08-Jul-2026
A stalker and game shooter's guide to the open seasons across England, Wales and Scotland.
August is one of the most significant months in the British sporting calendar. After the quieter weeks of high summer, the season bursts into life: on the twelfth, the heather moors open for red grouse, the famous Glorious Twelfth, while on the first of the month three of the major deer seasons begin in England and Wales as red, sika and fallow males come back into season.
Yet the legal picture is anything but uniform. What you may lawfully shoot in August depends on the species, the sex of the animal, and where in the United Kingdom you are standing. This guide sets out exactly what is in season across England, Wales and Scotland, what remains protected, and the legal obligations every responsible shooter and stalker should keep in mind.
Try our UK deer stalking season calendar now
Game birds: the Glorious Twelfth and beyond
For the game shooter, August is defined by the twelfth, the traditional opening of the red grouse season and the unofficial start of the driven shooting year. A handful of other quarry species also come into season this month, though several headline birds remain firmly closed until September or October.
Red grouse - open from 12 August
The red grouse is the headline act of August. Found only on managed heather moorland in Britain, it cannot be reared and released, which makes each season a true reflection of the breeding year. The season runs from 12 August to 10 December across England, Scotland and Wales (and to 30 November in Northern Ireland). Because annual numbers hinge so heavily on spring and early-summer weather, some moors delay their opening days or shoot a restrained programme, so a confirmed booking and an honest count matter more than the date on the calendar.
Ptarmigan - open from 12 August (Scotland only)
A bird of the high tops, the ptarmigan shares the twelfth as its opening date but occurs only in the Scottish Highlands, with a season of 12 August to 10 December. It is a demanding, mountain-fit pursuit, and given localised conservation concerns many estates exercise restraint over where and how heavily it is shot.
Black grouse - open from 20 August
Black grouse open slightly later, on 20 August, running to 10 December, though in Somerset, Devon and the New Forest the season does not begin until 1 September. As a species in long-term decline, the guidance from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is that black grouse should only be shot where populations are actively managed and demonstrably healthy.
Common snipe - open from 12 August
The common snipe also opens on the twelfth, with a long season to 31 January. As an amber-listed wader whose breeding season has only just finished, many shooters apply voluntary restraint in the early weeks, a sensible position that sits well alongside responsible, sustainable quarry management.
What is not yet open
It is just as important to know what remains closed. Partridge (grey and red-legged) does not open until 1 September, and pheasant and woodcock not until 1 October in England and Wales. Inland duck and goose shooting begins on 1 September. None of these may be taken in August.
Deer in England & Wales
August marks a genuine turning point in the stalking year. Where July offered only the roe buck and muntjac, the first of the month sees the large species return to the lists. Note that the seasons below apply to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Red, sika and fallow males - open from 1 August
Red and sika stags, fallow bucks and their hybrids all come into season on 1 August, running through to 30 April. Early August is prime time for selecting mature stags before the rut, when antlers are clean of velvet and animals are increasingly visible as they prepare for the autumn. For estate managers, it is also the start of the window to address damage to crops, young trees and pasture.
Roe buck - in season (1 April to 31 October)
The roe buck remains firmly in season throughout August. With the roe rut typically falling from late July into early August, bucks are active, territorial and responsive to calling, making this one of the most rewarding and sporting periods of the entire roe year.
Muntjac - open year-round
Reeves' muntjac have no close season and both sexes may be taken throughout the year. Their rapid, non-seasonal breeding and impact on woodland flora make consistent control important. The British Deer Society advises that, when culling does, only immature or heavily pregnant animals are selected to avoid leaving dependent young.
What you cannot shoot
All female deer, red and sika hinds, fallow and roe does, remain in their close season in August and are protected; their season does not begin until 1 November. Chinese water deer, whose season also runs 1 November to 31 March, are likewise off-limits. Out-of-season culling is only possible under the licensing provisions of Section 7 of the Deer Act 1991, granted where there is a clear and demonstrable need such as serious crop damage or public-safety concerns.
Deer in Scotland
Scotland's framework changed materially in 2023. Following amendments that came into force on 21 October 2023, the close season for all male deer was removed, meaning red, sika and fallow stags, together with roe bucks, may now be taken year-round.
All male deer - open year-round
In practical terms, every male deer species in Scotland is legally in season throughout August. Many professional stalkers and estates nonetheless continue to observe traditional self-imposed close seasons, particularly for red stags, prioritising welfare and herd quality over the letter of the law. The long August daylight is well suited to careful observation and selective, well-justified culling.
Hinds and does - still protected
Female deer remain protected. Their statutory seasons do not begin until 21 October (red, sika and fallow hinds) or later, and they may only be taken in close season under authorisation from NatureScot. Importantly, the general authorisation does not permit the culling of female deer over one year old, of any species, anywhere in Scotland between 1 April and 31 August, a point worth underlining for August.
Muntjac and Chinese water deer are not recognised as established in Scotland and do not feature in the Scottish stalking calendar.
Other quarry and pest species
Beyond game and deer, a number of species may be controlled in August where the law and a valid general licence allow. Rabbits and woodpigeon have no close season and are taken year-round, typically for crop protection. Certain corvids may be controlled under the relevant general licences, the terms of which should always be checked, as they are periodically revised. Brown hares have no statutory close season, though their sale is restricted between March and July and specific provisions apply to ground game on moorland.
Key legal considerations
Shooting hours and night shooting
Deer may normally only be taken between one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset, anywhere in the UK. Shooting deer at night requires a specific licence from the relevant statutory body and is tightly controlled to protect welfare and public safety.
Sundays and Christmas Day
In England and Wales, game birds may not be shot on a Sunday or on Christmas Day. Where the twelfth falls on a Sunday, the grouse season is pushed to the thirteenth, though in 2026 the Glorious Twelfth falls on a Wednesday, so the season opens as normal.
Out-of-season and damage licensing
Out-of-season culling is the exception, not the rule. In England and Wales it is governed by Section 7 of the Deer Act 1991; in Scotland by authorisations issued under the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996. In every case the burden is on the applicant to show that no other reasonable means of control would suffice.
Permission and certification
None of the above removes the fundamentals: you must have the landowner's permission, the correct firearms or shotgun certificate, and, for deer, the appropriate calibre, ammunition and competence for the species. Recognised qualifications such as DSC1 and DSC2 remain the benchmark for safe, lawful and ethical stalking.
August at a glance
August marks the start of several game seasons across the UK, but open seasons vary between England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Red grouse and common snipe can generally be taken from 12 August in the relevant regions. Ptarmigan is not present in England and Wales but is in season in Scotland from 12 August. Black grouse is generally in season from 20 August, although in Somerset, Devon and the New Forest the season does not begin until 1 September.
For deer species, red stag, sika stag and fallow buck are in season from 1 August in England and Wales, while in Scotland these species may be taken year-round, subject to the relevant legislation. Roe buck remains in season during August in England and Wales and is also available year-round in Scotland. Muntjac has no close season in England and Wales but is not present in Scotland. Hinds and does remain closed during August across both nations, except where shooting is authorised under the appropriate licence.
As always, treat these dates as a helpful guide rather than definitive legal advice, and check the latest regulations for the nation and species you intend to hunt before heading into the field.
Final thoughts
August rewards the prepared. It is a month of genuine variety, a day on the moor for grouse, a misty morning after a mature stag, or an evening watching for an old roe buck on a woodland edge. With that opportunity comes responsibility: the seasons, licensing rules and welfare standards exist to keep our shooting sustainable and our quarry populations healthy.
Plan carefully, confirm your permissions, respect the close seasons, and the rest of the season will look after itself. Enjoy the opening, and stay safe in the field.
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