Weathering the storm

How is climate change - and consequently evolving farming practices - affecting hunting?

- 

FOUR thousand miles away, as I write this, Jamaica is bracing itself for Hurricane Melissa, one of most powerful ever to hit land.

Yet today’s benign storm names belie the menace. Her statistics sound apocalyptic - 180mph winds and three feet of rain in a day, bringing floods, storm surges and landslides. Sadly, such extreme weather and climate events are becoming more frequent, significantly ahead of the rate coming out of the last ice age.

Back in the UK, while we are somewhat shielded from such extremities, we are nonetheless experiencing relative events and patterns.

No one is affected more than our farmers, who strive to feed the nation and protect the natural environment, and make a living. All this trickles down to hunting. A hunt is nothing without its farmers and landowners, and the more the hunt fosters a symbiotic relationship with the farming community, the better its hunt country and social licence within the rural fabric. Hunting farmers are, of course, prized.

A master’s responsibilities in 2025 remain broadly the same as 50 years ago: run the country, organise and produce hunting, manage the hunt staff, run the day-to-day affairs and be a leader. However, just like in farming, arguably the complexities and skills required to achieve success are manifold compared to the mid-1970s.

The tenures of those who solely seek glamour and prestige are generally short-lived. Masters must be sensitive to the demands of modern farming and ensure that every farmer is afforded the respect and consideration they are due. Every farmer has their own rules and expectations, however light or detailed.

Along with navigating decades of changing government policies and a plethora of schemes to maximise their farm’s potential, farmers have had to account for changes and unpredictability in climate. Evolving farming practices and technological progress play their part too.