Show Notes
Why doesn't Britain have its own MeatEater?
This week Jake Woolf, Avian Sandercock and Sam Turner are joined by SideCountry producer and conservationist Amy Green to compare British field sports media with one of America's biggest hunting brands.
They look at why MeatEater reaches beyond people who already hunt, how adventure, ecology, food and storytelling make field sports feel more accessible, and whether British shooting still presents itself through too much tweed, tradition and exclusivity.
The conversation also gets into wild food, rough shooting, conservation, the difference between explaining and defending field sports, and whether British media has forgotten to show why people enjoy doing this stuff in the first place.
In this episode: - Why MeatEater works beyond an audience of hunters - The difference between British and American field sports media - Whether UK shooting looks too elitist and inaccessible - Why adventure, ecology and food make a better story than just the kill - What British field sports could learn from MeatEater - Why shooting media may spend too much time defending itself - Talking to the neutral majority rather than committed opponents - Showing where wild food actually comes from - How Fish and Game could tell better stories about the countryside
Useful links: - Support SideCountry on Patreon - Fish and Game on SideCountry - MeatEater - MeatEater Shows - Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing - SideCountry
Part of the SideCountry Network.
DISCLAIMER Views are those of individual speakers and do not necessarily represent SideCountry, its presenters, contributors, partners or sponsors. For general information and entertainment only. Laws, seasons, access and guidance change; check official sources, obtain permission and act within your competence.
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What exactly counts as a British deer?Is it a red stag on a whisky bottle, a muntjac standing beside the A11, or a Chinese water deer that appears to have grown a pair of fangs?Jake Woolf, Avian Sandercock and Sam Turner take a look at the six species of deer living wild in Britain, with Sam bringing some first-hand experience from farming red deer.They work through red, roe, fallow, sika, muntjac and Chinese water deer, including where they came from, where you are likely to find them and the surprisingly complicated business of what to call males, females and young.Then the conversation turns to deer management. Why have numbers and ranges increased so much? What happens when neighbouring landowners take completely different approaches? And how do forestry, farming, road collisions and sporting management all fit together?Sam explains how management works on deer farms and in the Highlands, while the three discuss the differences between managing deer for sport, controlling numbers and producing healthy animals for the food chain.There is also the curious economics of venison, why wild deer can sometimes be worth surprisingly little at carcass level, some very straightforward ideas for cooking it, and a final test of whether Jake and Sam can tell the difference between a deer term and a medieval insult.In this episode: The six species of wild deer found in Britain Red and roe deer, our two native species Fallow, sika, muntjac and Chinese water deer Roe deer and delayed implantation Why muntjac seem to be everywhere Stags, bucks, hinds, does, calves, kids and fawns Why deer numbers and ranges have increased Deer damage to woodland, crops and new planting Deer and road traffic collisions Highland versus lowland deer management The importance of managing females as well as males Farmed deer and wild deer The changing market for British venison Simple ways to cook venison Deer terms or medieval insults Useful links: British Deer Society: UK deer species British Deer Society: Why manage deer? British Deer Society: Deer open seasons British Deer Society: Venison GOV.UK: Deer impacts policy statement for England SideCountry Please note: Deer seasons, legislation and management requirements vary across the UK and can change. Always check current guidance for the species and location concerned before carrying out deer management.Part of the SideCountry Network.
What makes the grey partridge so special, and why is its French cousin now a far more familiar sight on British shoots?