What? No consideration of a driven pheasant shoot!?
Wrong time of the year mate. I was born and raised in the UK and driven pheasant shooting is best in November to December IMHO but then, I was a gamekeeper so I might be biased..... Not to mention it is NOT cheap: expect to pay at least $35 to $50 per BIRD shot. 100+ bird days are the norm so do the math, even shared between 8 shooters, it ain't cheap. Add in tips, ammo, vehicle rental, hotel and you are looking at serious money. Walked up or 'rough shooting' is a much more cost effective way to enjoy the UK game scene in the winter with a more varied bag too. Everything from pigeons to rabbits, hares, pheasants, partridges, woodcock, snipe, ducks, geese and even deer if you have the right spot to shoot on.
I dunno how long it's been since the guy in Canada has lived in the UK but the shotgun and firearm certificate process is nowhere near as simple or easy as he makes it sound. In the first place, the licensing system is administered by the county police forces and therefore subject to the vagaries of the local cops and their admin. Several police forces in the UK have a well deserved reputation for being a complete PITA with their admin of the system.
I lived in North Yorkshire and even while serving all over the world in the Brit Army, they were pretty decent about all the guns I owned and wanted to buy. Finally gave up my licenses when I moved to the USA in 2005.
You have to get your application countersigned by 2 people who have known you for at least 3 years for both a shotgun and firearm certificate application. While not strictly required by the letter of the law, the cops will likely come to your home to inspect where you intend to store the guns when not in use. Again, while not required by the letter of the law, many police forces will list the exact locations where each of the rifles may be used and for what purposes. There is also a limit on the amount of rifle ammunition that may be purchased at one time and stored in your home. Not to mention with the stupid EU rules on firearms, some police forces count soft or hollow point bullets as complete rounds of ammo for the purposes of how much ammo you can have in your possession....
Sure the game laws are far more relaxed than here (and that is one of the very few things I miss about the UK) but the gun laws are fuggin HORRIBLE!!! I much prefer the USA and was one of the very MAJOR reasons I moved here.
The UK can absolutely be a visiting sportsman's delight at any time of the year but you need to get with a reputable guide to get the best out of it. I think the OP got the better deal by hiking in the Gila; after all, mixing with the skirt wearing porridge wogs (Scots!) is always a bit of chore......
