Good sense not to put all your eggs in one basket
Game crops are seeing a new trend emerge with greater emphasis on spreading management methods, rather than putting all ground into annual cover crops.
By dividing the shoot's total cover into three management scenarios, annual, biannual and semi permanent, growers are finding more time to spend on the annual crops and ultimately ensuring greater success of crops across the shoot.
To present birds successfully, game crop cover is an integral part of the jigsaw for a sporting shoot. It makes good sense and practice not to put all your eggs in one basket, and by having some crops which do two to five years, takes the pressure off spring work. It also gives peace of mind that you are not totally dependent on any one year's weather.
It is good to see emergence of game mixes of maize, sorghum and millet, plus early kale crops at Leaton. The localised thunderstorms are just what was needed to freshen up the crops, giving them new vigour. The same moisture is also providing challenges with regard to weed control.
Meanwhile controlling flea beetle in kale can be rather like painting the Forth Bridge. In among these timely jobs now the pressure is on to ensure the last of the pen damage, caused by winter winds is repaired.
The partridge chicks which arrived a couple of weeks ago are nearly off heat and feathering up nicely, with an increasing appetite. The weather has been kind, and while the chicks have hatched, keepers will know there are many twists and turns with vermin and disease.
Healthy poult numbers have to equate with a healthy order book for shoot days. Without doubt the internet has revolutionised a team's ability to take away days. In this respect Guns on Pegs has proved its worth as a marketing tool and this season I look forward to welcoming both newcomers and a number of return teams from Shropshire and all corners of the UK.
A cautionary note must be mentioned regarding gun dog thefts. Ensuring their security is paramount as opportunists appear to be around every corner. Lock and key, and chipping of dogs – which will become mandatory from April 2016 – are ways to ensure that you have your full team for the forthcoming season.
All work and no play can be quite dull. To that end in Shropshire we have a superb network within both the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and the National Gamekeepers Organisation, both of which have laid on some excellent social and informative evenings.
By Ivor Ivor Fox, of Leaton Knolls commercial shoot
