Wasabi Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 Speaking to a keeper friend in Sw Scotland. He's having problems finding a market for his shot birds. Is it just a local issue or more widespread? If it's more widespread what are the organisations such as BASC and CA doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masmiffy Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 Think the problem will get worse prices paid have been awful for a long time did hear some dealers wont pay but will take, cant be right can it. There was a thread on here today saying dealers even wanted paying to collect! Meat comes from Tesco in plastic trays not many are taught to prepare their own and until that changes game in the feather / fur wont sell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty1980 Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 There was a thread on here today saying dealers even wanted paying to collect I read that in one of the mags a few weeks ago. Apparently some of the food banks and homeless shelters are taking them away to make game pies. Home made game pies....for free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moorvale55 Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 I read an article yesterday whereby a game dealer was being paid 20 pence to take pheasants !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasabi Posted October 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 I read Ian Botham was donating game ready meals to food banks. Could be an idea for the shooting organisations to do something similar. Massive PR boost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 I read an article yesterday whereby a game dealer was being paid 20 pence to take pheasants !! If that is the case then most big shoots will not pay to have them taken away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 Speaking to a keeper friend in Sw Scotland. He's having problems finding a market for his shot birds. Is it just a local issue or more widespread? If it's more widespread what are the organisations such as BASC and CA doing? There as been a problem selling game birds for a number of years now, come mid season most shoots will be lucky to get 20p per brace, the big shoots will be dumping most of what they shoot which is not a good image for shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 Catton Estate are preparing and marketing their game direct. Fantastic oven ready. I had 10 packs for the freezer and a friend had six packs, four partridge crowns to a pack, £3 a pack, a few veg and some potatoes will feed a family of four. Will be ordering more and spreading the word amongst friends who don't shoot but would love oven ready birds. The way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novice cushie shooter Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 Same in Midlothian, game dealers want paid to collect game its a crying shame such good quality meat is being shunned aside for water pumped fast fattened chickens etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 Catton Estate are preparing and marketing their game direct. Fantastic oven ready. I had 10 packs for the freezer and a friend had six packs, four partridge crowns to a pack, £3 a pack, a few veg and some potatoes will feed a family of four. Will be ordering more and spreading the word amongst friends who don't shoot but would love oven ready birds. The way to go. Is that online sales? If so, do you have a link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 I have just piped out a processing unit for a local shoot, last year their cold smoked pheasant was excellent looking out for a new range of game products including venison salami. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 Hi Wasabi, What would you like to see BASC or the CA doing about game prices? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 I read Ian Botham was donating game ready meals to food banks. Could be an idea for the shooting organisations to do something similar. Massive PR boost. Well, I sincerely trust that my membership fee isn't used to subsidise the preparation and marketing of in excess of 13.5 million oven ready pheasant meals. If people wish to shoot pheasants then the responsibility for finding a home for them rests squarely with them and the shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 To be honest Most of this is our fault how many times do you see a game shooting person turn down a brace ? I shot on Saturday End of the day I took a brace that I shot myself I know this as my dogs retrieved them and I put my own ties on them End of the day I took my brace and 2 others Sunday afternoon set about plucking and dressing the birds of the 6 birds one was ferret food Ones legs and back end was plastered Two were hard hit wings and side Two were head shot To be marketed imo 66% were rejects with a disposal cost leaving 2 to sell cover costs and make wages and profit We need to remember that its food we are harvesting and only present the top quality birds to the dealer and do our bit by being the best marksman we can I read it on here every year I've been invited pheasant shooting ?what super duper heavyweight load do you recommend? Light load bit of choke and try to miss infront Tin hat on All the best Of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 To be honest Most of this is our fault how many times do you see a game shooting person turn down a brace ? I shot on Saturday End of the day I took a brace that I shot myself I know this as my dogs retrieved them and I put my own ties on them End of the day I took my brace and 2 others Sunday afternoon set about plucking and dressing the birds of the 6 birds one was ferret food Ones legs and back end was plastered Two were hard hit wings and side Two were head shot To be marketed imo 66% were rejects with a disposal cost leaving 2 to sell cover costs and make wages and profit We need to remember that its food we are harvesting and only present the top quality birds to the dealer and do our bit by being the best marksman we can I read it on here every year I've been invited pheasant shooting ?what super duper heavyweight load do you recommend? Light load bit of choke and try to miss infront Tin hat on All the best Of ABSOLUTELY ON THE NAIL. I shoot about 20 driven days a year and use 18/19grms of 7s in my 410 and yesterday was in a team of eight. We averaged 2 to 1 for the day but I saw numerous birds blown to pieces both too close at times and with these super heavy cartridges which have become the fashion. Huge clouds of feathers. I shot my share and only had one runner which the picker up had to hand pretty quickly. There was a heated discussion on the gun bus about the subject which I was not involved in with half the guns saying, why these cannon shells when that guy over there was killing 'em with his 410. I make a point of asking if there is any damaged game as I can convert most of it into game pies for Elevensies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 At one time the dealers wouldn't waste a thing , if there was one good breast on two hard hit game birds then these would be sold as a pair , any good meat would be taken off and used as game casserole . Now they can reject all but the best and they arnt daft by any means , they know the guns have took the best and you are hoping they take what is left. When this sad state of affairs came to light a few years ago with the public finding the odd bin liner full of dead pheasants we tried to sweep it under the carpet with excuses like they might have been de breasted or they were damaged and unfit for the table , this might be so but disposing the vast amount of game in this day and age will become a serious problem while there are more game birds shot each year now than the year before . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 To be honest Most of this is our fault how many times do you see a game shooting person turn down a brace ? I shot on Saturday End of the day I took a brace that I shot myself I know this as my dogs retrieved them and I put my own ties on them End of the day I took my brace and 2 others Sunday afternoon set about plucking and dressing the birds of the 6 birds one was ferret food Ones legs and back end was plastered Two were hard hit wings and side Two were head shot To be marketed imo 66% were rejects with a disposal cost leaving 2 to sell cover costs and make wages and profit We need to remember that its food we are harvesting and only present the top quality birds to the dealer and do our bit by being the best marksman we can I read it on here every year I've been invited pheasant shooting ?what super duper heavyweight load do you recommend? Light load bit of choke and try to miss infront Tin hat on All the best Of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasabi Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Hi Wasabi, What would you like to see BASC or the CA doing about game prices? They could be doing more to create more demand from Joe public. I also think the big bag shoots need to be doing more. I know of two who dump birds which is perfect fuel for antis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 They could be doing more to create more demand from Joe public. I also think the big bag shoots need to be doing more. I know of two who dump birds which is perfect fuel for antis. At the end of the day do Joe public really want them ? there was a time when a brace of Pheasants were to expensive for most working class families and the odd person might treat themselves to a brace for Christmas dinner , those days are long gone , now you can buy a box of ten oven ready Partridges for £20 and no doubt as the season get into full swing you might be able to get them cheaper than that. Somebody suggested giving them to the food banks , we have a few shoots around this way where a 250 + day is common place and if only four gave there days bag to a local food bank they could well have a 1000 head of game to get rid of in a matter of days if they haven't got any cold storage in keep them in , and if there was a choice of a Marks and Spencer ready meal and a brace of Pheasants in the feather what do you think they would chose ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 At the end of the day do Joe public really want them ? there was a time when a brace of Pheasants were to expensive for most working class families and the odd person might treat themselves to a brace for Christmas dinner , those days are long gone , now you can buy a box of ten oven ready Partridges for £20 and no doubt as the season get into full swing you might be able to get them cheaper than that. Somebody suggested giving them to the food banks , we have a few shoots around this way where a 250 + day is common place and if only four gave there days bag to a local food bank they could well have a 1000 head of game to get rid of in a matter of days if they haven't got any cold storage in keep them in , and if there was a choice of a Marks and Spencer ready meal and a brace of Pheasants in the feather what do you think they would chose ? Would it not be a good idea for shoots to liaise with game dealers and find out what numbers they are willing to take and restrict their bags to suit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Well, I sincerely trust that my membership fee isn't used to subsidise the preparation and marketing of in excess of 13.5 million oven ready pheasant meals. If people wish to shoot pheasants then the responsibility for finding a home for them rests squarely with them and the shoot. This. There are many poultry processing plants up and down the country; our local one takes and processes all manner of in season game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 (edited) Game shoots wont restrict the bag to what game dealers will take. They will just dispose of the game after the shoot into a big hole or burn it. Its all about big bags and profit. Edited October 20, 2017 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Would it not be a good idea for shoots to liaise with game dealers and find out what numbers they are willing to take and restrict their bags to suit? Game shooting is big business , and with prices ranging from £25 / 35 per bird, or in places maybe more you can see why the shoot owners are not to concerned about selling the end result for pea nuts or at a loss . Take a 200 bird day at Partridges at £30 per bird , if my maths is right that is £6000 , time the guns , picker ups , drivers , beaters , and anyone who help out on the shoot take a brace , or a thrice ( 3 ) in some places , there might be 140 / 150 left , time they have been graded this might be down to say 130 , the dealer might be 30 / 40 miles away and is be paying 15 / 20p each , I cant really see the person running the shoot being desperate enough to drive 60 / 80 miles and taking a minimum of 2 hours for around £20, and that is if the dealer is paying anything , We know its not right but they are business people and by selling the game at a lost due to the low price don't make economic sense . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 3 oven ready pheasants for £10 today on Farnborough market,seemed to be selling OK. I think the biggest problem with game is most people don't know what to do with it in fur and feather and are afraid of it,let's face it most would sooner buy frozen **** from Icelands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 They could be doing more to create more demand from Joe public. I also think the big bag shoots need to be doing more. I know of two who dump birds which is perfect fuel for antis. Typical attitude. Someone else should sort it out.a game shooters responsibility does not end with paying for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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