Patrick Galbraith - Deer, Politics & Public Perception

Join us on this episode of The Deercast as we sit down with Harry Hutchison for a wide-ranging chat about life in the countryside, deer stalking and everything in between. We start by discussing Harry’s YouTube series, ‘Rural Life Unfiltered’, exploring what inspired him to start the series and giving an insight into his life in the rural world. Harry also talks us through how he first got into deer stalking, his experiences working as a ghillie, and some of the lessons he’s learnt along the way. We get into the details of his stalking kit, discussing his equipment choices, what works for him and what he wouldn’t be without in the field. And, of course, we bring you another instalment of Bobby’s Bits, where we take a closer look at the kit and equipment used in the world of deer stalking. A great episode covering deer stalking, rural life, equipment and the experiences that shape us as stalkers. To watch Harry’s series please visit: https://youtube.com/@harryhutchison_rural?si=PARif-4GdnRnEij1 Don’t forget to like, subscribe and leave us a comment!

Welcome to Episode 51 of The Deercast! In this episode Tom and Harry discuss: - The Start of the Fallow Season - Changes in firearms licensing - Fox Bullets - Planned kit purchases - The CL55 night licence for culling deer The lads also give an exclusive insight into upcoming podcast and video episodes that are in production! This is therefore a must listen episode to find out what to expect! Podcast chapters: 00:00 - Start 00:16 - Intro 01:10 - The Fallow season so far 09:30 - CL55 Night Licence 16:50 - Firearms Licensing changes 28:12 - Fox Bullets 39:00 - Harrys new wheels 48:45 - Bobbys Bits 1:06:00 - Conclusions To purchase Fox bullets please visit: www.oxondeer.co.uk/shop For more information about The Deercast please visit: www.thedeercast.co.uk

The boys are back for another epic episode of The Deercast podcast. In this episode Tom and Harry are joined by specialist deer vet Sam Ecroyd from Tyndale Vets. Tom, Harry and Sam cover a lot of ground in this podcast but focus on: * TB prevalence in deer * TB transmission in deer * Spotting TB in deer * Nutritional requirements of deer * Heat stress in deer * Reproductive rates within deer during stress periods * Supplementary feeding deer This is a highly educational but light hearted episode so sit back, relax and get ready to get nerdy about all things deer related! If you'd like more information about Tyndale Vets please visit: https://www.tyndalevets.co.uk/ . #thedeercast #deercast #deerstalking #deermanagement #huntingpodcast #deerpodcast #deerstalkingpodcast 00:00 - Start 00:19 - Introduction 01:42 - Tyndale Vet Practice 05:38 - TB in Deer 34:50 - Nutrition within deer 48:00 - Supplementary feeding deer 52:05 - Bobbys Bits 56:23 - Outro

In Episode 49 of The Deercast, Tom and Harry are joined by Ruaridh Waugh from Ardgay Game and Noble & Wild for an in-depth discussion about the future of the British venison industry. Together they explore the challenges and opportunities facing the UK venison market, including the realities of exporting British wild venison to the European Union, how international demand influences prices, and why British venison has earned a reputation as one of the highest-quality wild meats in the world. The conversation also examines how sustainable deer management supports the countryside while producing healthy, ethical, free-range food. Ruaridh shares his experience of the venison supply chain, explains what consumers should look for when buying venison, and discusses how Noble & Wild is making premium British venison more accessible through its nationwide home delivery service. Whether you're a deer stalker, game dealer, chef, farmer, conservationist or simply interested in sustainable British food, this episode offers fascinating insight into one of the UK's most under appreciated natural resources. Topics covered: * Exporting British venison to the EU * The current UK venison market * Why British wild venison is renowned for its quality * Sustainable deer management and the food chain * Challenges facing the game meat industry * Home delivery of premium British venison * The story behind Noble & Wild * The future of wild venison in Britain To order from Noble and Wild please visit: www.nobleandwild.com If you enjoy The Deercast, please remember to Like, Subscribe, and leave a Comment to support the channel. #TheDeercast #Venison #BritishVenison #DeerStalking #GameMeat #WildFood #SustainableFood #DeerManagement #HuntingUK #Conservation #NobleAndWild #ArdgayGame #FieldToFork #WildGame #BritishFood

In this episode of The Deercast, Tom sits down with experienced gamekeeper Julian to discuss one of the biggest talking points in modern countryside management: "does deer management interfere with game shooting, or does it actually improve it?" Drawing on decades of practical experience, Julian shares his honest views on balancing healthy deer populations with successful pheasant and partridge shoots. The conversation explores the relationship between deer stalking, habitat management and gamekeeping, challenging some of the common misconceptions surrounding deer control. Tom and Julian also take an in-depth look at deer syndicates—how they work, why Julian established one, the benefits it has brought, and practical advice for anyone considering setting up their own deer stalking syndicate. Whether you're a deer stalker, gamekeeper, shoot owner, land manager or simply interested in countryside conservation, this episode is packed with real-world knowledge and practical insights. In this episode: * Does deer management benefit or hinder game shooting? * How deer impact pheasant and partridge shoots * The role of deer control in habitat and woodland management * How Julian's deer syndicate operates * The advantages and challenges of running a deer syndicate * Tips for setting up your own deer stalking syndicate * The future of sustainable deer management in the UK If you enjoy discussions on deer stalking, gamekeeping, shooting, conservation and rural life, don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss a future episode of The Deercast. Have you been involved in a deer syndicate? Do you think deer management improves game shooting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. #DeerManagement #DeerStalking #Gamekeeping #GameShooting #DeerSyndicate #CountrysideManagement #Conservation #TheDeercast #WoodlandManagement #UKShooting

In this episode of The Deercast, it’s just Harry and Tom behind the microphones for a proper catch-up after a hectic few months of stalking, filming and travelling. The pair look back over the fallow season, discussing the highs and lows, the pressure of cull targets, and how this year compared to previous seasons. They also talk about the increasing number of diseased deer being encountered, falling carcass weights, and what that could mean for deer management going forward. Among other topics, they explore: How this year’s cull days went and why they’ve become such an important part of managing numbers The new pickup and quad bike setup, and how much easier it’s made deer retrieval Tom’s Swarovski scope disaster and the repair process with Swarovski Harry’s ongoing war with his Honda quad bike The pros and cons of thermal and digital optics after a season using the HIK scope setup Simplicity vs technology in modern stalking equipment Their experience at The Stalking Show, including what they bought and how the show felt this year The evolution of The Deercast YouTube films with a dedicated cameraman The launch of the brand new Bobby’s Bits YouTube channel Subscribe to Bobby's Bits here: / @bobbys_bits 00:00 - Start 00:16 - Intro 02:44 - Fallow Season De-brief 07:55 - Swarovski Scope Disaster 13:27 - Harrys Quadbike Update 16:40 - Cull / Movement Days 20:00 - HIK Micro Alpex 4K 26:41 - Youtube Video Developments 31:09 - FIPL Funding 33:05 - CL55 Night Licences 36:45 - Thermal Add On Units 41:55 - Toms New Mod 48:25 - The Stalking Show 1:01:30 - Conclusions

Join Tom and Harry for a very special podcast episode recorded live at the Stalking Show 2026. In this episode Tom and Harry are joined by Nick from Orion Wildlife Training. Tom, Harry and Nick discuss Orion Wildlife , the principle behind Orion, why training is so important for deer stalkers and also what DMQ is. To learn more about Orion Wildlife Training visit https://www.orionwildlife.co.uk . 00:00 - Intro 01:20 - The origins of Orion Wildlife Training 03:38 - What is DMQ 06:00 - How does DMQ Work 07:00 The difference between DSC1 and PDS1 10:00 - The Changes to DSC2 16:09 - Outro #deerstalking #deerstalkinguk #orionwildlifetraining #thestalkingshow #thedeercast #thedeercastpodcast #dmq

Join Tom and Harry for a very special podcast episode recorded live at the Stalking Show 2026. In this episode Tom and Harry are joined by Sarah from Hollands Country Clothing and Linda from Pinewood. Tom, Harry, Sarah and Linda discuss the Pinewood brand, what sets Pinewood clothing apart from other brands and what makes clothing 'good' for deer stalking. To learn more about Pinewood Clothing visit www.pinewood.eu . To purchase Pinewood clothing and many other brands please visit www.hollandscountryclothing.co.uk. 00:00 - Intro 02:00 - What makes clothing 'good' for deer stalking 04:00 - The Pinewood Brand 11:25 - Tom and Harrys must haves for clothing 14:09 - Where to buy Pinewood clothing 17:00 - Outro #deerstalking #deerstalkinguk #pinewood #hollandscountryclothing #thestalkingshow #thedeercast #thedeercastpodcast

In this episode of The Deercast, we’re joined by journalist, author and environmental correspondent for the Telagraph Patrick Galbraith. We dive into Patrick’s journey into stalking, and discuss the bigger picture of policy, politics and public perceptions of stalking. Among other topics, we explore: The paradox of rising deer populations vs limited stalking opportunities Whether public land (like Forestry Commission ground) should be opened up for stalking The growing acceptance of venison and deer management among the public How government policy is shaped, and where it often falls short The role of organisations, lobbying, and political awareness in field sports Why deer stalking enjoys better public perception than other country sports The importance of respect, for both the deer and the product Patrick Galbraith also shares insights from his work with policymakers and media, offering a candid look at how decisions are really made, and why confusion and lack of understanding can be just as influential as ideology. Patrick’s book Uncommon Ground is also now out in paperback, exploring many of these themes around land use (including stalking!), public access and our relationship with the countryside. You can find it here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/uncommon-ground/patrick-galbraith/9780008644444

This week on The Deercast, we’re joined by Louisa Clutterbuck, Chief Growth Officer at Lean & Wild and co-founder of Women Who Work in Field Sports. We dive into the reality of getting wild venison onto British plates at scale — from building a nationwide supply chain to supplying the MOD, universities, and major catering groups. Louisa lifts the lid on the challenges holding the industry back, from inconsistent handling standards and broken supply routes to the ongoing struggle for trust from supermarkets and consumers. We also get into the role of the modern deer stalker — or deer manager — and what needs to change if venison is ever going to compete with mainstream proteins. Along the way, we cover: Why muntjac could be the key to scaling venison The truth about assurance schemes and food safety Headshots, handling standards, and industry responsibility Protein sticks, gyms, and reaching a new audience Louisa’s own journey into stalking (and the emotional reality of pulling the trigger)