Kitted out for new challenges
In rural pubs across the country — the ones that are still open at least — you’ll always find some old boy who’ll tell you life was much better in years gone by. Old keepers often express similar sentiments. I’m not sure, though.
In fact, having started my gamekeeping career in the last days of paraffin-fuelled incubators, I reckon that the life of the keeper, to a large extent due to advances in kit, has become much sweeter. True, not all that has changed in the game shooting world has been for the greater good, but the kit we have today undoubtedly saves us time, improves our husbandry and extends the lives of our hips and knees.
The incubator in the shed next to my house is a perfect example of the way things have progressed. It has electronic controls, it turns the eggs at preset intervals and automatically adjusts the
