Sporting Gun UK – May 2019

42 SPORTING GUN M AY 2019 http://www.shootinguk.co.uk

A

s they say in the movies:

“That ’s a wrap!” The inaugural

season at the Yeat Wood Farm

shoot has been a steep learning

curve for gamekeeper Andy Gray. He would

be the fi rst to admit that it hasn’t been

without its challenges. Twelve months ago

the shoot was pretty much a blank canvas.

There was a small shoot on the 400-acre

farm but its new owner wanted to develop

it. He instigated a fi ve-year plan and this

fi rst season has exceeded all expectations.

Pond life

The year started out with the seven existing

ponds being dug out and relandscaped. Two

ofthe smaller ponds were dredged to remove

some of the silt and left as havens for wildlife.

A man for

all seasons

GAMEKEEPING

Our shoot

nick Ridley

Nick Ridley follows gamekeeper Andy Gray as he takes on

the challenge of the development of Yeat Wood Farm shoot