gamekeeper

The work

Gamekeepers work mainly on country estates, making sure there is enough game for clients to shoot. Game includes deer, and birds such as pheasant, partridge and grouse. Keepers who protect and manage rivers and streams as habitats for trout and salmon are known as river keepers or ghillies.

The work varies according to the season, but gamekeepers' main tasks include:

• controlling predators such as foxes, crows and rats by shooting and trapping
• organising shoots and fishing parties
• hiring and supervising staff such as beaters, who flush out birds during shoots
• keeping records of what is shot or caught and arranging the sale of game
• clearing woodland and burning heather
• training gun dogs and working with them
• breeding game birds for release in the wild
• hatching fish from eggs or buying in young fish
• repairing equipment, buildings and game pens and cleaning guns
• protecting game from poachers by patrolling the beat area at night
• liaising with the police to deal with crime such as badger digging and hare coursing.

Hours and Environment

As a gamekeeper you will work long, often irregular hours, usually with early starts, late finishes and weekend work. 

You will work in the countryside, often in isolated areas, and spend most of your time outdoors in all weather conditions.

Skills and Interests

To be a gamekeeper you need:

• physical fitness and energy
• an interested in rural pursuits
• the ability to work with your hands and willingness to tackle all sorts of practical jobs
• the ability to work on your own for long periods of time but also work as part of a small team
• awareness of health and safety 
• good observational skills 
• the ability to communicate well with others.

Entry

You will usually start as an assistant or under-keeper, working with an experienced keeper. 

There is a lot of competition for vacancies, so It will be useful if you have some paid or unpaid experience, perhaps as part of a beating team, or in a related area such as forestry or farming. Practical skills such as carpentry will also be useful. You will need a driving licence for most jobs.

You could prepare for work as a gamekeeper by doing a relevant full-time course before looking for work. These include:

• NPTC National Certificate in Gamekeeping
• BTEC (Edexcel) National Award, Certificate or Diploma in Countryside Management.
• SQA National Certificate Introduction to Gamekeeping (in Scotland) 
• SQA Higher National Certificate in Gamekeeping and Wildlife Management (in Scotland).

You should check with individual colleges for their entry requirements for all these courses. 

See the 'Links' section of the National Gamekeepers' Charitable Trust  website for a list of some of the colleges running gamekeeping courses. 

You may be able to get into this job through an apprenticeship scheme. Funding for apprenticeships is available for 16-24 year olds and some over-25s. To find out more, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk. For information about apprenticeships in other parts of the UK, see Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Training

When you start work as a gamekeeper you will usually receive on-the-job training. You might be able to work towards NVQs/SVQs levels 2 and 3 in Gamekeeping and Wildlife Management.

If you are involved in tasks that could be dangerous, such as operating chainsaws and using pesticides, you are required by law to have certificates of competence. These are available through:

• National Proficiency Test Council (NPTC)
• Scottish Skills Testing Service (SSTS)
• Lantra Awards.

Other relevant Lantra Awards qualifications include:

• Advanced Certificate in Volunteer Management
• Level 2 Certificate in Wild Game Meat Hygiene, awarded by Lantra Awards and the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health (RSPH).

Visit the Lantra website (in Further Information below) for details of the new EU food hygiene regulations.

You can develop your skills and knowledge by doing short or residential courses run by organisations such as the British Deer Society (BDS) and the Game Conservancy Trust.

As a gamekeeper, you will need to keep up to date with the latest legislation, grant schemes and scientific research. One way to do this is to join organisations such as the National Gamekeepers' Organisation or the Scottish Gamekeepers' Association. Visit their websites in Further Information below for membership details.

Opportunities

As a gamekeeper you could be employed by a landowner or by a shooting syndicate that rents shooting rights from a landowner.

The number of gamekeepers has decreased over the past few years and there is a lot of competition for vacancies. You might be able to start on a part- time basis on smaller shoots and progress to a full-time position. There are also opportunities for seasonal and contract work.

With experience you could progress to head game keeper. 

You might be able to become self-employed by renting the shooting rights to land or working as a contractor.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Gamekeepers can earn between £13,000 and £18,500, rising to around £21,500 for headkeepers.

Employers often provide free or cheap accommodation and a vehicle. There may be allowances for clothing and for expenses.

Further information

Lantra House
Stoneleigh Park
Nr Coventry
Warwickshire
CV8 2LG
Tel: 0845 707 8007
PO Box 107
Bishop Auckland
DL14 9YW
Tel: 01388 665899

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