Articles Entertainment & NewsGame season: Here’s why you should get into eating wild meat
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Game season: Here’s why you should get into eating wild meat

By The Press Association Sep 20, 2018

Hunting season is upon us, which means, if you’re so inclined, the opportunity to shoot for your supper this autumn is a possibility.

The four-month grouse season kicked off in August, partridge is in full swing, and pheasant season opens on October 1, while duck will soon be plentiful, too.

But if your usual bird-eating only amounts to the odd roast chicken, here’s what you need to know about getting your teeth into game…

Game is actually quite healthy
The fat on wild game is relatively high in Omega-3 fatty acids (particularly wild venison), which are thought to be good for the brain – it’s what we’re always being told to eat oily fish for. It’s also lean – all that running wild means the animals are less fatty overall, and it’s lower in cholesterol too. Game also contains decent levels of iron, vitamin E, beta carotene, zinc, vitamin B(6) and selenium.

The animals roam free
Be it pigeon, rabbit, geese or woodcock, the animals spend their lives rambling, foraging and eating whatever they come across – game is the ultimate free-range meat.

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It’s a pretty eco-friendly option
If you’re going to eat meat, it makes sense to buy cuts that are low on food miles, don’t involve intensive farming methods that can wreak havoc on the environment, and rates highly on sustainability. Deer, for instance, have no natural predators and are plentiful, as are rabbits and pigeon (squirrel too, if you’re feeling adventurous).

The industry supports the countryside
Countryside, moorlands and woodlands that are managed for game season – particularly grouse – tend to be managed in a way that benefits other species, from birds to wildflowers, and means huge tracts of land and estates remain green, rather than built up.

It tastes really good
All that living outside means the meat has more flavour too, and the cooking options are endless. Consider creamy rabbit stew, partridge risotto, roast pheasant with gravy, venison steak and pan-fried duck breast…

It’s easier to get hold of than you might think
While some farmed game (something of an oxymoron) is available in supermarkets, for really wild game, you can buy it online (try The Wild Meat Company for starters) and from good butchers.

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