The Suite Way To Protect Game

Mapping out a fully integrated approach will pay dividends for a shoot, says Mike Swan

- Mike Swan

Let’s start by noting the words ‘predation control’, rather than predator. In managing game and wildlife, how many predators you kill is of no great relevance; rather it is the predation that you prevent that matters. As a consequence, shooting odd random predators is of no great moment. What is needed is an integrated plan that addresses all the main issues for the species that we wish to protect.

Nesting wild pheasants can lose eggs and chicks to birds such as crows, magpies, rooks, jackdaws and jays, as well as mammals including rats, stoats, weasels, mink and foxes. All these mammals can kill hens on the nest, too, and foxes will take adult birds at any time of year.

Simply picking a single species to control, or even the two or three that you judge to be the most important, is not likely to have that much effect. If you suppress these, other generalist predators are likely to take up much of the slack, resulting in a much more modest impact than you would hope.

Bonanza

The RSPB has found this out at Otmoor in Oxfordshire. Having carried out great habitat works to restore the site for breeding waders, especially lapwings, predation became a big issue. Electric fencing to keep out ground predators allowed more lapwings to hatch, but the bonanza of chicks attracted red kites that carried off a significant number.

First things first. Before you set off at the predators, what are you trying to achieve? My little shoot is about producing enough wild pheasants for me to organise a few days of rough shooting for seven or eight Guns, without getting tangled up in a release programme.