Driving in the U.K.

Coming to the UK by car is an excellent way to freely explore the country during your stay. The time between your deer stalking bookings in the summer, or the evenings after a day in the pigeons is often enough to allow you to venture out into the surroundings if you wish.

Crossing the channel

If you are coming from Europe, the crossings are simple and there are several ways to do it. We recommend the Eurotunnel. It is the fastest (35 mins approx.) and the most straight forward way. It brings you directly onto the motorways towards London and eventually Oxford.

Ferrys are also easy, but they do take a longer time to cross. This can be of interest if you have already been driving for a long time and need a little siesta to refresh your brain.

Driving on the left

We drive on the left in the UK, and we advise a sticker inside your car to remind you if you are worried about forgetting. It is also required to show the registered nationality of the vehicle on the back if it is not shown on the number plate.

The speed limits are;

motorways 70 mph/h or 113 km/h
30 mph/h in town centers 48 km/h
National speed limit (most country roads) 60 mph or 92 km/h, usually applicable when no limit is specified.

Note that there is no “priority right” unless specifically sign posted in the UK. Generally the rule is who ever has to change their speed or direction approaching an intersection must give way to those who do not.

Transporting your shooting equipment

Carrying pigeon decoys and the like poses no necessary notification to customs. However guns do. Do not worry, it is simple. With your UK shotgun/ firearms certificate from us and your country’s valid shooting permit, the customs will allow you to cross.

Ferry companies require notice ahead of time, but the Eurotunnel just needs you to notify them upon arrival. Expect any customs service to inspect the permits and serial numbers of any arms.

Crossing with your animal

Crossing with your pet/animals requires advanced notice to the crossing service provider. Dogs, for example, require a microchip and European passport with up to date vaccinations (including rabies) as well as a wormier administered by a veterinary surgery (with their signature and a timestamp), 3 to 5 days before crossing.

There are good guidelines about how to liberate your pet and the protocol during the crossing on the websites of relevant service provider.

Make sure you are up to date with the latest rules in relation to animal transport.

You need to check with us ether dogs can be brought shooting or even stay with you in the accommodation. Most of our properties will not allow dogs they do not know and trust to accompany our clients.

Discover more :

Lastest prize draw with The Lucky Hunter for 2 stalking days with us

The Lucky Hunter is organizing a prize draw to win 2 days with 3 outings with Chiltern Sporting, more details below

Why we need deer management (part 3)

Avoiding issues that arise in association with deer via non-lethal methods, are not a long term solutions. Their numbers are ever increasing. Instead of demonizing shooting folk in the UK, we should be promoting them, bringing new members into deer stalking, promoting more local venison, shooting more deer and praising those that keep a balance for all our wildlife on a daily basis. We should be educating the next generations on responsible countryside management, closing the disconnect in today’s society.

Why we need deer management (part 2)

Between species who thrive beyond natural numbers (such as foxes, corvids, pigeons, rabbits…) and those who have a hard time adapting in the modern sculpture of our landscape (like ground nesting birds, pollinators, red squirrels, butterflies…), deer are somewhere in the middle for the most part. They tend to thrive in most of our countryside and the estimated deer population of the UK is the highest it has ever been at any point before, as it is in many other countries and continents.

Why we need deer management (part 1)

Deer stalking (or deer hunting for any non UK English speakers) is a thrilling experience and in our core we share the very same emotions, goosebumps, respect and gratitude as our earliest ancestors had. The fact of the matter is being part of this cycle and eating what we have hunted ourselves is such a fulfilling sensation. We know exactly where our food comes from. An article in 3 parts

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Take a chance to win a stalking day with Chiltern Sporting in partnership with The Lucky Hunter

The Lucky Hunter is organizing a prize draw to win a day outing with Chiltern Sporting on the 16th of December 2021, more details and link to participate bellow

A heartwarming recap of a guided stalk

Andrew had come stalking with Chiltern Sporting over a weekend and had learned a lot over a couple of blank sessions. Pleased with the whole experience, they had come again and fortunately for Andrew the tables had turned and we were able to lead him onto a roe buck, which he harvested calmly, in a calculated manner. He kindly left us a few heart warming lines for us to share

Tale of an experienced stalker giving us a try

Steve is a seasoned hunter and an avid field to fork enthusiast. Last winter season, Steve had come through Chiltern Sporting for a chinese water deer. He had kindly left us a little message to publish, here it is in his own words :

Few words from one of our loyal clients

I’ve had the opportunity over the years to shoot with a number of guides for both pigeon shooting/control and also for deer stalking.

Yet I’ve always gone back to Tom and company at Chiltern Sporting for a number of simple reasons - professionalism, knowledge of their quarry, nice guys and the fantastic countryside over which they shoot.

A first-time deer stalking experience with Chiltern Sporting

A few months ago, Richard had his first deer stalking experience with one of Chiltern Sporting’s guides, Henry. He happily left review of his experience with us and we are very proud to share it with you. Here is his story told in his own words