BASC Scotland

10/09/2026

⚠️ Changes to 18(2) night shooting notifications

NatureScot will shortly be writing to all current 18(2) Night Shooting authorisation holders about recent changes that Police Scotland has made to the way that prior notification for night shooting activity is registered.

Police Scotland has introduced a new process for notifying police of 18(2) night shooting activity.

Changes to the notification system:
🔹 All night shooting notifications must be submitted using the ‘Notification of Authorised Shoot – Pest Control’ form. Completed forms should be emailed to the new dedicated mailbox: [email protected]
🔹 The form is available on the Police Scotland website under Fi****ms and Explosives Licensing.
🔹 Do not use the Police Scotland online ‘Contact Us’ form, [email protected], or 101 to obtain an incident report number.

Notifications sent to the new mailbox will not receive an incident report number.

Authorised persons should retain a copy of their notification email in their sent items for future reference.

There is also no longer a requirement to notify Police Scotland when night shooting activity has concluded.

As ever, it remains a legal requirement for the authorised person to notify the local police, neighbours and anyone they know is likely to be on the property/control area when night shooting is taking place.

BASC Scotland will be writing to members with further information, in due course.

04/09/2026

🦌Today we’re celebrating Scottish Venison Day

Wild venison is a nutritious, lean and versatile meat, sourced from Scotland’s landscapes and playing an important role in deer management.

From the hill to grill, Scottish venison is a great example of how the management of our wild deer provides a high-quality, locally sourced food.

So, whether you’re enjoying a venison steak, burger, casserole or something a little more adventurous today, raise a fork to Scottish Venison Day! 🥩🌿

For some great venison recipes visit our Eat Game website:
https://eatgame.co.uk/recipes/venison/

or Scottish Venison website:
https://scottish-venison.com/

03/09/2026

🔥 Cairngorms wildfire statement in Scottish Parliament

Watch online after 2pm today for the Ministerial Statement on the Cairngorms Wildfire, visit www.scottishparliament.tv

BASC believes land management has an important role in wildfire prevention. Grazing, cutting, firebreaks and muirburn can reduce fuel loads, slow the spread of fire and help protect communities, wildlife and firefighters.

BASC’s message is simple: we can’t control the weather, but we can manage the landscape better to reduce wildfire risk.

Prevention must be at the heart of Scotland’s approach.

BASC would like to thank all those involved in tackling the Cairngorms wildfire, many of whom are our members, gamekeepers, farmers, crofters, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and all those boots on the ground.


(Photo credit: Robert Grant)

Watch all meetings at the Scottish Parliament live or in our archive. You can also choose to share, clip and embed videos.

02/09/2026

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01/09/2026

📢 BASC responds to NatureScot General Licences review

NatureScot is reviewing the Scotland General Licences for the control of pest birds and other wildlife management activities.

Thanks its members for completing the survey, which helped inform the BASC official response. In its response BASC, gave support for the retention of the general licences and the species currently listed.

We have also recommended the addition of a range of bird species including raven, cormorant, gulls and parakeets.

More info can be found here: https://basc.org.uk/respond-to-the-scottish-general-licences-consultation/

01/09/2026

📢 Partridge and wildfowling seasons open today

Whether you’re heading to the foreshore or out on a partridge day, we wish you a safe and enjoyable season with good company, memorable days and something tasty for the pot.

Straight shooting! 🦆

29/08/2026

📢 Sound moderators for ai***ns

BASC Scotland has been engaging directly with the Scottish Government over changes to legislation around sound moderators for ai***ns.

Following a letter from BASC Scotland, the Scottish Government has confirmed that officials are considering the implications of the changes to the Fi****ms Act 1968 for Scotland’s air weapons licensing framework.

Scottish Government officials have acknowledged the inconsistency and are looking into how the system could potentially be brought back in line with fi****ms legislation and remove additional burdens for air weapon users.

This is an important development, and BASC Scotland will continue to engage with officials to ensure the concerns of air weapon users are properly understood and that any changes are proportionate and workable.

We will keep members updated as this work progresses.

****msLicensing

28/08/2026

🎯Members’ Day at Seals Cove

What a fantastic day at Seals Cove for the BASC Scotland North East Members’ Shoot!

It was great to see so many members coming together for a day of friendly competition, plenty of good shooting and, of course, a bit of healthy rivalry!

A huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped make the day such a success to E.J. Churchill - Seal's Covefor hosting us and to TwinPeakes Fly Fishing for such a generous prize.

Congratulations to all our winners and well done to everyone who took part. We hope to see you all at another BASC Scotland event soon!

28/08/2026

📸A summer of political engagement

It’s been a busy summer for BASC Scotland, and our shows have provided a fantastic opportunity to meet and speak with lots of Members of the Scottish Parliament and a few Westminster MPs.

From the Royal Highland Show and Scottish Game Fair to Moy Country Fair, we’ve welcomed MSPs to our stands, introduced them to our members and given them the opportunity to try some fantastic Scottish wild game while discussing the issues that matter to shooting, conservation and rural Scotland.

These conversations are an important part of our work, making sure decision-makers understand the contribution shooting and conservation make to our countryside, communities and economy.

We were also pleased to welcome Chief Inspector Bruce Crawford from Police Scotland’s National Fi****ms and Explosives Licensing team to our stands. Bruce and his team have played an important role in establishing the Scottish Fi****ms Mental Health Awareness and Support Partnership.

Thank you to all the MSPs who took the time to visit us this summer. We look forward to continuing those conversations throughout the year.

BASC Scotland – representing shooting, conservation and rural communities.

25/08/2026

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