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The value of shooting with friends
Following on from the Value of Shooting report earlier in the year, John Bates remarks on the value he finds from belonging to a DIY shoot, with all its challenges and rewards.
I read in Shooting and Conservation magazine about the report into the ‘value’ of shooting. Value is an interesting word, as most would immediately think of it in financial terms.
However, as the Value of Shooting 2024 report shows, it’s about so much more than cash. Shooting provides £3.3bn to the UK economy annually, but it also has a measurably positive impact on the environment. The social benefits are spelt out loud and clear. That’s the angle I am coming from with this article.
A family shoot founded by farmers
Here in Gloucestershire, I am part of a well-organised but entirely amateur shoot. Several decades ago, the founding fathers were neighbouring farmers who shared a common interest. They pooled their efforts, contributed land for pens and provided feed.
And so the ‘family’ shoot we still enjoy today became established. That tale could, I’m sure, be told across every county. It was about the gathering of people and food for the table, above all else, which motivated the start-up.
In truth, very little here has changed over the years. On a shoot day with us you will see nine-year-olds and 90-somethings mixing and chattering. They are out in the fresh air, enjoying all the countryside delivers. I believe that was the ‘value’ that was originally intended by the founding farmers.
A group of friends, rather than a syndicate
When I referred to the syndicate a while ago, I was quickly reminded that a better word, friends, was preferred. And rightly so, because first and foremost we are a group of friends, rather than a syndicate.
We are a mixed bunch; farmers and agricultural workers as well as people from other walks of life. And that friends ‘value’ is also ingrained in the sense of community the shoot engenders.Â
We are all in it together, having a break from the harshness of winter and short daylight hours. Oh, and we certainly don’t dress to impress. At least I don’t, with my favourite tatty tweed coat making a regular appearance.
More valued than ever
Inevitably, some things have altered to reflect today’s world. Running the show on a shoestring budget has sadly long gone. All the real costs have risen and our crew faces a shortage of precious time. This means we must think and work smart to get the most from the time and money we can all commit.
As much as our lives are supposed to have been enriched, even made simpler with tech, gamekeeping is not a job ‘enriched’ as far as I can see. Whatever the weather, those ‘keepering duties still need to be done.
Difficult decisions
Some years have been easier than others and decisions have had to be made. Do we adjust our subscription fees? Should we try a year with pheasants only (due to availability and eyewatering cost issues)? Or maybe consider cancelling shooting completely due to avian influenza or the pandemic.
Apart from the obvious difficulties presented by these events, the result is that when we do have a season, we ‘value’ it even more than ever. Before the season started, the farmers planted bird-friendly cover crops. Work parties completed the release pen maintenance and the pheasants and partridges were settled in.
Now my friends – and of course our faithful dogs – are enjoying the fruits of those labours. With a sure eye and a steady hand, we are restocking the freezer, too. That’s what I call value!
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BASC Media team
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