Looking for a job ... apparently I can't post in the jobs section ...

[henryjackson]

I recently began as a gamekeeper/ estate manager at a small racing stables. Unfortunately, I am doing more with the horses than with any keeping, which was not what was advertised; I took the job to learn about keeping. I am therefore looking for a keeping job quite urgently. I am also open to any sort of employment for the rest of the season, until jobs start appearing later on in the new year; I want to be in this industry however I can, as soon as I can.

I am a graduate of the Royal Agricultural University, where I studied Rural Land Management, with final year electives in Game and Deer Management and Woodland Management. While this was a theoretical course, I am doing my best to gain practical experience. Unfortunately I have not managed to gain that much practical keeping experience, so I am looking for someone who will accept this and allow me to learn on the job. I consider myself to be a good, quick learner who is practical; I have some farming experience, can drive tractors and am quite logical so I am quite good at fixing things, if I do say so myself!

I have my SGC and have already applied for my FAC, which should hopefully come in soon... I have been shooting shotguns since I was about 6 (I'm 22 now) and have some experience with rifles.

I also have experience driving trailers, although have yet to take my B + E entitlement (although I am open to doing this).

If you need someone who is eager to learn and willing to work long hours early/ late, and is practical minded, please do not hesitate to contact me. Either email me on henryjackson1997@icloud.com, or PM me.

Many thanks in advance,
Henry

 

[ashray]

good evening,i wish you good luck in your search, do you have your chainsaw,poison/chemical and quad bike licences/qualifications? and your location in the uk would help !not your address but nearest town etc.

 

[Pedro]

1. Don't give up the job you have until you've got the job you want.

2. Paid gamekeepers' jobs are rarer than rocking horse poo.

3. The likelihood of getting a gamekeeper's job without any/much experience is not good. Even if you are qualified on paper.

If I were you, I would look at the job you want as a more long term goal. You need to get experience. The way to do this is to keep your job for now (to ensure your income) and do well at it, so when the time comes, you'll get a good reference. Then in your spare time, start to get that all important experience. Approach shoots close to you. I bet you could find a few who would be happy to have help for free. Learn as you volunteer. You could be a small cog in a big shoot, or look for smaller places who maybe even have part-time or do-it-themselves keeping arrangements. The advantage of a smaller shoot is that you would potentially be more involved with running it, once they get to know and trust you rather than a big shoot where you'll find all your volunteering time is spent lugging feed about the place and disinfecting feeders. But experience of both would be good.

Are you not beating/picking up or something on a shoot anyway if that's where your interest is? If not, get that sorted ASAP! You need to get to know people in the shooting community who will say "Oh Henry, he's a great worker and reliable." Probably not what you want to hear ideally, but the chances of walking into a keeper's job at present are remote and you will have to work hard at cutting those odds. Look at things from the landowner/head gamekeeper/whoever is in charge's position. Would you want to employ someone to look after your investments of thousands of pheasants and their income to an untried lad just out of college with a bit of experience with horses? That's what you have to change.

…...good luck, hope you do well.

 

[henryjackson]

good evening,i wish you good luck in your search, do you have your chainsaw,poison/chemical and quad bike licences/qualifications? and your location in the uk would help !not your address but nearest town etc.

Hi there, I do not have chainsaw/ quad bike licenses, but have experience with both so I am happy to take them, and am confident that I would be able to pass tests. I am in South Wiltshire, but am willing to work pretty much anywhere!

 

[henryjackson]

1. Don't give up the job you have until you've got the job you want.

2. Paid gamekeepers' jobs are rarer than rocking horse poo.

3. The likelihood of getting a gamekeeper's job without any/much experience is not good. Even if you are qualified on paper.

If I were you, I would look at the job you want as a more long term goal. You need to get experience. The way to do this is to keep your job for now (to ensure your income) and do well at it, so when the time comes, you'll get a good reference. Then in your spare time, start to get that all important experience. Approach shoots close to you. I bet you could find a few who would be happy to have help for free. Learn as you volunteer. You could be a small cog in a big shoot, or look for smaller places who maybe even have part-time or do-it-themselves keeping arrangements. The advantage of a smaller shoot is that you would potentially be more involved with running it, once they get to know and trust you rather than a big shoot where you'll find all your volunteering time is spent lugging feed about the place and disinfecting feeders. But experience of both would be good.

Are you not beating/picking up or something on a shoot anyway if that's where your interest is? If not, get that sorted ASAP! You need to get to know people in the shooting community who will say "Oh Henry, he's a great worker and reliable." Probably not what you want to hear ideally, but the chances of walking into a keeper's job at present are remote and you will have to work hard at cutting those odds. Look at things from the landowner/head gamekeeper/whoever is in charge's position. Would you want to employ someone to look after your investments of thousands of pheasants and their income to an untried lad just out of college with a bit of experience with horses? That's what you have to change.

…...good luck, hope you do well.

Thank you for your advice, I am keeping my job as I search but wanted to post my availability for any of those rare jobs! I am trying my best to get experience, as much depth and breadth as possible. I will look at getting volunteer keeping work, thank you for that advice.

Unfortunately, I work 0530 until the early afternoon every day except a sunday off every other week so am unable to continue my regular beating that I was doing earlier on in the season.

 

[henryjackson]

Just a small bump... after leaving my previous job I am now actively involved in beating. I have also got an arrangement to learn from a professional deer culler all about stalking. Although I have only been out once I saw a cull of a fallow, helped with the Gralloch and was involved in the zeroing of his rifle. I have fallen in love with it, and can't now wait to get out again. Are there any jobs available (or any full stop that I can wait a bit for) that would allow me to concentrate on deer stalking / culling? I know about ghillies and am very interested, however I would like to have a full time, year round position and not necessarily a seasonal one... Can anyone give me some advice about how best to find jobs such as these? I am saving up for my DSC 1/2. Thanks in advance for help!

 

[foxdropper]

Wish you luck with your chosen lifestyle mate .Wont be easy but easy never was satisfying ,the rewards of graft and honesty will pay off one day .
Dont expect it to happen overnight ,its usually a slow burner and things will fall into place as and when .
Again mate good luck for the future .

 

[henryjackson]

Thanks mate!