Game as a meat is no different from any other product — if you want to increase its value and demand for it, it needs to be a quality product to start with. Small, damaged and poorly handled birds — the bane of game dealers’ lives — will never be A-grade no matter what you do with them. Which is why it is important to get things right from the start.
Anyone who has dressed or breasted birds will have noticed differences in the size of the bird and the amount of fat that they carry. Smaller strains of pheasant such as the Kansas and the Manchurian can still be plump and carry enough fat to add flavour. However, bigger strains like the French common and the ubiquitous Bazanty may be on the thin side without an ounce of fat.
To a degree, the condition of the birds will depend upon the year and how they have done since release. If they have struggled and had problems in the release pen; if they were taken off the pellets too soon; or they have been fed poor-quality wheat and pushed about too much on shoot days, they aren’t going to be as well muscled, fit and heavy as they could be. Neither will they carry any body fat.
Heavy birds will still fly, so we shouldn’t get too hung up about birds getting too fat. In my experience that rarely happens, and it is the heavier birds that have the strength to power across the wider valleys and take on those difficult cross-winds.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside