Advertise on podcast: The ShootHub Podcast

We booked a GWCT advisory visit and walked both our shoots with Senior Advisor Mike Swan. Here's what he found, from ancient woodland nobody knew was there to why your release pen might be holding birds back.   Book your advisory visit: https://www.gwct.org.uk/advisory/face-to-face-advice/book-a-visit/  MAGIC map: https://magic.defra.gov.uk/ This is the government map Mike explains for checking designations such as SSSIs and ancient woodland.

Jamie Horner is back, fresh off one of his best starts to a season at Iford in eleven years, and this time he's joined by Clare, ForFarmers' new leisure coordinator. They dig into how this year's drought shaped rearing and cover crops, why feed diversity (not just protein on a bag) is what actually holds birds, and the small changes making a big difference to plumage and flight. The conversation widens out into game feed pricing, deer management, and a frank chat about how shooting needs to be more open, better organised and louder about the conservation work it already funds.

In this episode, Digby talks through what this year's Game Shooting Census reveals: a season finally settling into stability after years of post-Covid and bird flu turbulence, and bird prices moving roughly in line with inflation. How big is the average bag size, and why does it come as a surprise to almost everyone? Are guns or shoots moving faster on the switch to non-toxic shot? And why are guns booking their days later than ever? We also cover the conservation work shoots fund entirely themselves with zero public money, the reality that only a handful of shoots ever turn a profit, and what shoots can actually do to encourage guns to book earlier and keep their days financially viable.

Professional gamekeeper Rob Barnard runs two estates and shares the reality behind the job on his YouTube channel, A Gamekeeper's Diary. In part two of this two part series, Rob talks about swapping his Shooting Times column for YouTube, the nerves of putting himself on camera, and how he deals with online trolls and hate comments. We also cover predator control as ecosystem management rather than eradication, the biggest misconception about gamekeeping, juggling the job with a young family, and why he'd never swap the title "gamekeeper" for anything else.

Professional gamekeeper Rob Barnard runs two estates and shares the reality behind the job on his YouTube channel, A Gamekeeper's Diary. In part one of this two part series, Rob talks about growing up on a small family shoot, the tough break into keepering, a year in Belgium, and turning down a headkeeper job in Romania. We also cover the isolation of rural work, leaning on the Gamekeepers Welfare Trust, his take on stopping birds from wandering off, and whether rearing your own poults is worth it.

Dr Rufus Sage, head of lowland game bird research at the GWCT, joins the ShootHub Podcast to respond to claims made in the BBC's Secret Garden series, which suggested released game birds are damaging Britain's native ecosystems.

In part two, Leon Challis-Davies returns to talk to Avian and Gemma about the commercial side of the industry: what buyers actually want, how shoots can add real value to what they produce, and where the UK game meat sector is heading next. Whether you're supplying a local dealer or thinking bigger, this one's worth a listen.

What happens after the shot matters just as much as the shot itself. In part one of this two-part conversation, Gemma and Avian sit down with Leon Challis-Davies of Eat Wild to find out what it really takes to produce game that's fit for the food chain.

In this episode we dive into one of the most quietly important shifts happening across shoots and estates right now: the move towards proper data and evidence-based management. Our guests David Butler and Jodie Case from Perdix Wildlife Solutions have built a platform designed specifically for the countryside, and they make a compelling case for why the keeper who's "managed fine for 30 years" might want to pay attention. We cover what Perdix Pro actually does on the ground, how simple (or not) it is to get started, and why data is becoming harder to ignore when conservation bodies, owners and regulators are all asking for proof that what you're doing is working.  Whether you manage a small syndicate or a large commercial estate, this one's worth a listen.

In this episode we open with a grouse season update before diving into the big question: sim shooting is everywhere right now, but is it actually worth it for your shoot? Edd breaks down what works, what doesn't, and what estates consistently get wrong. Plus we chat about Sports Mutual, what is it? who is it for?

This month on the ShootHub Podcast, Gemma and Avian are joined by Richard Prideaux and Paul Stewart from Scott Country International to explore the rapidly evolving world of thermal imaging, night vision and infrared technology in the countryside.  From the early days of lamps and limited visibility to today’s highly capable and accessible kit, this conversation looks at how night technology has transformed predator control, gamekeeping and wider countryside work. Richard and Paul break down the differences between systems, share practical advice on choosing the right setup, and discuss the balance between technology and fieldcraft. They also touch on the growth of the market, legal and ethical considerations, and what the future might hold as innovation continues to gather pace.

This month on the ShootHub Podcast, Gemma and Avian are joined by Marcus Janssen, Managing Director at Schöffel Country. The conversation focuses on The Schöffel Countryside Awards, exploring why they were created and the important role they play in recognising those working to protect and enhance the British countryside. Marcus shares how the awards began, what the judges look for, and why celebrating good work on the ground matters more than ever.

This month on the ShootHub Podcast, Gemma and Avian are joined by Matthew Goodall from the GWCT to tackle one of the most debated parts of modern gamekeeping: predator control. Often misunderstood by those outside the shooting world, Matthew explains why it plays such a vital role in conservation, how it’s carried out responsibly, and why the conversation around it so often misses the bigger ecological picture.

This month on the ShootHub Podcast, Gemma and Avian are joined by Dr Conor O’Gorman, Head of Policy and Campaigns at BASC. With more than two decades at the sharp end of conservation and legislation, Conor talks through the pressures facing shooting today, from general licences and ammunition to public perception, policy changes and what shoots should be focusing on over the coming years.

This week on the ShootHub Podcast, Gemma and Avian are joined by Rupert Brewer, Game & Wildlife Manager at the award-winning Bisterne Estate. Fresh from winning the Schöffel Working Conservation Award, Rupert talks about balancing a busy farm and shoot with serious conservation work, from redshank and lapwing successes to the realities of pens, predators and holding birds through winter.   Proudly sponsored by:  St Davids Vets: https://www.stdavids-poultryteam.co.uk/  Solway Feeders: https://www.solwayfeeders.com/  Marsdens Game Feeds: https://www.forfarmers.co.uk/game-feeds/marsdens-game-feeds  Treesco: https://linktr.ee/TreescoUK?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabz1B1XNyaTuPfOqU-5T-WibckDUuGZWvMAIzFHEaEfiU8Ey2RBtYszJ38_aem_uBNKIPHBLe_N8TF8celeTA  Scott Country International: https://www.scottcountry.co.uk/