Support game shooting activities

This standard is about supporting game shooting activities. It relates to the activities that you undertake to support shoot days in a wildlife management area. This will include supporting participants, handling carcasses and returning the shoot area to the required condition.

This standard is aimed at those who work in game conservation in either an employed or recreational capacity, and can be applied to any area of land used for game shooting.

To meet this standard you will be able to:

• assist with activities essential to running the shoot day, working according to the planned shooting programme
• conclude work related to equipment, facilities and the shoot area
• transport, sort and store game carcasses.

You will need to be able to recognise hazards in the workplace.

Your work must conform to all relevant legislation and codes of practice when carrying out this activity.

For you to fully understand the content of the standard, and the activities, it is important that you are able to understand the terms used within the standard. See Glossary for some definitions that should help you with this.

1. carry out all activities safely, in line with relevant health and safety requirements
2. support game shooting activities by carrying out a variety of activities effectively, in order to achieve the requirements of the shooting programme
3. maintain the safety of participants, staff and the public by adhering to the shooting programme and to relevant legal requirements
4. communicate effectively the shoot safety requirements to all those involved with the shoot day
5. assist and aid participants and colleagues with guns
6. monitor game movements, adjust activities accordingly and report on movements to the appropriate person
7. observe wild game to determine if their condition is suitable for human consumption
8. find, approach and dispatch injured game humanely
9. handle and transport game carcasses in a way that maintains their quality and value in accordance with relevant legal requirements
10. assist with the inspection of game carcasses to confirm whether their condition is suitable to enter the human food chain, and report any abnormalities to the appropriate person
11. sort game carcasses accurately by species, age and sex as appropriate
12. store game carcasses according to the relevant legal requirements
13. return the shoot area to its condition before the shoot
14. dispose of waste according to relevant legal requirements
15. clean, transport and store equipment and sporting aids after use
16. maintain accurate records according to the relevant organisational and legal requirements

1. the relevant health and safety requirements associated with supporting shoot day activities
2. the relevant legal requirements (including nation specific) controlling the planned game shooting activities
3. the relevant legal restrictions controlling the ownership and use of firearms
4. the principles of handling guns safely

5. the different activities that help facilitate the shoot day

6. how to recognise the normal behaviour and condition of small game and the signs that indicate ill health

7. the common small game diseases including those which are notifiable
8. the expected movements of the game, possible deviations and the actions required to correct deviations
9. how to dispatch different game species humanely
10. the proper techniques to be used to handle, transport and store game carcasses and how incorrect handling practices can damage and contaminate game meat
11. the legal requirements and industry codes of practice controlling the handling, transport and storage of game carcasses
12. the potential causes of contamination that can impact on the quality of game meat, including the factors that can affect human health after consumption
13. how to inspect game carcasses and the action to take if carcass abnormalities are identified
14. the preparation requirements of shot game so that it is suitable for human consumption
15. your responsibilities under the current food hygiene regulations as it applies to the handling of game carcasses for human consumption
16. the processes used by game dealers to enter game meat into the food chain
17. the legal requirements controlling record keeping, labelling and traceability for game meat entering the food chain
18. why the shoot area needs to be returned to its pre-shoot condition
19. how to clean and inspect firearms safely

Complete two of the following shoot day activities:

• dogging-in
• beating
• stopping
• picking-up
• transporting dead game
• sewelling
• flagging
• guiding

Determine the condition of live game through observations of:

• behaviour
• physical condition

Segregate carcasses that represent a potential risk as a result of:

• abnormal behaviour
• poor physical condition

Inspect game for:

• shot damage
• physical condition
• environmental contamination

Return the shoot area to its pre-shoot condition including:

• collecting equipment
• disposing of spent ammunition cases

Shooting activities – Any relevant legal field sport involving the hunting of game with a firearm

Wildlife management area –Any area of land used for the provision of game-shooting activities

Gun – Participant in shooting activity

Game – In this standard the term game refers to “small game”. Under EU regulations the definition of “small game” is much wider than the traditional game species and may include all or some of the following UK quarry species:

• Game birds - pheasant, grey partridge, red-legged partridge, red grouse, black grouse, ptarmigan (Scotland only)
• Duck – mallard, teal, wigeon, pintail, shoveler, gadwall, tufted duck, pochard, goldeneye, scaup (NI only)
• Geese – pink-footed goose, greylag goose, white-fronted goose (England & Wales only) Canada goose
• Waders – golden plover, common snipe, jack snipe (NI only), curlew (NI only), woodcock
• Rail family – coot (England, Wales & Scotland only), moorhen (England, Wales & Scotland only)
• Pest bird species – wood pigeon, rook
• Mammals – rabbit, brown hare, mountain hare, grey squirrel

Sporting aids and equipment:

• flags
• sticks
• sewelling
• communication equipment
• binoculars
• firearms