I wanted to be a gamekeeper from the age of twelve. However, I was discouraged and it wasn’t until I was 23 that I decided to pursue a game-keeping career.

I already had an engineering degree and had worked for one year when I successfully enrolled onto a Higher National Certificate in Highland Game Keeping and Wildlife Management in August 1995 at Thurso College.

The majority of this course consists of practical hands-on experience. I worked for eight months with the head stalker and manager of Kilchoan Estate where I learnt to stalk and manage red deer. I completed the rest of my course working with game birds at Forneth Estate in Perthshire, which involved long hours, seven days a week.

At the end of my course, I took up a full-time position as under-stalker on Kilchoan Estate where I worked for two stalking seasons. I have recently started a new job at Cawston Ranch in Zimbabwe, which offers sustainable hunting for several plains game species. During my time at Cawston, I hope to learn as much as possible about the ranch’s wildlife management techniques and the running of the safari business.

As a gamekeeper or stalker, there are many times you find yourself cold, wet and sore. However, when the sun shines and you are in the hills stalking deer, or working dogs to grouse on a moor with people whose company you enjoy, then it has be one of the best jobs you could wish for.