Wentworth Park: A shoot surrounded by history

GunsOnPegs: How long have you been running shoots?

Chris Flintoft: I have been running shoots for over 30 years. I've been at Wentworth Park since 2018.

GoP: What led you into it?

Chris: I grew up surrounded by shoots in Hemsley, North Yorkshire, my grandad was a shooter.

GoP: What’s your role on the shoot?

Chris: I'm head gamekeeper. 

GoP: What’s your philosophy when it comes to putting on a great day for your guns?

Chris: We run a relaxed, enjoyable, social day, as well as putting on a great show of birds and maximising the topography and the weather conditions.

GoP: Who were your influences/heroes in shooting?

Chris: My mum’s uncle got me into shooting. He was the local game keeper in the next village, and at 15 I helped out at Spaunton in school holidays.

 About Wentworth Park

GoP: Describe Wentworth Park in three words?

Chris: Picturesque, historical, hidden gem

 GoP: What makes Wentworth Park special - how does it stand out from the rest?

Chris: Despite being only five miles from the centre of Sheffield, Wentworth Park really is a rural gem. At over 5,000 acres, and with a wide variety of landscapes and environments including rolling farmland, the historic deer park and established woodlands, each drive has different scenery. The estate is littered with monuments, follies and lodges, creating a sense of history. 

One thing that makes Wentworth different from other commercial shoots is that the two co-owners - Phil and Keith - were originally part of the estate syndicate, before taking on the shoot. They still belong to the syndicate, so they really take an interest in ensuring that the shooting is top-level'

GoP: What are your ambitions for the shoot?

Chris: We aim to offer the best shoot experience,  with all the guns getting equal amounts of shooting throughout the day, and every gun going home having had a memorable day, and every level of gun catered for.

GoP:  What are the biggest changes you have made in your time running the shoot?

Chris: Since I took over, we have opened up the three main valleys in the park, and made adjustments to many of the drives in order to get the most of out of the topography.

We have built gun stands in the main valley, as well as adapting all of our drives to make them accessible to those with limited mobility. 

We have also created an outside hospitality space where guns enjoy breakfast and lunch.

Change and challenge

GoP: What significant changes do you plan to make over the next few years?

Chris: We are continuously looking at expanding drives throughout the vast grounds, and every year we work on managing each drive to keep it at its best.

GoP: What conservation/wildlife projects do you run on the shoot?

Chris: Each year we plant wild bird mixes which benefits game but also the songbirds on the red and amber listed conservation birds. In the last couple of years, we have seen the number of lapwings and oyster catchers increase. We also do supplementary feeding of the songbirds in order to help protect the red and amber listed bird species that thrive on the shoot.

I am also the Yorkshire Chairman for the NGO, whose motto is 'keeping the balance'.

GoP: What are the unique challenges you face at Wentworth Park?

Chris: The ongoing political pressure on shooting. To help give young people a deeper understanding of the countryside, each year we run an open day through the government's Countryside Learning initiative, welcoming over 100 school children from the local area to the estate.  

GoP: How many people do you have on your gamekeeping/shoot management team?

Chris: As well as me, there's co-owners Keith and Phillip, who also do the hosting on shoot days.

GoP: Where on a 1-10 scale would you rank the difficulty of the shooting?

Chris: Given the right conditions most of the drives are challenging however we cater for all guns capability.

GoP: What kind of teams / guns would most enjoy Wentworth Park?

Chris: We cater for all levels of capability, and provide chaperones to help novices.

GoP:  What’s your favourite drive on the shoot?

Chris: So many, but I have a special place in my heart for the Mausoleum – that was the first valley I altered and put the gun stands in. I also love Squirrel – it is so picturesque looking over the guns and you see the birds flying over the lakes and valleys.

GoP: What’s your role on a shoot day - are you in the beating line, watching from behind with a radio, hosting etc?

Chris:  During the drives I am in the line and driving the birds to enable them to be shown as best they can. Between the drives I carry our hosting duties with our guns.

GoP: What are the best and worst things about running Wentworth Park?

Chris: The best thing is that every day on the park is different; who would not want to live and work here. 

The thing that I find hardest to deal with is the negativity shooting gets with Joe Public, and the politics -  we all need to fight to keep shooting alive

GoP: If you could run a shoot anywhere else in the country, where would it be?

Chris: I love it here - I wouldn't want to work anywhere else 

GoP: What are your favourite types of teams to host?

Chris: Each team is unique:  our biggest reward is to greet our returning customers.

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