Terms and Conditions | Fine Field Sporting

Fine Field Sporting Terms & Conditions

Bookings

Unless otherwise stated, all bookings made through Fine Field Sporting require a non-refundable deposit of 50% to secure your place, with balance payable 14 days prior to the shoot day.

Cancellations

For any Guns that need to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, Fine Field Sporting will try to re-sell their peg on a best endeavours basis without having to incur expense in relation hereto, and then be able to offer a refund. If for any reason this cannot be achieved, payment will be forfeit.

Fine Field Sporting cannot be held responsible/liable for shoot day cancellations through adverse weather, interference by protesters, financial failure of the shoot venue or a government or government agency order that cancels the day or stops guns from attending. It is strongly recommended that each Gun take out their own insurance against such cancellations.

Fine Field Sporting can change the date of the arranged shoot date if circumstances arise and this is required by Fine Field Sporting or the Estate. If Guns are not able to make the date change Fine Field Sporting will try to re-sell their peg on a best endeavours basis without having to incur expense in relation hereto, and then be able to offer a refund. If for any reason this cannot be achieved, payment will be forfeit.

Licenses, Insurances and Experience

Unless otherwise stated, all persons participating in sporting activities through Fine Field Sporting are required to have the relevant shotgun/firearms certificate and valid third-party sporting insurance - please bring proof of both to any relevant shoot days.

Fine Field Sporting requires all Guns to have relevant shooting experience. For inexperienced Guns wishing to participate, please inform us at the time of booking so a suitably experienced instructor or minder can be arranged.

Other Conditions

The Bag

For driven shooting, agreeing a bag limit is done in good faith based upon assumed averages. The Gamekeeper and team will endeavour to work towards the agreed bag and notify all parties when it has been shot. Variables in achieving the agreed bag can be the weather, capability to show birds, quality of the shooting by the guns and the behaviour of the quarry. In the event that the bag is not met, the result may be “overage” (more birds shot than the agreed bag) or “underage” (fewer birds shot than the agreed bag) – see more details of how these issues can be addressed below:

"Overage" is defined as more birds shot than the agreed bag. We appreciate that most teams of guns will want to shoot the agreed bag and no more birds than that, however when more than 10% over the bag is achieved overage charges may apply. Some teams of guns may like the flexibility to shoot overage and we can facilitate this discussion with the shoot. To get the best out of the day, it is advisable for guns to agree on a clear policy towards overage before the day’s shooting commences: do the guns want to shoot extra birds, and if so, how many? The cost of overage must be settled by the end of the day.

"Underage" is defined as fewer birds shot than the agreed bag. Shoots will count the number of shots fired. Normally a ratio of 3 shots to 1 bird is assumed for a team of guns or as stated within your booking correspondence. Responsibility for underage if this ratio is not maintained or if sufficient sporting birds are provided that are not shot at by the Guns (unnecessary ‘holding-back’) lies with the team of Guns. In the event of underage, refunds cannot be given.

All game shot is the property of the estate. We strongly encourage, wherever practicable, that should it be offered, every Gun take home shot game at the end of the day.

In the event that we are unable to secure a full line of female Guns, Fine Field Sporting reserve the right to allow male Guns to join the day. For days sold as ‘Ladies Day’ you will be notified if this is the case, such an occurrence would not be a breach of contract and as such our standard cancellation terms would apply.

We always endeavour to fill our single peg days however in some cases this may not be possible, any days which are not at full capacity will simply have the bag reduced pro rata. This keeps your amount of shooting the same as well as the cost of your peg.

Health & Safety

Guns should comply with the all requirements set out in the pre-shoot brief.
Guns are not allowed to shoot until instructed to do so. The pre-shoot briefing will confirm if Guns are 'Live on Peg' or not.
Shotguns to be kept either open or unloaded in a slip at all times when not shooting. Do not rely upon your firearm’s safety catch or mechanism.
Cartridges should only be put into the shotgun once live on peg. Ensure guns are empty before walking or sleeving.
When standing on the peg, do not point your gun through the line or behind you, keep barrels in the air or the gun broken pointing to the ground.
Ensure you have the correct cartridge for your gun and intended quarry, fibre wads only.
Ensure barrels are clear or obstacles (dirt, water, spent cartridges) before loading or firing.
Ensure you know where your shot will go before you pull the trigger, be aware of the potential location, even unseen, of other guns, beaters, flag bearers, picking up teams or other people, country furniture or infrastructure. Only shoot when you have sky behind the bird. If in doubt, do not pull the trigger.
Do not swing guns through the line of Guns or towards Shoot personnel. Be aware of where barrels are pointed at all times.
Shotguns are the responsibility of the Guns at all times and when left in vehicles the vehicles must be locked.
Use of automatic reloading or pump action shotguns is not permitted.
All Guns must hold a current shotgun certificate unless attended by a professional instructor.
An instructor or minder is to be appointed to supervise inexperienced guns
It is not the Shoot Owner’s, Gamekeeper’s or Fine Field Sporting’s responsibility to decide whether Guns or their firearms are fit to shoot.
If the Shoot is disrupted due to a demonstration, shotguns should be unloaded immediately and returned to their slips. Guns must not confront saboteurs but retreat a safe distance or return to their vehicles until the situation is resolved.
Guns should moderate their consumption of alcohol and not be under the influence before and during shooting and comply with drink driving regulations as appropriate.

Every Gun is responsible for:

conducting themselves generally in accordance with proper and traditional sporting standards;
not shooting low birds, ground game or foxes unless otherwise expressly instructed to do so;
using only non-toxic shot when shooting species against which lead shot is prohibited

The direction, conduct and organisation of the day and the number and order of the drives shall remain entirely at the discretion of the Host or Gamekeeper.

The Host or Gamekeeper shall have discretion to stop the shooting or ask any person or persons to leave the shooting field immediately in the event of inappropriate behaviour with no reimbursement of fees.

Fine Field Sporting strongly recommend that every Gun should read and familiarise themselves with the Code of Good Shooting Practice http://www.codeofgoodshootingpractice.org.uk/

Etiquette & Sportsmanship

Please ensure all the birds you shoot at are sporting (not too high or too low) and not beyond your ability to cleanly kill.
Pick up your empty cartridge cases at the end of each drive.
Ensure you are aware of your neighbouring Guns and airspace.
Be cognisant of the proposed bag for the day, calculate how many birds this approximately works out per peg and ensure you do not exceed this excessively as further costs may be incurred by the team for overages.
Respect the countryside.
Be very quiet when going to the next drive / peg.
Treat your helpers, beaters & pickers up with respect. Please communicate with the pickers up identifying how many birds you think you have grounded & the location of your quarry.
Be vigilant and polite to any landowners, residents and walkers in your vicinity.

Attire

All clothing should be mainly subdued colours. Tweeds, browns and greens are most appropriate although coloured accents are acceptable. No blue denim or camo.
Be aware that ground may be uneven or waterlogged and you may be asked to navigate over obstacles or barriers so appropriate footwear should be worn. A change of footwear may be required to enter the shoot room or pub.
We may experience inclement weather throughout the day and may be some distance away from vehicles or infrastructure so attire to suit the potential conditions is advisable.
Guns and guests should always wear eye, ear and head protection.

Discretionary & Tipping

Gamekeepers and staff work extremely hard throughout the year to protect the countryside and provide sporting shooting. Whilst not mandatory, it is expected that every Gun should provide a tip. Cash should always be used to tip the Gamekeeper at the end of the day and given day by way of a discreet handshake. Dependant on the size of the bag we would recommend a minimum of £30 per 100 birds.

Additional tips should be given to any instructors or minders on the day, the amount is at discretion of the gun.

If you are uncomfortable with this, your Host will be delighted to offer advice or help on the day.

Guests

For those Guns wishing for a non-shooting guest to accompany them on the day we are able to provide refreshments and a meal at a supplementary cost, subject to availability. Seven days prior notification must be given of non shooting guests .

Non-shooting guests are not permitted to shoot during the day without prior consent of Fine Field Sporting, and/or the estate.

Dogs

Should you wish to bring a well behaved and suitably trained dog on the day, please inform us at the time of booking.

Peg Sharing

For those who wish to share a day’s shooting with another Gun, please inform Fine Field Sporting at the time of your booking – availability of peg-sharing is at the discretion of Fine Field Sporting and may be provided at a supplementary cost, subject to availability. For the avoidance of doubt, the same terms and conditions herein apply to your peg sharing Gun.

Limitation of Liability

Upon sending your deposit to Fine Field Sporting, you acknowledge that you have read and understand all the terms and conditions outlined here and agree to be bound by them.

Fine Field Sporting, its Owners, Employees, Associates and Agents give notice that they act only as the agent for the owners, contractors and suppliers providing services and assume no responsibility howsoever caused for injury, loss or damage to person or property in connection with any service resulting directly from: acts of God, detention, annoyance, delays, expenses arising from quarantine, strikes, thefts, pilferage, force majeure, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, civil disturbances, terrorism, government restrictions or regulations, and discrepancies or changes over which it has no control. Reasonable changes in the itinerary may be made where deemed advisable for the comfort and well-being of the customers.

Shooting trips involve hazards and dangers, such as the use of firearms, the handling of ammunition, vehicular travel on rough roads and across fields, bad weather, the handling of wild birds, and other unforeseen conditions. Such hazards are a condition of this activity. As a participant, you acknowledge that such dangers are present and beyond the control of Fine Field Sporting or its agents.

Baggage and personal effects, including items personnel items, guns, equipment or sporting goods are the sole responsibility of the owners at all times and no employee or agent of Fine Field Sporting, its subsidiaries, affiliated or associated companies is authorised to accept these for storage, safekeeping, or transportation.

Fine Field Sporting, its Owners, Employees, Associates and Agents accept no responsibility or liability for the use of or damage to personal vehicles either on road, off-road or parked. The operator or driver of the vehicle is responsible for the suitability of the vehicle and their own competency to operate the vehicle successfully throughout the event even if under the visual or audible direction of another party. Furthermore it is the sole responsibility of the vehicle operator to ensure the safety of any passengers or their effects during use.

Data Protection

From time-to-time we sensibly collect your data, any such data will not be shared with any other third parties - if you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please email lisa@finefieldsporting.co.uk using the subject ‘REMOVE’. All personal information which we hold will be held securely in accordance with our internal security policy and the law.