Put eggs in several baskets
Rising costs and bird flu have added to the challenges keepers face so it’s a good time to take stock and assess what you can change, says Paul Quagliana
With the season’s end, a gamekeeper may breathe a sigh of relief that all the hard work has paid off. However, it is but a brief hiatus and time waits for no man, or woman. After what may be a well-earned holiday, the work required as the seasons revolve continues. For Mike and Antonia Appleby on the Honeycombe Shoot in Dorset, there is plenty to keep them busy – and a few hurdles in their path as well.
“One of the issues facing shoots, particularly partridge shoots, is the outbreak of avian flu on the Continent that has put a lockdown on any exports of eggs or chicks,” says Mike. “Many partridge shoots obtain their stock from France as the chicks hatch earlier than in the UK, so eggs are also available earlier. This means that birds will be at least 18 to 20 weeks old by the start of the partridge season on 1 September, allowing for a full season because they will be strong and fully feathered.
“One of the problems with home-grown redlegs is that as they mature later, shoots may have to start their season later, hence losing part of the partridge season and the income derived from it. I was lucky, I managed to get my eggs before the lockdown, which is believed will last until at least June of any exports from France, this may have a serious impact on dedicated partridge shoots”.
Rising costs
Next on the agenda was the issue of the rising energy costs and the fact that grain prices have been rising for the past two years. Mike is now paying £350 per ton. This will put up the price of birds, which will be passed on to Guns. The question Mike raised, though, was how much do you put the price up when the situation is changing rapidly? Many shoots sell their days in March, and Mike has sold most of his, but by the time the season swings around, will the costs have risen dramatically in the intervening period? He has struggled to get prices both for cover crops and for grower pellets for his birds – how can he work out costs when he doesn’t know what the prices will be? There are no alternatives when it comes to pheasant feed.
Prices of wheat have risen considerably
“Wheat is the bottom line when it comes to feeding pheasants when they leave the release pen. There is a chain reaction from the egg to the peg and a bird may cost £5 more to produce than before this year.”
Mike addressed the issue of shoots having closed flocks and essentially growing their own. But he said it was a massive outlay and only really cost-effective if large numbers of birds are being reared.
The next woe facing keepers – and farmers – is the banning of neonicotinoids (pesticides) that kill off the flea beetle that damages brassicas. Cover crops consisting of brassicas such as kale and fodder turnips can grow quickly and provide good shelter, but if they are attacked by flea beetles areas can quickly be lost. Frustratingly, if the crop fails, a second crop of fast-growing brassicas may also be attacked.
The Honeycombe Shoot prides itself on the numbers of woodcock it attracts. This is not purely by accident but down to habitat management. When the season is over, Mike and underkeeper James Rock get to work coppicing so that a good understorey develops providing excellent habitat on the shoot’s woodlands. Mike received complaints that there were no longer woodcock on the shoot, when until a few years ago they used to see quite a lot. When Mike made further enquiries, it emerged that little woodland management had taken place, the trees had grown up, shut out the light and the undergrowth had died off.
Release pens are another issue that requires constant attention, particularly
“There is a chain reaction from egg to peg and a bird may cost £5 more to produce this year”
after a series of severe storms. Fallen trees may need to be chainsawed and removed and new fencing erected. Mike warns that where forestry work exists on an estate, do check with the foresters before you start swinging your chainsaw with too much abandon. The timber may be valuable and the foresters may have a market for it.
Condition
Dogs are a vital part of a keeper’s life so it is important to keep an eye on their condition. Their health and living quarters should be monitored at all times, but after the season the kennels can be deep-cleaned and dogs should be kept warm, dry and well fed at all times. If a dog is showing signs of losing condition after a busy season, Mike recommends feeding them raw food such as tripe, which can help rebuild their physique.
The gamekeeping profession is a world that never rests and at the moment faces some difficult times. But with the stoicism possessed by rural people, gamekeepers throughout the UK will rise to any challenges placed in their path.
• Magpies will be establishing territories so look for these and make use of Larsen traps. Ensure that the traps comply fully with all the legalities, are away where possible from footpaths, are kept clean and call birds provided with food, shelter and clean water. Corvid control is essential for the success of gamebirds as well as other wildlife.
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