Eating Game is Key

Deer numbers have grown vastly over the last 40 years but since the Covid-19 pandemic, when culling dropped, many experts like Jonathan Spencer, a former head of planning and environment at Forestry England, say the numbers have got completely out of control.

Their impact is being widely felt, with rising numbers leading to problems for drivers and farmers as well as wildlife and the Suffolk countryside. Farmers and landowners can see losses easily run into the tens of thousands, according to the Forestry Commission, and some with high-value crops can see losses of as much as £1m in a year. Tackling rising deer numbers is now seen as a priority by conservationists, farmers and the government.

An estimated 350,000 deer are removed from the British landscape annually via culling, according to the Country Food Trust, but the overall population is still rising - in 2023 it was found that up to 750,000 deer a year may need to be culled to keep the population stable.

Eating game is key. Venison is considered to be healthier than beef as it is lower in saturated fat and higher in various nutrients. What's more, wild venison - or deer meat that has not been farmed - is also believed to be better for the environment as it has lower associated carbon emissions than farmed meat.

You'll always find venison from the estate on our menu - we truly believe in it and so do our chefs. From venison sausages to venison haunch and peppercorn sauce on our a la carte. Eat Game are an organisation that seek to ‘educate, inspire and promote the benefits of eating sustainable, delicious game meat,’ which is exactly what we also aim to promote. Often folk think it's too strong or expensive but we're here to break the myth.