The GunsOnPegs Podcast

As we head into a brand new shooting season George and Digby delve into the results of the 2024 Game Shooting and Shoot Owner Census to answer the biggest questions in shooting: How much does a pheasant cost this year, and how does it compare to last year? What is the average bag size that guns shoot, and has that number changed over time? And, perhaps most importantly, what is the most popular fine for shooting the white pheasant?

Does shooting etiquette, clothing and tradition matter?

All of this makes Giles the ideal chap to join Chris and George for a chat about some of the finer points that the conventions, codes and customs of the shooting world throw up, and answer the question that will ring down the ages: why does any of it matter?'

Live from the Game Fair 2024! 

What does the new Labour Government mean for shooting and the countryside? The day after the King's Speech Tim Bonner, head honcho at the Countryside Alliance, joined us at GunsOnPegs HQ to give his take on this question and many others surrounding the change of government. Tim looks into his crystal ball and highlights a few potential storm clouds on the horizon, but also a few rays of hope as well.

What does it take to bring Grey Partridges back from the brink of local extinction? Our guest for this episode, Charlie Mellor, is Head Gamekeeper at the Norfolk Estate in Sussex, where he manages the Peppering Project, the Duke of Norfolk's widely lauded effort to do just that. 

Hugo Campbell Hill, AKA @thegameglutton joins us to talk about how life has led him to sharing his game cookery recipes and tips on Instagram, and his personal crusade to get more people - both inside and outside shooting - enjoying cooking and eating game. Hugo's breezy style and easy-to-follow recipes have seen him build a small yet loyal following since he started his project in February 2024, and we discover what his vision is for the future of his project. We also discuss the joys of mincing, smoking, and brining.

Hugo also weighs in on the divisive debate of paper/plastic cups vs. mugs on a shoot day, and watches on as George (back from his holiday) drops Chris in the cacky over his questionable tipping practises.

With George on holiday, GunsOnPegs MD Digby Taylor steps into the breach to take on hosting duties alongside Chris. Their guest is Duncan Clark, owner of Braxted Park, the Essex shoot famed for its powerful Kansas Thunder pheasants and testing partridge.

Duncan, a former trustee of the Country Food Trust, helps Chris and Diggers to tackle listener correspondence on the topics of part-trained gundogs and ties on shoot days, before sharing his thoughts on the importance of family, community and frivolity on shoot days. He also touches on the role that estates like Braxted can have in their local community, and paints his picture of what the future of shooting might look like at Braxted and beyond. 

Richard Negus - writer, hedgelayer, conservationist - joins Chris and George, for a chat about the important and oft-overlooked role that hedgerow management plays in conservation and shooting. The episode's theme is the concept of outreach, and as well as discussing Richard's own (not always hiccough-free) work in introducing primary school kids and young farmers to the intricacies of hedgelaying, we also help a listener to resolve the problem of dog walkers disturbing their pheasants and suggest a range of potential solutions.

Pre-order Richard's book: 

https://unbound.com/books/words-from-the-hedge

Tom Opre, the director of the film The Last Keeper, joins Chris and George to share an outsider's perspective on the thorny topic of land use, ownership and management in Scotland. The theme is that of his new film, which recently premiered. Tom explains his journey of discovery as he tries to understand the perspectives of both traditional land managers - like gamekeepers, crofters and stalkers - and the rewilding organisations and businesses buying up huge tracts of Scotland. Is there any hope of agreement, or at least detante, between the two sides?

Tom also helps Chris and George to answer some listener questions, along with a unique and imaginative Desert Island Shooting, and one listener shares a smutty Drive Name.

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Jamie Horner, recipient of at Purdey Awards Special Commendation, shoot manager extra-ordinaire, game feed specialist and all-round good egg joins George and Chris to talk all about Iford Downs, the East Sussex shoot that will host the 3rd Order of the Garters shoot day.  Jamie shares his enthusiasm for using the shoot to create a habitat that benefits not only his redleg partridges, but up to 84 different wild bird species including some vanishingly rare ones, as well as his passion for creating strong working relationships with conservation organisations... including the RSPB.