Venison in the UK

UTGrad

Well-Known Member
Is venison available at most local grocery stores and supermarkets in the UK?

If so can one make a career deer stalking and providing venison to grocers?
 
For most stalkers it's not quite as simple as providing venison to grocers, a game dealer must take the venison from the stalker first. The game dealer usually pays about £1 per lb to the stalker (last time I checked) it's then sold on to the "grocer" who offers it to the consumer for between £5 per lb and £18 per lb. (ASDA venison steaks £16.67 per KG)
Venison is not at all popular with the British public. I am told that most of what we shoot here goes abroad.
So the answer to your question: No, not really viable
 
Thank you

Venison is popular and enjoyed in the American South but not available at the retail level. It's given as a gift amongst neighbors and friends.
 
Most of what I shoot is gifted away but some people take money from their friends and relatives and do quite well out of it, supplementing their income, but there can be very few men in the UK whose sole income comes from venison sales.
 
Most of what I shoot is gifted away but some people take money from their friends and relatives and do quite well out of it, supplementing their income, but there can be very few men in the UK whose sole income comes from venison sales.

One of the best rewards of the hunt is giving the meat to friends, family and folks in need.
 
I had great enjoyment from a load of Venison / Game pies I took to work, Mrs Finnbear had a clear out from the big freezer, & a weekend's baking frenzy, the comments were great, & I passed them on to the significant other.
 
Yes you can make a living out of stalking and selling deer.
I'm afraid if it was quite as simple as that we'd all be doing it.
Not many stalkers have access to enough quality ground to shoot enough deer to make a reasonable wage.
I'll admit it is possible for some people but only a tiny minority.
 
I didn't say everyone can, but it is possible and it is not easy, there are quite a few on this site.
 
Deer hunting is my hobby and passion. I wonder if full time deer stalkers are itching to get to the golf course lol
 
Deer hunting is my hobby and passion. I wonder if full time deer stalkers are itching to get to the golf course lol


Do you really have to wait another 125 days to get out stalking? that would drive me mad! how long is the deer season for you?
 
Do you really have to wait another 125 days to get out stalking? that would drive me mad! how long is the deer season for you?

Deer season is 3 1/2 months long. Late September to early January. Hunting is closed when doe are birthing fawns. Years and years ago season was always open. Deer populations were very low. Seasons allow a healthy herdand better hunting. It gets hot as hell here too. Swimming pool is better than hunting in the summer.
 
Yeah swimming pool sounds good too! if only we had the weather for it. Do you hunt white-tails/mule deer/other? and how many do you usually take in a season?
 
As already said there are a few on here who make a living, you do not have to sell the venison to a game dealer, you can set yourself up as I have as a registered food business and sell direct, but I am just starting down this road and it is not easy getting a client base, but things are improving.
But make a good living, I doubt I ever will that's why I guide stalking as well as fly fishing.
When I visited Montana we donated ALL our venison to the food bank in Bozeman.
Cheers
Richard
 
Yeah swimming pool sounds good too! if only we had the weather for it. Do you hunt white-tails/mule deer/other? and how many do you usually take in a season?

Whitetail deer only in Tennessee. Mule deer and elk are found in our western states.

I usually take 4-5 deer a year. That's enough for my family and to share with friends. We are allowed to take 3 bucks in a season where I live. We are allowed to take 3 doe a day. No one ever takes that many doe but we do have a liberal doe harvest to control population.
 
Is venison available at most local grocery stores and supermarkets in the UK?

If so can one make a career deer stalking and providing venison to grocers?
Waitrose have European red venison, from farmed estates. The rest we hunt for our own table & is not the quality suitable for the retail trade.
 
For most stalkers it's not quite as simple as providing venison to grocers, a game dealer must take the venison from the stalker first. The game dealer usually pays about £1 per lb to the stalker (last time I checked) it's then sold on to the "grocer" who offers it to the consumer for between £5 per lb and £18 per lb. (ASDA venison steaks £16.67 per KG)
Venison is not at all popular with the British public. I am told that most of what we shoot here goes abroad.
So the answer to your question: No, not really viable

The cost of Venison in the UK is the reason not many people eat it, and is subsequently exported.
I cannot understand why in a country with a estimated population of 1.5 million deer of various species, and a government stating that 750,000 deer need to be culled
to keep the heard s viable, and they still manage to put the price of Venison at a level that most cannot afford. ?????

IMHO.

Kevin

The situation with Lamb in NZ is the same. 60.000.000 sheep in NZ 99.99% are exported the home market is expected to pay a ridiculous price
for lamb in the Supermarkets. as much as $38NZD per leg. and then its nearer Mutton than Lamb. thats about 19GBP
Venison is free, you just have to find it, shoot it, and cart it.

Kevin.
 
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Lamb price is the same here, a lot of lamb is now exported, but at a higher price, so people on the continent are payin the price,s we complain about.
 
there are quite a few statements that need to be cleared up here.
I used to have regular contact with Christian Nissen one of the largest venison suppliers in the country, they used to supply a considerable amount to the EU, but in recent years the UK market through good advertizing and TV chefs has grown considerably.So much so that some of the large producers cannot and do not have enough produce to supply the European market so have concentrated on UK
Highland Game only a few months ago were encouraging deer farming as way of supplying the UK demand for Venison.

The cost of venison has always been a bone of contention especially with stalkers supplying the raw product,the cost of delivery to the wholesale/retail trade has many underlying costs, i'm sure that those that have been in the game dealing industry or anyone in the food industry will testify.
 
I imagine if someone put thier mind to it, they could figure out a way to rear domesticated muntjac. Could keep them in little pens like free range pigs. A few generations of selective breeding to get them comfortable with higher densities in captivity, and then off you go - year round production.

They'd be printing thier own money.
 
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