British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC)

Founded in 1908, The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), formerly the Wildfowlers’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland (WAGBI), is the largest fieldsports organisation in the UK. It campaigns to protect and promote country shooting and conservation.

Country shooting includes live quarry shooting of game, wildfowl and the management of pest species.

Today it has 148,000 members and employs over 100 full-time staff across the UK.

BASC’s headquarters is in Rossett, near Chester and throughout the UK support, help and guidance is provided by full-time regional directors centred on four English regions – the North, Central, South East and South West. There is also the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland offices. A Council is elected by the Association’s members and are responsible for the strategy and management of BASC.

BASC’s aims

Latest articles

Opinion Formervideoopinion former
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Minister clarifies recreational shooting can take place in Northern Ireland

BASC has received clarification that recreational shooting is permitted in Northern Ireland during the current Covid-19 restrictions. Rough shooting, game shooting, deerstalking and wildfowling can take place on an individual basis, with members of your own household or your bubble, or with one person from another household. BASC Northern Ireland director Tommy Mayne met the… Read more »

Opinion Formervideoopinion former
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Minister ‘appalled’ by widespread gamekeeper abuse  

A Scottish Government Minister has condemned “the abuse and unfair harassment” of gamekeepers and their families in Scotland, after research commissioned by the Scottish government showed that almost two thirds had experienced abusive behaviour. In a letter to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the newly appointed Minister for Rural Affairs and the… Read more »