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Another emotive subject in the same week, sorry but nature does have it’s own timings too. The glorious 12th kicks off the grouse season with a bang, but a lot of tradition and common sense is built into why this time of year is right for game. Many crops finish off about now and are ready for harvest. The very same crops which we would hope to store or use before winter are also the food of many game animals. Rabbits, pigeons and squirrels are a pest all year round but the mature game birds are taking advantage of the grain and the fruit. A number of birds are readying themselves for their long flights south and will be bulking up on energy. The last thing a farmer would want to see is part of his corn field disappearing to Florida inside a flock of geese.

The hidden side of the game season is in the conservation of species, a main reason why there is no year round shooting. Organisations like The British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) work on the basis of the balance between hunting and sustainability. Game is raised naturally, it’s lean, humanely treated, traditional and most importantly full of flavour.

One of favourite treatments of game is smoking. Venison and pigeon are especially deservant of cherry or maple wood. This is accompanied by a seasonal fruit source, often blackberry and other hedge treats.

If you want to know more about when you can get hold of game, we have compiled a PDF chart of the British game seasons.