The Shoot
"THE PHEASANT & PARTRIDGE SHOOT IS ONE OF THE BEST IN HAMPSHIRE AND PROVIDES GREAT SHOOTING WITH FLAWLESS HOSPITALITY IN EQUAL QUANTITIES!"
The St. Clair’s estate occupies 1000 acres nestling in Hampshire’s Meon Valley. The shooting benefits from a mixture of around 600 acres of arable land and 400 acres of ancient oak and beech woodland, supported by newer tree belts sympathetically planted over the past 20 years. Highest point on the ground is around 120 metres above sea level and it offers a spread of interestingly different drives, with birds presented over stubbles, grassland, tall timber and with the occasional lake and ride drive.
Family run, but in a most professional way, the Head Keeper has been developing the ground and shaping the shooting for the past 15 years and his beaters and pickers up are amongst the most knowledgeable, efficient and friendliest around. Many teams are returning for their second decade of shooting at St. Clair’s, enjoying fast flying early partridge, before moving on to mixed days which produce some of the higher pheasants and 200-250 bird bags are the norm across the season, without over-stretching either birds, ground or guns. The estate is farmed with shooting in view and achieves the best mix of arable crops and cover crops, that typically include maize, dwarf sorghum and blocks of setaside, within the countryside stewardship scheme.
St. Clair’s has one of the most attractive and comfortable shoot lodges in the country and has an enviable reputation for delivering high quality food and wines, a fitting counterpoint to the good shooting the estate has to offer. Days here are about the whole experience of shooting and everyone puts themselves out to make sure that the visiting teams and home team members remember their days and leave happy.
If you are shooting with us this season please click here to download a pdf of useful information including directions and here for our shoot terms and conditions.