheasant and woodcock, shot driven or walked-up. Beyond Scotland, Hendry, Ramsay & Waters arrange wild boar in France and Spain, ibex in Spain, moose and reindeer in Norway, and dove and pigeon in Argentina.

Every species below has its own page giving the season, the ground and what a day involves. For the four Scottish game birds together, including the season dates and the difference between a driven day and a walked-up one, see [bird shooting in Scotland](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/bird-shooting/). For the deer, start at [hunting and shooting in Scotland](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/).

Days are arranged individually for sporting clients, in Scotland and worldwide. Tell us what you would like to hunt and roughly when, and we will tell you what is available.

## What can you hunt in Scotland?

You can hunt eight quarry species in Scotland: red, roe, sika and fallow deer, and grouse, partridge, pheasant and woodcock. The table gives how each is hunted and its season in Scotland. Hendry, Ramsay & Waters arrange all eight for visiting and resident sportsmen and women.

| Species | Type | How it is hunted | Season in Scotland |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Red deer](https://scothunt.co.uk/species/red-deer-stalking/) | Deer | Stalked on the open hill | Stags 1 July to 20 October; hinds 21 October to 15 February |
| [Roe deer](https://scothunt.co.uk/species/roe-deer-stalking/) | Deer | Stalked in woodland and on farmland, at dawn or dusk | Bucks 1 April to 20 October; does 21 October to 31 March |
| [Sika deer](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/sika-deer-stalking/) | Deer | Stalked in forest and woodland | Stags 1 July to 20 October; hinds 21 October to 15 February |
| [Fallow deer](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/fallow-deer-stalking/) | Deer | Stalked in woodland and on the hill, in a few areas of Scotland | Bucks 1 August to 30 April; does 21 October to 15 February |
| [Grouse](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/grouse-shooting/) | Game bird | Driven from butts or walked-up over dogs on heather moor | 12 August to 10 December |
| [Partridge](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/partridge-shooting/) | Game bird | Driven on Scottish estates | 1 September to 31 January |
| [Pheasant](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/pheasant-shooting/) | Game bird | Driven | 1 October to 1 February |
| [Woodcock](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/woodcock-shooting/) | Game bird | Walked-up through woodland, or as part of a driven day | 1 September to 31 January |

Scotland removed the statutory close season for male deer on 21 October 2023, so the stag and buck dates above are the traditional season most estates still work to, not a legal restriction. Close seasons for hinds and does remain in law.

**Please select from the list of species that you are interested on the right hand side of this page.**

## Red Deer Stalking

If anything symbolises Scotland as much as the Grouse it’s our native Red Deer. Ranging over the high tops of Scotland’s most beautiful mountains for much of the year, they’re prized by people who relish the challenge of hunting Scotland’s largest and most powerful mammal.

[Read More](https://scothunt.co.uk/species/red-deer-stalking/)

## Roe Deer Stalking

Trophy bucks are normally found in good quality arable land with a mixture of hard and soft wood forest with smaller headed bucks being in the hilly poorer quality land. Either in the early morning with dawn breaking and the dew still on the grass – or in an evening outing where fading light is your greatest enemy

[Read More](https://scothunt.co.uk/species/roe-deer-stalking/)

## Sika Deer Stalking

Sika Deer originated from the Japanese Islands in North Eastern Asia and were introduced to Britain in the 19th century. Similar in appearance, although smaller than the Red Deer, the Sika Deer has very different habits and provides different challenges for the hunter

[Read More](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/sika-deer-stalking/)

## Fallow Deer Stalking

Fallow Deer, in their dappled summer outfits or dowdy winter coats, are only found in a few areas of Scotland. Fortunately for our clients, we have access to estates where premier herds roam. Whether it’s in a slow woodland stalk or a trek on the open hill, the sight of their palmated antlers will lift your spirits as you bring your stalk to a successful conclusion.

[Read More](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/fallow-deer-stalking/)

Shooting grouse, partridge, pheasant or woodcock in Scotland? Our [bird shooting in Scotland](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/bird-shooting/) page sets out the seasons for all four, and what a driven day and a walked-up day each involve.

## Grouse Shooting

Who has not dreamed of standing in a Grouse butt, waiting for coveys of birds skimming like miniature brown missiles over the horizon? Driven Grouse shooting is definitely the most exciting sport that UK shooting and hunting can offer and we have some of the most stunning estates within our portfolio both in Scotland and England that we can offer you.

[Read More](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/grouse-shooting/)

## Pheasant Shooting

Pheasants refer to several genera within the subfamily Phasianinae, of the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have longer tails.

[Read More](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/pheasant-shooting/)

## Partridge Shooting

How do you enjoy shooting Partridge?. This most engaging game bird can offer so many challenges – driven off high banks or over deep valleys they can test the best high bird shots. They can burst like an exploding shell over hedges in the traditional manner, or they can be brought from the edge of a heather moor to offer a challenge to match some Grouse moors.

[Read More](https://scothunt.co.uk/species/partridge-shooting/)

## Woodcock Shooting

The shout of “Woodcock forrard” is enough on its own to excite many people. After a ‘fall’ of Woodcock, when they’ve arrived fresh from Scandinavia, they’re most often seen flitting tantalisingly across snow laden forest rides. They are indeed a challenge with their silent jinking flight which makes them prized by many sportsmen

[Read More](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/scotland/woodcock-shooting/)

## Hunting Outside Scotland

The species above are the ones you can hunt in Scotland. Away from Scotland we also arrange [driven wild boar](https://scothunt.co.uk/species/wild-boar/) in Spain and France, [ibex](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/spain/ibex-hunting/) in Spain, [moose](https://scothunt.co.uk/species/moose-hunting/) and [reindeer](https://scothunt.co.uk/species/reindeer-hunting/) in Norway, and [dove and pigeon shooting](https://scothunt.co.uk/locations/argentina/) in Argentina. Each has its own page giving the season, the ground and what a day involves.

## Hunting in Scotland: common questions

### What animals can you hunt in Scotland?

Four deer species and four game birds. The deer are red, roe, sika and fallow; the birds are grouse, partridge, pheasant and woodcock. Each has its own page above giving the season, the ground and what a day involves.

### When is the hunting season in Scotland?

It depends on the species, and between them the seasons cover the whole year. Grouse opens on 12 August and the bird seasons close on 1 February, when pheasant ends. Stag stalking runs from 1 July to 20 October, roe bucks from 1 April, and the hind and doe seasons carry on through the winter. The table above gives every date.

### Can visitors from abroad hunt in Scotland?

Yes. Hendry, Ramsay & Waters arrange stalking and shooting for sporting clients from the United States, Europe and further afield. See our guides to [deer stalking in Scotland for American hunters](https://scothunt.co.uk/deer-stalking-scotland-for-american-hunters/) and [bird shooting in Scotland for American hunters](https://scothunt.co.uk/bird-shooting-scotland-for-american-hunters/).

### Do I need a permit to hunt in Scotland?

Not if you use a rifle or gun provided on the estate. You shoot it under the supervision of your stalker or the shoot, and no UK permit is needed. If you would rather bring your own, you need a UK visitor’s firearm or shotgun permit, applied for by a sponsor resident in Great Britain. Hendry, Ramsay & Waters act as your sponsor and submit it to Police Scotland; the Police Scotland fee is £48 per visitor.

### What can you hunt outside Scotland with Hendry, Ramsay & Waters?

Driven wild boar in Spain and France, ibex in Spain, moose and reindeer in Norway, and dove and pigeon shooting in Argentina. [Tell us](https://scothunt.co.uk/contact-us/) what you would like to hunt and roughly when, and we will tell you what is available.