Gamekeeping – good or bad?

[Fergus Collins]

In the latest edition of Countryfile Magazine we published an article by a gamekeeper John Cowan.

I'd be really interested to hear forum members' views on gamekeeping and shooting in general.

Did you find the article interesting?

Did it change your mind about the work of gamekeepers?

Does shooting have a place in modern Britain?

Would you like to become a gamekeeper?

Looking forward to hearing your views – which we'll publish in the magazine.

Fergus (ed)

[Jeffers]

It was a very interesting article and I hope that there will be others of a similar nature featuring the lives of those who live and work in the countrysde. Gamekeepers as a whole have suffered from a bad press over the years. They have this image of being stern custodians of private property, ready to forcibly evict anyone who may have inadvertently strayed from official paths. At the same time, some of their number are suspected as being willing to whilst and illegally poisoning birds of prey. So yes, this article highlighted the very valuable conservation work that gamekeepers do and the battle that they have to keep poachers at bay.
As for shooting, it is axiomatic that the conservation role played by gamekeepers, shoot owners and the like would disppear if the sport was banned. That would be bad news for the British countryside as we know it and bad news for the income generated by shooting.
I do not shoot, have never shot and have no intention of doing so but I think that shooting is integral to the British countryside and has a permanent future.
As for the idea of gamekeeping, it certainly wouldn't appeal to me with the constant battle against poachers and the possibility that one poor season and I'd be out!

[PuBS]

I am prejudiced perhaps, in favour of gamekeeping and shooting, because I beat or pick up frequently in the shooting season, but I have seen lots of wildlife flourishing on shooting estates where predation is controlled. Controlled not exterminated please note.
Many keepers are exceptional amateur and untrained naturalists being in close contact with the wildlife on their estates.
I have been privilieged to visit many areas out of reach of the public whilst doing my job as a beater or picker up and on some estates have been amazed at how so many species flourish. 0n one in particular skylarks and brown hares abound, despite the accepted trend in downward numbers