30/01/2022
2022 SYNDICATE VIEWING DAYS & VACANCIES
We are now recruiting members for the 2022/23 season and will have a viewing for prospective members at Deepdale on Sunday 6th February and at Holm Hill on Saturday 12th February. If you are genuinely interested please contact Robert only by email sent to [email protected]
SYNDICATE PROFILE
We lease two estates totalling 3700 acres. We have the Deepdale Shoot which is part of Lartington Estate just outside Barnard Castle (County Durham) and the Holm Hill Shoot which is located 10 minutes south of Carlisle in north Cumbria
All our shooting is on a stand one/beat one basis with 9 guns standing, we do not shoot or carry a gun in the beating line. On the shoot day we are split into two teams, 9 in each team and through the day we rotate shooting and then beating. Guns make a daily contribution of £20 (minimum) which is both a “keepers tip” and wages for an additional 4-6 beaters/pickers-up with dogs to bulk up the line and to keep the day running smoothly. Our members need to be fit as you will take your turn at beating and you need to do it properly! We are looking for folks who can appreciate a day in glorious countryside with good friends and enjoy more than just pulling the trigger. We have no interest in folks who want to turn up with a calculator to work out how many birds they should be shooting in order to get “good value”, we are looking for people who contribute socially and to help ensure others have a great day
Shoot days are Friday and Saturday's. We shoot on 23 days over the season so there are plenty of options for folks to be able to select days that suit them.
Novice guns are welcome and novice guns will be allocated a mentor to help them to settle into and learn about Game Shooting. Safety and understanding of the ethics and traditions of Game Shooting are crucial to us so if you are a novice gun please make us aware so we can help and mentor you.
Deepdale is located 5 minutes outside Barnard Castle at Lartington Village and is a convenient 20 minute drive to the A1 at Scotch Corner and 45 minutes from the M6 in the west. Deepdale is a 700 acre traditional shoot which was planted up and managed as a Sporting estate. Deepdale has a magnificent wood construction bespoke lunch hut that is the hub for many social days. Deepdale has varied terrain with drives from Game Crops, small woods, large woods, the High Lake, the Snipe Bog, Low Lake, Raygill Woods and, as the name suggests, the very deep Deepdale which is a narrow wooded valley running for over a mile from the edge of Lartington Moor down to Barnard Castle. Deepdale has 10 drives in use and we shoot 4-6 drives per day.. Deepdale gets a good fall of Woodcock and on our last day one gun had two brace on his peg at the High Lake. In 2022 we are releasing 1000 birds at Deepdale and look to attain a recovery rate over 33%. We shoot on 9 days at Deepdale
Holm Hill Shoot extends to just under 3000 acres and is located in North Cumbria overlooked by the Northern Fells at Caldbeck. The shoot is South of Carlisle near Dalston and only 10 minutes from the M6. Holm Hill has a good mixture of topography with well spaced mature hardwood and softwood woodland as well as some cover crops. Many drives are off rolling hills or steep river side banks which present challenging and rewarding shooting. There are notable drives from the mature woodland at Fir Bank which show varied and testing birds over and along the River Caldew, the renowned Raughton Wood from the hilltop and over to Clay Bank, Red Ghyll falling down the valley to Gaitsgill and that’s to name just a handful. The shoot has around 28 drives meaning syndicate members will experience a variety of drives and challenges throughout the season. The shoot has a riverside Bothy where we meet and return for lunch and day end refreshments. In 2022 we will release 2250 Pheasants at Holm Hill and shooting 14 days with full members selecting 10 days from 14. We look to shoot a bag averaging 50 birds a day and a return in excess of 36%.. Depending on the drives and the time of year we shoot from 4 up to 6 drives per day.
Members have the option of shooting Holm Hill, Deepdale or a combination of both so there are many options and a great deal of variety.
SHOOT SUBS
In 2022 subs are paid in 3 instalments by 1st February, 1st April and 1st but we are happy to delay this timeline for new members.
There is a one off £200 joining fee for new members. This is due on accepting a place.
Subs options are as follows:
Deepdale only (9 days):
Working Gun - £1150
Non Working Gun - £1450
Half Gun Non-Working (4 days)- £740
Half Gun Working - £610
Holm Hill only (10 days)
Working Gun - £1150
Non-Working Gun - £1450
Half Gun Non-Working (5 days) - £800
Half Gun Working - £650
Joint Gun Holm Hill and Deepdale (9 days)
Working Gun - £1150
Non-Working Gun - £1450
Half Gun Non-Working (5 days) - £900
Half Gun Working (5 days) - £750
Joint Gun Holm Hill and Deepdale (10 days)
Working Gun – £1260
Non-Working Gun - £1600
RESERVE FUND
At the AGM we agree a reserve fund provision. Only if required to maintain a positive bank balance, a one off levy on subs of £50 per full gun and £25 per half gun payable on the 1st October 2022. This will only be payable if rearing, feed and maintenance costs escalate to the extent that the proposed shoot subscriptions will not cover the 2022/23 shoot running costs.
SHOOT DATES
There are 14 days at Holm Hill and 9 at Deepdale. Shoot days are a mix of Friday’s and Saturday’s
ROOST SHOOTING & FOX DRIVES
We arrange regular fox drives, roost shoots, vermin shoots and social activities