“What sets us apart is that we’re not just spectators” – BASC chairman Eoghan Cameron shares his thoughts on the vital role of shooting’s people in managing the British countryside.

By the time you read this, I expect to be crawling through an icy bog or breathlessly traversing a Munro in pursuit of red hinds. Hopefully, the weather will live up to its unforgiving stereotype, putting man and kit to the test. Warmer, drier ways of shedding festive indulgences exist, but these outings are the highlights of my sporting calendar.

When it comes to kit, I believe less is more. Non-essentials become barriers to a uniquely visceral experience. Successfully pitting your skill against the extraordinary sensory powers of hinds is electrifying. You see every colour and feel every texture of the heather, breathe in the scents of the winter hill, and become part of nature in a way few will ever experience.

Everyone in our community cherishes this feeling in different ways. You don’t need to be crawling towards hinds to experience it. It’s found in the energy of the marsh at dusk, a rushing waterfall surrounded by ancient birch, an old walled garden flanked by soaring elms, or the far corner of a late summer moor with its waves of purple heather perfume.

A friend recently drove me around his farm, pointing out roe doe hot spots. Passing through pheasant drives, he recalled a frequent pandemic scene: strangers picnicking and paddling in previously undisturbed areas. Though grateful for normality’s return, it highlighted something fundamental.

What sets us apart is that we’re not just spectators. We don’t pick up the countryside and put it down. We know and care for places unseen from paths or maps. We are often the reason the countryside’s beauty, wildlife, and biodiversity endure. Harvesting game and managing wildlife sustainably are central to this.

I know a Highland stalker who once extracted a deer by pony through a remote village. A walker berated him, unable to reconcile her view of the countryside with its realities. It’s a story familiar to many. It’s easy to believe public opinion is against us, but for every critic, several are genuinely interested, and many have no opinion. 

BASC’s initiatives, such as BASC to School, are reaching tens of thousands of non-shooting hearts and minds. We must educate tactfully, live up to our own high standards, and ensure public opinion remains neutral. Keeping it that way is our ultimate legacy.

My best wishes for health, happiness, and good shooting in 2025.