Two months of silence can look like a content gap from the outside, but sometimes it’s just life hitting hard. I open with a personal update on why the Outdoor Giving Podcast went quiet, then pivot back to what we do best: honest conversations from the field that show the reality of hunting, deer management, and countryside work without the polished fantasy.

From a kitchen table in Aberdeenshire, I’m joined by Alex from Hunter Gatherer Cooking to unpack his Scotland trip and the bigger “why” behind the Estates Collective films. We talk about coming into deer stalking as a novice, the shock of that first real moment, and why responsible hunters don’t chase the kill, they chase a clean, ethical outcome and a freezer full of food. If you’ve ever wondered what mentorship really looks like, or why experienced stalkers still treat every decision with caution, you’ll feel seen here.

We also get practical on education and progression, including PDS1 versus DSC1, learning styles, and why structured training early can save years of confusion. Then we head into modern night shooting in Scotland: thermal imaging, night licenses, target identification, and the uncomfortable truth that tech can increase the room for error if you don’t practice with discipline. Add in a bit of range work, mink trapping, and pheasant checks, and you’ve got a proper snapshot of real-world field sports.

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